Special report on 2016 visit to Luwero
In October of this year, 14 of us from S6 were privileged to be given the opportunity to visit Luwero Community Projects in Uganda with Mr Wynne andMrs Anderson. 23 hours, 2 suitcase disasters, one flight delay and a stop in Amsterdam later we arrived safe and sound.
Our welcome was touching: from the moment we met Gabriel, the founder of the project at Entebbe Airport we were made to feel at home. 32 suitcases and 18 bodies clambered on the school bus and we set off to Luwero. A meal was prepared for our late arrival (1 o’clock in the morning) by Deborah, Gabriel's wife. From there on, it was clear we were more than just guests. We became part of a group, then a team and finally part of a family that was blind to colour, age and origin.
The project itself has developed and is still developing today. Its humble beginnings, from under a single tree, compared to the vastness of the community surpasses all expectations. They have overcome so many obstacles and, today, proudly provide a nursery school of 100 pupils, primary school of 500 pupils, new secondary school of 200 pupils, a clinic, a church, boarding dorms, a farm and a dining hall is underway. It doesn’t stop there as Gabriel’s vision is to expand further. Small gestures of generosity here whether it be buying a£1 Luwero bands, participating in non-uniform days or just helping us spread awareness goes so far over there.
How we spent our day varied. The children amazed us;their energy and joy spread infectiously among us and at every chance we spent time with them (even 7 am PE). Our first few days were spent in the classrooms where simple things were golden; marking jotters, drawing a smiley face, hearing their songs and teaching them ours. We were surrounded continually by joy and a sense of a strong community.
What we gained from the experience far exceeds what we gave materially. At the long church services every Sunday and Friday night, we were exposed fully to the extent of their faith and vibrancy and to be a part of it was uplifting. The community came together to worship and made us feel a part of this one whole.
We were dedicated to making the most of our time there. Gabriel explained from the beginning that whilst we were there, we followed ‘Ugandan time’. After a couple of days we began to grasp what he meant by this as their schedule was far more ……… relaxed than ours at home. When something is to finish at 3, you leave at 5. As part of this relaxed way of life, we were sprung with a request to decorate the newly constructed main hall walls with inspirational quotes and paintings with a pot of red paint and a pot of blue. Without Google or any artists to hand, we faced the challenge together. The outcome, after a few days in the hot hall, was amazing. Help was eagerly provided by some of the high school students, whose mark was left along with ours in the form of a painted handprint surrounding our own school motto ‘Give All You Can Give’. This attitude was already abundant throughout Luwero. Every day the kids, teachers, workers and the general community put their all into everything that they do.
Pictures speak a thousand words, and we took thousands of pictures. We could write a novel about our time in Luwero and it would still not be enough.Thank you all parents, pupils, teachers and families for being a part of this. It’s hard to describe, without resorting to clichés, the change that you can make over there from something as insignificant as giving £1. Collectively, Duncanrig has contributed massively and we should all be proud of ourselves. With an overwhelming response from our future 6th years to go in 2016, we are hopeful that our trip will just be one of many to come.
The bond we have is priceless. Please continue your support, and thank you again.