A Mother, a Teacher, a Student: How Education at LIU Reaches Beyond One Life

What does it look like to pursue a dream when life is already full?

For Achen Gertrude, it looks like teaching during the week, raising eight children, studying at LivingStone International University (LIU), and trusting God through every season.

At 35, Achen isn’t following the path of a typical university student. She has been teaching since 2012, has a family depending on her, and already knows firsthand what it means to serve others through education. Yet she also knows there is more to learn.

Her story comes at an exciting time for LIU. A record number of new students have been admitted, the LivingStone Center continues to take shape, and more young people are discovering an education that combines academic growth with discipleship.

Together, these stories point to something bigger: when education reaches one person, its impact rarely stops there.

Achen Gertrude: Learning While Leading

Achen is a mother of eight from Bukedea, Uganda, and a teacher with more than a decade of classroom experience.

She began teaching in 2012 at a private school before joining government service in 2017. Today, she teaches Primary Six and Seven while continuing her own studies at LIU.

Teaching was more than a practical career choice for Achen. It grew from a genuine love for working with children. Now, as both a teacher and student, she understands education from both sides of the classroom.

Getting to university, however, took persistence.

Achen first heard about LIU through a friend who had learned about the university from a local school inspector. She later received a full scholarship, opening a door that financial concerns might otherwise have kept closed.

The welcoming environment at LIU quickly stood out to her. She found professors willing to help, answer questions, and who understood the needs of students balancing education with other responsibilities.

For Achen, that flexibility matters. Four of her eight children live with her on campus, including two-month-old twins. Her older children take turns caring for the babies while she attends class, allowing their mother to continue pursuing her education.

It’s a family effort built around one shared belief: her education is worth pursuing.

Mentorship That Goes Beyond the Classroom

Achen particularly values LIU’s mentorship programs.

Throughout her studies, she has received guidance and counseling that have helped her grow both personally and professionally. As she approaches her final semester, she is preparing for external examinations expected in January.

For her, completing her degree isn’t simply about adding another qualification to her career. It is about becoming a stronger educator while showing her children what persistence looks like.

Her journey reflects an important part of LIU’s mission. Education here is not only about passing exams or earning credentials. Students are encouraged to grow as disciples of Jesus and become Christ-centered leaders who use their education to influence others.

For someone like Achen, that influence can multiply quickly. Every lesson she brings back to her classroom has the potential to touch another child, another family, and eventually another community.

A Record-Breaking Season of Growth

Achen’s story unfolds during an important season for LivingStone International University.

LIU recently recorded a record-breaking 218 student admissions, an encouraging milestone in the university’s continued growth.

That achievement did not happen through one effort alone. The Marketing Department, students, staff, faculty, and community partners have worked together to introduce more students to the opportunities available at LIU.

Outreach has included the LIU Tech Boot Camp, which began in May and ran for two weeks, as well as exhibitions where students and professors showcased their work. Scholarship opportunities have also helped open doors for students who might otherwise be unable to pursue higher education.

The university is also seeing strong participation from in-service teachers like Achen, who continue working while advancing their professional and academic development.

Each of those 218 admissions represents a different story, family, and future.

Making Room for What Comes Next

With growth comes another challenge: making room for it.

The Eastern Wing of the LivingStone Center is nearing 90% completion, bringing a long-held vision closer to reality. The development will give LIU more space to welcome students and continue expanding its academic and discipleship programs.

For LIU, the building is not simply a construction project. Classrooms filled with students mean more opportunities to teach, mentor, and prepare future leaders.

As the campus grows, so does the possibility of reaching students who might never have imagined university was within reach.

2,000 People Praying for LIU

Buildings and enrollment numbers tell only part of the story.

At the heart of LivingStone International University is the belief that lasting transformation begins with Christ. That’s why LIU is inviting 2,000 people to unite in prayer for the students of LIU.

There is much to pray for: students balancing school with family responsibilities, graduates looking for meaningful work, faculty guiding the next generation, and young people learning how to live out their faith in their homes and communities.

Most importantly, LIU asks supporters to pray that students will use their lives and education to make a difference for Christ throughout Africa.

Join the prayer movement:
https://livingstoneuniversity.org/pray

How You Can Be Part of the Story

Achen’s journey shows what can happen when someone is given access to education, mentorship, and a community willing to walk alongside them.

Her degree will belong to her, but its impact won’t.

Her students will feel it. Her children will see it. The communities she serves may benefit from it for years to come.

The same possibility exists within every new student arriving at LIU.

You can help that work continue by praying for students, partnering with LivingStone International University, sharing its mission, or helping create educational opportunities for students who otherwise may not have them.