Netizens recently got excited and inspired to discover that it is possible to dream from the streets and graduate from Makerere University. Meet Spongeman, a Ugandan from Katakwi district whose story spans around sponge-selling, authoring books, joining university to study and contesting for political office to be elected as a Member of Parliament in the recent general elections conducted in 2021.
Spongeman, real name Gerald Malinga, graduated with a Degree in Biomedical Laboratory Technology from Makerere University at the recent 74th graduation ceremony. He started the bailing sponge-vending in December 2011 after failing to join formal employment.
From sewing bathing sponges and writing to earning a university degree, Malinga highlights his story below:
It took me 2 hours to sew my first bathing sponge and I was so excited. I took my first ten dozens to Soroti for sale and only one business man bought them at UGX90,000 only. That’s when I discovered that I had to maximize production to gain financially. One of my most vivid memories of my street hustle was when I had no money for a guest house. On this fateful day, I reached Soroti late at 5pm and only one shop took one dozen and a half of sponges enough for only transport up to Lira district. I shared with the conductor that I had only transport up to the next destination and he told me I would sleep in their taxi because the guest house had a wall enclosure. The next day I carried my bathing sponges and luckily enough, one Indian man from Global supermarket in Lira bought all my sponges worth UGX625,000. I got inspired to take a picture in memory of that day with a belief that a better day was coming.
Having attained a National certificate in laboratory technology, I had all thoughts of pursuing a degree and was ready to deploy all measures of getting tuition. By December 2015, when I sat for mature age entry exam, I had already published my first book titled “The dead man roars”. Besides bathing sponges, as an option,book selling became the second option to raising university tuition.
Testimony about his academics
During my first academic year 2016-2017, I faced challenges and realized that year was getting wasted. I refused to stop studies but then decided to seek God through 40 days of fasting and prayers while breaking the fast at 6pm daily. My prayer request to God was, “Lord I need tuition, open my way, you know why you made me join university”. I still failed to get tuition but continued believing in God. Towards the end of that academic year, I got a miraculous call that changed everything for me. A Pentecostal Deacon from the Deliverance Church, a church elder working with Allied Health Professional’s Council Uganda, Papa Mikloth Ojaki, called me on phone saying had been given my number by National library of Uganda. He wanted me to publish his books from Amazon as e-books since I had mine already published by myself. I did agree to do his work at a cost of 100 US dollars. We became friends and being a pastor, he always preached and encouraged me that it was well. He understood I was alone in my struggle, resources not coming on time and got conviction to help me. That semester, my tuition was a joint contribution from two pastors and my university class.
Papa Ojaki said to me, “my son you have a great mind, if I leave you to get wasted, I will carry the guilt for the rest of my life”. He took charge of helping me to pay my tuition as I continued the sponges business and book-selling to supplement my needs. There and then, I realized my prayers had been answered. From then onwards, I thrived through my studies.
However as an author, I am a big thinker and through the bathing sponge enterprise, I had touched base with the locals across hundreds of villages who inspired me to contest for Member of Parliament, thus I didn’t do my final exams in 2020. On the other hand, I wasn’t sure of university resuming because of the COVID-19 lockdown. By the time we were called to do our final exams, I was already running my campaigns and I couldn’t dropout. Even though I didn’t make it to parliament, my advice to whoever has lost hope is simpl: besides perseverance and hard work, a success equation is incomplete without God.
Never limit your thinking or ambition because you are running small tasks, you can be a street sweeper and be the next great man. Believe that if others can, you can equally make it. Personally, I believe in myself and as an ambitious Ugandan, I will not limit my beliefs. Do not be shocked when you see me inspiring Ugandans greatly someday.
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