EMMA JOHNSTON:
My adventure with JGI-Uganda began in Feb 2006. When I arrived I never dreamed I was going to have such a varied and exciting time with the education programmes. With a background in Youth Adventure Camping and a recently completed Science degree in Zoology I wasn't entirely sure how they were going to combine to be of assistance but the longer I was there the more I used these skills to contribute to the team effort.
Emma Johnston
Initial I was involved with the launch of the Roots & Shoots programme across numerous districts. The core of my time was spent in the office on materials development for the Roots & Shoots Leadership Workshop and handbook, but we also ventured out on numerous trips up country to gauge the interest of various schools. These trips were an amazing way to explore and experience the life and culture of Uganda and more importantly gave me a clearer picture of the challenges the new Roots & Shoots groups were going to face. The more informative and accessible I could make the materials we were designing, the easier it was going to be for these groups to be an active and positive influence on their wider community.
2006 was certainly a busy year for the education team and so I decided to stick around a few more months than initially planned. Due to the increasing work load of JGI-Uganda's education department and the fortunate generosity of one of the international Roots & Shoots groups JGI was able to offer me an extension of my internship. The last half of my stay focused on helping with the training workshops to support the distribution of the Environmental Education Teachers Guide for Primary 5. It was an amazing challenge to develop and facilitate a fun, interactive and informative workshop for teachers that have a real passion to increase the environmental content of their classes but often very little knowledge about environmental systems.
Volunteering with JGI-Uganda was such an enriching time and I really hope to return one day. Every day there was full of amazing new experiences, even simple things like buying groceries at the local market were part of making this an unforgettable journey. Being able to learn while also feeling like I was contribution to such an important programme was an extremely rewarding experience. I'd strongly recommend it as a great way to explore Africa while making some amazing friends and having a positive impact.
Since my return I've gained employment with Werribee Open Range Zoo as a Safari Guide and Discovery & Learning Teacher. I frequently recall my experiences in Africa to help our visitors connect with the wildlife and understand the role they can play in conserving this delicate environment for future generations.
