Leadership is often shaped not by comfort, privilege, or status, but by resilience, sacrifice, and the willingness to rise above adversity. At Uganda Christian University Mbale University College, the story of Guild President Waiswa Isaac stands as a remarkable testimony of determination, servant leadership, faith, and perseverance. His life journey, from a humble village boy in Tororo District to becoming one of the most inspiring student leaders at UCU Mbale University College, continues to motivate many young people to believe in the power of dreams, education, and service to humanity.
Born in Pawaga Parish, Nabuyoga Sub-county, Magola Village in Tororo District, Waiswa Isaac grew up in a deeply humble background. He was born to Mr. Owori Othieno Ogego and Mrs. Akoth Christine, the second wife in a large polygamous family. His father, a hardworking peasant farmer and village carpenter, had three wives and twenty-two children. Isaac was the fourth-born child of his mother and the tenth-born in the entire family.
Growing up in such a large family came with many struggles. Life was never easy. Resources were limited, and every day presented a new challenge. Yet even in the midst of hardship, Isaac learned values that would later define his leadership journey of humility, resilience, persistence, faith in God, and the importance of hard work.
As a young boy, Isaac experienced first-hand the realities of poverty. His father occasionally received road construction and maintenance contracts from the district, and whenever work became available, Isaac and his elder brothers would be withdrawn from school to help dig and weed roads. The little money earned from such labor was mainly used to support the education of the older siblings, while the younger children often missed classes and returned to school after long absences.
Despite these challenges, Isaac never lost his love for education. He remained determined to stay in school, even when school fees became impossible to raise. He often recalls hearing his father repeatedly say, “There is no money.” Those words shaped his childhood dreams. As a young boy, he dreamed of one day working in a bank because, to him, banks represented financial stability and hope.
While growing up, Isaac also developed a strong passion for football. However, his father strongly disapproved of it, believing that sports distracted children from responsibility. Still, Isaac would secretly sneak away to play football whenever he got the opportunity. This stubborn determination would later become one of the defining characteristics of his personality as the refusal to surrender his dreams despite opposition and hardship.
Isaac began his education at Oguti Primary School before completing his Primary Seven examinations at Buwesa Primary School. He later joined Rock High School Tororo for both O’ Level and A’ Level education. Throughout his academic journey, financial hardship remained his greatest obstacle. He never sat for mock examinations in Primary Seven, Senior Four, or Senior Six because of unpaid school fees. Many times, he missed end-of-term examinations and large portions of lessons.
Yet despite these setbacks, Isaac continued to believe in education as the key to transforming his future. When his father’s road contracts became scarce and the family situation worsened, many would have expected him to abandon school completely. Instead, he consistently pleaded with his father to allow him to continue studying, holding firmly onto the belief that one day his situation would change.
After completing Senior Six, life became even more difficult. Nevertheless, Isaac’s desire for education pushed him forward. He joined Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Jinja Branch, to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Procurement and Supply Chain Management. Unfortunately, financial challenges once again interrupted his education. In his second year, he was forced to drop out due to lack of tuition.
For many students, that would have marked the end of the academic journey. But for Isaac, it became the beginning of another chapter of resilience and survival. Determined not to surrender his dreams, he began hustling to raise tuition for himself. He sold second-hand clothes and shoes, worked in pork joints, and later joined a carpenter friend where he learned how to make executive coffins. Every coffin sold earned him a small commission, which he carefully saved.
In addition, Isaac started a small ludo business that earned him between five thousand and seven thousand shillings daily. Through discipline and sacrifice, he saved every little amount he could while also helping support his younger siblings at home. After nearly three years of hustling, he managed to save approximately two million shillings.
In August 2016, Isaac returned to MUBS hoping to continue his degree course, only to discover that the program had been discontinued. The disappointment broke him emotionally. He cried bitterly, feeling that all his years of sacrifice had gone to waste. However, in that painful moment, he remembered a principle that would continue guiding his life:
“Failing is normal, but remaining where you failed is true failure.”
Refusing to remain defeated, Isaac quickly noticed an advertisement for diploma courses at MUBS Ankara. Though the application deadline was close, he immediately applied for a Diploma in Procurement and Logistics Management. A few weeks later, he returned to check the admission list and found his name among the shortlisted candidates. Filled with excitement, he called his father to share the news.
His father, though surprised and unsure where the tuition would come from, blessed him and encouraged him to pursue his dreams. Miraculously, that same week, his father sent him five hundred thousand shillings. Combined with his savings, Isaac managed to clear his tuition and officially restarted his university journey.
Life in Kampala was not easy. He rented a tiny room in Kikuyu for fifty thousand shillings a month. The room had no proper sanitation facilities and flooded whenever it rained. Still, Isaac called it home. With only a mat, two saucepans, and two plates, he continued pushing forward with hope and determination.
To survive, Isaac resumed small businesses on campus, selling shoes, jerseys, clothes, and crafts. Every profit he made was immediately deposited toward tuition. In just two years, he reportedly made more than forty separate tuition deposits, reflecting his unwavering commitment to completing school.
During this period, he also participated in the MUBS Innovation Hub, where he showcased his business ideas. Although he did not win any awards, he became popularly known as the “Campus Hustler” because of his relentless determination to survive and succeed.
Many people advised him to abandon school and focus entirely on business. Even his stepbrother and close friend, Enock, encouraged him to pursue entrepreneurship because of his evident talent. However, Isaac remained focused on his educational dream. He insisted that he had to complete the journey he had started.
As his final semester approached, financial pressure intensified again. Desperate to raise tuition, Isaac sold all his business stock at a loss, leaving himself with nothing. Yet even after doing so, he still lacked enough money to sit for examinations. At this critical moment, one of his lecturers, Mr. Kalisa Gerald, came to his rescue by lending him three hundred and fifty thousand shillings to complete his tuition balance.
Through that support, Isaac successfully completed his diploma studies, though he could not even afford to attend graduation. Back home, many believed he had dropped out of school, but quietly and humbly, he celebrated his personal victory.
After school, life remained challenging. Isaac joined Mukwano Industries in Kampala as an off-loader, earning seven thousand shillings a day. Though the work was physically demanding and opportunities depended on arriving early, he remained disciplined and hardworking.
Later, he briefly worked at a pool table business before joining Tiptop Bread Kampala as another off-loader. His intelligence and work ethic quickly became evident. Within a short period, he was promoted to salesman and later to sales supervisor, serving in both Lira and Arua branches.
Still, Isaac’s passion remained in accounting and finance. His internship experience at Sheraton Hotel Kampala’s Accounts Department had inspired him to pursue financial management professionally.
The death of his father during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 deeply affected him. Returning home heartbroken, Isaac nevertheless continued fighting for survival. Together with his brother Gordon, he started a charcoal supply business for local restaurants. Eventually, he secured employment with Novo Enterprises Limited in Tororo and later transferred to the Soroti branch, where he currently serves as Head General Accountant and Supervisor.
At Novo Enterprises, Isaac’s leadership abilities continued to shine. He became known not simply as a supervisor by title, but as a leader who listens, supports others, and seeks practical solutions to challenges. He strongly believes that true leadership is about helping people overcome problems rather than merely sympathizing with them.
While pursuing studies at UCU Mbale University College, Isaac’s passion for leadership and service grew even stronger. One day, lecturer Mr. Geoffrey Nambafu informed students about a Rotaract Installation Ceremony at Court View Hotel and encouraged them to attend for networking opportunities. The ticket cost sixty thousand shillings, yet Isaac only had forty thousand.
Determined to attend, he approached the lecturer and explained his situation. Moved by his enthusiasm, Mr. Nambafu contributed the remaining twenty thousand shillings. That simple act became life-changing for Isaac.
At the ceremony, the Rotaract philosophy of “Service above Self” deeply transformed his thinking. He became actively involved in Rotaract and later rose to become President of the Rotaract Club of UCU Mbale City for the 2024/2025 term. His dynamic leadership style earned him the nickname “The Magic President.”
Through Rotaract, Isaac strengthened his passion for mentorship, service, networking, and youth empowerment. He firmly believes that relationships and networks are among the greatest assets in life. According to him:
“The greatest asset in life is not what you own, but who is connected to you.”
Driven by this belief, Isaac founded a mentorship seminar titled “More Than a Degree: Unlocking Success through Networks and Wisdom.” The seminar became one of the first major student empowerment initiatives of its kind at UCU Mbale University College. It attracted students, alumni, and professionals, encouraging young people to look beyond academic qualifications and embrace personal growth, innovation, networking, and purpose-driven leadership.
Today, as Guild President of UCU Mbale University College, Waiswa Isaac represents the true values of student leadership. His leadership style reflects humility, accountability, integrity, teamwork, compassion, and service to others. He continuously advocates for unity among students, mentorship, innovation, and personal transformation.
Isaac’s story perfectly reflects the mission and vision of UCU Mbale University College raising transformational leaders grounded in Christian faith, integrity, and service. His rise from digging roads in Tororo to leading a respected university student body reminds students that leadership is not reserved for the privileged, but for those willing to work hard, remain disciplined, and trust God through difficult moments.
He often reminds fellow students:
“I am not where I want to be right now, but I thank God I’m not where I used to be. Every day I compete only with myself, to be better than the Isaac of yesterday.”
These words continue to inspire many students facing personal and academic struggles. His life demonstrates that no background is too poor, no dream too big, and no challenge too difficult when determination, faith, and perseverance come together.
From selling crafts and making coffins to becoming an accountant, Rotaract President, mentor, and Guild President, Waiswa Isaac has become a symbol of hope to many young people. His journey proves that greatness does not come from comfort but from courage, consistency, sacrifice, and the willingness to serve others selflessly.
As UCU Mbale University College continues to nurture future leaders, the story of Guild President Waiswa Isaac will remain a powerful reminder that leadership begins with character, grows through perseverance, and succeeds through service.
By Harry Mukhooli