From Bricks to Bytes – My Story
Hello, my name is Samuel Atyam.
I was born on March 23, 2003, into a family that could barely meet our basic needs. School was a dream we couldn’t afford. My parents paid my fees up to Primary Four, but after that, everything stopped.
When my grandmother—my biggest supporter—passed away, I thought my future was gone. While other children walked to school, I stayed home making bricks to help my family survive.
In 2016, I sat for my PLE (Primary Leaving Examination) at age 14 and got aggregate 16 perfect score.
I was proud of myself, but without money, I couldn’t go on. I went back to brick-making.
Then, in 2017, Petra Kids Ministries found me. Mama Petra and Karen had visited from the USA, they spotted me peeping through the window outside of the classroom into the classroom while the 7th grade Math teacher was teaching. I was invited into the class and from that day never missed a lesson. They gave me a second chance. I repeated Primary Seven, became one of the best performing students of my year regionally, and went on to finish “O” (Ordinary) secondary level and “A” (Advanced) secondary level through the support of the Rutherford family (Anna & JP). I am forever grateful for the support.
Through PKM, I discovered my passion—technology. Today, I’m part of their ICT team, teaching children who once thought computers were out of reach. I’ll never forget one student who built their first website. The joy on their face reminded me of my own journey.
My dream is to see every child here graduate with digital skills, ready for the real world, and to mentor others like me. I stand here today because someone believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. PKM was that someone.
And I invite you—through donations, sponsorship, or prayer—to be that someone for another child. Together, we can give hope. Together, we can build futures.
Looking ahead to the next ten years
Ten years from now, I see myself as a leading tech innovator and educator, running one of fully equipped PKM Tech Hubs that is recognized across East Africa for transforming young lives through technology. I envision a hub buzzing with coding classes, robotics labs, digital design workshops, and online learning spaces where children from even the most remote villages can access quality tech education.
By then, I hope to have mentored hundreds of students into becoming confident tech professionals—web developers, software engineers, and digital entrepreneurs—who are solving real problems in their communities.
Beyond PKM, I see myself partnering with global organizations, creating scalable training programs, and building platforms that connect underprivileged youth to remote work opportunities. The ultimate big picture? Turning Northern Uganda into a rising tech powerhouse, where every young person knows that poverty does not define their future—skills, vision, and faith do.