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| Margaret at Chalo Graduation 2014 |
My journey with
the Kucetekela Foundation (KF) started in January 2010. I had been a child who
loved school but hated competition due to the fear of being left behind and
lack of confidence.
My name is Margaret
Ngoma and I have been with KF for the past five years. After getting the
highest marks in Grade 7 at my school, I believed a little more in myself. Once
enrolled in the school, I had a goal set in my head to be the first all the
time- or at least in the top two.
That worked very
well, since I had topped my class throughout my Grade 8, topping the whole
school on two separate occasions. For the three terms in Grade 8, I received
541, 568, and 540 marks.
Grade 9 came
with its own pressures, and I was determined to continue with my goal of being
the best two. It worked, except I was second for the two terms. Having been
supplied with all the material and emotional support, I knew it was left to me
to give results that showed that I appreciated the assistance given to me by
KF. So, I worked hard.
My results came
out and oh, was I happy! I had not only topped the class, but also broke my
school’s record by scoring 531 marks out of 600. I was really happy with the
overall 531 mark and impressed by my 99% score in history (which also made
Chalo Trust School history).
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| Margaret 'modeling' at Chalo's Talent Show |
Grade 10
continued on smoothly, with my goal of ‘top two’ still working out.
Additionally, I received some awards for the first time. In addition to being
awarded deputy head girl, I was crowned as Miss Chalo. The Miss Chalo award is
given to a person who leads by example in all aspects, including academics,
character, and overall involvement in extra-curricular activities. I was that
person in 2012. I had been voted and appointed deputy headgirl- as the prefects
and heads usually came from Grade 11.
My Grade 11 had
its ups and downs, but I fought on and sadly my ‘top two’ goal was shaken, as I
came out third in one of the terms. However, this did not discourage me. It was
competition and so it encouraged me to work harder. With a change in the
syllabi, there was need to utilize all the time I had. Here, I was voted and
appointed headgirl of the school, among other awards like “most disciplined.”
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| Margaret and her family at graduation |
My last year of
secondary school moved quickly, and I was studying, revising, and getting help.
I wrote my exams in October and November. My results came out and I performed
the best at my school, graduating the first in my class in November 2014.
I delight in
telling my story because its not about the ups or the downs, but its about the
end result. I am proud to say that my conclusion is, after all, that I finished
school at the top of my class in all of my national and international exams at
Chalo Trust School. I am happy of my achievements and my awards, and I am glad
that KF was there throughout. Currently, I am working as an intern in the KF
office and taking Russian language classes to prepare for applying for Russian
scholarships to study medicine. I am grateful for the opportunities provided to
me by KF, and I thank God for his love.
