Emily's weekend with RSK Uganda

We welcomed the RSK Uganda team to NVI on Friday; they came to support UgandAid and NVI, and to ‘muck in’ with the cleaning and decorating. With all the help, the two classrooms were finished in record time! And it was a lot of fun.

The RSK Uganda team consisted of eleven Ugandans, as well as Matt from the UK, and Rasim from Abu Dhabi; all of who were an absolute delight to work with and chat to. Myself, Lynda, Nick, and Antonio (RSK members on the UgandAid trip) were very happy to meet and spend time with our colleagues.

Whilst painting, RSK’s sponsored student, Dan, arrived at NVI. He is a very polite and quite shy young lad, however seemed extremely pleased to meet so many people from RSK who wanted to know and care about him. It was perfect that RSK’s Ugandans were with us, because Dan’s English is not very strong, they were able to talk to him in his own language, which enabled him to really connect with the team and feel loved.

We feel blessed that the RSK team was able to be with us for the day, and that they mentioned enthusiastically that they would like to come again next year. I hope the connections between RSK, UgandAid and NVI remain strong and progress further.

Thank you to RSK for all of your support, and thank you to NVI and UgandAid for hosting the team.

Emily

Phil & Laurie’s Repair Story

This story started back in the UK with emails going back and forth about a cracked chassis on one of the NVI pickup trucks, how to repair steel to use etc.

After arriving at NVI, we found the pickup had been off the road since December and it hadn’t been repaired. So in conjunction with the vehicle mechanics trainees under the watchful eye of Phil, they stripped the vehicle front brakes, roll bar etc. to gain access.  Enlisting the help of the welding department, and Laurie who cut a template for them, they then cut the metal and welded it on to the chassis.  However, this took some amount of time as the equipment wasn’t the best and needed repairing itself!  Laurie (Gadget Man) solved a lot of problems, producing things from his overalls.  As of Saturday morning, the vehicle is back on the road, thanks to Phil, Laurie, their persistence, and may I add, a whole lot of patience!  

{Phil – Mechanic; Laurie – retired engineer}

Day 5

Emotional Roller Coaster: Karen

Today [Friday] I woke feeling very home sick, missing family and Hubby and feeling very fragile. I knew it was going to be a wobbly day for me.

 We arrived at NVI with 2 classrooms well under way and nearing completion, and today we welcomed a team from RSK, an international Engineering and Environmental Consultancy company from Kampala wanting to join in our venture [some of our team work for RSK].

This was a tadge challenging as we added another 14 helpers into the class rooms  covered in wet paint, but it all went amazingly well. They all mucked in, moods aided by them singing their lovely gospel songs as they worked - we all had a great time working together, releasing some of the team to spend time with their students and have a good catch up, including the student sponsored by RSK.

One student, Ronald, came to chat to the team, and said “ Thank you so much Ugandaid for all the support I have received. Without you I would not have a chance in life. You have given me an education and a career path I could only dream of. I am forever grateful to you all, as is my family “

Well I was welling up before he had even finished and was tearful all day. 

If you have ever considered joining this wonderful team, I would encourage you to take the opportunity.

Musician George Adams said “We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make up of our character and our thoughts, as well as our success.

Uganda is beautiful  and the people so friendly, caring and happy. I have certainly received more than I have given and will leave here more blessed than I could ever imagine.

The team have welcomed me in and I feel part of this amazing group since day 1.

Schools Recce: David, Dylan, Geoff and Phil

Four if us had the privilege of undertaking flying visits to some primary schools today. The purpose was to scope out fuller sessions which will involve more members of the 2020 team next week.  These were unannounced drop-ins but at each school we were made to feel incredibly welcome, even when we arrived a sweaty mess having walked up a steep dirt track after abandoning the vehicle! The children and staff greeted us with big smiles, handshakes, hugs, and even an impromptu whole school rendition of the National Anthem. The Headteachers willingly gave their time to talk about their schools and the possible format for the visits . 

It is humbling how little these schools have in terms of facilities and resources compared to schools in the UK. However the children are incredibly motivated and respectful learners who value their education and educators. It was an honor to spend just a little bit of time with them today and we are looking forward to extended sessions at each school next week. 

Thought for the day: Steve

These first few days have been amazing, returning to our home in Uganda, especially meeting our NVI and hotel families, because that is what they are after so many years.  

Of an evening, hearing the buzz of the team chatting is wonderful as everyone has gelled so well. 

The classroom refurbishment is going so well.  Ugandans at NVI and the hotel have asked how it’s going and I’ve said there must be something wrong, and received a visual sad response.  However on explaining something must be wrong, we are so far ahead of schedule and have started a second room, it is smiles all round. It’s bloomin’ brilliant!

Day 4

Today was purely focussed on breaking the back of the classroom renovation in the business studies block.  Arriving at 9am, the team got stuck in immediately, but it being Uganda, an extended tea-break was ‘enforced’ by the local staff at half past ten!  Despite this, walls, windows, doors and floors were washed, sanded, filled and painting was even started before lunch!  In fact, progress was so fast, that a second, slightly smaller classroom was started early in the afternoon. Progress was in fact so swift, that we had to knock off at 4pm to ensure there was enough work left for the team from RSK in Kampala that are joining us tomorrow!

What is becoming our usual routine followed; a swim for some, a Nile Special for others, with a few even spoiling themselves with a short nap before heading down to the hotel restaurant for dinner.  Finally, some hot drinks and treats were enjoyed in the night garden while discussing the plans for tomorrow…

Geoff and Yunisu

Those who have followed our blogs over the past 2 or 3 years will be aware of the story – at the same time both heart warming and heart rending – of a young 30ish man called Yunisu, of how he lost several years of schooling, how he grew up in totally impoverished circumstances in a village outside Junja.

In 2016 we met him at the village “end of trip” party and where moved to ask how we could help replace his callipers and shoes. The next stage was for him to rain in shoemaking and repair in Kempala. We then decided to fund the building of a workshops for Yunisu which was the outcome of fundraising for the 2019 trip, and was opened February 2019.

Fast forward to the present, I went to see Yunisu to catch up and chat, and to order a new pair of shoes for me to take home. I showed him the shoe I was wearing from which the following conversation took place: 

Geoff “Would you like to measure my shoe?”

Yunisu “No”

Geoff “Would you like to measure my feet?”

Yunisu “No”

Geoff “What colours leather do you have?”

Yunisu “Black”

Geoff “How will you know the size?”

Yunisu “I know”

Geoff “How much will it cost?”

Yunisu “I will tell you when I have finished..”

He also told me that business is ok, that he is making money and his best customer paid him 50,000 Ugandan Shillings (around £10.00) for a repair which only took 30 minuets!!

So I have ordered a pair of shoes of which I do not know the price, or the size – only the colour!!

But the team assure me they will fit perfectly and because we know, love and trust this lovely man I believe it too. I shall let you know more in due course!

Day 3

We had our first day at Nile Vocational Institute, being greeted by the director Eddison Ongerep and his management team, who gave us a very warm welcome and a passionate speech about NVI’s history and vision for its future.  

NVI has won numerous awards from the government for the quality of its education, but being a private institute, it is not accessible to everyone.  Luckily, that is where UGANDAID step in to quite a significant degree – NVI has grown year on year since it was established almost 30 years ago, with the current cohort numbering around 1500.  Since its establishment, there have been over 7000 graduates, 750 being directly sponsored by UGANDAID.  The government also sponsor 60 day students per year.  Courses range from metalwork, mechanics, catering and construction to plumbing, early years education, hairdressing and beyond! The students are all arriving back for the start of the new academic year now – it was amazing to see them carting their own mattresses and bags into NVI, the buzz and excitement, with more than a dash of nerves, was palpable on all fronts – the new students and the new UGANDAID recruits.  

We started renovation work on a classroom that was first kitted out by the team in 2011, before some of us took the 45 minute walk home across the Nile – breath-taking doesn’t come near to describing the views, both cultural and natural!  

After a long struggle with technology we finally got the blog up and running, before a trip out to a local Indian restaurant for dinner.  An early night for some ensued, while a few ventured down to the bar for a Nile Special beer, on the banks of the Nile, soaking up some of the night-time chorus, ready for the real hard graft which begins tomorrow.

First Experiences of Uganda

Storm Ciara caused some havoc with flights, however after a slightly stressful Sunday afternoon, we were all happily united in Entebbe, Uganda on Tuesday, ready to head to Jinja. This was our first experience of Uganda, through a hot and bumpy bus ride; It was Sarah’s first visit:

“The first thing I noticed was the heat, and how different Entebbe was to Manchester. People were standing outside of Entebbee airport at 11pm waiting for friends and family, and after leaving Manchester and the storms the contrast was immense but lovely! The poverty can be striking – I noticed a guy picking up someone for a hotel with a scappy bit of cardboard. The journey from Entebbee via Kampala to Jinja was delightful with senses stimulated. I was chatting to the team afterwards and it struck me that the journey we had taken was similar to that of a trip from Oxford via M25 to Brighton and I couldn’t imagine 2 different journeys! You see some amazing things from the goats and cattle by the roadside, the number of shops selling ironwork and beds, food stalls, foam shops, roads being swept with long brushes by a small gang of male and females dressed in their finery. We saw police travelling in the back of a pickup with ‘awnings’ shading them and the beautiful lush scenery. I have not been to Uganda before but it has already got under my skin”

Team visit February 2020

On 10th February a team of 22 people from all over the country will once again set off for Uganda. Many of the team have never been to Uganda before. Excitement is growing and no doubt a little apprehension, but we have a great team and an appetite for adventure.

Our final Sunday

The Sunday service a NVI was handed over to the UgandAid team, and we set a very different tone to all the African singing and dancing that went before us. Our small but splendid choir lead  songs of worship, and we blew them away with our ‘skit’(drama) which acted out the parable of the sower. This spectacle involved nearly all the team and a large number of balloons! Our final song ‘bind us together Lord’ where over 100 people held hands and sang was extremely emotional. After the service we officially  handed over the business studies room and also had an official opening of Yunusu’s  shoe workshop. As well as his wife Yunusu’s  parents were present, a massive feat as they are old and extremely frail.  The whole family were totally bowled over – another emotional moment.

And we had a rather splendid cake at the celebratory meal afterwards!

A couple of days later Yunusu moved into his workshop, and welcomed his first customers – the beam on his face hardly left him for a moment – what a dream come true for this young man

 And so home.....

Monday morning was time for hugs and tears and the long journey home  - thank you God for a wonderful two weeks.

Christine Booth

Saturday morning... visit to Isaac's house

Isaac graduated from the Nile Vocational Institute in October 2018 after completing a two year course in Building and Concrete Practice. Geoff & Julie were his sponsors during the course having already sponsored him during his Senior 4 year at school.

Together with his four younger siblings and his baby nephew, Isaac lives with his parents, Topista and Francis, who are both HIV positive.  Isaac is the third born of seven children. Thankfully none of the children have HIV.  Isaac was the first child to attend school as the family were unable to pay school fees.

Geoff & Julie had previously visited Isaac’s home, which is on the edge of the Masese slum, and they asked Isaac if it would be possible for a small group from the team to visit them. So on Saturday morning Geoff, Julie, Mike, Sandra, Janice, James, Rachel, Millie and Annie set off in the bus to meet Isaac , who escorted them to his home.

We were warmly welcomed by Topista and shown into the house, which consists of a small living room and two small bedrooms.  They had made sure that there was a seat for everyone. Julie & Sandra handed over gifts, which were warmly accepted.

Isaac welcomed us into is home and introduced his parents, who never stopped smiling. He gave the team a history of his family and their circumstances. Topista and Francis are extremely proud of Isaac and what he has achieved. They are also proud that he is training to be a Pastor. Both Topista and Francis thanked the team for all they had done for their son.

Sandra prayed for the family, which was very moving.

Hospitality is a normal part of Ugandan culture and we were provided with bananas and sodas.  It is difficult to accept this generous hospitality from a family who has very little, but it makes them very happy to see us enjoying their gifts.

The family were very proud to have had such a large group of visitors and having presented Julie with a large bunch of bananas walked with us linking arms back to our bus.

The team members who came on the trip to Masese, especially those on their first visit to Uganda, found the experience to be humbling and very emotional. 

Julie Christiansen

Annie’s Spotlight

A lot of people live their lives solely for themselves, but on this trip I have had the privilege of meeting and learning from people that live so much of their life for others. They all have the kindest hearts and so much love, which they have shared with the people in this country that need and deserve it. I feel so lucky to be a member of the UgandAid team this year and to witness and make a small contribution to their ongoing work.

A highlight of my trip was when I met Amina, a student who has just started at NVI, who has lost both of her parents. We visited her village, where we received an amazingly warm (and loud!) welcome. Amina affectionately called Geoff and Julie - who are great friends of her sister Janet - her Mum and Dad. She then turned to me and called me her sister, and that was when I decided to sponsor her through her three year hairdressing course at NVI. I also met Amos, a student who is sponsored by the company that I work for. He is a wonderful, funny and ambitious young man and I feel so incredibly proud of him.

It has astounded me how the people we have met have invited us all into their homes and their hearts. They value friendship and family in a way that many do not, and when they are given opportunities, they selflessly share the rewards with all those they care about. It is difficult for those of us that have been more fortunate in life to envisage how we can make a difference to those less fortunate. There is so much poverty in the world that is it easy to think you could not change a thing. This trip and this charity overwhelmingly demonstrates that this is not true, and they set an example to me and us all.

Julie H’s Spotlight

This is my first trip to Uganda. I’ve always said ever since my son James visited Uganda I wanted to see it and follow in his footsteps and that what I did and no one was stopping me. I feel now that it’s my second home and the people of Uganda are my family. NVI is an amazing place for students. We visit it often and the welcoming is incredible.

Seeing My son’s plaque there on the wall brought tears and joy to my eyes I feel so proud of everyone. Meeting Solomon the little boy on the photograph was a dream come true also his mother and uncle. What a beautiful young boy he his. It brought joy in my heart. Also meeting James Julius, I was so excited to see him sitting in the church on Sunday and all he kept saying to me was Thankyou Thankyou for everything. He showed me his certificate’s also. His smile was unbelievable and it melts my heart .

So Everyone here in Uganda Thankyou and I Love You .xx

Laurie’s Spotlight

This is my second visit to Uganda, having come last year. With quite a few new faces in the team it was impressive how quickly the painting and decorating team gelled and got stuck in to the first task at the new workshop for Yunusu with enthusiasm and energy despite the hot weather.

Once again the welcome that Ugandaid recieved from all the students and staff at NVI and also in the small villages we visited was close to overwhelming.

This trip provided the opportunity to meet my sponsored student, who is just starting the second year of his motor vehicle maintenance course having passed all his first year exams. He is a fine student.

I was particularly impressed to hear from some of the past students who told us about there own success stories since graduating from NVI, including generation of employment opportunities for future students. For me this has once again been an enthralling and at times an emotional and moving experience.

Helen and Gill's visit with Hospice Jinja

We had the enormous privilege of going out into rural villages with the Hospice Jinja palliative care team.  Most people die of HIV/Aids, Cancer, accidents etc. We learnt that only 5% of Ugandans get access to cancer treatments and there is only one cancer centre in Uganda (in Kampala). Cancer treatments have to be paid for, and patients have to bring their own carer and food. This means that most people cannot access treatment and die from their cancer; for women this is mostly cervical and breast cancers.  

We visited one young man called Awal who was 31. He had started chemotherapy for his Hodgkins Lymphoma but could only afford a few treatments so had to stop – he is now dying, and for the sake of just £100! We visited a number of people with AIDS, some who had developed cancers as a consequence – many who struggled to get their drugs either because they had no one to travel to the local health clinic to get them for them or for some struggled to comply with the regime. However we visited one 21 yr old lady who commenced HIV treatment and had radically improved.

We visited a lady with rectal cancer who could not sit down. The nurse suggested we examine her. Laid on a dusty floor in a dark room we saw her rectal tumour had eroded most of the left check of her bottom. She had  no pain killers and no dressings on her wound. The team left her with some oral morphine liquid (the only form of strong analgesia they have), Paracetomol, Amitriptyline and a laxative. We also left a food parcel as she had very little food.  Another lady we visited had a rectal cancer with a fistula (hole between her rectum and vagina) but had no pads and pants to preserve her dignity.

Each day started with a hymn, scripture and prayer followed by a team meeting discussing patients seen the previous day. We travelled between 180-200kms in a 4x4 truck, mostly off road (dirt tracks) leaving the office at around 10:00 and returning between 18:30-19:30. We visited 9-10 patients each day. The team can see the huge need for cervical screening (as 40% of female cancers are cervical) and already just using physical examination (no access to smear tests) they have identified 10% of those screened and been able to refer them on for testing and treatment. They have a huge task to dispel myths and fears about screening amongst village women.

As a result of our visit we are hoping to connect Hospice Jinja with Gospel Cross ministry because they do health education in schools so there is potential for them to help in dispelling myths about cancer screening. Also we plan to put them into contact with NVI/Ugandaid because the hospice team are in contact with patients whose children are left orphaned and vulnerable  - just the sort of children/young people whom UgandAid want to reach.

Julie C's Spotlight

My 11th trip to Uganda and it still blows me away! It’s particularly lovely this year havimg so many of the team experiencing their first Ugandaid trip and seeing it through their eyes.

Each time I have been here there has been something that I have experienced, which has been particularly special.

This year, it was finding out that Amina, the sister of Janet our lovely Ugandan friend from the Nsenge village community, has gained a place as a student at Nile Vocational Institute. Janet is a typical village girl who married early and now has three children. We have met up with her each time we have been to Uganda. She told me during our visit here last October that she had wanted Amina to have the chance to attend NVI and I suggested that she spoke to one of the village elders. Since then, Amina submitted her application and with the help of Joshua Kaninga was accepted on to the hairdressing course.

Geoff and I have had the joy of meeting and getting to know this bubbly, personable young lady and it feels that this story has now come full circle from when we first met Janet eight years ago. I couldn’t be more happy!

Janet

Rachel's Spotlight

This is my first time to Uganda, but I can guarantee it won’t be my last! I have fallen head over heels for this country and its people in a way I didn’t think I would.

In the UK, I am a teacher at Broadheath Primary School. The school sponsors a student at NVI called David, who has just started his second year studying mechanics and is partnered with Masese Co-Education. For the last couple of years, the children at Broadheath have raised money for David and written letters, sent videos and donated their old school uniform to the pupils at Masese.

Although there have been many amazing moments on this trip, meeting David and teaching at Masese Co have to be my highlights.

David is a wonderful young man! He was quiet and very shy when I first met him, but he has started to come out of his shell more now and it was so great to see him and his friends having fun on Sunday afternoon (he certainly wasn’t quiet then)! I am just delighted that myself and the children and staff at Broadheath are able to support him and his education. I just know he will be an amazing mechanic and a lifelong friend.

Not many teachers can say that they have been able to teach in Uganda and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had. To say that education and teaching in Uganda is different to the UK is a massive understatement, and one that I hadn’t realised until I was actually there, experiencing it for myself. One of the first things that struck me as I walked into a classroom was the sheer number of children packed into one room! I am used to a class of 30 (which I used to think was pretty big), but here class sizes range from anywhere between 50 and 80 students. I taught in a fairly average sized class of 76... I will never moan about 30 children again! The second thing that really stuck out to me is the complete lack of resources. Again, I will never moan about resources again! The children here learn by rote, which is very different to how our children learn, but given the class sizes, I am not sure how else it could be done. Overall, teaching at Masese was an amazing experience and one I won’t ever forget and although it was one of my highlights, it was also the day which I found the toughest emotionally. There were a few things that not only the children learnt today.

James' Spotlight

This is my first trip to Uganada and I never expected to meet such incredible people who have a passion for changing the lives of many and have achieved so much in the last 19 years.

Each of you are unique and wise and it is a real privilege to have met you all and spend the last 2 weeks with such amazing people!

This trip has been a  life changing experience full of joyous moments, hard truths and has changed my perception on so many things which I was, before, ignorant to. It has been a roller coaster of emotions, which has made me realise that a lot needs to change in my life in order to be a better person.

Many told me at the beginning of the trip that Uganda “gets you”. I didn’t believe that it would, but it has.

I will treasure this experience forever and look forward to seeing everyone again next year!

Millie's Spotlight

This is my first time in Uganda and I have loved every minute of it! It’s been emotional at time but also extremely rewarding to see the happiness and joy we can bring to these people and the hope we could give them. My best moment would have to be sponsoring Joshua at NVI. He is 21 and studying catering and hospitality. It was so lovely to see his face light up when I told him myself and my family would be sponsoring him.

Thank you for everything you have taught me Uganda! I’ve made memories to last a lifetime.

Stuart's Spotlight

Here I am, back in Uganda, I just felt I had to come back after last year’s visit, where I met with Ronald Mwasi the student that my wife Maureen and my friends Martina and Alice sponsor.

It was lovely that on our first day at NVI, during a tour of the campus, I bumped into Ronald. It was a joy to see him, his fantastic smile just beams out live and joy! The visits to Uganda and a blend of practical projects, and the relationships and friendships which are formed and built upon over time. It is so encouraging to hear the testimonies of former UgandAid students who have graduated and found employment.

Lives transformed.