Creating opportunity in Uganda

Times Contributor

 

The facts may be out of sight and out of mind for many in our westernized society, including that half of the world’s population is living in poverty.

Looking a little closer at Uganda, Africa, where over a million children are orphaned by AIDS, there are humanitarian organizations working to build opportunities in the small communities throughout the country. 

Holy Cross Collegiate student, Noah Dollinger, 16, visited Uganda as a part of the group of 11 from the Strathmore Full Gospel Church, April 2-16.  The group was partnered with the organization Hungry for Life in order to work with Noah’s Ark Children’s Ministry Uganda (NACMU).

The humanitarian trip’s purpose in regards to HFL was to aid in the construction of a vocational school in Mukono, where subjects such as music, clothing, textile, wood work and agriculture will be promoted. 

A majority of the trip was spent in the NACMU compound in Mukono where the vocational school is based. The compound also contains a church, an orphanage, a medical centre and a farmhouse. The group helped care for the children, planned Sunday school lessons, prepared Easter activities, and played with the kids.

The trip to Uganda was the first time Dollinger’s ever travelled outside of Canada, and the initial experience of entering the country came with a “huge culture shock.” 

“As soon as you stepped off the plane, all around you were people with automatic guns. It was crazy to see how different everyone is,” said Dollinger. 

After getting settled and into a routine, Dollinger said a typical day including playing with the children and helping work with the people. The group also visited the city of Jinja, a wealthier area of Uganda, visited the source of the Nile River, and went on a two day safari.

Looking back over the trip, Dollinger thought the most prominent memory was when the group walked the kids from school back to their homes in the village.

“We got to see how the kids lived, and how poor they were and met their families. A typical bedroom in our houses is pretty much a house for a family of five kids,” said Dollinger.

Asked to compare people in Uganda to people in Canada, Dollinger said the most major difference was in attitude.

“We have so much but, we want more always. We’re never really happy. They have so little but they are always so happy, there is something about them that makes you happy always,” said Dollinger. 

Now that Dollinger is back in Canada, he feels like he has a different perspective and particularly notices when students are being wasteful.

“I see people throwing out whole lunches, why would you do that?’ And then of course you see, ‘oh my goodness, I broke my phone, my life is over,’ but no it’s not. You can go do other things,” said Dollinger.

The church group is looking to do another humanitarian trip within the next two years. If given the opportunity, Dollinger said he would definitely want to go again. 

“How crazy it was going there, all of the kids are abandoned, abused, orphaned kids. Every time you walk you have six or seven kids crawling on you because they are so excited to see you,” said Dollinger. 

The Strathmore Full Gospel Church is currently sponsoring a child outside of the compound in Mukono. More information about becoming a sponsor can be found at http://www.newhorizonschoolsponsorship.ca/

As well, more information can be provided about future Hungry for Life trips and about the Noah’s Ark Children’s Ministry Uganda at: 

http://hungryforlife.org/

http://en.nacmu.org/