I''m satisfied that the program I''m participating in is still in a developmental stage, so I can try various things myself and expect results. It''s still being experimented on, but if it succeeds I think I''ll gain considerable satisfaction. - Uganda social enterprise internship co-created with Harvard students / 24-week gap year |
- Official language:English / Many people also use local languages.
▷ English ability before participating: Only able to greet.
▷When participatingSomewhat difficult
For everyday English, using gestures and asking about unfamiliar words to have them explained makes understanding possible, so conversation is not a problem; however, because my English is not fluent there are limits for business situations.
▷My personal advice on language use for the gap year program:Being fluent in the local language would be convenient, but in most cases people are not. Especially in Africa, languages vary by country and many regions use their own local languages. In my case, Uganda uses English as a common language, so I studied conversational English on my own before joining the program. Using English poses no problem in daily life, and locals appreciate it when you use a little of the local language.
- Type of accommodation:A family home where each person has their own room.
▷My advice to future volunteers regarding the accommodation
Local accommodation is less comfortable compared to Korea, but it can be considered among the best facilities within the Kumi area. The water supply used to be in the yard, so people would fetch water in buckets and carry it into the house, but the water pump was repaired recently and now you can use the water supply inside the house. In houses with poorer conditions there is no water supply at all, so people use wells or buy water in jerrycans from vendors.
- Meals:Usually bought, sometimes cooked.
▷ My advice to future volunteers regarding meals
Since the place I''m staying is a family home, you can cook as much as you want and eat according to your preferences. There aren''t many local foods that are off-putting, so I eat them often.
- Items inconvenient because they''re missing:Before coming I already thought that many things would be difficult to obtain in Africa, so there wasn''t anything I found particularly problematic to be without, but if I had to pick one thing I''d say a kettle would be useful. Since you''re not living here briefly, a versatile kettle that can be used conveniently in many ways would be nice.
- Items that are troublesome / handy to have:The most useless thing I brought is a Wi‑Fi router. I still don''t know why I brought it, but in Uganda there are almost no Ethernet cables, so there''s nowhere to use it. The most useful thing I brought is mosquito repellent. There are so many mosquitoes here that unless you''re under a mosquito net you''re always attacked; it''s a bit sticky, but if you spray it on your body mosquitoes won''t come near.
- What was your personal goal in participating in the program?
I learned that locals in Africa are easily exposed to disease and have their lives threatened because of the lack of safe drinking water, so I wanted to volunteer in Africa at least once in my life. While I was only thinking about it, I realized I might never go if I didn''t act, so I immediately began searching for information about volunteering in Africa. Through Korea Gapyear I learned about an organization working on improving drinking water in Africa and applied. We are currently testing and developing a water purification filter, so we have not yet affected the local water situation. My goal is for the current project to succeed so we can distribute affordable water filters to poor households and improve drinking water conditions.
- Are you satisfied with the Korea Gapyear program in achieving your personal goals?
The program I''m participating in is still in progress, so I''m satisfied that I can try various things on my own and expect results. It''s still experimental, but if it succeeds I think I''ll feel a great deal of satisfaction.
- What was the most memorable episode while doing the Korea Gapyear internship on site?
One day we went into the field to survey clay for making filters with an American and a local staff member. The local staff said he needed to pay his son''s school fees, so on the way we stopped at a primary school. The students there seemed fascinated by mujungu (a term used in Africa for people with white skin); they weren''t looking at the blackboard and kept glancing at the American and me. Someone who appeared to be the head teacher guided us and we visited several classrooms. The American told the girls not to give up and to study until they graduate. This is because women''s and girls'' human rights are so poor locally that many do not receive schooling. He said many encouraging words, saying that if the current students study hard, Uganda can change.
- How do you usually spend your free time during the Gapyear program?
In my free time I usually have dinner with Ugandan neighbors, watch movies on my laptop, and spend time that way. There are also many volunteer organizations in Uganda, so it''s a good opportunity to meet volunteers from around the world. Sometimes I meet volunteers from other countries or from Korea, have meals together, or travel on weekends. Africa''s natural environment is so vast and beautiful that it''s breathtaking. At first, most of the local work required physical labor, so I worked to learn the tasks and adapt to the local situation; now I have adjusted to the work and am carrying out the project without difficulty.
- Tell us about any uniquely Ugandan culture you found impressive while living in Uganda.
Public transportation in Uganda has no fixed departure times. Buses or ''bongo'' taxis only leave when they are full of passengers. When I first arrived in Uganda and traveled from Kampala (the capital) to Kumi, I used an intercity coach bus and we only departed after waiting for passengers for about two hours, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Always factor in the waiting time for passengers before using public transport.
Also, polygamy is common in Uganda. During a holiday, a local Ugandan friend invited me to visit his home, and his father also had two wives. It was really new to see the two women cooking together and talking together, and I was surprised that such a lifestyle was possible.
- For future participants, what should they absolutely know before coming?
You might imagine living in Uganda and think of big African cities as quite developed with many conveniences. However, the Kumi area where the program takes place is rural even within Uganda and lacks many amenities. The program also involves a lot of work that requires physical labor, and, in my view, the working conditions are harsh.
Also, locals often ask foreigners for money, which can be annoying. It''s certainly a less comfortable environment than Korea and you may not gain much. Before coming, it''s more helpful to come having forgotten life in Korea. You may easily regret it if you''re not determined about the working conditions, so it''s important to come with a firm mindset.
- How do you plan to proceed with the remaining Gapyear program? (Things you definitely want to see, hear, and experience)
It''s been nearly three months since I started the program, but there are no visible results yet because making a single filter takes a considerable amount of time. However, I hope to produce results as quickly as possible as the project continues. I also want to participate as a volunteer in educational programs for local children to provide direct help. I plan to coordinate with local NGOs to plan and implement programs during school holidays.
I also want to experience living among local Africans, so I plan to visit the family of a local staff member. Africa has a significant wealth gap, and poor families live in very difficult conditions. In Korea there is no opportunity to experience life like these local families, so through this experience I want to share and feel their hardships.
