02 December 2009

Ugandan Beatrice Biira Tells How a Goat Changed Her Life

CO.NX webchat transcript, December 2

Beatrice Biira, a Ugandan attending graduate school in the United States, answered questions in a December 2 CO.NX webchat about her journey from a remote African village to a master’s degree.

Following is the transcript:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of International Information Programs
Webchat Transcript

CO.NX Chat: Beatrice Biira: How a Goat Changed One Woman’s Life

Guest:     Beatrice Biira
Date:      December 2, 2009
Time:      9 a.m. EST (14:00 GMT)

CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): Hello everyone, and thank you for joining us! Beatrice has just joined us and we will be starting soon.

Beatrice: My name is Beatrice Biira. I am a 25-year-old and graduate student at the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, Arkansas. I was born and raised in Kisinga Village in Western Uganda where I went to primary school. I first came to the United States at age 14 to attend a conference sponsored by Heifer International, a hunger organization based in Little Rock.

At 16, I toured the United States speaking at bookstores and to the media about "Beatrice's Goat," a book about how a gift of a goat Heifer gave my family helped earn money so I could continue my studies. Two years later I came back to the United States, attended a transitional year of high school at Northfield Mount Hermon, Massachusetts, and, with a scholarship, went on to earn a bachelor's degree in International Development Studies in May 2008 from Connecticut College.

I also have served as a spokesperson for Heifer. My experiences in the United States have greatly enriched my life. Being from a poor family and a culture that did not value girls' education, I have great interest in education, especially for girls and women. Please join in this chat as I share with you my experiences and inspirations.

CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): We'd like to thank Beatrice for joining us today. And thank you all for your great questions. We see them coming in, and Beatrice will answer as many as possible.

Question [Rema]: Does your family live in America with you? Or do they still live in Africa? You have a great story here.

Answer [Beatrice]: All my family lives in Africa, some in my village and some in the Capital city of Uganda, in Kampala.

CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): Thanks everyone for joining us. Please continue to submit questions. Also, if you would like, please introduce yourself and tell us where you are from.

Q [TG]: tell me truly how does goat change your life?

A [Beatrice]: I know that a goat changing someone's life is a difficult concept to relate to for many people but if you have been to the developing world and observed the excruciating poverty situation, a dairy goat can bring a lot of changes like it did to my family. The benefits are many: sell milk and save money that you can use for many needs. I was able to start paying for my school fees and buy books and a uniform to go to school. We drank the milk, and that improved our health. The opportunity to go to school opens many doors in my future career-wise. Other families save enough money to start small business, build new houses, or can use goat droppings as manure in their gardens and improve crop yields. Farmers have that security of a constant source of income. The benefits are many.

Yulia: Thank you for doing this chat. It is nice to see you do very well.

CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): Thank you for coming, Yulia!

Willia: Thank you for letting me chat with you today.

Q [Indira]: Are you still visiting Uganda on a regular basis?

A [Beatrice]: I have been lucky to visit Uganda at least once every year. Sometimes, Heifer International organizes tours for their supporters to go see their work in the field, and I go along with them. I will be going home for Christmas. I am always excited to go back home because I miss home and my family so much.

Francine: Sorry you miss home. Uganda is a beautiful country.

Francine: You are a great role model for girls around the world!

CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): If you would like to view some photos about girls and education, please visit: http://www.america.gov/multimedia/photogallery.html#/4110/girls_school/

CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): You can read an interview with Ambassador Melanne Verveer on girls' education here: http://www.america.gov/st/develop-english/2009/November/20091103164517akllennoccm7.603091e-02.html?CP.rss=true

Q [TG]: it’s a big challenge finishing the university studies congratulations!  Tell me please what your impression of university life in USA?

A [Beatrice]: Thank you. It has been a lot of work, patience and persistence.  University life is a cultural shock for any international student like me coming from a different system of education. Although there is the need to adjust to the way of life in America, the communities in universities are very aware of students’ needs and offer so much support to help you succeed. I went to Connecticut College in New London, CT, and the professors were so good! They were very approachable and offered to give extra time to help me in my studies. Students here will always want to be friends with you if you let them. With all the support and resources on campus, I think that university life is good in this country.

CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): Thank you all for your excellent questions. Please continue to post them and introduce yourselves.

Q [Willia]: How did you apply for scholarships?

A [Beatrice]: I had some great friends here in America to help me apply for scholarships while I was completing my high School in Uganda.  The financial aid office needed to review my past grades, per annum family income (which was really minimal), and samples of my school work. Fortunately, I qualified for full financial aid, first at Northfield Mount Hermon School in Northern Massachusetts. I did the same to apply for college financial aid, and Connecticut College offered me a full need-based package for four years.

Q [Rosalee]: Hi Beatrice . . . When you first went to primary school it was difficult for families to send their girl children to school - sometimes the boys were chosen first - Is that still true in Kisinga?

A [Beatrice]: Thank you! It is true and unfortunate that in African culture, male children are often favored more than females for opportunities like school. This is because of the mentality that girls will get married eventually, join another family, and never come back to develop or help their own biological families. Also, girls/women are considered more for their reproductive roles in society than for providing material and financial support for their families. Fortunately, such beliefs are fading away, with evidence that when girls have an opportunity to go to school, they not only help themselves but improve the whole community by their caring characters! In Kisinga, I see many parents sending their girls to school now in equal numbers as boys, and this is how it should be in all communities.

Q [Hadiza]: Do women in your home village resent you?

A [Beatrice]: Women in my village have not resented me. In fact, they are very proud of my success, and some of them use it to inspire their own girls to work hard, and hope for a better future.

Hadiza: That is wonderful! What a brave woman and inspiration you are

Q [Paula]: Do you ever regret your decision to go to the US to study? I am facing similar decision soon.

A [Beatrice]: I have never regretted my decision to study in the U.S. My education here has been beyond what I expected. There are plenty of resources, so much support to help you succeed, and unlike in many countries, educators here want to help you succeed at what you want to do - not the other way around. I think that freedom to be what you want to be and have support for it is lacking in many of our schools back home, and that limits students in their careers. Also, in this country, I get to interact with students from all over the world, people who are different from me in many aspects. The education I have received from those interactions is not the learning that you receive in a classroom or read about in a book. It is very enriching. Of course, this is not to say that I don’t miss home, that I don’t miss my family! In fact, I want to go home all the time. But getting a good education will be important to me and to my family and community later on.

Q [Paula]: What is the driving force in your life?

A [Beatrice]: Thank you! I am inspired by the very situation of many poor people in many countries. For example, in my own village of Kisinga, I see so much need - in health, in education, and in improving the economic status of individuals. At the same time, I see that there is a lot of potential for these people to live better lives! This potential can be developed if good services like education is provided and easily accessed. This is my long way of telling you that I am inspired to make people's lives better through serving them wholeheartedly. I believe it is possible to make people's lives better. Maybe that is why I am going to the Clinton School of Public Service.

CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): We have about 10 minutes left. You all have had wonderful questions today. I hope you have been as inspired by Beatrice's story as I am! Please continue to submit questions or comments as we wrap up.

CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): If your question was not answered today, please check America.gov for an article that will be coming out soon about Beatrice. Your question might be answered there.

CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): Also, remember to visit our Facebook page (http://co-nx.state.gov) to let us know what you thought of this program

Q [Willia]: Have you met Hillary Clinton?

A [Beatrice]: Fortunately YES! I first met her at a meeting that was held in the Congressional building in Washington D.C in 2005. She and I were both on the guest panel that evening and I sat next to her. You can imagine the butterflies in my stomach. But I had a chance to speak with her. She is very friendly. I later interned in her office in D.C in 2006 when she was still senator of New York State. I had more chances to meet her. Beyond meeting her, she is an inspiration to me. She is outspoken, smart, a mother, a wife, very professional, respected, hardworking, and friendly.

Shanna: Very exciting to meet Secretary Clinton. You are right she is an inspiration.

Q [Dr. Sahar Imdad Hussaini]: Can't a Goat Change Life of Sindhi Rural Women?

A [Beatrice]: Thank you for this question.  Dairy goats have changed lives of many women in my village in Uganda. I have no doubt the women in Sindhi would get the same benefits as the women in my village.  Please visit the Heifer website at www.heifer.org. You might find ways of getting Heifer to work with the women in Sindhi.

Q [TG]: what are your goals now?

A [Beatrice]: Thank you. Right now, I am focusing on completing my master’s degree from the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, Arkansas.  From here, my dream is to use the knowledge and skills I have gained to work with people in my country and/or village to help in the development process. Specifically, I would like to provide educational opportunities to students in my village whom I know have no access to education for several reasons. I would also like to organize the construction of a maternal health clinic or a pediatric clinic in my village. These are huge projects that I cannot do on my own. I need to build and leverage support for them. Whether that is immediate or later, making life better for my people is very close to my heart, and I am sure that one day I will do it. More immediately, I will continue to encourage students, both girls and boys in my village, and anywhere in the world to embrace the opportunity of education if they can afford it and access it. Education is the most powerful way to make your life better in many ways.

Q [lisa]: what happened to the goat?

A [Beatrice]: Our original goat died after many years, but we have many goats now (her kids), and we continue to sell and drink milk.

Q [Hadiza]: I read about your experience in the NY Times article by Kristof. You will be working to financially empower women when you return to Uganda? Do you have any advice for uneducated women, seeking financial empowerment?

A [Beatrice]: Thank you. Although education is the best way to improve life, I do recognize those situations in which many people just do not have access and there is no hope to be educated. This situation is tough, especially for women who are expected to take care of their families. Still, I believe that it is not the end of the world and, fortunately, these women are very hardworking, resilient, persistent, and willing to work to improve their financial status. Women have a lot of talents that they can develop to earn income. My advice for these women would be to be hopeful and not underestimate themselves or any kind of work, as long as it does not lead to self-abuse. Start a small business with the smallest income you have and keep thinking of ways to expand it. You cannot underestimate any kind of work whether it is agriculture, weaving, selling goats, rearing pigs etc.  Also, women can form groups and share their problems as well as share knowledge on how to make their lives better. There is also a need to be proactive and speak up to authorities and leaders about your business plans. Seeking this outside support will make your plans stronger and more achievable.

Q [Hadiza]: Do you have any advice for our young daughters in school?

A [Beatrice]: Yes, and this may be something they have heard from other people many times.  Being able to go to school is a grand opportunity that is not available to many girls who wish they could go to school. Therefore, do not take it for granted. Whether it is free education or something you have to pay for, parents and caretakers go through a lot to see students through school. It would therefore be disheartening to pay them back by failing to achieve in school, and I am not talking about bad grades. Therefore, girls should be serious and always strive to be successful in school. Success comes in many ways. Make YOURSELF and your family proud, and inspire other girls to go and stay in school. Right now, this may seem like the “usual” parental talk, but in the future, when you are not struggling to make ends meet and are respected and listened to because of your educated status, you will have your parents and caretakers and your education to thank.  Would you really rather not be educated when you have the opportunity?

Q [Rema]: Heifer International sounds like they made a difference in your life. Do you plan on starting your own company to help children and their education around the world?

A [Beatrice]: Heifer International made a big difference in my life and has done so for many people around the world that they work with. I do have plans to start an organization to help women and children in my community and, hopefully, beyond my community. I have plenty of choices, as there is a lot of need in education, health, and other services. My plan right now is to graduate, work while leveraging support to turn my ideas into tangible results. I am very hopeful for better lives and I believe that it is possible to change lives through small investments and mutual dialogue.

Beatrice: I am really grateful for the opportunity to participate in this chat. Thank you for the thoughtful questions. I hope that my experiences will inspire you to be hopeful; to share with, care for, and encourage girls to stay in school and go to school; and to inspire women to continue working hard and hope for a better future.

CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): This webchat is now closed. We wish to thank Beatrice Biira for joining us today. A transcript of today's webchat will be posted to http://co-nx.state.gov and to http://www.america.gov/multimedia/askamerica.html within three business days. Presenters are chosen for their expertise and may not reflect the views of the U.S. Department of State.