There were just 8 people on the trip this year, organised again by Barbara Maycock and, like the others before, they had a fantastic time. Here are 4 reports, sadly condensed as the newsletter never has enough space, but Molly Prichard managed to get a full-length article in the Chronicle, the Advertizer and County Times which we hope you saw.
Rhian: Visiting Uganda for the first time, I was amazed at how welcoming the people were. Despite all their difficulties, their positive attitude and sense of community was admirable. The NOVC project connected with me the most. The children, carers and teachers gave off such an uplifting energy and positivity that made us all smile. The Dolen Ffermio trip really opened my eyes and was a lovely introduction to Africa.
Judith: This was my second visit to Uganda as I worked for the British Government as a teacher in a primary school in Kampala 44 years ago. Since then the country has gone through and changed so much. We visited many of the developments that you read about in the Dolen Ffermio newsletters. The schools are full of enthusiastic students who are proud of what they produce in their very large classes and they were keen to know about Wales and the UK. They performed plays for us which they had written themselves. All of it was quality.
Elizabeth: The whole trip was wonderful and gave us a very good insight into the work of Dolen Ffermio and how much their work is appreciated in Uganda. I’ll just pick out two highlights: the first when we met the children in Nyero who sang, danced and acted for us. I made the mistake of asking the women how their dresses were worn; next I was being dressed – not quite what I had in mind but great fun for everyone watching! The other highlight was seeing a lion next to us at the side of the road in the Murchison Falls National Park, rolling on its back completely at ease, and later a hippo walking through the campsite in the evening!
Molly: This trip was, hands down, the most remarkable, humbling and eye-opening experience I’ve ever had. We were able to catch a glimpse of some of the trials and tribulations of the country as well as its unavoidable and consistent beauty. No matter where we went we never ceased to be amazed by the warmth and kindness shown, a testament to the famous welcoming nature of the Ugandan people. Before we arrived Uganda had experienced one of their worst droughts of recent years that had led to poor harvests and a mass food shortage and we were so impressed to see how hard the project partners in both areas were working to try and resolve this bad situation. Overall, this journey completely changed the way I see the world, while at the same time being a lot of fun! We thank everyone for making The group in Murchison Game park (photographed by a our experience suich a special and unforgettable one.