In July, two Dulwich teachers and five students undertook a tiring but fascinating trip to Buwembe school in Uganda, which Dulwich College has supported for many years through fundraising events and gifts. Our students and staff spent much time teaching groups of Ugandan pupils and sharing their knowledge of, for example, the workings of computers. They also attended an opening ceremony for new classrooms which had been partially funded by donations from Dulwich.
Conditions in the school (and indeed in the living quarters provided for our group) were very different from the College, with classes of over 40 pupils of differing ages (and enormous spiders in bedrooms!). This was an instructive lesson for the Dulwich boys, requiring them to be patient and inventive in their approach to teaching and communicating with the Ugandan pupils. Equally fascinating and informative was a visit to the home of two pupils, who normally walk 90 minutes each way to get to school.
After an insightful week in Buwembe the group finished their week with an exciting white water rafting expedition on the Nile, where staff and students ended up soaked but inspired by their trip to Uganda.