My name is Emmanuel Nsamba. I am living proof that education can change the direction of a life, a family, and a community.
Today, I conduct research in the biology of sexual reproduction as a postdoctoral scientist at Stanford University. But my journey began in Bugonzi, a rural village in Lwengo District, Uganda, where opportunities were limited and dreams often felt out of reach. When someone once asked whether I was the son of a Ugandan government minister, it reminded me of a common misconception: that stories like mine must come from privilege. My story is different.
I lost my father when I was seven years old. My mother, Jane Matovu, never completed formal schooling, but she made a life-changing decision: she would sacrifice everything she could so that her children could receive an education. Through her courage, discipline, and unwavering belief in schooling, I earned opportunities that took me from rural Uganda to Makerere University, then to Iowa State University for doctoral training, and eventually to Stanford University as a life sciences postdoctoral scholar.
My childhood dream was to become a medical doctor, but my mother could not afford medical school fees. I instead received a government scholarship to study Agricultural Sciences at Makerere University, graduating in 2015. In 2016, my biomedical dream returned when I received a graduate fellowship to pursue a PhD in Genetics and Cell Biology at Iowa State University, which I completed in 2021.
An Agent for Change
Success brought responsibility. In my rural community, I became a symbol of what education can make possible. Encouraged by the opportunities that came my way, I began using every spare dollar from my graduate stipend to support other students whose dreams were threatened by poverty.
Once close to dropping out, Maria is now a nursing tutor at Nkozi Hospital and serves on Uganda’s Ministry of Health Midwives Examinations Board.
Florence earned a bachelor’s degree in petroleum sciences from Makerere University in 2023 and now works with ABSA Bank.
Gerald completed his medical degree in 2024 and is now serving as a doctor, fulfilling the medical dream I once carried.
The Students We Support Today
The Foundation now supports promising students with powerful stories of resilience. Farouk Asiimwe, whom I first supported during my college internship in 2015, is now in high school and dreams of serving in the military. Charles Mutyaba, an orphaned student who almost became a child labourer abroad, is excelling academically and hopes to become a mechanical engineer. Bridget Nakirembeka, after struggling to find work with her diploma, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Makerere University Business School.
Ronald Ssemakula does casual labour during school holidays to support his unemployed mother while dreaming of becoming a software engineer. Trevor, abandoned by his father and almost forced to drop out after middle school, is now back in school with renewed hope. Several other brilliant students are also fighting poverty with determination and the support they receive.
The Challenge
Supporting students from a modest postdoctoral salary in the Bay Area has become increasingly difficult. Quality education in Uganda can cost between $500 and $1,000 per student each year. For local families, this is often impossible; for a child’s future, it can be transformative.
Every academic year, more parents approach us with stories of talented children whose futures are at risk. These are not just lost school places; they are vocations, callings, and life purposes that may be extinguished before they can flourish. The Jane Matovu Foundation was created so that this work can continue beyond one person’s sacrifice and become a shared mission.
Why Jane Matovu Foundation?
The Foundation is named after my mother, Jane Matovu, whose sacrifice continues to guide our work. Her belief remains our inspiration: “You don’t have to be rich to take children to school—it only requires sacrifice.”