Play time...

Thanks to a donation from our friends Rob, Nancy and Charlotte, we were able to purchase some play equipment and a chest for reading books (pictured below with Alan and Godfrey, the Headmaster) for the Royal Pride Academy.

To say the children were pleased with the roundabout and slide would be something of an understatement and they are turning up early for school now (which is pretty impressive when school starts at 8am and some of them have to negotiate a swamp to get there)

Walk on the Wild Side...

We spent Heroes' Day (bank holiday) at Entebbe and visited the Botanical Gardens. Unfortunately an enormous swarm of lake flies had also had the same idea and the air was thick with the little critters. The girls were not too keen on walking through them, espcially as they lay like a thick carpet and squelched between the toes!

There were some impressive spiders too.

The original Tarzan movie was shot here so the girls were keen to practice their vine swinging. We didn't leave Bella hanging there too long...

Back to the Drawing Board 2!

....and the fight against gut worms!!!!! Below is more of Alan's art work to help encourage (primarily school kids) to take their medication to deworm. You might be pleased to hear that our girls have all been 'done' with good effect....!?

Top of the Class?!

International Hospital Kampala hosted a 'Scientific Day' at which medical staff presented on various topics, which were judged by a panel. Much to Alison's amazement (and amusement given her limited experience in research!), she was awarded first prize for research based on a presentation she gave on the STI programme and pilot, upon which she is about to embark. The objective of the programme is to control STIs better in the local community and in so doing reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with them, which include increased rates of HIV transmission and cervical cancer to name just a few sequelae.

The award mainly reflects the importance of this field of work (as opposed to her very limited research capabilities!!), which is further endorsed by your generous donations towards the running of the programme. Thanks to all your support, in the next few weeks we will be in a position to start the comprehensive STI programme and we hope that this in turn may attract some research funding. On that note, a special thanks to the Fleetville School parents for their efforts in raising some money, through a posh dinner held at Sue Maxen's house, which will also be put towards this community project. Good work guys! We really appreciate it!
Pictures courtesy of the Daily Mail.........

Back to the Drawing Board...

Alan has joined Alison in the battle against STIs in Uganda by drawing up some visual educational tools to be used in the community clinics. Having laid down his paintbrush pretty much since GCSE Art, Alan has enjoyed getting back into the saddle and is currently working on some posters for deworming. Nice.