Four trustees of Ruddington based charity The Mustard Seed Project have arrived home from their trip to Uganda having received invaluable, personal updates on its work.
Founders of the charity Sally Squires and Jayne Henson, who’re both staff at James Peacock Infant & Nursery School, were joined on their second trip to the country by fellow educators Ian Mawer (the Deputy Head Teacher at St Peter’s C of E Junior School) and Professor Louise Mullany (of Nottingham University).
The first stop for the quartet was the capital city Kampala, where they visited several markets before travelling to the Kumi district in Eastern Uganda. The majority of the work and support from The Mustard Seed Project since Sally & Jayne’s last trip has been focussed on Tisai Island, where a new school and doctor’s surgery have been built as a result of charity fundraising. Project trustee Ruth Keen reveals: “It was an emotional time, in particular for Sally & Jayne, after the motorcycle ride through the jungle, boat trip to the island then the walk to the school to be greeted by cheers, claps and a chorus of ‘thank you’ from the island community for the work of the charity. 
Two days were spent on Tisai Island by the trustees during which they proudly painted murals – a peacock (pictured left) – on the school building as well as blackboards on the classroom wall to assist with teaching and learning. Two water harvesters, installed since the last trip thanks to monies raised by the charity were seen – and used! – in situ with the difference they have made to island life clearly being explained and seen to the visitors. The rest of the time on the island was spent lending a hand to serve the school dinners, introducing the school children to parachute games – something loved by the children at both Ruddington schools and presented to the teachers on Tisai as an educational tool – talking to the community about how the charity can further help the community to become sustainable over time and building a number of raised beds so the children are able to plant and grow their own vegetables.”
The whole community put on ‘last night’ celebrations for their visitors involving music, singing – including a song written by Moses especially for the four – and dancing. The elders of Tisai said The Mustard Seed Project were “their government – as they had been abandoned” and that they’d been “like a tree that had been broken” but the charity has given them new life.
The next task for the four educators was two days of teacher training in the form of conferences for 200 teachers with the focus on Early Years. Ruth explains: “They spent the days sharing new techniques with Ugandan teachers including using beach balls and knitted frogs (top photo)! Some fieldwork was also carried out in schools finding out about how women and girls view themselves in Ugandan society and what their aspirations are. The trustees then managed to take some time out to explore the beautiful Ugandan scenery and landscape with a visit to Sipi Falls. This was Ian’s final stop before flying home.”
However the three women continued their travels, returning to Kampala for another few days to take part in the Language, Gender and Leadership Conference. Professor Louise Mullany lead this conference – involving professors, heads of charities and market women coming together to form a network which aims to help empower women and create leaders.
“Through this conference, Sally, Jayne and Louise met some women’s cooperatives” says Ruth. “These cooperatives were formed by women who had suffered at the hands of violent polygamous husbands who even sold their daughters for alcohol. The cooperatives involved animal rearing and growing crops. The Mustard Seed Project bought 8 sheep to support the cooperatives and several sewing machines that will be packed in the 40’ container being sent out to the area next month will be donated to them to support them in their cause.”‘
As founders of the Mustard Seed Project, Sally and Jayne gave a keynote speech to the attendees about the charity before being also shown around the Parliament building by MP Hellen Adoa, which included seeing some Ugandan art – a portrait of the queen made from banana leaves – and a traditional Ugandan lunch!
The whole trip has been documented with photographs by Ian (three of which we’ve used here with thanks) which are to be shared with the pupils of both James Peacock and St Peter’s during a special ‘Uganda Week’ being held in both Ruddington schools. The children will also be creating pieces of writing and art work – which may well be published in a book that the charity is working on – which will celebrate the similarities and differences between the UK and Uganda.
Meantime the almost-filled shipping container is being sent out to the area very soon and Ruth reminds us: “Donations are still welcomed, in particular of sewing machines for the women’s cooperatives, garden tools to help maintain and develop the raised beds created on Tisai island, bicycles and hospital/medical equipment, to name but a few examples.”
If you’d like to donate, find out more about the work of The Mustard Seed Project, or indeed to become involved in some way, you can visit their website, check out their Facebook page or email them via info@mustardseeduganda.com.
