Josephine Nyachwo
UWC Atlantic 2019-2021
A visit to her school in 2015 from a recent UWC alumni talking about his experiences and life journey, was to be a significant turning point in Josephine’s life. Inspired to apply through the National Committee in Uganda, Josephine was successful in her application and in her assessment days and found herself at UWC Atlantic at the end of August 2019.
“This really does feel like a home from home, although it could not be more different from my home,” says Josephine. “The flight to the UK was my first flight alone but I did feel that God was leading me. Leaving my parents and my family was such a difficult thing to do, but this feels like it is the right thing to be doing, for me, and I am so proud to be part of UWC.
My first surprise was that I had never seen the sea. It was a beautiful moment and I still am pleased to be able to look at the sea every day from the castle. I have met some lovely people and am sharing my room with students from Panama, The Netherlands and Great Britain. We are all so different but we are also getting to know what we share as well as what makes us different.
Another surprise is that the teachers here is that they are so easy to talk to. They treat you with so much respect and they always want to help you. I am treated like an adult, I am spoken to respectfully and kindly and that could not be more different from some of my education experiences at home. It does make you feel that you can do good things and it gives you the confidence to try.
I am studying Mathematics, Spanish and Environmental Systems at Standard level and Economics, English and Physics at Higher Level. My ambition is to become a Civil Engineer and I want to go back to Uganda and help with projects to rebuild my school and other important buildings in my community and in my country.
I want to help others to build a better future for themselves, like I am lucky enough to be able to do.”