Student teacher Aisling McNeill describes her two-month summer work placement in Uganda as ‘both a life-changing and life-challenging experience’. The St Patrick’s College undergrad tells Metro Éireann how her stay in the eastern African country showed her how the world works at a deeper level, and helped her realise the importance of proper education and healthcare to any society
You spent two months in Africa this summer with a group of fellow student teachers as part of the Réalt programme. Can you tell us something about the programme?
The Réalt programme is different from similar organisations in that it’s an organisation set up through the teacher training colleges of Ireland: St Patrick’s College Drumcondra, the Marino Institute of Education and Church of Ireland College. It’s run by college lecturers and their involvement plays a pivotal part in its running: two lecturers visited us on our placements, offered advice and helped solve any minor problems that we were having. Three orientation days were organised before travelling, as well as two debriefing days when we returned. Réalt also organised the necessary vaccinations before travelling and managed our finances – we fundraised for the costs of the trip beforehand.
Where in Africa were you? How many were in your student group?
Réalt organises placements in both Uganda and Ghana. This year, 15 students were placed in four placements in Uganda, and three students were in Ghana. In Uganda the placements were in the north of the country (Lira) and three in the south. I was placed in the south in the Kabale district in a place called Bukinda, very close to the Rwandan border. Along with three other girls from the west of Ireland, we worked in local schools aiming to bring new ideas to their classrooms, as well as working on local projects.
Was this your first visit to Africa?
Yes, and I knew that it was going to be an overwhelming experience. I felt that I was prepared and ready for the adventure, but no amount of lectures, talks or orientation days could have prepared me.
Bukinda was a very attractive placement by Ugandan standards, in that we had an adequate shower and toilet (little more than a hole in the ground, but still). We had running water the majority of the time, electricity some of the time and a working kettle. Cooking was done outside on a small circular box, called a sigire, which was filled with charcoal and was lit using some twigs and a match. We did our washing ourselves in a basin of water, but no matter how hard I tried, I could never manage to get my skirts and tops completely clean!
Food was probably my biggest obstacle. While pasta, potatoes and vegetables could be purchased in a western shop in the local town, our stomachs experienced a rollercoaster ride for the first few days. Being invited to neighbouring houses scared me as I feared what kind of food I was going to be offered. It turned out that rice, beans and matoki (mashed plantains) where the staple Ugandan foods served with almost every meal.
What was your impression of Uganda before your trip? How if any has your impression changed since then?
Before visiting Uganda, a few questions bothered me: Would I be safe? Would there be adequate healthcare should I get sick? Would I be able to contact home or have access to money? Would the people accept me for who I am? Would I be able to teach the children like children are taught in Ireland? How would they react to me being a different race? Will I be resourceful enough to teach in classrooms with up to 70 children without the resources we’re used to in Ireland?
I suppose I had an image of a very backward, poor country. So I was surprised when I was able to contact home almost every day, and shocked that I could find so many familiar brands of products at the supermarket as if I was in a SuperValu back home – even a pasta sauce that was produced in Dublin!
I had imagined there would be a decent level of hygiene and sanitation, so it was a big shock when I saw the standard of hygiene in restaurants and public places. Toilet facilities were also extremely basic. If only adequate hygiene and sanitation could be enforced in every country around the world, then many social problems would be eradicated.
I knew to stick to bottled water for drinking, but I did assume that houses would have running water, and I did not expect to see children going to and from the well in their bare feet to collect water in jerry cans for drinking, washing and bathing.
Yet people in Uganda didn’t consider themselves to be poor. They knew that we ‘Muzungos’ (white people) were wealthier than they were, but I feel that they accepted their lot and made do with the little that they had. These people would put us to shame: they are extremely self-sufficient and resourceful; they survive from what they produce on the land, where be it, crops or animals. It’s not rare to see a pig, a goat, a chicken or a cow wander the roads in Ugandan villages.
Talking to Ugandans the length and breadth of the country, it appears leadership and governance is at the root of the country’s problems. With President Museveni in power for over 25 years, with little opposition or challenge to his leadership, the majority of Ugandans are under the impression that their problems will continue, which is a huge bone of contention with many of them. Yet Uganda has come a long way since Idi Amin’s reign of terror.
Listening to the people’s woes, I realised the importance of having a fully democratic country with a stable government and a solid opposition. But if Uganda can see more reforms like we have seen in the past couple of decades, then the future will be much brighter for its people.
What to you are the biggest differences between the people of Uganda and the people of Ireland?
Ugandan people are an extremely friendly, appreciative, good-living people with strong morals and values. They are quite religious, and in many ways they have a faith much stronger than what we’re used to: when they pray, they do so with meaning and you can feel the passion in what they’re trying to convey. But there’s not a lot of questioning of subjectivity and bias, whereas Irish people don’t always believe what they hear or read.
There’s little obvious media influence in Uganda; it’s very rare to see billboards, advertisements or celebrity-endorsed products in the country’s towns. In many ways, I feel that Uganda today is like what Ireland was like many years ago, resembling what we read about in textbooks about our grandparents’ times, which is a bitter pill to swallow.
What did your work in Uganda involve?
My work in Kabale with my three colleagues Mary, Leona and Jane involved bringing a new set of skills and ideas to Ugandan primary teachers. Working in two public schools each Monday and Tuesday was a fantastic experience. We also worked in a special needs school on Wednesday, did some informal lecturing on Friday and taught in a ‘youth club’-type school on Saturday.
As well as teaching some hands-on, active and engaging lessons in English, Art, Music and PE, we played fun games with the children – massive classes anywhere from 50 to 70 or more pupils. It was difficult to have enough resources for each of the children – many of whom had never done the likes of arts and crafts before – but we became extremely resourceful.
The Réalt programme prides itself in being both a teaching and learning experience, something we and the children shared with each other. While they treated us to their local dances and songs, likewise we shared some of our own culture and experiences with them. After a few weeks, we had the kids singing ‘Molly Malone’ and ‘The Green and Red of Mayo’, and even chants of ‘Olé! Olé olé olé!’ could be heard ringing out from classrooms and across playing fields, where we did our best to introduce the kids to Gaelic football. Writing letters to children in Ireland proved to be a great treat, as the Ugandan kids were enthused to share their lives with similar aged children in a distant land.
Each school and education centre left a special mark on us, but I feel that I speak for the others in my group when I say that the special needs school will be forever in our hearts. Some 54 children with very manageable disabilities boarded in the school – with conditions ranging from dyslexia to hearing impairments to Down syndrome – and they were treated like Irish children with special needs 50 or 60 years ago. While their classrooms were colourful and their teachers energetic, the children slept in four dorms without any family to read them a story or even tuck them in at night.
Since coming home, I often think of these children and wonder how are they doing now. Leaving there on the final day was a difficult farewell and an emotional departure. Staring into one of the children’s eyes, I assured him that I would never forget him nor each and every one of his fellow boarders.
As well as teaching, we were involved in local projects and put some of the money we fundraised into the development of school facilitates and infrastructure. Massive gratitude must be paid to everyone who helped to fund the learning and teaching experience in Uganda for their overwhelming contributions. Donations from family, friends and businesses, in particular from Elvery’s Sports, must be applauded and thanked.
We were responsible for deciding where and how our money was going to be spent. It was our jobs to get quotations, green-light projects and put workmen where they were needed. Ultimately we saw the completion of seven projects in total. Walls were plastered, floors were cemented, windows were installed, notice boards were purchased, steps were built and painted and dormitories were decorated. As well as all this, books were donated along with balls, a laptop and other educational resources.
Since returning, we have received numerous emails thanking us for these donations and contributions, and we have been assured that the children are getting great use out of the improvements.
As a student teacher, in what way do you think education can help develop Uganda?
Nelson Mandela once said that education “is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” and as a student teacher I think that this is one of many quotes that epitomised my summer.
Education is everything, and without it one has nothing. Although the education system is improving in Uganda, it has a long way to come to catch up to the Irish system, which itself is far from perfect.
With education and with time, it is my wish that Ugandan people become educated in relation to hygiene and sanitation. I hope the country will produce engineers that can help solve their water problems, and doctors and nurses to tackle the scourge of Aids, malaria and other diseases that are rampant across the land. Such education can help to produce politically minded individuals who might form a stable opposition to government and challenge current practices and beliefs.
As a student of St Patrick’s College Drumcondra, I wish to sincerely thank each and every Réalt committee member for giving me the summer of a lifetime, developing as a person and as a teacher, meeting fabulous people and making lifelong friends along the way.
In an ever-changing and diverse Ireland, I feel that experiences like this should be translated into our education system. I’m sure I speak for many when I say that the Irish education system needs new teachers with diverse backgrounds entering into the profession to meet the demands of our diverse land.
Multinational students should be welcomed with open arms into the profession and would help meet new needs at a time when we see more and more multi-faith and non-denominational schools opening up around the country.
