17/02/2024- And relax... (For a day!)

Today was our day off!

Most of the team chose to go kayaking and it was brilliant. We set off in the morning and spent the whole time travelling, not so gracefully at times, up and down the Nile. It was such an adventure and everyone had so much fun!!

The rest of the team met up with Betty, a friend from previous years. Betty and some of the women she works with had created a range of different products: bags, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, Christmas decorations, etc.. and the team were in such awe of how hard they had worked and how sustainable and environmentally friendly they were. A lot of the products were made from seeds, paper, stone, etc.. The products are available to buy if you are interested, just contact the team!

In the afternoon everyone met up and went to the Source cafe for lunch. Isaac (Ex-Student) joined us and we all had a wonderful time chatting and eating LOTS of avocado!!! A lot of the team then decided to go to the indoor market. The market is definitely a unique experience and not something you could describe to someone who’s not been. After a long time spent trying to locate specific items the team made it out in one piece.

Isabelle stayed at the cafe and met with Dr William again to catch up further and discuss how he’s been generally, a much more chilled experience than the market for sure.

The team had a relaxing evening and went to Java for dinner which was a crowd favourite. We even tried white, sweet potato which was an interesting but delicious experience.

16/2/2024 - Thought of the day

Every second that I have been in Uganda I have felt so welcomed. Today was a classic example of this. A few of us were told by the students that they were going to teach us to dance. We were reluctant at first and explained that dancing in the UK is a totally different story. After some convincing we agreed. It was such a beautiful afternoon. They danced with us, laughed with us, shared conversations with us. It was clear in that moment that we weren’t just sponsors here to support them, we are friends.

16/2/2024 - Ugandaid class 2026/7

Today, Friday, was all about our Ugandaid sponsored students.

This morning we put together gift bags for the new in take of 36 students. Each bag contained a variety of items including a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, notebook, pens, pencils, flannel, sewing kit, and a wooden heart with their name on.

Apart from the gift bags, each student would receive either a metal trunk, in which they could safely store their possessions, or if they already had a trunk, they would receive a thermos flask together with a plastic mug and a box of teabags.

In the afternoon we went over to NVI where the students gathered on the grass near the Mango tree. They watched as we set up tables to hold the gift bags, and the flasks, mugs and tea bags. The large metal trunks were stacked up on the grass.

Each student was called by name and had their photograph taken. Ably assisted by Isaac, they were then directed to either collect a metal trunk  or a flask, a mug and teabags.

They were then directed to another table containing a collection of stencils, paints and stickers, which the students had never seen before.  It was wonderful to watch the young people discover the joy of receiving a gift, and having the tools to personalise it. The metal boxes and flasks were carefully transformed into works of art.

Finally, each student received their gift bag. The smiles on their faces as they looked into the bags were a joy to see. These gifts were the first most of the young people had ever received.

After a welcome cup tea, soda and snacks organised by the catering students, we went into the large hall to have a singing practice in preparation for us leading the Sunday service.

It was heartwarming to see some of the second year students, including James and  Brian, teaching a dance routine to some of our team, and then dancing while we sang the songs along with some of the other students.

The friendships formed between our team and the students have definitely deepened over the time we have spent at NVI. A group of the students has written a song of appreciation for Ugandaid, and will sing it during the Sunday service.

All in all it was a day enjoyed by everyone, a day full of love, joy, wonderment, and lasting friendship.

15/2/2024 - CRO

It was a real privilege to visit the Child Restoration organisation (CRO) again this year. CRO is a Non-Government Organisation whose main work is with Street Children, some are 100% on the streets and others may have homes but are sent out daily to earn or beg for money to support their families. We were met by Noah, the Jinja team leader, who shared the project's work and that since we visited in 2023, 247 children and young people have been restored to their families or found foster placements and are not longer on the streets. This was amazing to hear. They are currently supporting 100 more children and seeking placements for them which will enable them to acces schooling too. 

Noah and his team have started a new project since last year with teenage mothers which gives them hairdressing or tailoring skills. These young mothers are encourged to use their skills during training in their communities and save any money earned at CRO. This is then given to them as a lump sum when they leave to help them set up a small business to support themselves and their child. They are also given life skills to help them stay safe when the leave the project. This is an amazing piece of work which is having a real impact on this involved.

Noah shared with us about other work they do, including visiting children on the streets at night to befriend them, provide food and make sure they are safe. We also heard from a partner organisation who provide therapeutic support for the children once placed in a home, to help them process and manage the many traumatic experiences they have been through. This was new for all of us who didn't know such services existed in Uganda.

We joined the main project group for lunch which is provided for all CRO children. Those at local schools are given a daily meal as part of ongoing support for the families who care for them, those living on the streets are also fed at this time. We were made very welcome and some of the chidlren remembered the Muzugus (white people) from last year. We handed out their lunch and talked to them while they ate. Afterwards were then entertained with singing which we all thoroughly enjoyed. We were asked to share a song with them and they seemed to like joining in with the actions!

We were all bowled over by the smiles and enjoyement shown by the children as they shared this time together with each other and us. These are the most vulnerable in Ugandan society, they have so little by our western standards and the stories we heard moved many of us to tears. These are children whose young lives have started in a way we can only imagine. However, the love shown by the CRO team brings hope to every one of them and they are grasping the opportunities presented with both hands. There are still an estimated 22 0000 children on the streets of Uganda so much work still to be done by CRO and other projects. But if what we saw today is anything the go by, positive steps are being taken in the right direction.

15/2/2024 - A visit to St Moses

Wow what an amazing day! Today I ,and a group of the Ugandaid team , got to visit St Moses Primary School. Last year , David , on the team continued the link between St Moses and my school , Chudleigh C of E Primary School , and this year I was able to strengthen it further. We were warmly welcomed by Anne Batabaruka, the headteacher who kindly took us to visit a selection of the classes in her school. The reception we received in each one was so welcoming. The rich way they sang a true Ugandan welcome touched our hearts. The big smiles on the children’s faces , as they chanted a welcome song and sang to us , filled the room with love and appreciation. It shows the power of the Ugandan culture is nothing like that in England. We visited a number of classes. In the nursery we got them to play with balloons and play football and in the primary class we sang a few action songs which they all joined in with gusto and excitement. It is delightful to see their beaming faces and feel their appreciation.

Luckily the rain had stopped so that the children could go out to play and have a well earned break. We interacted with them for a while and asked one little boy to take our group photo. He soon has a large group of helpers around him.

Our visit ended by me presenting the headteacher with a new laptop from the governors of my school. She was brought to tears and said “ I gave no words to express my gratitude. I thank the Lord. and bless you.”

It is an honour to be able to give knowing that it will help make the heads administrative job easier so she can devote more time to the children.

Long may the connection between the schools continue.

Thought of the day 15/2/2024 - A moment in time

Making connections with people in Uganda is one of the main reasons so many of us continue to return each year. My favourite memories from this trip have been reconnecting with people that I never expected to see after last year. Last year a young boy from the CRO made us speechless with his talent - singing and dancing. We were so pleased to see him again this year, his smile as he walked in, lit up the room. He lead a whole song to welcome us. The new members of the team were blown away by his talent. We were so pleased to see he was doing well and at school.

Posho and beans may not be the most appetising thing when you get it all day everyday, however at CRO today we watched one little boy gratefully receive his dinner, put it on his knee, bow his head to say a prayer before he ate it. That’s what being greatful is. After he started eating his friends shared their food with him. It was so beautiful to see them be so kind to each other and to put each other first. Even when you have nothing, you can still give something.

14/2/2024 - Thought of the day

When in Uganda we try to understand the students lives from start to finish. Therefore, we try and see a full circle. We go to the primary school and street children project where students begin their journey. We then go to current NVI students homes so we are aware of where they were prior to NVI and who they are surrounded by. And then, we spend our time in the moment with the sponsored students working with them. Finally, we see some of our alumni and see how they’re getting on. We get to see the full circle. By coming back each year we get to see how the students develop and how their confidence grows from Year 1. We understand it’s quite daunting as a village child travelling all the way to NVI most likely alone to arrive outside the huge black modern gates to be told to knock for security not knowing exactly what will happen when they enter.

14/2/2024 - the village experience

Today the team went to visit some of the Ugandaid student’s homes. This was certainly an eye opening experience, even for those who have been before. The students: John, Jovia, Gift and Kelen, were kind enough to agree to let us spend time with their families in their homes. It was a long journey although short in distance. The road (if you can even call it that) was very uneven. We even lost a tire at one point!!! Luckily, it was a spare. The team thanked Steve several times for getting us safely to our destinations. Joseph (the Ugandaid coordinator at NVI) accompanied us and we were so honoured. As well as jumping out of the bus to put large stones on the path to help make the ride smoother, Joseph helped translate with the families. There were many children in the villages and a lot of the team enjoyed playing with them. We took balloons, sweets and bubbles which blew their minds. Most of them were shy at first but they soon warmed to us and had huge smiles on their faces. At one of the houses we tried a new exotic fruit, fresh from a tree. We are unsure of the name but it tasted like a passion fruit and melon mixed together, it really was delicious. The hospitality all the families showed us, even though they have next to nothing, was so inspiring and kind hearted. John’s housed was the last one we visited, however this one was a little more familiar. John is Yunisu’s nephew (see previous blog post)! We were greeted by Yunisu and his parents. It was lovely to be welcomed by them. The Ugandaid team have previously helped the family by building facilities on their land so it was great to see that they were still being appreciated. We finished the visit by blessing his family in the form of a song. It was a truely beautiful experience. Seeing where the students have come from. It really makes you greatful for what you have and inspires you to keep supporting Ugandaid.

In the afternoon a large portion of the team continued decorating and completed the project! We are so excited to share the finished pictures with you all once it’s dry. Deo, the head of textiles, was so thankful that he is preparing a surprise for the team. He has measured us all so we are very interested to see what comes of it.

In the evening we went to a local Indian restaurant in the town. We had the pleasure of being accompanied by Edison. We all sat together, shared stories and laughed a lot. It was a wonderful evening.

Thought of the day - 12/2/2024

A second time in Uganda and wow what a treat. Something I loved last year was seeing those crazy God moments and just being in awe. And this year, hasn’t failed in that either. We randomly bumped into an ex ugandaid student whilst having lunch. She was meeting a team from a US charity, at the same place, who’ve supported her for many years and as she turned the corner she burst into tears in shock when she saw both groups sat meters apart. We were just as surprised to see her. She then brought us together and explained how both groups had changed her life and how blessed she felt. She asked that we both stood up and share our charities mission and greet eachother. That was no coincidence! What a special moment with many tears shed. We have been blessed with many other moments of seeing old students exclaim what UgandAid have done for them and where they are now.

13/2/2024 - A trip to the nursery

After the morning break, I went over to see the nursery. While it is very different than nurseries back home, in terms of condition, there are so many similarities. Similar to us, the walls are covered with the alphabet, numbers, the days of the week, and the months of the year. But there are no toys in sight, and the desks are bare and void of colour. Despite all that, the children are full of smiles and laughter. While the children were a bit shy at first, when we brought out balloons for them to play with they were in their element and the games began…regular balloons, water balloons, balloons with gravel to make noise, holding the neck of the balloon tight to make a squealing noise, and blowing up the balloon and letting it go to watch it fly away…the children loved all the different ways the balloons could be used.

13/2/2024 - A little bit of everything

Today some of us had the privilege of chatting with Ugandaid students who had started at NVI a year or 2 ago. They talked of their appreciation of their sponsors and how greatful l they are that they have this opportunity. Some were so proud to tell us their achievements in class and learning in their industrial placements so they can support their family in the future. The value they place on their education shone through. Some of the quotes from our students: “I wish to thank my sponsor for helping me build toward my vision to reduce road traffic accidents using my skills learnt in motor vehicle mechanics”, “Thank you my sponsor, I never had hope before, now I can be a man”, “I am hoping to get a job, to help my family”, “I hope to open my own workshop”.

The other members of the team either went to visit the nursery (see blog post 13/2/2024) or continued the decorating. We are so pleased with the progress of the textiles centre and will be uploading photos when it is completed. David and Joan spent their time decorating and we are extremely thankful for them.

In the afternoon most of the team wondered down to Jinja centre to do some shopping. As mentioned in the thought of the day, we were accompanied by Julius to the Deli for a pre-shopping drink. We also had the honour of Isaac joining us. It was great getting to chat to them and the rest of the team while enjoying the delicious drinks at the Deli. A lot of shopping got done by the team, we were able to buy gifts for the families we are visiting tomorrow and also some bits and bobs to take home with us. Two members of the team visited a fabric shop to buy fabric to be made into dresses by the talented textiles department at NVI.

The day finished with an evening meal. We were delighted that Edison, the director of NVI, joined us for dinner. It was lovely getting to chat to him about various different things. The relationship Ugandaid have built with the staff at NVI is strong and a lovely thing to be involved in.

13/2/2024 - Thought of the day - James Julius

It’s my second time in Uganda. I didn’t think I could fall in love with the country anymore than I already had, but I have been proven wrong. I have delved deeper into building connections with people and viewing the country in a different way. I was honored to spend time talking to Julius, an ex Ugandaid student. He told me all about his past before NVI. He is the oldest brother of a large family and they used to have a small meal a day. He didn’t even know that is was normal to have three meals a day until arriving at NVI. He was devastatingly poor and told me that he was in darkness and had no hope. Julius worked hard at NVI on a mechanics course and is now a crane operator. Julius works very hard for just 1000 shillings an hour (approx 25p) and has to work night shifts. Julius never complains and told us that he couldn’t put into words how happy he is now and how Ugandaid have brought him into the light and have given him hope. He walked to NVI and made a long journey to see us as soon as he heard we were in town. Julius says he wants to help people just like Ugandaid helped him. I am very honored to know Julius and I’m very proud of him as a person.

12/2/2024 - Nearly there!!! Decorating day and lots of extras

Today the team headed back to NVI to continue the decorating. We all had a great laugh and managed to get ahead of the schedule with the decorating thanks to the help of an ex NVI student Isaac and the return of James and Brian (the current students mentioned in a previous blog post). It was so lovely getting to spend quality time with everyone and we really built a bond with each other. During a snack break (usually one of many) some members of the team spent time getting to chat to James and Brian. We learnt that James has a twin sister and he enjoyed talking to another twin on our team about this. The students then had some questions about the differences between Uganda and the UK. Getting to learn more about their culture was a real privilege.

The team then carried on with the decorating before we were joined by Edison, the director of NVI, for lunch. The team enjoyed the lunch, handmade by the catering students. To our surprise it was chicken burgers and chips on the menu, slightly different from what you’d expect from home and a first for us at NVI. A familiar face popped his face through the window while we were eating lunch - it was Paul, one of the catering students that waited on the team last year. The whole team were delighted to see Paul again and he assured us that he was doing well, happy and a regular visitor to NVI. This just goes to show how much the students love being at NVI and how grateful they are to study there.

After lunch the decorating continued before we washed the floor ready for it to be painted tomorrow. Some of the group chose to make the beautiful walk home and to take their time enjoying the view. Other, more energetic, members of the group decided to run all the way back to the hotel. They told us that they enjoyed it, although I don’t think all members of the group were convinced.

After showering and scrubbing all the paint off we went for dinner. We were joined by very special visitors - William and Ruby. William has been a close friend to members of the Ugandan team for over 20 years. The relationship the team has built with him and his daughter Ruby is incredibly special and the new members of the team were fascinated by his life story and how he came to adopt Ruby. Ruby had great fun laughing with everyone and she experimented by trying lots of British snacks such as Jammy Dodgers and Party Rings. If you’d like to know more about their story please read the previous blog post from the 20th of February 2023.

11/2/2024 - Sports Day!!

This annual event is always enjoyed by the students sponsored by Ugandaid. 80, Years 1,2 and 3 joined us at a local beauty spot ; an area of parkland overlooking the River Nile where it joins Lake Victoria . As the students ranging from 15 to 25 arrived, they were put into mixed teams red, yellow, blue, green and purple including 2 of their tutors Joseph and Dao who were more than happy to join in. Bases included parachute games, ladders, egg and spoon, obstacle course and balloon games. The Ugandaid team worked really hard to ensure the young adults had fun and an afternoon to remember. Following the last round of games, every student was given refreshments including ice cream, cake and a drink. A good time had by all … roll on next year!!

First Time in Uganda - Thought of the Day

First time in Uganda (feeling unsure), but met an

Inspirational team.

Relaxed yet organised

So friendly, with thoughtful words in the morning.

Travelling by plane and bus,

Travelling in the mini bus (a new one!)

Ideas exchanged and shared

Make working in the team enjoyable.

Eye opening sights

I'm glad I'm here and

Never realised I'd see such

Unbelievable welcomes.

Goals from last year revisited and celebrated, hugs and smiles! (Priceless)

Achieving goals and friendships with

No job too difficult.

Daunted? No chance!

An amazing experience so far. UgandAid, what's next?

Day 4 - “If you discover yourself today you’ll be a better and more influential person tomorrow"

Worship at NVI is always a joyous occasion. The Ugandan team arrived at the Church to the sound of worship in the form of singing and dance. We were honoured to be invited to sit at the front of the church on the two rows of seats that were saved for us. The new pastor Reverend Joseph delivered an informative and encouraging message to all the students returning from their break and those who are new to NVI. We felt welcomed and could feel the love in the room. Steve was invited to speak on behalf of the team but the rest of us didn’t get away with it, as hoped!! Each member of the team spoke on the stage and shared a message about their feelings and backgrounds in relation to Uganda. The message was loud and clear that they were so happy we are back. After the service had finished the choir group performed a song and dance for us. There natural talented never seises to amaze us. They invited us to dance but as you can imagine our English background didn’t aid a lot of us through this, although it was a great laugh.

Thought of the day - a new perspective

As a first time visitor to Uganda and on the Ugandaid team as a newbe I wanted to share a few words. It is an absolute privilege to be sharing space with beautiful people both on the team and in the country. I am bold over by the love and appreciation that flows both ways and have enjoyed all the stories I am hearing about past and present students. The one that touched me to date is Yunusu’s story ( see previous blog posts………. ) It was an absolute pleasure to meet him and his wife in their shoe making shop. He is such a  smiley friendly warm person who openly invited us into his incredible shop. It reminded me of Timpsons in England but with a much more personal touch. His expertise was reflected in the variety of objects he created from leather. He should be so proud of the way in which he has used his skills to produce such amazing goods. I am hoping he will make me a pair of my own personal sandals for me to take home. It is incredibly inspiring to see someone overcome such difficult challengers and it is something that we can all learn from. When I return to England I will share his incredible story as a way of hopefully motivating others to strive in the face of their own adversity.

Day 3 - 10/2/2024

Today was another wonderful day of decorating at NVI. We worked really well as a team and managed to accomplish so much, although working with the paint rollers on the end of very long sticks (see pictures) meant we were all accidentally splodged and prodded!! It was so lovely getting to know everyone on the team better while we decorated. Due to it being a Saturday the students had the day off. The site was a little bit quieter than usual however we were lucky enough to enlist the help of James and Brian, two students studying to become electricians. Getting to work alongside them and chat with them was so wonderful. James is sponsored by Ugandaid and getting to hear his story and how grateful he was for our support was so inspiring. The head of the textiles department, Deo, also helped us and spent time with us over the snack breaks. The team had lunch at Java and I think it’s safe to say that between us all we ate enough ice cream to last us a very long time (or maybe until tomorrow). After lunch we continued with the decorating. One of the best things about NVI is no matter where you go and what you are doing you share so many magical moments with others. Lucy and Isabelle bumped into Edith, the nurse at the medical centre we decorated last year. Edith remembered them both and told them how grateful she was for all our hard work. Edith said two things that particularly stuck with the team; ‘you don’t know us but you are still so willing to help, its amazing’ and ‘I wish I could tell you in English how grateful I am but I don’t know how’ she then showed the girls how she thanks someone in her culture by shouting and dancing in the most joyful way. After cleaning the equipment at the water harvester’s (Isabelle funded these last year, you can read all about this in last years blog), we enjoyed one final snack break. James and Brian enjoyed the snacks with us. This was so wonderful as it’s not something they’d usually get the opportunity to do. Seeing their faces when they were invited to join us was something we will never forget.

Some of the team then decided to walk home from NVI. There were so many beautiful views and it was wonderful to see the monkeys running across the bridge over the Nile. After a quick shower to wash off all the paint the team then went for their evening meal at a local restaurant, enjoying great conversation and food.

'Just pray and get on with it' - A day 2 account

It was great to get to NVI today and to begin work. 

We were greeted by Edison (the school's Director) and some of the leadership team. Edison shared NVI's philosophy and their passion for empowering young people from the most challenging backgrounds to learn skills which will enable them to gain employment, bringing themselves and their families out of poverty. He also spoke about their commitment to educating the students to be effective members of society through devevoping characteristics which will enable them to relate well to others, be the best they can be as employees or employers and gave back to socitiety in anyway they can.

Edison and his team truly believe that through changing the lives of the young people they work with they can create a better future for them and their country. 

Work started in the textiles department and what was originally going to be a project in one large room has turned into two! It was all hands on deck to wash the walls of years of red dust, fill the many holes and begin to apply undercoat round the edges. Everyone worked tirelessly but there was lots of laughter too and the team used the time to get to know each other better. There were lots of spiders and at one point an experienced member of the team said to another, 'I'm not going under that sink there are lots of spiders', the response was ' oh just pray and get on with it!'..... more laughter ensued.

NVI are always incredibly hospitable and it was lovely to be given delicious food, prepared by the students in the fantastic food tech facilities renovated by team UgandAid 2023 and served in the Oasis Cafe, the hospitality training base renovated by the 2023 team too. 

A long but very satisfying day. We will all sleep well tonight ready for full a day of painting tomorrow!

Thought of the day - Returning to Uganda

“Following a long, tiring journey the team began day one of this year’s project. I was unprepared for the feelings this would evoke and felt at home straight away; it hardly seemed a whole year since we had been there! What I found really special was seeing the work again that we had completed the year before - the medical centre. It brought a tear to my eye. The staff had been so inspired by what we had done on the inside that they had painted the whole of the outside of the building which looked fantastic. We were able to have a peep inside and I was delighted to see that not only was the medical centre kept clean and tidy, the new equipment that we gifted to them was as shiny and clean as the day it was bought.”