Life of a student mother at Uganda Pentecostal University

However challenging and tiresome it might be, being a mother is one of most women’s dream but being a student mother is never a bed of roses as you are faced by multiple challenges both as a mother and as a student.

Being a mother alone is a harder task but being a student mother must be the hardest beyond one’s imagination but student mothers have to accept their fate and face life the way it has come to them.

Student-mothers constitute a small but significant part in tertiary institutions like Uganda Pentecostal University Fort Portal campus.

A map showing the location of Uganda Pentecostal University Fort Portal

Education has been recognized as a basic human right since the 1948 adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and motherhood has been seen as a reproductive right ordained to women.

Though there are difficulties in trying to combine the exercise of both rights, some women have decided to take the bull by the horn to achieve their dreams. 

Kembabazi Olivia aka Quin, a third year student of Journalism and Communication at Uganda Pentecostal University (UPU), narrated to me how she became a mother at a very young age in her second year at campus and how she coped up with life owing the two demanding responsibilities as a mother and a student in whom her father had lots of hope being the first born of the family.

Becoming a mother took her by surprise as she never thought of something of a kind at her age and was not prepared for it but thanks to her loving and supportive partner, a fellow student whom she says gave her all the necessary moral and physical support after realizing she was pregnant for him though she had feared disclosing the news to him.

After coming to terms about her new life as an expecting mother then, the struggle was on how to explain to his father who loved her so much and since according to her culture, it is so shameful for a girl to be impregnated before marriage.

After several blue ticked messages to her father without any reply since he was so bitter with her, she almost broke down but thumbs up to her step mother who had to convince her father to play it cool since their daughter would not have to halt her studies because of the pregnancy.

After giving birth, life was not the same again as she had to strike a balance between studies and her new demanding responsibility as a mother. She however doesn’t regret becoming a mother at a young age and as a student, saying her 6 months old baby girl now, means every good thing to her. Thanks to her supporting baby daddy and the parents’ support.

Kembabazi however stresses that the university should think of setting up some rules and regulations that can protect these mothers saying that students can make student mothers’ lives a living hell at the university because the can bully them, talk all sorts of things about them which may lead to others abandoning studies or terminating the pregnancy.

Bridget Kabahenda is a working student mother pursuing her bachelor’s degree in journalism at UPU. She joined as a mother after realizing that she had to add a page to her diploma for the wellbeing of her family or future generation.

Balancing the three responsibilities for Kabahenda is very hard but she strives to give each time though sometimes she has to sacrifice some responsibilities for the most demanding one.

Kanyunyuzi Gorretti another student mother is a second year student of journalism who says she conceived when she had just enrolled for her Bachelor’s degree and life was not easy at all owing the challenges that come with pregnancy like the morning sicknesses, the body weakness which would make her miss some lectures.

She however says she would utilize any time that she would be fine to copy notes from her colleagues and also befriend lecturers to help her where need be.

Habu Eric the dean of students, Uganda Pentecostal University acknowledges presence of student mothers at the university and says there is no rule or regulation prohibiting one from giving birth since university is for mature people.

He however confirms that such mothers are given some special consideration if they feel they can continue with studies while pregnant instead of requesting for a dead year.

He says his office also helps talk to some parents who get tough on their children after realizing they are pregnant.

Kavuma Fred the dean faculty of journalism and a professional counsellor says they have tried to see that these student mothers get a conducive environment for them to achieve their goals academically but also take up the responsibility that has befallen them.

He advises that at least the university introduces counselling short courses for both lecturers and such students because it takes a lot for some lecturers to understand student mothers.

Dr Gilbert Ategeka of Fort Portal Regional referral hospital notes that however stressing it can be for student mothers, they should try as much as possible to avoid stress because it affects their health and that of the unborn baby. He adds that being a mother should not make them lose focus of their dreams in studies.

Dr Gilbert also requests that student mothers be given the necessary suppor both at school and at home.

However, Some students have resorted to abortion, but this does not only put their lives in danger but also the law does not allow according to Article 22(2) of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda that grants a right to protection of life.
“No person has a right to terminate the life of unborn child except as may be authorized by law.”

Motherhood is the toughest and greatest experience on earth. Throughout the journey of pregnancy to the point of delivery, it is all about pain. At the point of growth, so many sacrifices are made to provide the needed training, support and shoulder for the child to lean on. What is life without a mother? 

The Panaromic View of Uganda Pentecostal University Fort Portal