By Nicholas Akasula
Juliette Alyce Engole hails from Loro village in Oyam district. She spent her early years in Nakuru, Kenya, where her family relocated when she was eight. Because of Idi Amin’s regime, her family lived in exile in a village called Kuro.
“I was taken as a baby, and my followers were born there,” the 51-year-old recalls.
When they returned to Uganda, life was comfortable. Her father worked as Marketing Manager at Uganda Airlines. “It was an affluent life; money was there. I first studied at East Kololo Primary School, because we were living in Kololo, and later at Buganda Road Primary School,” she says.
Things changed when the new government came to power after the ousting of Lutwa. Privatisation affected Uganda Airlines, and her father lost his job. He returned to Oyam to serve the community. There, he engaged in politics briefly, later settling into farming and leading the Lango Cooperative Union as Business Chairperson. Her mother was primarily a housewife and at some point ran a retail shop.
Betrayal, dropping out
Engole joined Trinity College Nabbingo for O-Level, but during her Senior Four third term, she got pregnant. “A friend took advantage of me. I trusted him. I found out I was pregnant but returned to school and completed my exams,” she says. Even during school pregnancy checks, no one noticed.
When results were released, she had passed well. However, her cousin interfered with her plans. He lied that her father had advised her to abandon A-Level since she had a baby and instead pursue a short course. He later told Engole’s father that she had agreed to his plan.
“So instead of going for A-Level, I wrongly took a course,” she says. She regrets it deeply. “I always thought I would be a lawyer. But things turned badly.”
She took Secretarial Studies and a bit of accounting. Two years later, she discovered the deception and confronted her cousin, but he died before she understood his motive. He had stopped at Senior Four himself and may have felt there was no reason for her to continue academically.
Pregnancy
Engole frequently watched Jimmy Swaggart on UBC. “I think I got saved every Saturday. Every altar call, I would kneel before the TV,” she recalls. Her love for the worship and teachings planted spiritual seeds.
When she became pregnant, she told no one and never considered abortion. She remembers Swaggart saying, “Abortion is murder.” She says that truth has guided her all her life.
Her parents eventually found out when she was seven months pregnant. “My dad asked if I was pregnant; I said yes. He told me to tell my mother. She was shocked. Because of lack of counselling back then, my father reacted and told me to leave his compound the next day.”
Engole left home and stayed with her elder sister, the late Susan. Susan took her for antenatal care, and later, Engole gave birth at 17. “I didn’t even know I was in labour. I thought I was just tired. Next thing, I was told to push.”
Back home and work
Her sister named the baby Nicole. When Nicole was four months, Susan relocated to Tanzania. Their father later brought Engole back home and helped care for the baby. When Nicole turned one, Engole left her under her mother’s care.
Arise I-60
In June 2023, Engole founded Arise I-60, inspired by Isaiah 60:1. “We do training, mentoring, and business development,” she says, partnering with Bebe, Kyusa, Ensonga and Sinapis. Her passion is supporting pupils, especially P7 candidates. Last year, they sponsored 157 candidates from five schools in Oyam.
Going Places
Recently, Engole returned from Zambia, where she shared a platform with renowned Pan-Africanist Prof Patrick Lumumba. “I asked myself, ‘Alice, how did you get here?’ But when you arise and shine, kings shall come to your light,” she says.
She has also trained and mentored youth in South Sudan through an organisation called BLAS.
Her life, once derailed by betrayal and teenage pregnancy, is now marked by purpose, service and restoration.
Being a mother of five did not deter Engole from pursuing her educational aspirations. She holds a number of diplomas, two masters degrees and recently graduated with a doctorate in business administration from Roxbourg Institute of Social Entrepreneurship.
