Our Volunter Lucie Pachova on Orutindo reports (2019)

Thanks Orutindo for amazing experience of volunteering for you! Coming to Rushooka village for first
time was like entering a paradise. Hilly lush green area full of banana, avocado and coffee trees.
Among trees and plants I saw beautiful smiling people cultivating their gardens, building clay houses,
carrying plantains on the head.. I immediately fell in love with the place.
Rushooka Primary School is greatly welcoming environment. They gave me total freedom in my
involvement. I could choose subjects and levels I want to teach – I could actually come to mostly any
class at any time in schedule. That allowed me to have few lessons with almost all classes so I could
teach a bit of ecology, geography and music. Such teaching was quite new experience for me, I really
liked it. Although teaching class of sixty pupils, especially when the heavy rain hammers the iron
sheet roof, was sometimes quite a challenge for voice. I was surprised how disciplined, attentive and
even active the students were. They were reacting on my questions, getting involved in discussion,
giving me quite precise feedback on my presence. I think teachers in the school are doing really great
job and as I could see some other Ugandan rural as well as urban schools, I think the level of students
in Rushooka is much above the standard. However teachers are paid extremely little. I think I learnt
much more comparing to what I actually thought. Next time I should stay longer to give back. I was
sick for few days, at least it allowed me to go through textbooks borrowed from school library to
know what sum the children must know for exam. It is quite a pile.
Another great experience was working with Orutindo kids. Those kids stay in the boarding dormitory
within the school even for weekends. They go to their relatives (if they have them) only for holiday.
So I could spend Saturdays with them and enjoy our free time. Those moments were really
memorable – we exchanged some songs and dances and had fun with drawing cards and pexeso
games. One afternoon we planted hundreds of potatoes in Orutindo garden so I am really curious if
they grew well! It is quite amazing how knowledgeable these kids are as far as farming, house-
holding or cooking. Every little child knows how to dig, plant, make fire, cook posho, wash the
clothes.. Even me I felt very poor in such skills comparing to them. However I think it is great that
thanks to Orutindo support these children can go to school and have possibility to study, get
education and influence their future. They are eager to learn new things, games and skills, so I
suggest volunteers to bring some material to make some creative activities and teach them some
new things or even just simple games.
The Orutindo house is great place to stay! As a volunteer you get a nice room with big balcony. I
spent hours on this balcony listening to beautiful soundscapes (birds, insect). There is Amelia and
Melisa staying in the house as well. I attached to them as if they were my sisters. They cook great
meals and share big plates with you- posho, matoke, beans, pumpkin,…You can always join them to
cook, they have a lot to teach you, even tailoring as they are professional at that.
The local area is very rich for culture. You can learn local dance, language as well as farming skills. I
enjoyed morning jogging in the hills. It felt very safe to move around, everybody is friendly and
welcoming but not disturbing. Rushooka has also big catholic church and small but sufficient trading
centre where you can buy all you need. I think it´s worth to make trips around as the nature and
landscape are amazing.
Thanks Joseline, Innocent and other Orutindo stuff! You are doing great job and I hope it will only
grow on love and compassion. Hope to come again.

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