Who Was Moses Kazibwe?
By Gretchen McKay
Moses was the firstborn son to parents Abdul and Olivia Kazibwe in Kampala, Uganda. He was born with sickle cell anemia, a red blood cell problem that affects the chemical hemoglobin inside the cell (http://www.scinfo.org), which resulted in periods of illness throughout his life. He attended private schools in Uganda. Upon completion of his secondary education, having made excellent grades in school, Moses and his family made plans to send him to America.
This was the first time that Moses had left home. He was anxious to see the United States. Abby and Olivia made arrangements for Moses to attend a community college that was near relatives in Colorado. He had several goals for himself: learn about the American culture firsthand, get a degree in information technology, learn to drive a car, and meet Bill Gates, one of his heroes. However in less than one week after arriving in Colorado, Moses fell ill with complications from sickle cell and was hospitalized. The well-trained medical staff stabilized Moses and nursed him back to health.
Moses began attending school in June and was excited about this adventure. Everything was new. For the first time in his life, Moses was completely responsible for himself, being 10,000 miles from home. He studied hard during the summer session, often calling American friends for advice when writing an English paper or to help him understand the differences between the American educational system and the schools at home. There were moments when Moses and his two Ugandan roommates felt a little disheartened at being so far from home so they were thrilled when they found Ugandan radio stations on the internet. The music and language made them feel a little less homesick.
Moses completed the summer session and received good marks in all his classes. He had signed up for his fall schedule, had learned how to drive, and had even purchased a small automobile to get himself and his friends around town. Every day Moses spoke with his family in Uganda and was anticipating his future. The possibilities seemed endless.
Then one morning in August, Moses fell ill and was hospitalized again. He had a stroke, a complication of his sickle cell, and fell into a coma. He passed away the morning of August 4, 2002. He had been away from home for less than four months but in that short time, Moses taught all those who knew him, both Africans and Americans, some invaluable lessons: laugh and be full of joy because life is an adventure; anything is possible if you work hard and follow your heart; stay in touch with the people you love, letting them know how much they mean to you; live every day as if it were your last; have no regrets.
WE DEDICATE THE WORK OF THIS ORGANIZATION TO THE MEMORY OF
A COURAGEOUS YOUNG MAN WHO WANTED TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
THANK YOU MOSES.