It’s hard to believe it’s been 13 years since Jackie entered our lives. In the beginning, she was like many of our young primary school students in the OHU program – struggling to make the best of her opportunity and showing such promise. She worked hard and ultimately ended up receiving a full government scholarship to Makerere University to study Veterinary Science.
This year, she finishes with rotations in small animal clinics, surgery, pathology, theriogenology and field medicine. She loves the small animal clinic and surgery work, but warns it is not very marketable in Uganda.
This winter, she chose to conduct a special public health laboratory research project on anti-microbial resistance in raw milk sold in the Mityana district. This spring she’s working in the field on chimpanzee intervention (in case of emergency), snare patrol and removal, sample collection analysis and others. Hawa, the male chimp featured below, is one of her favorites.
Our family has been lucky to meet Jackie and spend time together on recent visits to Uganda. Our joy and love is cemented in the letters, pictures and texts we share across the many miles. To say we’re proud of all she has accomplished, doesn’t begin to express the depth of emotion.
Jackie continues to be the inspiration and proof for all that One Heart Uganda scholarships can mean for a young student and her dreams.
