Sheilah Gashumba praised for keeping school fees promise for Kabale student

Media personality and deejay Sheilah Gashumba is drawing praise online for fulfilling her promise to pay school fees for a 14-year-old Kabale pupil who went viral for cycling to school in heavy rain.

Angel Blessing Atuhaire, a P7 pupil, caught public attention after a video of her riding a bicycle through traffic during a downpour in Kabale went viral. 

The video showed the schoolgirl cycling alongside vehicles on a wet road as she made her way to school.

Atuhaire later told local media that she uses the bicycle to travel to school and run errands for her family. She is the daughter of Moses Nfitumukiza, a boda boda rider in Kabale.

After seeing the video, Gashumba offered to take care of Atuhaire's education and have her study https://www.pulse.ug/story/girl-filmed-riding-bike-in-rain-speaks-out-sheilah-gashumba-offers-sponsorship-2026041912190571632as a boarding pupil.

"Let me know when you find the girl. She seems committed to her studies. Riding a bicycle in the rain! Bless her! Let me know when u find her. Im ready to pay her school fees in boarding until she is done with her studies!" Gashumba wrote on X at the time.

The search for Atuhaire was supported by Ugandans on X president Gideon Nova Kwikiriza, who contacted Bakiga TV to trace her.

Yesterday, August 25, Kwikiriza announced that Gashumba had honoured her pledge. 

He shared a photograph of a school fees payment receipt alongside the viral image of Atuhaire cycling in the rain.

"Thank you dear Sheilah Gashumba for keeping your promise. Before some students break off for Holidays, Atuhaire Blessing's school fees and requirements fkr next term are already fully covered," Kwikiriza wrote.

The receipt shows a payment of Shs1.085 million for Atuhaire, a Primary Seven pupil at Kabale Universal Primary School. The transaction attracted a Shs3,450 charge, bringing the total payment to Shs1,088,450.

Kwikiriza praised Gashumba for responding to the pupil's situation with generosity.

"I can never tire appreciating people like you publicly. There are many people who are richer than you're but don't have a single grain of generosity and compassion. Bless you," he wrote.

Other social media users joined in praising Gashumba for fulfilling her commitment.

Ivan Kwesiga described her as "a gal with a genuine heart", adding that he was pleased to see her honour her promise.

Gashumba had earlier explained that Atuhaire's courage while cycling through busy traffic had moved her to help.

"I cant even drive my range rover from my home til accacia (which is 3mins) from me because i have anxiety for trailers and bodas even when i learnt how to drive at 17 both manual and automatic, driving isnt just my thing so seeing this girl on a bicycle, riding between trailers shocked me! Imagine what this little girl can do if empowered," she wrote.

Gashumba's intervention followed calls from social media users for well-wishers to support Atuhaire after her video went viral.