Blog post 1: Book Review The Unfulfilled Dream

The Unfulfilled Dream by Julius Ocwinyo, who was born in Apac District, in the northern part of Uganda. He attended Makerere University and Institute of teacher University in Kyambogo. Where he then was a French and English teacher. Ocwinyo has edited many books and wrote several of his own, he has received many awards. One of them being the top Uganda Publishers and Booksellers Association Literacy prize in 1977. Ocwinyo is also the current editor of Fountain Publishers which one of the books is The Unfulfilled Dreams.

The Unfulfilled Dream is a book from the Fountain Living Youth Series. In which it is a children novel to introduce them to real-life situations and by using children and youth teen experiencing realistic scenarios. In this book, a young girl named Gwendolyn Akello is a bright student. She is offered an opportunity to attend one of the renowned schools in Kampala. At Bright Light Academy she faces tough situations that will change her life forever.

The Unfulfilled Dream the young girl named Gwendolyn Akello, who was born in a village in Teboke, Uganda in East Africa. Lives with her mother and father and two younger siblings. Akello comes from a low socioeconomic but her intelligence helps Akello in her future. She is one of the most intelligent girls in her village. She scored the highest in all her mock PLE, she then was honored by having the opportunity to attend Bright Light Academy in Kampala. The whole village had faith and hope in Akello knowing she had many great things coming her way.

While in Bright Light Academy, a very prestigious school, Akello is faced with bullying and insecurities when her peers found out she is from the village. She finds a hard time making friends because she is not from Kampala, Akello eventually finds a friend, Ruth. Ruth becomes her close friend while being at Bright Light Academy. One day Ruth convinces Akello to skip school and go out. Akello was hesitant knowing the girls could get into deep trouble. Ruth forged her father’s signature and letter. Informing the administration that her father had been in an accident and in the hospital, explaining that she will be gone. All while Ruth ask to go out shopping for the day. The two girls then head out that evening to Happy Hour Club where they dance and drank the rest is a blur.

That night the girls went to Happy Hour Club where they meet with a few of Ruth’s guy friends. \ Akello felt uncomfortable that night. The guys offered the girls drinks. They both decided to drink but things didn’t go well. Akello woke up the next morning in bed naked and so was one man she was with that night. Her mind was a blur, she did not remember much, but she knew she had skipped school and had to get back. When she asked the men to take her back he refused and told her he will after he got back from work. Meanwhile Ruth’s father who was supposedly in the hospital appeared at Bright Light Academy, where both him and the administrator found out the lies the girls had told. The search then began.

Ruth father, Mzee Katama sent out announcements on the radio in Uganda to report to the radio or authorities if seen. The two girls had been missing for about twenty-four hours and nobody knew where they were. Later that afternoon the two men heard the announcements and immediately got scared. They arrange ways to bring Ruth and Akello back to the school. Arriving at the school they both were sent directly to the administration office where both the girls got expelled.

Akello had to move back in with her parents back in the village where her father is furious with her and her parents were both disappointed. She knew she lost a great opportunity due to a mistake. Akello was very disappointed in her self though months passed by and her father still was mad at her, to him she was dead.

Three months went by and Akello started feeling sick. She would wake up nauseous and was constantly tired. She noticed she missed her period, but she did not pay much attention to it. Her mother started noticing Akello gain some weight. She then had a talk to Akello she asked her if she was pregnant. Akello was unsure but all her symptoms lead up to her being pregnant, she was expecting and the father was the man from Happy Hour Club, she never saw again. Six months later she gave birth to a baby boy. Two weeks after being born the little boy had developed pneumonia when he then caught malaria. Her baby boy continued having numerous of diseases he then passed away at five months. Akello was devastated, she fell into a deep depression where she then attempted suicide. She was then found and treated surviving the situation. Akello was still in Teboke trading center where others now did not respect nor look up to her like before. She was a disappointment to others and herself; she had an unfulfilled dream.

The Unfulfilled Dream is a well-written book for children of all ages ranging from eight to twelve years old, it easy to ready and very interesting. Ocwinyo, does a great job on writing books on tough situations that are often seen and to educate others on risk and temptation that is brought as they get older. It is important to teach children at a young age tough situations and the reality of life. I believe Ocwinyo really did a great effort when writing The Unfulfilled Dream and demonstrating to them different circumstances in life being able to teach them valuable life lessons.

Sources:

Ocwinyo, Julius. The Unfulfilled Dream. Fountain Publ., 2002.