Wakhasa Frida Mungoma spends most of her days in the classrooms and offices of her clients. As a loan officer for the Education Finance program in Uganda, Frida works with people who need development loans, operation loans, salary loans and school fee loans. With a Master’s degree in Microfinance from the State University of Bergamo, Italy, she is well trained to handle the intricacies of managing her day-to-day activities and also the big picture of advancing education through microfinance.

Her joy for her work is abundantly clear. When she talks about her clients, a smile spreads across her face.

One such client is Ms. Joan Zawedde, who started the new Bright Angels Primary School in 1997.

“She got her first loan from Opportunity Uganda in 2004, in the amount of $250. She is a real success story, because in just six years she used her loans to grow from 60 students to 692 students.”

Ms. Zawedde now has almost 10 acres of land for the school. On this land she grows food that supports the school, and also harvests firewood that is used as fuel. Her ambitions have grown larger and larger over the years.

Frida recounts the character of Ms. Zawedde. While she has no library, and has only one old computer, her priority remains providing a quality education for all of her students, regardless of economic status. She says, “About 40 of her students do not pay tuition at all because their parents are too poor, and another 40 students only pay half the tuition. Because of her success, Mrs. Zawedde is able to give back to the poorest in her community.”

Frida will be here all weekend, telling stories of her clients, answering questions about life in the field and sharing the joy she receives in her work.

If you could ask any question of Frida, what would it be?