As a young girl growing up in Uganda’s Oyam District, Adero Mercy dreamed of becoming a nurse. She worked hard in school and believed education would help her build a better future. But in 2022, her family could no longer afford her school fees, forcing Mercy to drop out. Devastated, she spent the next two years out of school wondering if she would ever have the chance to return.
Mercy’s experience is common across Uganda, where many children are forced to leave school because their families cannot afford the costs of education. Her mother, Lydia, cared for Mercy and her five siblings on her own and struggled to earn enough to support their schooling. Though her father was present, he neglected his children and their educational needs, leaving Lydia to carry the responsibility of providing for the family.
But just as she was beginning to lose hope, Mercy learned about Speed School, an accelerated learning program that compresses two years of curriculum into ten months and helps out-of-school children re-enter formal education. The program would allow her to return to school with other children her age in Primary 6. It also offered support for her mother through a Self-Help Group focused on saving and building income-generating skills. For Mercy, it felt like a second chance for both her education and her family’s stability.
When Mercy joined Speed School at Wiagaba Primary School, she was happy to return to learning and quickly fell in love with her studies again. She enjoyed working with her classmates and soon the class facilitator, Mr. Joshua Otwil, named her as chairperson of small group activities. In this role, Mercy led group discussions and presented findings to the rest of the class. With encouragement from her facilitator at school and support from her mother at home, Mercy excelled academically.
Mercy’s hard work paid off. At the end of the year, she sat for placement examinations that determine learners’ grade level upon reintegration into formal schooling.
While most of her classmates progressed to Primary 6, Mercy was one of only four students, and the only girl, to qualify directly for Primary 7, effectively skipping an entire grade through her exceptional performance. She later finished the year as the top-performing female student at Wiagaba Primary School.
She carried that momentum into the Primary Leaving Examination (PLE), Uganda’s national exam for entry into secondary school. Despite returning to school only two years earlier and skipping a grade, Mercy achieved strong results and secured a place in secondary school, bringing her one step closer to her dream of becoming a nurse.
While Mercy advanced academically, her mother was building financial stability through her Self-Help Group. She started a charcoal trading business, purchasing charcoal in bulk and reselling it in smaller quantities locally and in Lira City. The additional income helped her continue supporting Mercy’s education through secondary school.
Mercy is now 18 years old and studying at Aculbanaya Senior Secondary School in Aboke Sub-County, Kole District. She reports that she is enjoying her new classes and getting along well with her classmates. Lydia Ayoro, proud of how far her daughter has come, promises she will continue to support Mercy’s education every step of the way. Surrounded by teachers, friends, and family who believe in her, Mercy is more determined than ever to excel in her studies.
“In my dream, I want to become a nurse,” Mercy says. Today, she is embracing her science classes, seeking support from teachers and classmates, and staying focused on her studies. After overcoming years out of school, Mercy is no longer wondering whether she will have a future in education. She is actively building the future she has always envisioned for herself.
