Safari? Of course?

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy...


While our goals in Kampala are to set up the Eva Ruf Resource Center and to work with Ugandan teachers, we are also being offered the option of paying to go on safari in the Queen Elizabeth National Park. I cannot imagine saying no! Here are some photos and some info from the park pulled from the internet. WOW! It will be amazing.




Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP)

From open savannah to rainforest, from dense papyrus swamps and brooding crater lakes to the vastness of Lake Edward, it is little wonder that QENP boasts one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any game reserve in the world.

Almost 100 mammal species and a remarkable 606 bird species makes this superb safari territory, with elephant, a profusion of hippos, the elusive giant forest hog and handsome Uganda kob all regularly sighted around the tourist village on the Mweya Peninsula - which also boasts a marvelous waterfront setting in the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains.

Elsewhere, the remote Ishasha Sector is famed for its tree-climbing lions, the Kyambura Gorge harbours habituated chimps, the Maramagambo Forest is home to an alluring selection of forest monkeys and birds, and flocks of flamingo are resident on the crater lakes.

Uganda is a true African birding destination. Located at the center of the continent, Uganda attracts migrants from the North and South. Uganda is the richest country for birds in Africa. It has almost half the species known on the African continent and over 10% of those recorded throughout the entire world.

Over 1,000 species of birds have been recorded to exist in the country. Some of the exciting species you will view include birds of water and land shore, birds of scrub and woodland, forest birds and birds of the open plain.

This is a shoebill!

My Awesome School

Yay Grizzlies!

My school, École Glenmore Elementary, has jumped on board and the students are finding wonderful ways to fundraise for the students in Kampala.

We will be having 4 after school movies on the next 4 Fridays that the students have donated money to come and see. Popcorn will be provided for them.

My class has decided that it wants to host a bake sale to raise money to buy sporting equipment for the students that I will be working with.

The "Care and Make it Fair" Social Justice club is putting together an art sale of African Art that the students will create and then sell to their families and friends to raise funds for art supplies for me to take. They also want to have a carwash but who knows what we'll have time to do.

Thank you students, merci les élèves!

Meet the team!

So here we are, almost all of us! We are all very excited about going!

The container is off!

Karine and Donna, two of the three founders of Niteo, apparently enjoyed loading the container!

Tuesday, April 15th, at 11am, the container arrived at Verna's and was loaded to start its journey to the Eva Ruff Center in Kampala. Since the middle of February, we've been gathering supplies to equip the new center. We've collected books, teacher resources, games, clothes, quilts, dolls, furniture, computers... it was great to be part of the generosity of the community. Thank you to everyone who contributed.

I wasn't there to help load the container because of work but I do have some photos to share of the event.