HUGE visit, Easter 2015
The HUGE team of 11 enthusiastic and willing volunteers (and 700kg of donations) headed out to Nabugabo over Easter. We spent six days volunteering at the school and in the community. The last time I visited was two years ago; 30 children were enrolled in the school and the resources available were limited the difference now was unbelievable. Improvements in infrastructure, equipment and resources were noticeable, but the biggest change was the children; 99 kids, all in uniform, receiving 2 meals a day, progressing in their lessons and making friends outside of them. When the children first joined NCLC, they had little concept of playing or having fun, their days were filled with working in the fields, collecting water or cooking for the family. To see them two years later tearing around the playground, inventing games in the sandpit and the girls gossiping and walking around arm in arm was quite an incredible and touching change.
Whilst at the school we cleaned, sanded and painted the new IT room and then installed five computers that were generously donated by the Jasani Foundation in Kampala. This will be a massive benefit to the community and will enable young adults to develop the much needed IT skills to enable them to find work in the city.
The boys in the team spent three days working with the local builders and NCLC staff to build a house for Charles, an elderly community member who has limited mobility as a result of a stroke. He was living in a small mud hut in the middle of nowhere and relied on the generosity of his neighbours to support him. He will now be living near his family in a brick house with enough space to cook under cover and lie straight in his bed!
In addition to this work we also handed out some of the incredible materials that were generously donated to the HUGE Partnership. This included a new set of clothes given to each child, wellies and a poncho for the rainy season and toothpaste and toothbrushes. We also supplied the school with additional uniform supplies, sports equipment, medical supplies and educational resources.
Finally we spent some time doing educational and wellness testing. It was fantastic to see the progress the children are making with their education. Some children who have only been learning English for 2 years have a UK equivalent reading age of over 10, and several are reading a year above their chronicle age. Amazing progress and is real testament to the dedication and skills of the wonderful teachers at NCLC.
There is so much potential at NCLC and it will be so exciting to continue to see the improvements that will be made over the coming year with the continued support and generosity from HUGE supports and further afield.
