SMB 2014 visit report – days 7 and 8

The following is the update from the St Mary Bourne 2014 team visiting Mityana, days 7 and 8. This time the words are provided by Dodie as the team have departed for the Murchison Falls National Park.

Day 7 – Namutamba and then they were off

The drive out to Namutamba along the usual bumpy dusty road took about 45 minutes. The small compound and buildings did not really do justice to what is going on there. Most of the children we saw had some sort of leg or arm injury. Crutches were very evident and steel pins in arms (or legs) were all part of the scenery. We began with a tour of the rooms, dressing rooms, administration room, bedrooms, school room, loos and washrooms, then outside to the kitchen, gardens where we were told to stamp loudly if there was a snake! And then the garage and carpentry centre.
Lena the nurse gave us the tour and then told us (briefly) her life story finishing with the 1½ years she has been at Namutamba. She was an amazing girl, only 27. Some of the group tried out their germane on her! We then had activities for all the kids and the mums, who were staying at Namutamba because off their babies – many of whom were born with club feet or other deformities. Our group were divided up and we made wrist bands, masks, bracelets or we played games. They all loved it. Then we had lunch, they sang and we headed back to the Enro. It was a great experience.

Day 8 Departure to Murchison

They were up at 6 am (yes it was a shock to the system and Rachel and I waved them off as they headed for their Safari. A text came in today early to say they had sen some chimps in the wild and had been up since 5.30 am for the river crossing for the first of their two game drives. They will love it.

They have been fantastic and they have much to tell. AT all the schools they have loved the children and all the different games they played, the Hokey Cokey being one of the highlights. They dunk huge amounts of water and eaten very large portions of food. Plenty of potatoes, pasta and rice. It has been an incredible experience. From now until Thursday they are out of internet range most of the time so the safari news may have to be by word of mouth when they get back.