Collin’s early life was shaped by political exile and struggle. His father, once a technician at UTV and Radio Uganda, fled the country during Amin’s regime.

A video had been played on one of the stations, of the former President Obote addressing the nation, and within 15 minutes, all staff of UTV and Radio Uganda were arrested and taken to Luzira prison for a week.

When Collin’s father was released, he fled to Kenya, and the rest of the family joined him the following year in 1975. The family lived in Kenya until 1986, when they returned to Uganda and settled at the Uganda Trypanosomiasis Research Organisation
(UTRO). Collins started his O’levels at Manjasi High School, completing them
at Tororo Standard High School.

Collin’s entrepreneurial and leadership skills began to show as early as his secondary school years. During his Senior Four vacation, he partnered with his Mathematics teacher to start a secondary school. They rented rooms at UTRO, and soon the school was thriving. For Collin, it was never just about business. He did not want other young people to struggle through school the way he had. By keeping tuition affordable, he hoped to open doors of education for many. However when he later moved to Kampala for his A’levels, the management he left behind could not sustain the school, and it eventually closed. Yet this setback did not deter his determination. His excellent academic performance soon earned him a government scholarship
for his degree.