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Crazy about climbing mango trees
Miss Uganda 2012-13, Phiona Bizzu
What you need to know:
My childhood : Miss Uganda 2012-13, Phiona Bizzu’s childhood is a tale of a life engulfed by uncertainty and grief yet resilience triumphs. From losing both parents to a nasty accident, growing up in an orphanage and transitioning to urban schools to becoming Miss Uganda, Bizzu has managed to straddle through and her journey to success has everything to do with her childhood.
Where and when were you born?
I was born on September 26, 1992 in Lira town. I am the third born of four children. My mother was a nurse while daddy was a hotel manager, so ours was a middle class family. Sadly, we lost them when I was only eight years old so I had to grow up at Good Shepherd Fold Orphanage in Mukono together with a sister of mine. My brother and another sister went to stay with a guardian who could not take care of us all because she had just lost her husband. Even then, relatives are always there but few will look after you when you need them most.
What was life like at the orphanage?
At first it was strange but later I got used and eventually fell in love with it. I had to adapt to different cultures, learn some more languages like Lusoga, Luganda and even improve my Luo. I also learnt to associate with people from all walks of life. Later on however, I joined Seroma Christian High School for O’Level and Nalya SS Namugongo for A’level. At that time we had finally received compensation from then Uganda Electricity Board whose car had crushed my parents to death.
How did the transition from an orphanage to those schools affect you?
I felt so left out. Some people look at children from the orphanage as outcasts. Then there was the bit of the whole Christian environment in the orphanage which was the extreme opposite of the outside where not everyone was a staunch Christian. It was challenging but I managed to get my footing. In O’level I was more reserved and so into myself but later on, towards Senior Four, I got to know my classmates and actively participated in club activities, modeling and sports.
What are your fondest childhood memories?
Before my parents passed on, every single minute I spent with my mother was memorable. Mummy carried me all the time and gave me that attention every child craves for. She would be so proud of me if she was around today.
Here was a mother who appreciated everything I did, however small and inconsequential. Even when I dried just one plate, she would throw hugs and heap praise on Phiona. I asked her stupid questions, but she remained tolerant. Now imagine things like; is there someone in the moon? Then she would tell us, “yes, that is Joseph and Mary.”
There is a time we left bread in the open and found it infested with tiny insects. Guess what she told us; eat the bread with the insects so that you become healthy. Since then, we would butter bread, leave it in the open for some time so the insects attacked it, then we would munch on it alongside the insects. Those were the days of Pepe Kale and Judy Boucher but if we didn’t like a particular musician, we would rewind the tape several times, hoping the singer will get tired and stop boring us. Then there were the joint birthday celebrations in September. Oh my….life was fun with mummy and daddy around!
Did your childhood have a significant impact on the person you are today?
Oh man! It did! Very much so! In the deepest sense of the word. We had to mature; losing our parents at a tender age made me look at life in a whole different perspective. At only 10 years, I saw myself as the big girl destined to take care of my siblings. People, right from the orphanage, kept saying I did not act my age that I was too old for it but I had no choice. My siblings and I were all our parents left us with.
What did young Bizzu aspire to be and who inspired her?
I always wanted to be a doctor. My mother was my biggest inspiration. We were amazed when she would inject someone and in two days this person who was throwing up is better and happier. We thought she was a magician of sorts. Today, two of my sisters are studying paediatrics and my younger brother in Senior Six is on his way to medical school. Actually I am the only person who did an arts combination. I was also fascinated by Oprah Winfrey. I recall a movie she acted in where she dies. Trust me we did not eat after watching the movie, only to wake up very hungry and mummy just laughing at us. Right now Brenda Nanyonjo, my manager inspires me a lot.
What was your idea of fun?
Oh my goodness…we climbed mango trees like crazy. I would climb a tree even today, I don’t care. We were three girls with a brother but the games we played cut across. We used to feast on sweets at my cousin’s shop. She would leave us to sell on her behalf as she went to visit her boyfriend. By the time she came back, she found money and things like soap and salt. Learning to ride the bicycle after a long time was not just fun but perhaps one of the most memorable things in my childhood.
What is the naughtiest thing you ever did?
For starters, I was not exactly spoilt. One time, our neighbour cheated during a game and these chaps were geniuses in abusing. They had the most vulgar insults at their fingertips. Our mother advised us to respond using biblical names, so we would scream back; Deuteronomy, Ecclesiastes, Malachi... We were not blasphemous, we were only using the Bible to defend ourselves and it worked.
What was your milestone as a child?
I have many. From scooping certificates in a variety of events at school to getting government scholarship after my senior six to pursue a degree in International Business at Makerere University Business School.
Reflecting on your childhood, what do you think today’s child lacks?
The genuine attention from parents! Don’t tell me parents are too busy, my father was a manager at Hotel Triangle in Jinja, but he always found an excuse to give us time. To the point of risking his job. He would invite us to the hotel on Sunday, let us play in the swimming pool and he checked on us while supervising work at the hotel. My mother always left early for work but she would never leave before seeing us off for school. In my opinion, there are few parents that can do that today and that is disastrous!
