A donor-funded scholarship transformed Dr. Amina Nakato's life, enabling her to become one of Uganda's most accomplished cardiothoracic surgeons.
When Amina Nakato arrived at Makerere University in 2005, she carried with her the weight of her family's hopes and a scholarship that made everything possible. The eldest of seven children from Soroti District, Amina had excelled in her national examinations but had no means to fund a university education.
A scholarship from the Makerere University Endowment Fund changed the trajectory of her life and, through her, the lives of hundreds of patients and students who followed.
Today, Dr. Nakato is one of Uganda's leading cardiothoracic surgeons, practising at Mulago National Referral Hospital and serving as a clinical lecturer at the College of Health Sciences. She has performed over 2,000 cardiac procedures and has trained a generation of surgical residents.
“Without that scholarship, I would not be here. Every time I operate, I think about the person who made this possible.”
Dr. Amina Nakato, MBChB '10