At a time when many people wait until retirement to think about their future, David Siita Asiimwe, a professional teacher in his 40s, is already laying the foundation for life after formal employment.
ASiimwe, a teacher at Kagongi Secondary School in Mbarara District, is the Director and proprietor of Green Hill High School Kamwenge, a private secondary school he started using his personal savings as part of his long-term retirement plan.
The school, located in Kamwenge District, started as a modest investment but has gradually grown into one of the notable performing schools in the Tooro and Rwenzori sub-regions, particularly in both Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations.
Sita says his decision to invest while still employed was driven by the desire to prepare for the future rather than wait until retirement.
He encourages other workers and professionals to start investing early, however small their resources may be, instead of being held back by fear and anxiety about what the future may hold.
According to Siita, retirement should not be viewed as a period when one begins planning for financial stability, but rather as a stage that requires preparation long before leaving formal employment.
Through Green Hill High School, his investment has not only created an additional source of income but has also contributed to education in Kamwenge District.
The school has increasingly attracted students from different parts of the region and has recorded strong performances at both O-Level and A-Level, helping to raise the profile of Kamwenge as an emerging education centre.
The school’s performance has also enabled a number of its students to qualify for government sponsorship opportunities in higher institutions of learning.
Asiimwe says the journey demonstrates that successful investments can begin with small steps, provided one has a clear vision, commitment and the willingness to start.
His story offers a lesson to professionals and workers: retirement planning does not have to wait for retirement. It can begin while one is still earning, through small and carefully planned investments that can grow over time.