Jocelyn’s Uganda Experience

“I really enjoyed learning Ugandan sign language at one of the primary schools I selected for my project that has a large population of deaf students on-site. Not only was it a fun and visual way to learn how to communicate, it also provided several opportunities for me to build trust and bond with the whole student population and the administration at my project.

I really did feel that my time in Uganda made a difference in the communities I engaged with. For my project, I worked in two different primary schools to implement an energy-saving cookstove and improve a school gardening program respectively. With the stove, there was an an immediate, noticeable difference in the efficiency of cooking and visible reduction in smoke emissions. For the garden, climate-related challenges prevented us from seeing the final fruits of our labor, but I believe that the increase in volume and diversity of the crops will make a significant difference in the frequency and quality of the school meals. Within my host organization, site team, and host family, I think that we created a strong relationship based on exchanges of knowledge which has been mutually beneficial for all parties.

Lastly, I think that traveling abroad is one of the best activities you can do to grow your skills, your mindset, and your connections. There are some things that can only be experienced in-person and being fully immersed in a culture different from your own, teaches you so many valuable lessons and can offer the experience of a lifetime. This program through Kaya helps provide another level of oversight on your trip, ensure that you have all of your “ducks in row”, and someone to check in on you throughout the entire traveling process, which can be very comforting in such unpredictable times such as now.”