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My Weekends In Uganda

                                                                                                             Kikaaya Student   © 2018...

                                                                                                             Kikaaya Student   © 2018 The Nation Foundation

My Weekends In Uganda

By: Florencia Spirito


I thought weekends would be a time to relax and sleep in... but I was so wrong! My first weekend in Kikaaya was a mix of chatting with kids in a friendly atmosphere, getting to know each others cultures, exploring the Kikaaya neighborhood with students and staff, and learning how to wash my clothes Uganda style! Students filled the school with music and dancing, and we all got a chance to really get to know each other in a more informal setting. There was no time to getting bored! 

My second weekend I was able to travel with a student from the Vocational School, Hope, who invited me to her hometown, Kammengo, a small village 2 hours away from Kampala. She wanted to introduce me to her family, her village, her community. I was so grateful for the invitation. We get there at perfect timing for church, and for my surprise, the mom Hope was the pastor of the church. After arriving in her village, I was welcomed by her family so warmly!  People throughout the community were so welcoming, and we had the chance to sing  and dance together! I spent the rest of the weekend at Kammengo chatting with Hope's family and friends, eating delicious food and discovering more about the tropical landscape. 


Kikaaya Students   © 2018 The Nation Foundation


I also had the chance to  spend Easter in Uganda! For Easter, I I traveled to Mbale, a large village six hours from Kampala, with two Kikaaya students, Magada and Debora. They had invited me to spend Easter in Mbale with their family. In our way to Mbale, we crossed the Nile River and the Victoria Lake several times, Uganda's most iconic and picturesque landscape! After arriving in Mbale, the mother of the students welcomed us with chicken and rice (Magada's favorite meal), and we spent the rest of the day visiting Magada and Debora's aunts and grandparents. Most of the people in Mbale are farmers, so we also visited neighbors looking for sustainable agreocology solutions to their crops. I had the chance to provide community members with advice and tips as to how to maximize their yield! Mbale is home of Mt. Elgon, a famous mountain situated on the Uganda-Kenya border. We had the chance to visit the Mt. Elgon region and toured several beautiful waterfalls! It was amazing trip. 

The last two weekends in Kikaaya I went with some students to Entebbe, a tourist area only one hour away from Kampala. I had the great opportunity to visit the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center, a rescue center for wildlife (like lions and giraffes)! All of us were so excited looking these amazing animals in their natural environments. My final weekend, we visited the Botanical Gardens, where we saw huge trees, beautiful flowers, and incredible wildlife! It made me feel the magic of the rainforest in company of monkeys surrounding us. All the weekends I spent at Kikaaya were the best opportunity to discover Uganda, their people, and their amazing culture. 


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