Katie, a former student of Bideford College, joined Edukid on a trip to Uganda in February 2020. Katie has gone onto volunteer with Edukid in the UK office, and now plans to spend time volunteering in both Edukid’s Cambodia and Uganda projects during her gap year. Here she recalls her time in Uganda:

“On my trip to Uganda in February 2020, I encountered many amazing people, most of which unfairly suffered from some form of grief and poverty. However, for me personally, a particular family I met stood out and their story both devastated me and inspired me in so many ways.

After spending the day in Koch Goma primary school, we met a family of 6 orphans looked after by their elderly Aunt. The children were complete orphans, their father had died of disease, followed by their mother who suffered from Breast cancer. She used to bake pancakes and bread to earn a small income, enough to support her families health, education, and other basic needs. When she became ill she managed to pay for her first cancer treatment, however it spread and she could no longer afford to pay for any further treatment- she died late November 2019. The Aunt took over the care of the children, as well as the care of her son, who also sadly died of disease only a few weeks before our visit- his freshly dug grave sat next to their Banda during our visit.

These children and the Aunt were left in total desperation. They lacked clothes, food and basic essentials, with no way of receiving any income.

After our visit, and witnessing the unbearable grief and trauma this family had suffered, as well as their very apparent ill health, we as a group decided to help. We conversed with Edukid’s Ugandan team who advised on the best way to help with family. We paid for their roof to be fixed and a solar light to be given. We also provided clothing, mattresses, mosquito nets as well as providing 2 chickens, a pair of rabbits and a female goat to ensure the family have a sustainable source of food and livelihood. A doctor was also sent out to assess the familes health- 5/6 of the children and the Aunt were found to be suffering from Malaria, with all of the family also suffering from scabies and stomach worms. They were provided medication. The doctor explained that if the medication was not administered that day over half of this family would probably have been dead by the end of that week, this was truly heartbreaking to hear, and is a statement I will forever think about.

However, despite all the amazing things we were able to provide and help with while in Uganda, we had not finished. All 6 children were of school age, but were unable to afford the fees to go to school. The eldest, Ojok Kennedy, had started school but was pulled out after her mother’s death and the loss of the family’s income, meaning they could no longer afford the school fees. Working with Edukid, we have managed to get 2 of the children sponsored, while we are still currently trying to fundraise and raise awareness to give the other 4 children a chance to access an education they deserve.

The other major barrier the whole family faced was the unbearable trauma and grief they were unfairly suffering, which evidently resulted in them losing all hope. The children were aged 6-13, they couldn’t process their loss, nor go to school to escape the trauma surrounding the Banda they lived in. This grief was especially apparent in the Grandmother, who also felt she couldn’t process the grief of her family because she had to remian strong for her nieces and nephews. She looked both deflated and helpless- an image that has stuck with me. Edukid managed to get continued mentoring for the family through the parent support group. The family have also recently received a bike which will allow them to travel and trade, and earn some income to allow them a more stable future. Edukid are also working to ensure a follow up visit is made to mentor and support the family.

Without Edukid’s support, this family would have been completely destroyed, if not by extreme poverty, then as a result of their poor health and malnutrition.

They now have a chance to raise, rebuild and bring back some hope within their family. The children also have access to an education, which gives them a multitude of opportunities they can access towards a better future for themselves, as well as an opportunity to get a successful job and a chance to escape the poverty trap.

To leave Uganda seeing a smile on the face of a lady who was completely broken, not only made my trip, but is something I will cherish for a lifetime.”

Caitlin Jackson, a former student of Great Torrington Secondary School, started working for Edukid in 2018, studying alongside her work as an apprentice in Business Administration.
In 2020 Caitlin finished her apprenticeship. Inspired by her time in Edukid’s international projects, Caitlin made the decision to take her education to the next level. She is now studying a degree in sociology and international development with aspirations to use her knowledge and experience to work in the charity sector.

Here, Caitlin reflects back on her journey with Edukid…

“I first knew about Edukid through assemblies at school. GTS supported children in Uganda to go to school and so a couple of times a year we would have Chris Turner visit us. He would deliver workshops and assemblies that taught us about the issues surrounding poverty and Uganda. Edukid grew to be part of our school culture, and every year a teacher and some students would visit Uganda and bring back stories, this was amazing as we could see the impact our schools fundraising was having.

In the summer of 2017 I decided I wanted to go on a trip to Uganda myself. We met the children that GTS supported to go to school. Whilst I was in Uganda it was difficult for me to come face to face with the difficulties families must deal with daily, however, the trip changed my outlook on life and it made me realise that I wanted to help to make a difference to other people’s lives.

After returning from Uganda I continued to volunteer for Edukid until one day when I was offered the opportunity of an apprenticeship.

Over my time with with Edukid I have managed the database, organised fundraising events, managed sponsor communications and helped to lead trips. Visiting the international projects has always been the best part of the job. In late 2018 I co-led a trip to Cambodia for the first time and was able to build beautiful friendships with some of the community there.

Bonnie, a student who had been supported by Edukid through her education and had just qualified as a doctor, became a particularly good friend of mine. She had set up a medical center in the slum that she grew up in and provided health care to a community that before lacked any medical support.

In 2019, Bonnie invited me to be a bridesmaid at her wedding, and so I traveled over to Cambodia to be a part of her special day! The ceremony is something I will never forget, and I am so grateful to have been able to go.

My time with Edukid has been a huge journey of personal development, learning, and inspiration. I completed by apprenticeship with a distinction in 2020 and I am now studying a degree in sociology which I hope will lead me into the next chapter of my career in international development.”

Sophie Littlejohns came through Edukid’s Global Citizenship Programme as a former student of Bideford College. She joined the Edukid team in early 2018 as apprentice and alongside her role as a Schools Worker, has studied Project Management. Sophie now manages partnerships between Edukid and schools across the UK, delivering assemblies, supporting fundraising, and leading trips to Edukid’s international projects.

Here she reflects on her journey with Edukid…

“A year 7 assembly established my early interests in Edukid. Inspired by regular assemblies from Edukid staff, and the steady flow of older students returning from trips with Edukid, I spent my secondary school life waiting for the opportunity to go to Uganda to meet the children that Bideford College supported through education. When the moment came, I was the first in line to sign up for an Edukid trip.

Visiting Uganda in 2017 completely transformed the way I viewed and lived my life. Witnessing how desperate children were to attend school and how little people had really pushed me to value my education more and appreciate how easy everyday life here is at home, a very powerful lesson for somebody on the verge of A level exams.
On entering the first school we were warmly welcomed by a huge celebration! This is a moment I will never forgot. Students were dressed in bright colours, we were all dancing and singing and were completely emerged in the beautiful Ugandan culture. Although this is a lovely memory, I remember looking past the school gates and seeing children who couldn’t afford to come to school peering in at us. It made me realise that most of the students within the school gates would be in the same position if it weren’t for Edukid and its supporters. At this moment, the initial interest that had been sparked from a year 7 assembly quickly ignited into a passion for Edukid and its cause. I was seeing first hand the impact education had on those trapped in poverty, and invested much of my time thinking about ways I could help.

My life had been so hugely impacted by the Uganda trip that during my gap year solo backpacking across Asia, I decided to volunteer in Edukid’s Cambodia project for a month. I taught music, drama and games to a class of children aged between 13-17 in a small rural village. My overall aim was to build the confidence of students. At first this was difficult as it was hard for me to communicate with them. Their teacher, Sinoerun, explained that they felt insecure about speaking English to me, so I began learning basic Khmer. By the end of the month I had learnt how to hold a conversation, and had been able to build good friendships with the students. I still speak with many of them now to help them practice their English, and they help me with my Khmer!

As part of my voluntary work, I also travelled to several different rural villages across Cambodia helping to give first aid training to families. I was shocked by the general lack of knowledge coming from some of the parents. We taught CPR and what to do in number of emergency situations. The next week we found out that a man on the course had saved the life of somebody caught in a road collision by performing CPR on him. I couldn’t believe the impact that just one lesson had made. I left Cambodia wanting nothing more than to stay.

On my return I was offered the opportunity to be a part Edukid’s apprenticeship scheme. I now deliver workshops, lessons and assemblies to primary and secondary schools that are designed to educate students about the issues that surround poverty, and inspire and empower students to exercise their roles as Global Citizens.

During my employment with Edukid I have managed the development of our new teaching resources and helped to build the website you are currently using. I have helped to set up projects such as the plastic project in Cambodia, write newsletters, updates and form strong sustainable partnerships with UK schools. I now visit both my old secondary and primary schools, as well as a large number of schools spread out across the UK, to teach students about the work Edukid is doing and the impact of their support and fundraising.

My hope is that I can be a part of inspiring the next generation of students to become forward thinking, compassionate, Global Citizens with a passion for supporting others and making a difference in the world.

Kara Sheppard first became involved with Edukid 7 years ago, as a student from one of Edukid’s partner schools Bideford College. She came through the Global Citizenship Programme and joined Edukid on a trip over to Uganda. She has since returned to Uganda countless times, including two different periods of extended stays, and has also visitied Edukid’s project in Cambodia.

Inspired by her experience in Edukid’s Uganda project, Kara went on to study International Development at university. she holds a first-class degree in International Development with Social Anthropology from the University of East Anglia and is currently pursuing a PhD in International Development. Kara’s research centers on the gendered outcomes of education in Tanzania, while her academic experience covers a wide range of issues in International Development.

She has conducted several research projects on our Uganda work, and currently manages our Inclusive Education Programme in Uganda working closely with our in-country partners in Uganda to facilitate Edukid’s work.

Kara is writing and releasing a series of short papers for some of the UN Sustainable Development Goals to enable teachers and students to explore subjects at a deeper level.

Lucky Peace is partially blind, and is part of EDUKID’s ‘Inclusive Education Programme’ that focuses on enabling children with Special Educational Needs and diverse abilities to access education. For most of the children in this programme, a supporter will be providing them with the opportunity to go to school for the first time in their lives.

In Uganda there are many misconceptions surrounding diverse abilities and as a result, for a long time, there has been a social barrier that the children have faced in going to school. Not only this, but schools simply do not have the facilities to aid the children in their learning.

We are changing this.

We are providing specialised equipment, disabled ramping, barriers and toilets. We are also training teachers so that they are able to teach appropriately and attentively to meet the needs of our children, as well as delivering workshops to the communities designed to break down the discrimination that surrounds those with Special Educational Needs and diverse abilities in Uganda.

Lucky Peace started school for the first time in 2019 and says “One day I want to be a teacher so that I can teach other children.”. We cant wait to see Lucky Peace achieve her dreams.

When the EDUKID team first met Ivan in July 2019, he was living in chronic poverty. Ivan and his siblings were orphans being cared for by their 80-year-old grandmother.

The family were starving, with their malnourishment impacting greatly on their health- Ivan, in particular, was suffering. His stomach and eyes were swollen and he was struggling to take in breath, wheezing as he took Chris’ hand and explained “my mother is dead, my father is dead, and I miss them”.

The family of 6 were isolated, living deep in the Uganda bush in a hot, cramped Banda. They had no shoes or clothing apart from the rags they were wearing and none of the children had access to education.

The EDUKID team decided to take immediate action, providing emergency aid to the family. With support from those at home we were able to raise funds in order to gift the family with clothing, shoes, food, chickens, mattresses, cooking utensils, medical care. Ivan even received his very own teddy bear.

By sharing Ivan’s story, we were able to find sponsors for all of the children in the family. Ivan, his brothers and his sisters now attend school.

In early February 2020 we met Ivan again, only this time inside the school gates of his local Primary school!

Women and girls in rural Uganda often experience injustice and inequality. EDUKID strives to provide equal rights and opportunity for every child, regardless of gender, background and ability. Jennifer’s story is one that continues to inspire us and demonstrates the strength of young women in rural Uganda who are passionately fighting for their right to education.

Jennifer’s mother and father had passed away, leaving her in the care of her uncle’s family. The barrier to education Jennifer faced was her uncle’s attitude. His belief saw educating females as pointless. On more than one occasion, he had informed her that she was to be married because nobody was willing to pay for her school fees.

Desperate to go to school and terrified of being married off, Jennifer started digging farmland for her neighbours for a small wage, enough to pay for her education. A typical day started at 4 a.m. when she would walk 8km to school. After walking 8km home again, she then had to do her chores, homework and work.

Our team in Uganda identified Jennifer as being at high risk of abuse, violence and child marriage and immediately intervened. EDUKID now support her; she boards at school, which means that she is safe and has more time to focus on her studies.

At the moment, Jennifer is sleeping on the floor of a classroom that is being used as a makeshift dormitory, but with the support of Kingsley School, we are currently building a dormitory for 40 girls, each of whom are at high risk of violence or abuse at home.

Sadly, Jennifer’s story is not unique. 33% of girls in rural Uganda are married by the age of 15 and 46% by the age of 18. We aim to protect the females we support and prevent them from being a part of these figures.

It is impossible to describe the incredible humility, strength and warmth that comes from Jennifer who has endured, fought and survived. Jennifer is now studying at school, studying hard and working to ensure she can achieve all of her dreams.

Sinoeurn, who from a young age was supported through education by Edukid, has just finished university with a degree in civil engineering.

Each day, Sinoeurn now gives his time back to the village he grew up in, volunteering to teach the next generation of children coming through the Edukid project.

The children that Sinoeurn teach are from very poor backgrounds. COVID19 has prevented the class from being able to meet and the virus is therefore jeopardising the opportunity for the children to study, take exams and gain qualifications.

Sinoeurn has gone above and beyond to ensure that the students are still able to learn.

Alongside the other village teachers, he has been setting up extra support for those students who are on the verge of exams by preparing lessons and setting homework through videos and distanced visits. The classrooms are now meeting again and Sinoeurn is now able to support students in person.

We are so grateful to Sinoeurn and the other village teachers for all they do in ensuring a good quality education for the children we support.

A passion for the planet

One class in Sen Sok Village has been learning about the impact that waste has on the environment. Incredibly, the students decided to respond to their lessons and take action. Rubbish is scattered across the roadsides and heavily pollutes Sen Sok Village, this makes it an unsafe and unhygienic place for the communities to live. Every Friday after school, the class have decided to go out into the village and rubbish pick.

Members of Queens College who were passionate environmentalist, also noticed the issue of plastic waste build up in SenSok Village whilst on an EDUKID trip in Cambodia. In response to the students initial concerns, Queens College in Taunton and Ashville College in Harrogate (both members of the MIST group) decided to fund a Plastic Project for Sen Sok Village, Cambodia.

The new plastic project aims to alleviate poverty and improve education. We plan to do this by first of all cleaning up the village littered with plastic waste and then recycle that plastic to create educational resources for the children we support.

So far, the two schools have raised money to build machines that will shred, melt and then mould the plastic waste into educational tools such as letters and number shapes for use within the classrooms.

This project will undoubtedly create a huge impact on the entire community at Sen Sok Village in reducing its environmental damage. It will also improve the children’s education, whether this be through physical resources, or raising awareness on how to maintain a healthier and greener society free of plastic pollution!

I chose Edukid for my volunteering because while I was looking at the different volunteering projects available to me, I found Edukid. I was inspired by the aims and goals of EduKid and I knew immediately that I wanted to raise awareness and raise money through volunteering.

During the time I volunteered for EduKid, I chose the Emergency-Clean Water and sanitation project. I picked this, because it’s extremely important for water to be clean and this is a basic human right that I think everyone should have access too. I know that approximately 1 million people die a year because they do not have access to clean water and sanitation, this can also increase the likelihood of infections and other diseases which impact thousands worldwide.

I decided to complete a sponsored 10K run/walk, I set a target of £130 to raise for EduKid. I started training for my event by going on regular walks and runs on my own and with my family. I spoke to my friends and family about my project and the importance of the work that is completed by EduKid. I set up a “go fund me” page which allowed me to send a link to my friends and family requesting that they sponsor me. I also advertised my event through my local rotary club and using social media, I requested that people sponsor me through donations. I completed my event on and have raised £185 so far, however I have some friends and family that have said that they will still sponsor me so this amount may increase. This amount of money will support 5 families to have access to safe drinking water.

I was initially worried that I may not reach my target of £130 so I worked hard speaking to lots of different people including my friends and family, raising awareness and explaining the importance of the work that EduKid complete. As a result of this, not only was I able to reach my goal amount but I raised more money than I initially thought I would, which means more money for EduKid which I am really happy about.

My highlights were completing my project and knowing that I have made a difference to other families lives. I have learnt a lot from this experience as I now understand the challenges and difficulties that are faced by other children, that are my age, across the world and it makes me very grateful and appreciative of the things I have. When I was completing my 10K, I found that it was helpful to think of the difficulties that these people experience as it helped me to persevere and to keep going. Completing the project and knowing I have made a difference is a great feeling.

I would recommend that others volunteer for EduKid, it is very interesting and a supportive team of people that can help you if you need it. It is easy to set up an event and complete this in your own time. I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience and am grateful for the opportunity to have supported EduKid.