By Isaac Akugizibwe

KIU, Main Campus-In her final year and looking forward to receiving her diploma in Public Administration before the year ends, Tanzanian-born Najilah Hemmed cannot take the lessons learnt from 2020 for granted. Apart from preparing for the future, she wants an assurance of survival in cases of uncertainties like COVID-19.

COVID-19 has taught Najlah to always plan ahead and stay prepared because it is hard to tell what Tomorrow carries with itself.

‘’I have learnt to think about tomorrow because you can never tell what is likely to happen’’

As a result, she wants to become self-reliant in 2021 upon which she is planning to start up a Swahili Food restaurant within the university premises. This she says will be actualized immediately after her Diploma to avoid lack of concentration on either business or academics.

“I know starting up a restaurant will at least assure me of financial survival in future,’’ She declares.

Najlah adds that starting a restaurant has been her lifelong dream backed by her unfound passion for cooking. She also says that the absence of any restaurant that sells Swahili food at KIU gives her confidence that once she opens one, many students especially Kenyans, Tanzanians, and Zanzibaris will turn up to eat her food.

“As a result, the business will blossom.’’ She notes.

She also says that her desire to have the restaurant inside the university premises is due to the dependable security around.

Najlah is confident enough that all students will resume studying normally and enjoy life like never before once they embrace patience, resilience and the never say never spirit. She also urges them to trust in God for He is Omnipotent and follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)to stop the spread of Covid-19.