Mbale, Uganda | Every evening after classes, 23-year-old Elvis Kizito heads to the offices of Daily Monitor in Mbale City where he works as a cleaner, a part-time job that has financed his quest to complete secondary education and sit the 2025 Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams.
Kizito started cleaning at the news bureau in Senior Three, balancing his responsibilities as a student and worker. He pays his school fees, buys essentials, and saves for his future all through wages earned at the Media House.
Raised solely by his mother, Eva Akello, after being rejected by his father’s family, Kizito lived through financial hardship and eviction before a combination of hard work and support allowed him another chance at schooling. He earned a half-bursary after “very good performance” and went on to register for his A-Level subjects at Nkoma Secondary School, taking Mathematics, Entrepreneurship, Geography and ICT.
His job at the Monitor has been more than just employment it’s become a platform. His part-time cleaning work led to him covering the office administrator’s role when she fell ill, earning additional income which helped him transition from Senior Four to A-Level. “That was a blessing,” Kizito says.
Community and workplace support played a crucial role. The bureau’s administrator, Sylvia Namuwenge, says she recognised his determination and helped him find the job. His church also assists him with part of the fees. His mother describes him as disciplined, focused and loved in school.
As Kizito prepares for his UACE exams this November, he dreams of a future beyond cleaning. He aims to enrol at university and give back to his community an ambition rooted in the long hours spent both studying and cleaning. “I thank God for the people who have supported me,” he says.