From village classroom to published author: Onyanga Alfred turns life lessons into books for a struggling generation
TALENT
By Amolatar NewsCast
Dokolo,Uganda | Ugandan author Onyanga Alfred is turning his educational journey, personal struggles and observations of society into books aimed at helping a generation grappling with stress, unemployment and financial hardship.
Alfred is the author of three publications—The Night Shift Degree, Degree But Broke and The Side Hustle Degree—which address challenges affecting student nurses, healthcare workers, graduates and students seeking to become financially independent.
His journey began at Okwalongwen Primary School in Okwalongwen Sub County, Dokolo District, where he studied in 2009.
He later attended Alliance High School in Soroti City from 2010 to 2013, then after joined Lira Town College from 2014 to 2015.
In 2016, Alfred joined Makerere University’s Law School. He subsequently pursued a Degree in Social Work and Social Administration at All Saints University, where he studied from 2017 to 2020.
Turning challenges into books
Behind Alfred’s publications is a personal journey that has not been without difficulties.
He says one of his biggest challenges has been limited finances to support his writing career. The high cost of printing books and other publishing expenses has made it difficult to take his work to a wider audience.
Alfred also faces the challenge of not owning a laptop, despite the important role computers play in modern writing, editing, formatting and publishing.
His financial difficulties are compounded by unemployment and the rising cost of living, which he says make it difficult to meet daily expenses while pursuing his literary ambitions.
He has also experienced periods of mental and emotional strain as he navigates the pressure of unemployment, financial uncertainty and the demands of building a career as an author.
Despite these challenges, Alfred has continued writing and developing publications that speak directly to some of the difficulties experienced by young people.
The Night Shift Degree
In The Night Shift Degree: How Student Nurses Can Survive Stress & 3AM Ward Pressure, Alfred focuses on the demanding experiences of student nurses and healthcare workers.
The book examines night-shift pressure, long working hours, academic demands and the emotional challenges associated with caring for patients.
It seeks to provide practical guidance on resilience, managing pressure and maintaining emotional balance while navigating demanding clinical environments.
Degree But Broke
His second publication, Degree But Broke, addresses the challenges graduates face after completing university without immediately securing formal employment.
The book questions the assumption that academic qualifications automatically translate into employment and encourages graduates to explore ways of converting their skills and knowledge into income-generating opportunities.
It discusses ideas including small businesses, skills-based income generation and opportunities beyond traditional employment.
The Side Hustle Degree
Alfred’s third publication, The Side Hustle Degree: Ten Businesses Every Student Can Start With UGX 50K, focuses on student entrepreneurship.
The book outlines ten business ideas that students can explore with limited capital and discusses basic marketing, reinvestment and ways of growing small ventures.
It encourages students to start developing entrepreneurial and financial skills before completing their education rather than waiting until graduation to begin searching for income opportunities.
A message shaped by personal experience
The three books reflect different stages of the challenges young people may encounter—from the pressure of professional training, to unemployment after graduation and the search for alternative sources of income.
Alfred’s own experiences with unemployment, financial constraints and the difficulties of publishing without adequate resources have added a personal dimension to his work.
His story also demonstrates that the journey from education to professional and creative work can involve obstacles that are not always visible from the outside.
Together, The Night Shift Degree, Degree But Broke and The Side Hustle Degree form a trilogy centred on survival, hustle and hope.
Through his writing, Alfred hopes to reach students, graduates, healthcare workers and other young people facing uncertainty about their future.
Despite the financial and logistical barriers he continues to encounter, he remains committed to writing and using his experiences to encourage young people to develop practical skills, explore opportunities and remain resilient in difficult circumstances.
From a classroom in Okwalongwen to the world of publishing, Alfred’s journey has become a story not only about books, but also about persistence in the face of limited resources and adversity.
