Andrew Welch reports to rhylhigh from Africa

Andrew Welch, Head Boy for the academic year 1999-2000 is currently in Africa.
You can email him at busogatrust@furryelephant.com Below are some of his email reports

May 1 2001

Hello again. Hope you got my other mail. I promised I would write an article for you, so here it is. I don't know whether you will entirely agree with this article, so if you think that it might put the wrong message across, don't publish it, and I will write another one on a slightly different topic. I wouldn't like to be the reason all the sixth formers abandon their hopes for Uni, and go trekking across Asia or something equally as drastic, but for people in a similar boat to the one I was in this time last year, it might be something they want to hear. Anyway, here it is.
Thanks, Andrew.

During school, I had always had great plans for Uni. University is what I planned for, and I paid no thought to what I would do if I didn't go. I, very foolishly, never thought that there was even a small chance that I wouldn't be accepted to my first choice course, which was 'BA Hons Journalism' at the University of Central Lancashire.
When I was rejected from all but one of my six chosen courses, I was very disappointed, surprised and left not knowing what to do. I looked again at more courses that I could apply for in 'clearing', but places for Journalism rarely come up in clearing and I didn't think that any of the other courses I had looked at were quite right for me. I had my heart set on Journalism at UCLAN. In March last year, I had to do a dramatic rethink, which was fortunately when I met Brian Davies. He is a consultant for the Busoga Trust, and had previously been to the school to give an assembly on the terrible state of water in Uganda. His initial speech had prompted the school to raise money for the Busoga Trust to build a well in Uganda. I met him when he came to collect the check. He told me I could go to Uganda and become a volunteer for the Trust. The idea not only sounded brilliant, but practical too. I decided quite quickly what I was going to do; I would take a year off from education, re-apply to university, go to Uganda for six months, and then return to go to Uni. the following September. All that I needed to do was pass my A-levels!
After I took my A-level exams, I started working full time. In August I got my results; I passed all three, not bad results, but like always, could've done a lot better! In November I reapplied to university. I applied for Journalism at UCLAN again, and some other journalism courses. I now focused on raising as much money as possible to help fund the cost of my trip to Uganda. With some well worded letters to local businesses, some very kind and generous donations, lots of help and good advice from different groups and also a lot of luck, I managed to raise around £2,000 towards the cost of my trip. So I embarked on this, some say crazy, adventure in Uganda, working for the Busoga Trust. I have enjoyed every minute so far, and continue to. I have met lots of new brilliant people, sampled life in another, very different part of the world, white water rafted on the River Nile, and done many other 'once in a lifetime' things. Most importantly though, I have helped, and tried to make a very small difference in a third world country.
My 'year out' has made me realise so much. The obvious things such as being grateful for what I have in the UK, but much, much more than that. I have a new outlook, a wider perspective, new knowledge and more varied experiences. With the hindsight I now have, I can see just how unrealistic I was when studying for my A-levels. My gap year has been infinitely better for me than going straight to university, and I may never get this chance again. It must also have added a lot of weight to my UCAS form, as I have finally been accepted to Preston to study Journalism.
For me to consider a year out, it took the minor catastrophe of being rejected from Uni., but please give it a thought. Five or six months abroad as a volunteer is not a long time, and the list of benefits it would give you is almost infinite. So if you are feeling like you don't want to go to university just yet, or if you don't really have any plans made for after you have left school, look up organisations like 'Student Partnership Worldwide', 'African Ventures', 'GAP' or 'The Project Trust'. They are just a four of the many organisations operating around the world, arranging teacher placements and other such volunteer programs.
You to could join the ever increasing number of people, including Prince William and myself, that have gone abroad as a volunteer during their gap year. Give it some serious thought, it could be the best thing you ever do.

April 2001

Its Andrew again, yeah I know, you didn't hear from me this much when I was in school!
I was on the website the other day, and nearly choked when I saw a whole page dedicated to 'my mission'! After I got up off the floor, I realised how very grateful I am for that. Thankyou very much for the support.
Please can you tell Mr. Fawcett that I have visited a proper rainforest, and have taken some great photos and slides. I have also planned a visit to the Owen Falls Dam, which is a HEP station on the Nile, just out side Jinja. Finally, I take an interest in Geography! I have already planned the lesson I will teach to the lower sixth geography class, and any other class for that matter, should you want me to.
I will write another article, especially for the school, with indecisive sixth formers in mind.
Here are some pictures from the digital camera we have.



Andrew trying to look menacing (isn't he just soooo cuddly!?)

Street scene

Village near Murchison
Thanks again, Andrew.

29 April 2001

Hi its Andrew again, all the way from Uganda. Feel free to mail me. Thanks again for your support.
'The Busoga Trust' is a Non Governmental Organisation, founded in 1984 by a Ugandan Bishop and a British Reverend. For the 16 years they have been in operation, they have constructed wells and other water sources in the very rural, underdeveloped communities in the South Ugandan region of Busoga. More recently they opened another office in Northern Uganda, in Luweero. Between them, the two offices have constructed over 2000 wells and bore holes. They are one of several such organisations operating in Uganda, and they are also the reason I and many others have come to Uganda to volunteer.
The trust used to receive most of its funding from the British department for overseas development, or DfID, under its current banner. Since the canceling of World Debt, and the Jubilee 2000 campaign, the DfID funding has changed format. Instead of the DfID money going to directly to the trust, it now goes to the local government as 'Debt Forgiveness', and the trust has to bid for the tenders put out by the local government. This has had a dramatic effect on the trust, and has changed the rate and regularity at which the wells are constructed, and the stability of the Trust.
Organisations similar to the Busoga Trust construct as many, if not more wells, but the Busoga Trust has teams of sociologists and follow up technicians, which the others do not. This, in my opinion, makes the Busoga Trust more helpful, and relevant to a country such as Uganda. The sociologist try and find the most useful point to locate the well, and speak to the local villagers to seek their opinion. They also find the most responsible and well respected villager to act as chairman of the water source. They are given the job of maintaining the well and keeping the surroundings clean. The follow up technicians check up on all the wells they have constructed, to ensure they are still providing safe and clean water, and that the well is still in good working order. They test for the bacteria that cause diseases like e-coli, dysentery and cholera, which are all deadly in a developing country, and also the parasite that causes bilharzia. Since I arrived, I have traveled with some of the technicians to help them with their work. I have learnt great deal, and seen some of the most rural areas in Uganda.
Last week I traveled to an orphanage in Kamuli. I had met the husband and wife that manage it previously, and they had asked me to go and help. They were building a garage/store for their tools and the children's play equipment. I helped with the brickwork, crushed the leftover bricks and made a driveway, and painted the outside walls of the orphanage. I have planned to undertake more projects like this before I leave. The orphanage is not as traumatizing as I thought it would be. Most of the children are orphans because of AIDS, which is a huge problem in Uganda, and the whole of Africa. Some of the children have started developing secondary illnesses, such as tuberculosis. A small number of the children are also deaf and dumb, but remarkably still manage to laugh and giggle. I found the work very rewarding and worthwhile. I had started to think that no one person, such as myself could possibly make a difference, but this stay at the orphanage convinced me that every little bit helps.