1V3 Namaganda Update - by Ryan and Rebecca

Last week we had our second visit to Namaganda Primary School. Once again there was evidence of much progress having been made, with the wall of the new classroom block nearly finished and the Kitchen completely plastered. Most of the week was devoted to the making of ISSB bricks for the next phase of construction however we also found the time to make a netball pitch and teach the girls how to play. We look forward to marking out a football pitch for the boys on our next visit. The existing classroom block has now been completely finished with the inside painted in the school colours.

The new classroom block

The netball girls in their newly painted classroom

The Opening of Batten Kitchen

Two weeks ago saw the opening of the Naminya Primary School kitchen donated by Batten House. The new kitchen involves HYT’s ISSB bricks and energy saving stoves. The parents, children and staff of Naminya turned up to be part of the opening ceremony and give their thanks to HYT and Batten House for their donation.

A week in Namaganda - Ryan and Rebecca

Last week we both stayed in Namaganda, the current 'One Village at a Time' project and it was great to see the progress that had been made from just one week previously. The site has already seen the construction of two new classroom blocks, which the Ugandan Gap Year students, Naomi and Agri and ourselves have been painting. As well as this, there is a new classroom block/office and kitchen under construction at the moment. During our time there we also got the opportunity to take the children of Namaganda Primary School for P.E. lessons, teaching them some english games and practising volleyball, netball and football.

Ryan and Paul helping build the new classroom/office block, with the new kitchen in the background

The condition of the old classroom block

The newly built classroom block

Naomi, Agri and ourselves

Lower School Eat Cakes for HYT!

Members of the Lower School enthusiastically baked, bought and ate cakes this week, as part of their fund-raising campaign for HYT. Having had a hugely successful sponsored walk in November, which raised in excess of £5000 for a new classroom in Namaganda Primary School, it is hoped the cake sale will raise sufficient funds for HYT's Ugandan team to supply the classroom with new furniture. Most children currently sit on the earth floor for their lessons. 'It is terrific to see the excitement created by both the walk and cake sale, togetherwith the desire to support HYT and young Ugandans,' said Laura Pugsley, Head of Lower School.

HYT announces partnership with Bujagali Trust

HYT begins work this week assisting another Jinja-based charity, the Bujagali Trust, in a major project in the impoverished village of Mutai, in Kamuli District.

HYT will help the Bujagali Trust transform Mutai Secondary School with a programme of renovation and building, that will include a new examination hall, classroom and HYT-designed kitchen, complete with fuel-efficient stoves.

Philip Yiga, HYT’s Senior Trainer, will be the site’s project manager, while as many as 20 of HYT’s locally-trained builders and masons will undertake the construction work.

‘This project will enable more young Ugandans to use the skills HYT has given them, while benefiting another poor school community,’ says HYT’s Coordinator, Russell Matcham.

‘It will also generate income for these HYT-trained men and extend our experience and exposure in a number of important areas.’

Drawings for planned project

Naminya's Kitchen Put to Use by Ryan and Rebecca

Yesterday saw our second visit to the newly built kitchen at Naminya Primary School. This was the first opportunity to test the efficiency of our new energy saving stoves. After collecting and trying to chop the firewood, the stove was lit and cooking began. In order to test the stove we timed how long it took to boil a jerry can of water. It took 20 minutes to boil, where before it took at least an hour.

Two Naminya children enjoying their lunch outside the kitchen.

We rounded off the morning with the Naminya cooks preparing a lunch of sweet potato with silver fish sauce. Although there are some minor adjustments to be made, the new kitchen was a success; no trees were burnt during the construction process; there will be lower carbon emissions; the cost of production was heavily reduced; and the kitchen is a lot safer for the children.

Thank you to Batten House for funding the project, we look forward to the opening ceremony on the 3rd of February.

First Day with HYT

Hi, we are Ryan and Rebecca the latest HYT volunteers from Haileybury School. Today we experienced our first “working” day of the six months we are out in Uganda. After some office administration work in the morning, we started our afternoon with a visit to Naminya where HYT has recently built a new kitchen for the primary school. Seeing the contrast between the previous kitchen ( a small sheltered area on the grass) with the new brick kitchen equipped with HYT’s own energy saving stoves, quickly demonstrated to us how much the work HYT does can help communities in Uganda.

The previous kitchen at Naminya Primary School

The newly built HYT kitchen block at Naminya

We look forward to returning next Thursday to test the new stove as we hope it will be the first of many to come; saving one third of the firewood needed for a normal oven and costing much less to produce.

Next, we went to see HELP International School in Masese Village where HYT has recently finished construction on a two water tanks, a classroom block and a kitchen. Having seen the work that has been achieved there and meeting some of the children who benefit from it, we can’t wait to go to Namaganda Village ( one of HYT’s current sites) next week and get stuck in.