I come from a small village where dreams were often outweighed by daily struggles, and where a plate of food and a chance to go to school were blessings — not guarantees. Lukume Primary School wasn’t just a place of learning; it was the starting point of my journey — a journey fueled by faith, sweat, and the unwavering love of one remarkable woman: my mother.
My classmates and I would sit in dusty classrooms and floor smeared with cow dung, but our hunger to learn outshone our surroundings. Some days, hunger meant we studied with empty stomachs, yet even then, the desire to break free from poverty burned stronger.
But amid all this, one thing kept me going — my mother’s sacrifice. She would wake up before dawn to till the sugarcane fields, not for herself, but so her children could have an education. Her hands were rough from farm work, but her heart was soft with love. She reminded me often:
"Soma Allan, ndio utimize ndoto ya baba yako."
Back then, I didn’t fully understand what resilience was. I only knew I had to keep showing up — whether I had books or not, whether my stomach was full or not, whether I felt discouraged or not and slowly, that grit began to shape my character.
Life wasn’t perfect but those early days in Lukume taught me something priceless: circumstances don’t define your future — your response to them does. I wasn't the smartest, the best dressed, or the most confident. However, I was consistent. I kept moving. I kept believing in God.
To every young person reading this:
Don’t wait for perfect conditions to start chasing your dreams. Life will always present obstacles — poverty, doubt, peer pressure, rejection — but you have something stronger: “… He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

Today, I’m an accountant. I’m a husband, a father, a programming enthusiast — but most importantly, I’m still that boy from Lukume who believed in something more. Above All, I am a child of God.
So, here’s my message to you: Stand firm. Stay focused. Keep your faith in God.
Even from the smallest village, your dreams are valid.
#AllanShiteraWrites