You have probably seen pictures of Patience giving talks on your timeline, or taking on international opponents in a good game of squash, but she is a lot more than that. Panto as her friends refer to her,is a 24 years old Junior software developer, entrepreneur, founder & Ceo of Afrocanfit, fitness enthusiast, and also a health and nutrition life coach, and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Patience was admitted to Makerere University on an Architectural government sponsored programme, which was her life long dream, but she later decided to pursue her passion in technology at Uganda Christian University, a talent she started nurturing as a young girl at Kings College Budo and Gayaza High School, and she has never looked back. She hopes to graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Sciences this October.

“I joined the tech world while in Gayaza (High School). My friends and I took part in an all-girl global competition that required us to create a mobile application to solve a problem within our community. We won nationally and I was awarded the opportunity to travel to San Francisco for a week to meet and connect with other amazing, young and talented girls from all over the world.” This milestone was just the beginning of more opportunities in the tech world for Patience.

“At university, I went on to start a Google developer student club to bring students together to share and learn Google related technologies in a peer-to-peer setting. This opened many more doors for me such as becoming a TEDx speaker and I have also participated in various girl tech events at the capacity of mentor, panelist and Judge.”

Being the only girl amongst a family of four, Patience was initially, and surprisingly so, not inclined towards sports like her siblings. But all that changed in 2003. “My mother signed me up for KKL (Toto’s league)…I have ventured in almost 95% of the sports available in the country (while chuckling) but it wasn’t until I found squash that I decided to focus on my fitness with the off chance of representing the country at the commonwealth games in the future.”

It is through her love for sports and fitness that she was inspired to start and grow her own fitness global brand, Afrocanfit, which she started during the Covid-19 Lockdown last year. She also handles media for Black Pirates Rugby Club and designs and redesigns websites as her side hustle.

On balancing all her hustles, Patience says that it hasn’t been easy. She has had to involve someone to handle packaging and delivery of orders which has created for her enough time to focus on her education and at least two hours every day to work out.

She also advises Pulsers to go after what they want in life no matter what people think or how long it takes. “The straight path to life is becoming ancient history…It will not be easy but it will be worth it and remember, while you are thinking you can’t, someone else is out there believing they can!”

Social media: @patienceanks on Twitter and Instagram

Afrocanfit: @afrocanfit on all socials