End of Volunteering Thoughts


My name is Matt Ellis and I have been in Uganda for 6 weeks, helping HYT with their work and learning about how charities operate in Uganda. For me it has been very interesting to see firsthand how the HYT projects have benefited the schools and villages they encompass. The latest project is Namaganda Primary School which is the third village in the one village a time program. This school is in a particularly bad way as you can see form the pictures below;


Building currently used as a kitchen to feed over over 350 primary school children.

This shows the kitchen on the left and the office plus classrooms on the right.


So after discussion with the school and community, HYT agreed to first renovate the main classroom block, (see progress below). In addition, HYT are planning to build a new classroom block with office and store for the school to replace the unsafe structures. The current structures were condemned to be demolished in 2002 but poverty in this remote part of Uganda has meant that children are still forced to study in the unsafe, dark and cramped building.

Before renovation.

After the first week of restoration work.

As you can see after only one week there has been a huge difference, and more importantly this week the students have their exams and for the first time on a concrete floor rather than dirt. This will mean that for the first time, the students will have sturdy, level desks on which to take their final primary school exams.