Lalum Joselyn Oluku, one of the winners of the 2022 EAC Essay Writing Competition. (Alhadi Hawari/Eye Radio)

A South Sudanese student was handed a certificate and a prize at the East African Heads of State Summit for being among the winners of the 2022 EAC Essay Writing Competition.

18-year-old Lalum Joselyn Oluku, who sat for the 2022/2023 South Sudan Certificate of Secondary Education at Saint Daniel Comboni in Juba, and currently hopes to join college soon.

While in Senior Three, she made her first attempt and participated in the regional essay completion but not succeed.

However, Joselyn gave it a second shot in 2022 when she emerged among six winners in an English Essay writing competition.

She has earned herself a certificate and some 550 US dollars that were handed to her by President Salva Kiir who took over the chairman of the East African Community on Friday.

When asked about how she felt winning the prize, Joselyn said she was privileged to receive the award during Friday’s heads of state summit in Arusha, Tanzania.

Joslyn described the weekend’s occasion as a life-changing experience for her.

“I am privileged than honored to be here today, taking part in the essay in the EAC written competition. It was a life-changing experience,” she said.

“It’s a goal I look forward to because in 2021, I participated but I didn’t make through, so 2022 I participated and this time I made through, and I am so happy.”

“What I can tell the other South Sudanese outside there is, you just need to believe in yourselves, when such an opportunity just comes, grab them with both hands don’t shy away.”

“Believe in yourselves, work hard on it and you will make it and you will make it. Because I couldn’t believe that I could do this but am so happy and I am glad that I managed to do it.”

The other winners are, Astin Alego Angoya from Kenya, Idrisa Musa Hamadi, Tanzania, Irakoze Sonia from Rwanda, Amuron Evelyne from Uganda, and Irimpuhwe Alda from Burundi.

Dr Congo is the only member state that did not participate in the annual EAC essay writing competition last year.

The competition is intended to promote among East African Community secondary school students a better understanding and appreciation of the issues relating to the regional integration of East Africa.