Keren Loput never imagined dropping out of school one day due to lack of fees. The now 20-year completed her ordinary level education without any major complications.

Born to working class parents, her family was fairly financially stable.

“After finishing senior four, I decided to enroll for a nursing course,” she says. However, as they famously say, “no condition is permanent.”

Her nurse training education hit a snag shortly after starting the programme. Keren’s parents, due to overwhelming demands, ran out of cash so she had to dropout of the course.

“I was very depressed at home,” she says. 

Luckily, this did not last long. One day their family pastor who heard about a skills training opportunity called Keren’s mother to disclose the news. 

Two days before the pastor’s news, she thought about pursing tourism and hotel management training. But given the financial situation at home, she concluded that it would only remain a dream.

“I decided to immediately apply and was considered for the tourism and hotel management training,” explained the well-spoken Keren.

She was trained at Matany Girls Technical Institute. The training was largely practical. She attended theory classes for three weeks then spent 3 months learning in the industry.

Thanks to her impressive performance during industrial training, Keren was retained as an employee of Karatunga Tours and Safaris. 

The third born from a family of seven siblings has already started experiencing changes in her life.

“I can now financially support my siblings and family,” she says. This is only the beginning for the proud daughter of “Iriiri.”

She hopes to further her education by enrolling for a diploma in tourism and hotel management.

“I’m also saving part of my salary in order to establish a business that can sustain me while at school,” she discloses.