This Is My Life Story

Missed the 2014 MCV Newsletter in the mail? Read it here on the blog. Below is Gerald Mulingo’s article on his amazing life story. You can find other stories from the newsletter on our blog here or access the complete newsletter in PDF  form on our print media page.

My name is Gerald Mulingo. I am a third born child in a family of seven. I was born on March 12, 1982. I am a secondary school teacher by profession and I am currently teaching at Malowa Community Day Secondary School. I am also a graduate or one of the beneficiaries of MCV. Here is my account on how I came into contact with MCV and how MCV benefited me. Here is my life story.

I lost my father in 1994 when I was still at primary school. Since then, life became so hard for us since he was the only bread winner. My mother tried so hard to fill his shoes but all was in vain. I was just too young to be an orphan.
Through thick and thin, the heritage of my father’s virtues of hard working saw me being selected to go to secondary school. Financial limitations due to poverty delayed my future a bit. 

My single mom couldn’t make it. The next four years were a dark age in my life, wasting and rotting at home doing nothing but lamenting my father’s departure up until the “guardian angel” MCV through Ken Montgomery (one of the then MCV board members) picked me. I met Ken at a Presbyterian church in Mangochi. Coincidentally we chatted and upon hearing my story he introduced me to MCV. What a sigh of relief!

I revived my education dreams when I started form one under the auspices of MCV, after spending four solid years just staying home. Since all obstacles to my academic path were loosened, I managed to get a highest score in Secondary School Certificate exams. I was therefore selected to go to Domasi College, where I did my Diploma in Education, majoring in Physical Education and minoring in History.

I would like to confess here that without MCV I just don’t know what kind of a citizen I would be today. When I obtained my diploma, I saw it wise to dedicate myself and contribute something tangible to MCV. I therefore worked with MCV as a volunteer teacher at Gracious for a year before I joined the public service sector as a secondary school teacher.

As for my future plans, I first want to pursue my education especially in Physical Education up to Masters or even PhD level. Who knows? The sky is the limit. It is my sincere wish to commit help to others when I do well. As of now, I have a huge responsibility taking care of my family from the little I get from my earnings, especially my mom, because she is too old.

I would be deadly wrong if I don’t sincerely thank MCV, its staff, and its American supporters. In particular, I thank Ken Montgomery and Bob and Cindy Hunt for their relentless support and encouragement. I am very grateful for what MCV is doing in my community. A lot of people are benefiting socially, educationally as well as technically from the institution through various activities aimed at improving their livelihood. MCV provides health services, food relief to the needy, water and sanitation, distribution of free seeds to poor farmers, and other commendable works. Many lives are being saved in Mangochi. Students are going to school because their stomachs are full, and many more citizens are becoming productive. MCV offers free education to the many underprivileged children because it believes in maintaining children’s vitality. I am a living and precise example of this undertaking. As for the MCV graduates we are so many who are now responsible citizens. Some are working in NGOs while others, like myself, are in the public sector and still others are self employed.

As for my personal experience with MCV, I have benefited a lot apart from education. I obtained a Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) which shaped me for my future. RYLA training was offered to us by Bob and Cindy Hunt and I thank them very very much for equipping me with such wonderful leadership skills. Thus, wherever I go I do often hold a certain leadership position. I also learned how to produce a play/drama, and Chenjezi (my fellow patron) and I are now producing nice and wonderful dramas in the EDZI TOTO club.

How I wish!! Would someone please make my dream come true!! MCV is a hidden treasure, hammer and spanner for future developed and dynamic Malawi. How I wish this institution could spread to the other parts of Malawi. How I wish people of Salima could reap the same benefits people of Mangochi are abundantly yielding from MCV. How I wish! I will never, never give up until I succeed at last! Bravo MCV!!!