Past Volunteer’s Experience

Hey everyone,

Am Angela Dee Rivier from Canada. Here is a brief synopsis of my experience. In 2016 I visited Rwanda and Kenya as a tourist (for one month). I came out of the visit with a desire to return but more in a "real" way, not sheltered by the tourism trade.

I began to research charities which seemed safe and reputable and discovered Bampalana Mohammed and his organization African Friends Service Community (AFSCO) in Uganda.

For the rest of the time between 2016 and my trip in 2017 (I spent the month of March in Butagaya/Jinja with them), I fund-raised here at home to try and provide assistance to the secondary school, and also to amass funding from local pharmacies and private citizens to provide medical supplies to the folks in the Butagaya area.

To be honest I really didn't know what I was going to find when I got there, but I knew it was an impoverished region, with much need in both the educational and medical areas. In the meantime, I was made of aware of a woman with three daughters who was suffering from an extreme case of facial cancer. Her situation was grave and I wanted to help all I could.

(Eva, Robinah, Mirabu, myself and Prossy... March 2017)

I arrived in Uganda-Jinja with warm welcomes from Bampalana Mohammed and his family, the board of directors of the Butagaya area, and town councilors. Bampalana the founder of AFSCO organisation, his wife Susan who has the same training as myself (medical assistant) and myself were able to hold weekly clinics which were very well received by the local people.

There is not much in the area in the way of medical aid, most people have to travel to Jinja which for them is financially and geographically impossible at times. The services we provided included first aid, blood sugar testing, blood pressure testing and administration of prenatal advice, vitamins, care, as well as pain relief from minor symptoms. We also provided extensive counseling on proper nutrition and hydration, as well as encouragement to pursue previous diagnoses and medication prescriptions which many people did not have the money to adhere to.

We purchased and provided as much medication as possible but as my resources were limited (I am not affiliated with any organization, just a private fundraiser), it was difficult to meet the needs of the local community. Reading glasses were also a huge help to many of the folks and high blood pressure is a common problem, causing headaches and eye strain. The people of the area work so hard sun up to sun down (as seems common in many places I visited in Africa) and certainly do not receive enough nourishment, hydration, rest and necessary medications. Of course, as news of our clinic spread, it became increasingly difficult to keep up to the steady flow of people coming from further and further away to seek assistance. We did our best but the need is so high.

(Esther - who was a teacher at the school - translating for me with a patient)

I might add that the conditions were difficult as we held clinics inside the secondary school (which I also taught at, lived at and provided financial support to). There is no running water, just a bored well down the hill and electricity was scarce at times. The children at the school get by on very little food, so we were providing food for them as well as for the attendees at the clinic as sometimes the wait times were very long. It made for long days, sometimes seeing upwards of 50 patients a day. I'm sorry I don't have more high res photos but to be honest I was so busy most of the time between teaching and the clinic, there wasn't a lot of time for photography. I was continuing to fund-raise back in North America in between teaching and nursing, so life was busy! We also held movie nights as I brought (and donated) a movie projection system, where the local families could come and spend the evening watching various movies that I brought. The Jungle Book was a big hit!

When I was about to leave, the community elders, counsel members and local citizens gathered for a big celebration. Food, dancing and a lovely "appreciation certificate" were presented to me, and I was able to furnish the school kids with new back packs as most did not have much in the way of school supplies. One of the great difficulties is that I have so many people who would be willing to donate supplies, however the shipping is so expensive it becomes almost redundant. Much easier (and cheaper) to raise funds and buy the items locally (Jinja town). It seems to me so much could be done with limited funds but with my job in health care in Canada, I work sometimes upwards of 80 hours per week.

I continue to support the orphans of Mirabu (sadly, she passed last in 2017) with their education, basic needs of life and care, and I also attempt to find donors for other marginalized and impoverished children in the community, but time is my enemy.

Please if you need more photos and information you could give me your messenger address, or if you would add me on facebook (Angela Dee Rivier), or, if you add me on WHATSAPP (+1 226 228 6636) then I can transfer you photos and information through those venues. Much easier. I do have quite a few that should give you an idea of what the conditions are like, and what we accomplished there.

In closing, I would like to say that after working with the founder of AFSCO organization Mr. Bampalana Mohammed for the past two years 2016 and 2017, and seeing how hard he works for the people in his community, I would fully endorse any assistance he requests from you.

I have personally visited his home, seen how he lives, and seen how tirelessly he works to aid the underprivileged in the area and it amazes me that a young man has such an incredibly good heart! I will be returning to Butagaya in October or December 2018 to start working with AFSCO organization again because am given the opportunity to work as Public Relations Officer (Co-Founder).

Please if you have any question don't hesitate to contact me on +12262286636 or email

angirivier@me.com

(Board of Directors presenting me with appreciation)

(Bampalana and I before I left)