The Fruitful Reward of Determination and Patience | Monique-Esther Saingwea.

There are seasons in life when growth feels invisible. When effort goes unnoticed, prayers seem unanswered, and the harvest appears far away. Yet, just like a seed buried beneath the soil, resilience and patience work silently before they bloom publicly. The strongest trees are not the ones that grew overnight, but the ones that survived storms, droughts, and long winters.

Throughout my secondary school journey, I aimed high, and my results kept my aspirations afloat. But when I wrote the GCE Advanced Level and the results were released, they were far lower than I could have ever imagined. At that moment, I no longer had the belief that there was a study abroad opportunity for me. Joining Open Dreams, I participated in the AVIVA day celebration, applied, and got into the Open Dreams Summer Academy 2025.

At the Summer Academy, I developed a lot of skills needed for college applications and life abroad. Getting one-on-one experience with Open Dreams scholars (program facilitators), I regained my determination to apply for scholarships. I entered the application season ready to spare no opportunity and to take the bull by the horns. On November 22nd, 2025, I received that one acceptance letter that mattered most. I was awarded the MasterCard Foundation scholarship at the African Leadership College of Higher Education in Mauritius to study Software Engineering.

It has been a month since I arrived in Mauritius, and while reflecting on the highlights of the past month, it dawned on me that I am living answered prayers. I am forever glad for not letting my Advanced Level results define me and for pushing on even in the midst of uncertainty. This is the beauty of resilience: enduring without giving up. And this is the power of patience: trusting that every delay is preparing a greater yield.

With sincere appreciation, I would like to thank the entire Open Dreams family, my father, Mr Akaba James, Dilys-Tracy Saingwea, Blessing Lum, and Formishi Silas. - Monique-Esther Saingwea | Open Dreams