DUNCAN WHITTICK & TARA WARNER:
Upon arrival to Uganda we were happy to be greeted by the JGI team with smiles, open arms and great hospitality. It didn't take us long to discover that headquarters, commonly known as the 'Chimp House' is a lively place, full of energy, busy with people coming and going, and a great home for 4 dogs, 2 cats, lizards and bats. We got a good night's sleep after our 24 hour bus ride from Tanzania and then were plunged into preparing for our first field placement at Busingiro.
Busingiro's forest, sugar-cane fields and wildlife kept us constantly in awe of our reality as we began to carry out our Jane Goodall Institute 'Roots & Shoots' conservation and humanitarian activities and guide training. During our 2 months living in the banda, using the bucket shower while we watched the monkeys above (and they watched us!), and keeping the hairy spiders out of our food, we developed lasting friendships with the guides on site, the security guards and some of the neighbouring children. The Roots & Shoots programs kept us busy digging rubbish and compost pits and picking up kaveeras, kaveeras and more kaveeras! The guide training saw us chimp-tracking in Kaniyo Pabidi Forest, as well as taking part in a Disney led conservation education workshop at Nyabyeya Forestry College. All in all, our time in Busingiro was wonderful.
Tara Warner and Duncan Whittick
When we arrived back in Entebbe it was time to put on our office work hats and to claim a computer for all sorts of office work tasks: helping with the development of the P6 / P7 environmental education curriculum, creating guiding resources, putting together some activity resources for Roots & Shoots, producing advertisements for Kaniyo Pabidi and the Polish Church, and crafting the first ever 'Advanced Roots & Shoots Workshop' materials. The workshop was a highlight of our time in Entebbe as it saw 25 enthusiastic and motivated teachers in attendance at UWEC, where the workshop was held. The teachers learned practical skills and returned their respective schools ready to take action! We also had a load of fun visiting Ngamba Island, the Wildlife Education Centre and the Botanical Gardens.
Two months later, we hit the road and headed to our final field placement at Kalinzu. Although the roaring transport trucks and passenger buses shook the ground as they barreled along the highway adjacent to the forest we found Kalinzu to be a peaceful and beautiful place to call home. Bushenyi district's landscape was incredible. The rolling hills, tropical rainforests, crater lakes, banana trees, tea plantations and vast quantities of pineapples gave us plenty to write home about.
Nearly every day we hopped onto the motorbike and motored our way to two or three Roots & Shoots schools to carry out animal welfare, waste management and other knowledge-building and service learning activities with more than 10 very active clubs. We also managed to discover and explore the Transparent Lake and Twin Lakes of Kasyoh-Katomi Forest Reserve while doing some guide training there with the Ndekye Woman's Group. Kalinzu Forest, our backyard, offered plenty of opportunities to see numerous species of primates and birds while out on more guide training expeditions with the NFA guides with whom we shared our roadside accommodation. We were sad to leave the site but the thought of Equator Cafe muffins and cold drinks en route to Entebbe did ease the pain.
After 6 months of being immersed in Uganda and the JGI we can't help but wonder what the future holds for all of the Roots & Shoots clubs, leaders, staff and guides. We can only hope that future volunteers will continue to share similar experiences, and build upon what has already been laid down as they make their temporary home and lasting impressions in these important conservation areas.
