The next place my soles will touch soil is in Amsterdam on Saturday, October 9th. I'll have enough time for a quick airport breakfast, and then it's off to Nairobi! For the following five days I'll be with my fellow AJWS volunteers, learning about the cultural, financial, political, and historical aspects of East Africa, and preparing for my volunteer assignment in Uganda. Here's home for the final months of 2010:
I'll be working with a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) in Kampala, Uganda that supplements the traditional Ugandan educational system with entrepreneurial education. My volunteer placement supervisor tells me that schools in Uganda are ineffective at preparing their students for real-world employment. My supervisor, Irene, is a native Ugandan and says most classrooms are packed with students, nearly 100 per class, and aren't taught in an engaging manner. The Minister of Education, Gerard Namirembe Bitamazire (I've just attempted to pronounce this name aloud as well. Impossible.) has reportedly insisted that their educational priorities are: access, equity and quality. In that order. Unfortunately, that means many students are attending poor quality schools and entering the workforce ill-equipped. I doubt I'll make a big impact on the system at large in the two months I'll be spending there, but my conversation with Irene gave me high hopes that I can have some effect by whatever I can do to strengthen and support her organization.
In our 40 minute conference call, Irene seemed used to discussing the inadequecies of the Ugandan educational system and passionate about her organization's effort to improve the system. She was also quick to laugh, humble about the impressive organization she founded a few years ago, and expressed so much excitement about the support I will provide. I hung up after this call thrilled that I'm doing this trip and going with AJWS, who set me up with Irene and is guiding me through this process.
Irene's office is in Kampala, which is where I'll be doing most of my work, though Irene asked me if I'd help them broker rural partnerships with schools outside of the capital city, and she sighed with what I think was a combination of happiness and relief when I said I'd be glad to.
I'll be working with a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) in Kampala, Uganda that supplements the traditional Ugandan educational system with entrepreneurial education. My volunteer placement supervisor tells me that schools in Uganda are ineffective at preparing their students for real-world employment. My supervisor, Irene, is a native Ugandan and says most classrooms are packed with students, nearly 100 per class, and aren't taught in an engaging manner. The Minister of Education, Gerard Namirembe Bitamazire (I've just attempted to pronounce this name aloud as well. Impossible.) has reportedly insisted that their educational priorities are: access, equity and quality. In that order. Unfortunately, that means many students are attending poor quality schools and entering the workforce ill-equipped. I doubt I'll make a big impact on the system at large in the two months I'll be spending there, but my conversation with Irene gave me high hopes that I can have some effect by whatever I can do to strengthen and support her organization.
In our 40 minute conference call, Irene seemed used to discussing the inadequecies of the Ugandan educational system and passionate about her organization's effort to improve the system. She was also quick to laugh, humble about the impressive organization she founded a few years ago, and expressed so much excitement about the support I will provide. I hung up after this call thrilled that I'm doing this trip and going with AJWS, who set me up with Irene and is guiding me through this process.
Irene's office is in Kampala, which is where I'll be doing most of my work, though Irene asked me if I'd help them broker rural partnerships with schools outside of the capital city, and she sighed with what I think was a combination of happiness and relief when I said I'd be glad to.
Hopefully, my housing and flights will be confirmed by the end of next week--so check back and I'll have more details about my adventure soon. I've just downloaded an audio version of The Last King of Scotland, which I'll be listening to as I get ready to show my apartment to potential sublets, help my boyfriend Zack clean his new condo, and apply for my Kenyan and Ugandan visas.
