It would be easy to write pages and pages about the Nabugabo expedition this Summer, but even that would not do justice to what a fantastic experience it was for all concerned. Despite a 19-hour journey, half of the luggage being left in Istanbul by the airline, limited food, a fair number of insect bites, and a large amount of tiredness, everyone was in great spirits from beginning to end.

Our trip was designed around two projects, the first being in the local school supported by the HUGE Partnership, called Nabugabo Primary Learning Centre (NCLC), where the emphasis was on helping the school deliver their lessons and improve the reading of the children. In addition to the wonderful resources made by our own pupils, and the hugely generous gift of reading books provided by the Pangbourne community, it was a great experience for our Sixth Formers to spend time with the local pupils who show such wonderful enthusiasm for their learning at all times. Even when some of the teachers were absent from the classrooms, the pupils carried on working with real diligence, such is the value they place on their education. In addition to Dr Hart teaching a large number of science lessons through the week, our students assisted with many of the lessons, took sports sessions with Mrs Follett, and, in particular, helped deliver the phonics reading programme which is being rolled out through the school.

The second project was to build a house in only six days for a local lady who fosters children. She currently lives in little more than a single garage with no windows and no light when the door is closed. Despite having no prior experience, and little on the job training, the eight Pangbourne students worked tirelessly in the heat and direct sunshine to build the walls, and plaster them in rapid time. This even included working on makeshift scaffolding to put up the highest parts of the walls.

After four days in school and on the building site, we had a quick overnight break in a hotel in the nearby town of Masaka, which had a welcome change of food options and the luxury of hot running water, as well as an outdoor pool. This gave everyone a great opportunity to recharge their batteries for the final few days in Nabugabo. In addition to our break away, we visited a really interesting recycling project, which is helping to turn some of the many thousands of plastic bottles found discarded on the streets into more permanent products, such as tables and chairs. We also conducted a challenge akin to an episode of The Apprentice. The group was split into four teams, each given 20,000 shillings (about £5) and tasked with buying five food items for local families in need for the lowest total price.

Towards the end of our stay in Nabugabo, we held a Sports Day for the school, as well as a football match against their staff and pupils. It was great fun to teach them several races, such as beanbag on the head, potato on a spoon, and wheelbarrow races. On the final morning we said a very sad and emotional farewell to all, and the schoolchildren sang some farewell songs to send us on our way. Cue more than a few tears from staff and pupils on both sides!

The next few days were spent heading west to the Queen Elizabeth National Park and a two night stop in a lovely safari lodge. An early start at dawn enabled us to see a range of wildlife in their natural terrain, and it was exciting to travel around in open topped Land Rovers in such a unique setting. In the afternoon following our game drive, we went on a river boat tour along the Kazinga Channel and saw dozens of hippos, buffalo, and birds, as well as a number of other wild animals. To see the animals in their natural habitat was a wonderful and memorable experience.

The following day we drove back to Masaka for another night stop via the smaller Lake Mburo National Park to see the largest herd of zebras in Uganda. Then it was onto Jinja via the capital city Kampala. The journey by road continued, and despite our driver assuring us it was a good day for traffic, we spent the best part of nine hours on the road! We were hugely relieved when we eventually arrived at our stop at the source of the River Nile for the night. The following day, we were onto perhaps the most exciting part of our trip - a four hour journey down the rapids of the River Nile on white water rafts. The initial rapids were the most severe of our experience, sending two of our three rafts down them the wrong way up, having flipped everyone out at speed. After this, the rest of the journey was a combination of excitement through some white-knuckle rapids, followed by relief to have survived, interspersed with moments when everybody jumped out of their rafts and travelled through the more gentle rapids wearing our buoyancy aids.

The evening after the rafting took us back by road to Entebbe, the city home to the international airport and a lovely meal in a local restaurant. We then took the bus journey to the airport and boarded our flights home, filled with stories and wonderful memories of a fantastic expedition.

The group of students on this year’s expedition were fabulous from beginning to end. They really were great company, worked incredibly hard throughout, and showed such love and compassion for everyone around them - there could not have been a better advertisement for the College Sixth Form. My thanks to them all, as well as Dr Hart and Mrs Follett for making it such an unforgettable experience.

Highlights from individual pupils:

Ellen 

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. My favourite part of the trip was spending time with the children at the school, from teaching them new games, to joining in with their drum and dance. The children at the school are all so happy and grateful, and they made my trip unforgettable. As well as that, being able to build a house in just under a week was an amazing and rewarding experience, especially knowing the children we built the house for. I also loved the safari and boat trip. Being able to see the animals up close in their natural habitat was something I’d wanted to do for a long time.  

Clover 

Uganda 2023 was an amazing experience, from building a house, to rafting down the rapids of the River Nile! Helping in the local primary school, whether it be in their lessons, or reading with the pupils, was so rewarding, as well as making so many new friends too. The safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park was one of my highlights - seeing three of the Big Five was amazing, but also being able to see animals like the Ugandan Cobb, Warthog and Fish Eagle was incredible. I would definitely recommend this trip to other students as it’s a lifetime experience! 

Hattie 

There were many highlights from the trip to Nabugabo. I think the best one for me was volunteering at the school. I absolutely loved the children and staff that were there - they were all incredible! From helping out in the P1 lessons, to me and Rosie Hart painting a mural with some help from the teachers and pupils at the school, to being on the playground teaching the children ‘a sailor went to sea sea sea’, it was by far one of the greatest experiences of my life. 

Thomasin 

My favourite thing about the trip was the time we had at the school. It was really fun playing netball, or just clapping games with them, and it was particularly eye-opening handing out their new clothes to them on the first day. I also really enjoyed the safari, especially the lake trip as we saw so many hippos.

Alice

This trip has given me some of the most amazing memories that will stay with me forever! Despite some minor hiccups, such as bags being lost, some injuries and illnesses, the trip is full of fond memories. Some of the best memories made were with the children at the school. Teaching the children playground games, such as ‘rock, paper, scissors’ and the ‘hokey cokey’, was one of my favourite memories. Another memory that rivals that was seeing three of the Big Five on safari: Water buffalo, Elephants and a lion. All in all, the trip was incredible and I am so pleased I went!

Bonnie 

Volunteering at NCLC was an eye opening and highly-rewarding opportunity that I will forever hold memories of. The group embraced everything thrown at them, be that literally plaster... Working at the school and the building project enabled total immersion into a completely different culture. Alongside football matches, sports day, and drum and dance, it provided close friendships to build between students from Pangbourne and NCLC. On top of this, we also had the chance to white water raft (a terrifying experience both for parents and students), as well as experience nature at its most pure on safari. I am so glad to have been a part of the group and hope one day to revisit this area of Uganda. 

Charlotte 

One highlight of my trip was distributing the clothes and resources we had brought over from the UK to the children, and seeing how grateful and excited they were by such simple things that we often take for granted. I could truly witness the work and fundraising we had been doing was making a difference. Similarly, throughout my time helping at the school, seeing the children's enthusiasm was so heart-warming and adds another level of appreciation for my own education. 

Poppy 

Despite a rocky start with 13 of our bags not arriving in Entebbe when we landed, the trip was not one to be forgotten. From white water rafting down the Nile (with only a few coming back a little more traumatised than before), to seeing the true highs and lows of those living in rural Uganda, it was clear to see why it was a country loved by so many. The community in and around the Nabugabo Community Learning Centre was one much more welcoming than that of any British town! Who knew waving at everyone walking past could be so exciting. There were so many incredible memories and friendships enhanced (and made) on this trip - too many to even begin to recall! So, thank you to Mr Follett for organising it all and giving all of us the opportunity for the trip of a lifetime.