Conquering Tech Fears to Becoming a Software Engineer

I am pleased to have had the opportunity to share my story.

I joined Refactory during the lockdown in 2020, during my senior six vacation. I was told about this opportunity by my sister, Sandra who offered to pay for me and also got a partial scholarship from the facility so that I could study for three months, doing the certificate course in software engineering. It was exciting!

Before then, I didn’t know how to use electronic gadgets like phones, computers, and others. I even feared to switch them on or use them thinking I would spoil something. So within myself, I would say, “Will I ever use these things?” BUT...

When I joined this course, I got amazing mentors who helped me throughout like Joanitah Nalubega, Lyllian Nakasujja, and Yusuf Mugaga who was a student by then and his friend Felix, a Nigerian. It was an amazing journey.? These people put in a lot of effort to see that? I was able to pick up, they gave me time, knowledge, friendship, courage, finances, gadgets, wifi, food, etc I can't mention all.

With time I picked up, and I learned how to use computers and coding. I loved HTML and CSS mostly, I made friends, met new people, and had adventures to various places. I didn’t want the course to end because I was enjoying learning new things daily, being challenged and working together with others. It was an online course but I would make sure I get to the facility every week from Nsambya.

Finally, after three months, the course was done but unfortunately, I was unable to get into the next level called “Boot camp” because I missed the deadline to submit my application, everyone was disappointed in me at that time, I got so anxious and didn’t know what to do,the option I was given was to repeat but there were no finances to cater for it, so that is where it all ended.?

The Boot camp level was where everyone was yearning to reach and those who made it continued and successfully completed.

After the certificate level, I kept on going to Refactory until I got another opportunity to study a physics course that bridged me to the medical course that I am doing currently.

I greatly appreciate every effort because when I got out, the IT world was easy for me. I can now handle gadgets, and cameras, get involved in problem-solving, creativity, planning, protecting myself and others from IT threats, and teach others the knowledge, and skills that will be invaluable as I study medicine, enabling me to explore tech innovations in medical devices, health apps, and data analysis, ultimately merging her software knowledge with medical insights for future breakthroughs in healthcare.

I will always share my story of how I didn’t know anything about technology, how I got to learn, and where I am now, with the background of Refactory as my “UPLIFTER”. I have never forgotten this and always recall, if it wasn’t Refactory ,then where?

THANK YOU REFACTORY.

I STILL TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THE AMAZING WORK YOU DO.?