"The true object of all human life is play."

I love this quote from GK Chesterton - although it might seem a bit over the top, there is no doubt about the importance of play.

I’m Barbara and I’ve been volunteering for Global Care for a few years. My husband Tom and I last visited Uganda twice in 2019. We were supporting the local team in Rukungiri in Southwest Uganda with their project helping children with mobility difficulties access education. We met a group of 19 incredible children who had never been to school, or had stopped education because they became too big for anyone to carry them to school. Other children struggled to walk/crawl to school but always arrived late and couldn't go every day as they were too exhausted from the journey to repeat it every day. Most of the children were stuck at home while their siblings went to school or did chores, and their parents went to work. The children often felt isolated and lonely, unable to navigate the uneven steep paths to their homes. Some were incredibly shy when they first met us – unused to strangers, and they'd never seen a white person. Some had us laughing with them from the start. We were awed by their courage, by the commitment and love of their parents who wanted to provide the best for their child, but were limited by poverty and the lack of expectations within their community of the potential and ability of disabled children. One father said, "At first I thought children like mine are not supposed to attend school.”

The project identified key factors stopping the children accessing education and the local team set to work. Accessible latrines were constructed at four schools, and school paths adapted. Children were assessed by a physiotherapist, and the project provided mobility aids, school transport, supplementary feeding, support through the pandemic, welfare help, and the children began regularly going to school. Towards the end of the funded project, families received bicycles to transport children to school, and livestock (pigs/goats) to support moves to financial security in terms of children’s education. Some children received financial support towards medical costs (including transport).

13 of these children attend school punctually and regularly.  Most of the children have improved mobility. We enjoyed watching them play football and singing games on our second trip. Children left at home before joining the project had little interaction with other children. Now the children have friends at school and join in games and activities.

We met one girl, I'll call her Helen, who had no way to get to school, there was no accessible toilet, and the classrooms were up steps. Helen's mother said, “My child was hopeless about education, but the project came her rescue. Due to the poverty in our home and in our community, there were no disabled children in school … Actually, we thought they don’t study but now everything has changed. We got this project as a gift, and it has done everything we had always prayed for.” Helen was left at home for hours while her mother went to their garden and her brother to school. She said, “… so I was like their padlock at home.” Now Helen enjoys school, has lots of friends, and knows about playing with others! Helen’s story shows how a little support can make a big difference.

I’ve met children in Rukungiri on the Global Care sponsorship programme. Poverty and the grinding hard work of life in rural Rukungiri means these children do chores before and after school – anything from fetching water to cleaning the family compound and preparing meals. Some look after younger siblings. Weekends are spent working on any land the family has, or looking after the house so the adults can work. There’s not much time for playing, for having fun and relaxing without knowing there’s a list of jobs to do.

Global Care proposed a team trip to as part of their 40^th Anniversary celebrations.  What would the local team like a UK team to do? What kind of celebration did they want? … Children’s activity days!

So, a team of 10 is going to Uganda. We leave on Friday 6^th.  Yup, in 2 days’ time. There’s been frantic activity the last couple of weeks, sorting out cases and visas, vaccinations and kit. We had an orientation day – and wow, we have a brilliant team. There’s Steve of course, and me and Tom, plus Cathy, Janet, Clive & Clare, Lesley, Ellie and Zaya. We all have some experience of playing/ working with children. The team skills are impressive. Crafts, games, sports, music, drumming, photography, organisation, teaching, working with children with additional needs… and more. We’ve got a plan (although I always say, in Uganda a plan only lasts until you get there – then it changes). Flexibility is essential! We’ve got an itinerary. Only four of us have been to Uganda before, only three to Rukungiri. I’m very excited for the team to meet the incredible team of Moses and Penlope. And we’ll be joined by Gertrude from Kampala and David from Soroti (who is the new Uganda Country Manager), and briefly meet up with Patrick from Kampala. All people who inspire, encourage and challenge me!

I’m going to ask each of the team to write a blog. Hopefully, if we have Internet, we can keep in touch every day. We’ll introduce you to the country, Rukungiri, and the children, and fill you in on how the activities are going. As well as children from the disability project, and sponsored children, we’ll be meeting girls who attend Girls’ Clubs at Primary Schools – aimed at helping them manage menstruation and give opportunity to talk about any issues they have.

Excitement and trepidation in equal measure today. But...looking at these smiling faces makes me incredible humbled and privileged to have the opportunity to meet, play, and talk with these children. 

Please follow our trip. You can comment on the blog if you have a google account or through posts on Social Media.

We also have a JustGiving page if you’d like to donate to the Runkungiri projects including the activity days: https://www.justgiving.com/page/barbara-heyes-rukungiri-2024