Source: https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2015-03-09-quick-facts-about-uct
I am lucky to have received a DAAD scholarship (https://www.daad.de/de/) to pursue MSc. Eng. studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2014 specializing in Geotechnical Engineering. This was my first time to leave Uganda and also to “visit the skies”. So you can imagine what this meant to me at that time. I was also joining again my mentor, Prof. Denis Kalumba, who had left me at Makerere University.
Between 2011 and 2014, I had applied for many scholarships but I was not successful in any. One particular incident, I applied for a scholarship to Japan. At the same time I sent a recommendation letter for a former student in relation to the same scholarship. I was shocked when the student I recommended was awarded the scholarship. And yet I was unsuccessful. God’s ways and timing is always the best.
I am thankful to God that I was able to finalize my studies in October 2015 and graduated in December of the same year. Many people have left their countries of origin for further studies and come back unsuccessful. Much more than the papers (certificate and transcript) I received from UCT, I will always be grateful for the EXPOSURE. I was introduced to a whole new world. South Africa (SA) is unique. If you visit places like Cape Town, SA is a developed country. Then some of the places like in Eastern Cape will expose to another side of SA that is third world.
There is a difference between visiting a place and being exposed. As Africans we can relate very well to this. Otherwise we would be much more developed. I was introduced to a new culture of doing things. Time management became part of me. How do you handle clients? Just because you have a degree in engineering does not mean you treat your clients as nothing. Now REPORT WRITING was the game changer. South African consultants always complained about reports from Ugandan consultants. I remember my mentor and supervisor sending me to the UCT Writing Center to learn how to “write”.
A story is told of how Unilever sent its marketers to stay in the slums of India for sometime so as to get exposed to the kind of life and language in these environments. Then they would be able to come up with a strategy on how to engage with them successfully. Never underestimate the power of exposure. This world is bigger than Uganda. If you get a chance, allow to be exposed.
As a geotechnical engineer do not settle for Uganda and the Ugandan way of doing things. For the start, use the Internet of Things for Exposure. As you wait for your turn to leave the country for physical exposure. It is great to come back with the papers. But more great to come back an exposed person. My friend Gerald Kadapawo (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kadapawo-gerald-opolot-b82326a8/) is a Committee Member on Energy Committee-Water power in American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) (2022-2023) while staying in Uganda. That is Exposure. When you talk to him you feel it in him.
Publish in Conferences. I remember last year I was presenting a paper virtually in a small group for the Geotechnics in Transport Conference in USA and I was the only the person from Africa. I got encouraged by the other participants to continue being exposed. At the same conference, I attended a training on pavement design for airports, airfields and landing pads facilitated by senior engineers from the Army Corps of Engineers (https://www.usace.army.mil/) and Federal Aviation Administration (https://www.faa.gov/).
IN SUMMARY: GET EXPOSED
I am humbled and glad that you regard me , this much ! Wonderful efforts .thanks for the series
I liked the geotechnical engineering that you taught us at Ndejje University but doing Water Science and Engineering at IHE in the Netherlands right now, specialising in irrigation engineering. As you noted, report writing and management are our major challenges, exposure can change the way we look at things. I pray that I successfully obtain my paper and go back home. When you wrote that many go home unsuccessful, my heart jumped and I think that is a warning signal to me and it will encourage me to work extra harder to achieve my paper. All the best in your endeavours as you continue to pursue further studies.