When Felista Da Superstar walked onto the stage to perform at Kampala Parents’ School several years ago, she could never have imagined that the performance would lead to one of the biggest opportunities of her life.
Today, her story stands as one of many examples of the lasting impact the late businessman Rajiv Ruparelia had on young Ugandans through education and philanthropy.
At the time, Felista came from a family struggling to keep her in school.
She says she was regularly sent home because school fees had not been paid.
After watching her perform, Rajiv Ruparelia and his wife recognized her talent and later offered her a full scholarship through the Ruparelia Foundation to study at Kampala Parents’ School.
The scholarship covered her education from Primary Five until she completed Primary Seven.
For Felista, the opportunity was about much more than free education.
It gave her access to quality learning, confidence and an environment where she interacted with children from diverse backgrounds.
Years later, the singer continues to acknowledge the Ruparelia family for changing the direction of her life.
She believes Rajiv dedicated much of his life to helping disadvantaged children access opportunities they otherwise would never have received.
Now a secondary school student pursuing both education and music, Felista says she remains thankful for the investment Rajiv made in her future.
Her journey serves as a reminder that acts of generosity can have effects that extend far beyond the classroom, shaping futures, nurturing talent and inspiring generations long after the benefactor is gone.
As Uganda continues to remember Rajiv Ruparelia, stories like Felista’s illustrate why many beneficiaries describe his greatest legacy not in business, but in the lives he transformed through education and opportunity.