Kates Story

Kate's Story
II am about to leave Kamuzinda Children's Village after a three week stay as a volunteer. I am a retired teacher, so I
have spent afternoons teaching English in the primary school and the rest of the time helping wherever I have been
needed. I was attached to Lion House, one of the nine homes in which the children live. There are between 27 and
30 children in each house, who are looked after by "mothers" (usually women widowed through AIDS). Lion House
has many of the youngest children. Here I swept dormitories, washed clothes and dishes, served children with food
and swept paths. I have also learnt the art of preparing green bananas (matoke), bitter berries, cassava and many
other exotic vegetables. I spent one day painting the entrance and dining room and scrubbing floors at the farm
school. I also planted, manured and watered tomatoes and harvested vegetables to take to the homes. I have loved
working with the people of Kamuzinda. They are so appreciative of the smallest gesture, it makes scrubbing floors
feel like a privilege.

In Kamuzinda money was very short. They were running out of food. The children were having only one small meal
a day and the mothers and teachers hadn't been paid for four months! No one was complaining, everyone was
smiling and welcoming, happy to receive a visitor from England. In fact their kindness, love and generosity have been
overwhelming. Everyone works so hard, the adults because they know the children depend on them completely, the
children because they understand their only chance is a good education and they grasp at it. In their school day,
which starts at 8 and finishes at four, the children are attentive and well behaved. At the end of lessons, when it is
time to go home, they are reluctant to leave. In the home children are up at five and have to work before and after
school. I never once heard anyone refuse to do a job. They are grateful for every good thing that happens to them
and quietly accepting of the hardships. They place their faith in God, believing he will provide. It is humbling. I have
met quite a few adults who grew up in the village and have returned as helpers and they are a real credit to the
place.

Education is not free in Uganda and poverty is rife. Lack of money at the schools and the village is an everyday
grinding problem. In most cases the children here have no one to provide for them in any way, least of all the
payment of school fees. A lucky few have sponsors and the sponsors' money helps to pay for teachers, mothers,
food and free medical care. There is a clinic in the village. Money is needed here to pay the doctor and for drugs.

The rest of the money comes from concerts given by the Pearl of Africa Children's Choir, made up of children from
the orphanage and all the schools. They perform both in Uganda and abroad and are wonderful. I would urge
anyone who has the opportunity to listen to them to take it. This is the main fundraising arm of the project, so
generous support and donations are essential

In spite of all the hardships Kamuzinda is a place of joy, hope and success, which came over particularly when I
visited the farm school. It has only been running for two years but is already providing food to supplement the
children's diets. There is a flourishing herbal medicines section, an apiary, and a training centre, which equips
students with a pack of simple tools and seeds, and the knowledge to use them on their own land when they return
to their villages. I was so inspired by the dedicated, hard working and enthusiastic head of the farm school and his
vision for developing the project that I now want to help raise funds for the farm to enable him to introduce more
livestock, grow more food and install electricity.

I have had a wonderful and fulfilling experience and I will be doing my best to raise sponsorship and enthusiasm for
Kamuzinda in England, and returning again to teach in the school and help wherever I can.

I would like to thank Molly and Paul for giving me the opportunity to share in their work.

Kate