Blogs from Iganga, Eastern Region, Uganda, Africa

I never knew how much I would be challenged to learn by doing this experience. This is my first entry in my travel blog, and I hope to keep regular updates on here. I will be leaving for Uganda tomorrow morning. This is my second trip there, and I am going for 6 months. I can hardly wait, and yet I am terrifed of all the unknown that is about to engulf me.... read more

Ashfield Team Visit to Uganda On 21st September 2006, three representatives from Ashfield Girls’ High School are setting off for Uganda. Mr. Michael Skillen, Mr. David Catherwood and Mrs. Alison Wilton are going to visit the site of a new Ashfield School, in an area of Uganda called Iganga. While we are excited about getting a brand new school here in Belfast (quite soon we hope), we are also looking forward to helping another community in Uganda build a new school providing new opportunities in an area that is much less fortunate than our own. There is great excitement about both projects and we are looking forward to getting a lot more information about our site in Iganga and the people it will serve from this initial visit. Our project will provide many new learning experiences ... read more

On the 21st September 2006 Mr Jim Bloomer and 2 friends from Portadown will lead a team from Ashfield Girls School Holywood Road Belfast. Team Members for this trip will be Mr Michael Skillen (Teacher) Mrs Alison Wilton (Parent & Friends) Mr David Catherwood (Board of Governors. ... read more

Livingstone, my (Gerry's) boyhood Scottish hero, would have been ashamed of me. There I was sitting in the Source (of the Nile) Cafe tucking into a long-awaited and much-appreciated meal of sausage, eggs and chips, while this poor man endured 22 bouts of malaria as he spent his whole life in search of the elusive source of the Nile and never did find the place. No such problems today as this place is now a muzungu (white person) magnet. (We won't mention the fact that recent explorers think the source of the Nile is actually in Rwanda, as my friend Jean from Rwanda always maintained!) He would, however, have been happier with me regarding my setting up a business as he was an avid follower of the 3 'C's creed - Christianity, Commerce and Civilisation. He ... read more

Greetings from Uganda! For those who don't know, I (Gerry) am here for 6 months working with our great old friends, Sam and Eva who run an organisation called 'Uganda Family Resource Link'. They have done wonders here (the project in the village is called 'Bushfire'), within 2 or 3 years they have built 4 homes for 60 children-at-risk (mainly orphans), staff houses, a huge community-cum-church hall, a farm, a medical clinic and they are half way through building a primary school! It has grown so quick Sam feels somewhat overwhelmed and was keen for me to come and help organise things and give some management advice. I like the idea of being a management consultant and charging thousands of pounds per week for my services! But then that would be slightly unethical given that lunch ... read more