News Archive (Added 24/08/00!)
The Mubende Experiences

A description of the experiences at Mubende.

Twelve novices arrived at Mitiyana to build a school - as well as ten African Scouts, who luckily happened to be master builders.

Our Community Project (should we choose to accept it - They had no choice - ED) is to build a brick school for the two hundred pupils of Peace School to replace the exisiting delapidated wood building.

The building site was full of the sounds of "Mortar, mortar! Bricks! Level!..." especially from the expert builder, Ugandan Scout Leader Felix.

Slowly but surely our bricklaying skills developed, until we had the confidence to climb on the four foot high scaffolding which would have never passed building regsulations in the UK but was quite sufficient for the job. After six days of intensive brick-chains, cement mixing and levelling, we had finally earned our tea. With a few more days of training the "builder's bums" were sure to follow.

Evenings were never boring with enough Ugandan Scout singing and laughing to last a lifetime, followed by an offer of a 10km run at 5 o'clock in the morning, which we often took-up. (Ed - sure you did and enjoyed it! - An early morning run and exercises is a normal Scout Activity in Uganda.)

The last couple of nights the group was split into two's and three's as we embarked on "Home Hospitality". This was a good opportunity to experience Ugandan traditions, cultures and foods as well as to enjoy those little comforts of live such as a darned good scrubbing in the shower.

We are now looking forward to the next week which is our week off. This will include Safaris and sunbathing. Can't be bad!! Sorry but you only get 3 nights and 4 days including travelling to enjoy relaxation and then it is off to Kampala to join the Project there. You thought you were on holiday???

Written by Hana Abdul-Wahab and Iain Rodger