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being a tourist! We’ve rafted the Nile, tracked
mountain gorillas and visited some of the less
classy Ugandan nightspots but had a great time.
I thought seeing old friends might make me feel
a bit homesick, but actually it made me realise
what amazing experiences I’m having here
compared to what I would be doing back home.
In the last few months I have been helping
out with football coaching for the Tigers Club
Project which works to improve the lives of
street children and enable them to realise their
potential. The football activities provide the
kids with a much-needed break from life on
the streets and is a key tool for outreach and
relationship-building. The Tigers Club Project
also provides a refuge, medical care, educa-
tion and resettlement programmes, giving
the children a permanent alternative to life on
the streets. Going to Tigers every Thursday is
a refreshing change and very different to my
work with FUGA. The Tigers staff are great, and
the boys are so full of energy and fun despite
their difficult situations.
Less positive news for Uganda was the sus-
pension of the Global Fund, a UN fund to fight
HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Corruption
is a real problem here and it seems that sub-
stantial funds have gone astray. For NGOs like
FUGA this is really disappointing news, as we
were hoping that we could use this money to
help those who really need it. For example, ma-
laria is the most common illness treated at our
Health Centre and kills and disables hundreds
of people in the area each year. The problems
with the Global Fund illustrate just how com-
plicated the delivery of effective aid can be. On
one hand, it is essential to allow developing
nations to determine their own priorities, but on
the other, this corruption has to stop.
November to December, 2004
November was memorable for the rioting in
Kampala. With campaigning for next year’s
elections beginning, the government arrested
the leader of the opposition, Dr Kizza Besigye.
This sparked riots in the capital and for a few
days Kampala was a tense and worrying
place to be. The chances of genuinely free
and fair elections seem pretty slim right now.
I just hope that Uganda doesn’t destabilise
further. At times like this I appreciate that I can
always head back to England, but for millions
of Africans, when drought or war strike, there is
no plane out of here.
I have been helping FUGA to redesign its
education programme. FUGA has been
supporting orphans and vulnerable children
(OVCs) to go to school for five years, providing
school uniforms, books and stationery to over
90 children, and also helping with contributions
towards school fees for secondary students.
However, everyone at FUGA felt it was time
to look at the issue of education in a more
structured way. Having spoken to teachers,
parents and children, we have now decided to
focus on helping four UPE (Universal Primary
Education) schools in Ntungamo district. These
are government schools that provide ‘free’
education; however, many families can’t afford
the books, pens, pencils and uniforms to send
their children there.
Christmas in Africa was brilliant! The whole
country grinds to a halt and everyone in Kam-
pala returns to their village. It’s so refreshing
that the Christmas hype doesn’t begin until the
20th of December! I went to the carol service
in Kampala Cathedral, then headed for Lake
Bunyonyi, where I spent a great Christmas
camping with friends. A group of over 20 of
us took over an island, ate, drank, swam and
had a great time. Yet again, we were made so
welcome by the local people, especially Patrick,
the manager of the Bushara camp.
January to February, 2004
I really can’t believe that my time in Uganda is
coming to an end. The New Year has mainly
been spent tying up loose ends and making
sure that the work is handed over properly to
colleagues. I’ve also been making arrange-
ments for another volunteer to take over from
me. By February I’ll be in trekking in Kenya,
then on to Tanzania to laze on a beach... and
eventually home to England.
I have learnt so much in the last year: about
Africa, about development issues and most of
all about myself. I think I’ve experienced just
about every emotion in the last year – both
good and bad. I’ve seen incredibly uplifting
sights and those which leave me awake at
night searching for answers. At times I’ve felt
proud of my achievements, and at other times
frustrated that I could not do more. But most of
all, I feel inspired to keep helping people who
are less fortunate than me, but who always
seem to live life with a smile on their face.
Patrick Pringle
Paddy with the Tigers Club Football Team Photo: Patrick Pringle^193
06: Structured & Self-Funding Volunteer Programmes:
Twelve Months in Uganda
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