Footprints Podcast | Season 1 | Episode 15 | Mastering the Art of Making Do
Many people do not realize that life is about doing your best to thrive with the resources at your immediate disposal. This episode of the Footprints Podcast explores the journey of Samuel Kazibwe as he shares his story of valor in the face of unsolicited afflictions and the actions that were pivotal to his livelihood, along with his wisdom on how to navigate unforeseen transitions.
Amid a sea of memories, Samuel vividly recalls the lessons on selling food items like maize and coffee, which he learned from his uncle. These lessons equipped him with skills that later sustained his work and livelihood in an uncertain world of work. The second-born of seven children, Samuel was born and raised in the rural area of Butalaga. He was a sickly child and, as a result, was frequently absent from school during his primary years. After completing Primary Seven, he began trading in maize and fish before deciding to go to the capital city, Kampala, in search of more remunerative work due to his circumstances.
In Kawempe, Kampala, he worked at a Greek-owned bakery where his natural talent for arithmetic led to a promotion to head of distribution. This position gave him the opportunity to learn how to drive, as he observed and emulated the bakery driver. This skill eventually opened the door to his work as a special hire driver and, later, a twenty-five-year career with the Federation of Women Lawyers in Uganda (FIDA Uganda).
At FIDA, Samuel learned about violence in communities and the legislation surrounding domestic relations. He contributed to sensitization efforts around women’s rights and encouraged men to collaborate in the legal processes at FIDA during his time there. While driving the lawyers to legal outreach clinics, he sought permission from Resident District Commissioners regarding their work in target communities to facilitate the organization’s initiatives to aid women in those areas.
Unfortunately, Samuel was given a three-month notice of his impending layoff from the organization at a time when he least expected it. The prospect of living without a monthly stipend was unfamiliar, an experience common to many facing the inevitable transition into retirement. It was all the more jarring for him, as he did not receive any retirement benefits after many years of service. However, he resolved to use the three months at his disposal to economize and prioritize settling his family. Using his savings from fieldwork and outreach programs at FIDA, he set up his own residence back in his home area and established a subsistence farm with his wife, which has kept the family self-reliant in his retirement.
Samuel explains that he is deeply grateful for the opportunities he had to learn from his uncle, whose wisdom instilled in him the values of hard work and perception, both as a food vendor and a driver. He learned to be resourceful by using the land and the money he had to manage his sudden transition to retirement. He emphasizes that one of the greatest necessities in retirement is food, making self-reliance crucial. He advises others to prepare for retirement early and to live below their means in order to save for the future.
Samuel Kazibwe’s story highlights the importance of using the resources at one’s disposal in the best way possible to thrive, regardless of one’s circumstances.
_© Blurb written by Divine Karungi
Click HERE to listen to his story:
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