More volunteering!

Africa
July 9th 2007

Published: August 5th 2007

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hannyroy

Stamping books

Lucy and Kristen working hard stamping books in Kitgum

Hellooooooooooo!

How are we all? Just a quick blog on what I've been up to since I've finished with SPW.

Didn't think we'd done enough volunteering so a group of 8 of us went up to Kitgum in Northern Uganda to help out a crazy Japanese lady (who was awesome - very animated!!) who has been collecting books from schools in Canada to give to schools in the IDP camps
(Internally Displaced Persons). So we spent a couple of days in her offices which are stacked floor to ceiling with boxes of books sorting and stamping. Then we used her contacts in the camps to arrange to go into a couple of the schools to do sessions on hygiene and sanitation and build one of our legendary tip-taps! We also had a couple of the HEP girls come with us so they did some stuff on HIV/AIDS.

It was a really insightful couple of days to see some really different aid work. Which was why we all went really, we wanted to see what it would be like working with emergency relief organisations rather than long term development stuff like SPW (which is often 2 steps forward 1

The class

We were so short for time we had to take the whole school in one session!

step back). It was surprisingly normal really, and the people were some of the nicest we've come across in Uganda. There are so many aid workers up there that the infastructure is probably some of the best developed in the country and children are so exposed to westerners there English was the best we've worked with! So all rather ironic really!

So after finally finishing with the volunteering I had a couple of days in the mountains near Mt Elgon (decided not to climb after all and just sit looking at the view with a beer), then got the overnight bus to Nairobi where I'm staying with Damian. It's been a bit of a shock to the system - Nairobi is VERY developed and VERY civilised! We've been wined and dined with some bloody fabulous food - didn't quite realise how much I missed it. Oh and we practically hyperventilated when we saw our bathroom with a bath AND hot water. I'm actually very clean right now!! Yay!!!!!!

Next stop Tanzania.

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Hannyroy

hannyroy

This blog started out as a conveniant way to stay in touch with family and friends during an 8 month trip to work in Uganda. But then 8 months turned into 3 years, and admittedly I'm on a lull, but there is still no end in sight. And so as long as the world continues to blow my mind, I'll continue blogging.... full info