Twitter and Social media went ablaze with mockery and scorn for Henry Ssuubi Kiyimba, a freshman at Makerere University for carrying a metallic suitcase which social media fanatics termed as “high ‘schoolic’ ” and not worthy being at the ivory tower.
According to Emmanuel Aupal who posted the photo on twitter,the suitcase was “a blue metal suitcase in one hand and the legendary ‘Ousofia’ bag in another.”
Well, the scorn could have been a blessing in disguise. With a social fund, Ssubi Wish, coordinated by Ruth Aine, Cedric Babu and Journalist Allan Kasujja, Kiyimba has amassed emotional support and sholastic and non-scholastic material from good humanitarians.
The support range from laptops, shoes, leather suitcases, clothes, bedding and 2 million shillings to pay default fees from his former high school.
“I learnt about him on social media so I took the Initiative to visit him, to know who he is and encourage him that it is not the expensive suitcase or the clothes that make one a great person many of us came from very poor background but it is through hard work that you change everything,” The Uganda Ambassador to Canada Ruth Acheng said as she presented the student with a brand new Hp laptop.
The student also met up with the Vice Chancellor prof. Barnabus Nawangwe who complimented and presented him with a leather laptop bag.
“I salute all the gallant Ugandans who have risen to support Mr. Ssuubi, the fresh Makererean who was ridiculed on social media for his humble background. I thank the good samaritans who are willing to sponsor Ssuubi to study Engineering at Makerere, his dream career. Any kind support for Ssuubi can be forwarded to his Mobile: +256 756 511 976,” Prof. Nawangwe posted on his official facebook page.