MAC Ltd was contacted in March 2024 by Yaviin Jayasoma, a dedicated Third Year Mechanical Engineering Student at the University of Southampton, with a passion for motor racing and a desire to help make a difference to those less fortunate than himself. Yaviin was looking to raise sponsorship for his upcoming trip to Uganda with Play Action International, where he would be working on a project to transform an empty field alongside a small local school into a vibrant playground.
Projects like these are so vital because research has shown that a playground can have a transformative effect on the numbers of children attending and engaging with school.
Schools benefiting from newly built playgrounds in the country reported:
• A 98% report an increase in attendance in school.
• 74% of children stated 'The Playground' was a reason to attend school.
• 83% of teachers reported improvements in children's attention and behaviour in classes.
As part of MAC Ltd’s Corporate Social Responsibility commitment, we are always open to supporting causes that promote improvements in education and making it accessible to all. With that in mind, we were delighted to make a donation to sponsor such an impactful project.
Yaviin is now back and has written an extremely enlightening account of his time in Uganda, sharing his experiences whilst working on what was a very productive and rewarding trip for both himself and the children of Uganda.
We hope you enjoy it.
Recently, I travelled on the trip of a lifetime to Jinja in Uganda, as part of the volunteering scheme with Play Action International. It was a privilege and experience I will never forget, having the opportunity to work with fellow volunteers, who were all so lovely, to build and decorate a beautiful playground for the hundreds of children at the school!
After a whole day of travelling, we arrived at the school after sunset, were briefed on the 2 weeks ahead, and started to get to know each other within the team. It was at this point, for my team and I, that the reality of having arrived in Uganda started to set in, after many months of preparation and fundraising to make this all possible.
Over the next 3 days, it was full steam ahead on work to build the playground, including several intensive hours of pick-axing, digging and cementing to create the foundation for the tyres and steel frames of the various equipment. It was certainly tiring, but undoubtedly worth the effort, knowing the impact it was going to have on so many lives.
Alongside this, the daily fruit breaks we had between shifts of working were always looked forward to, as the fruit there was so delicious, whether it was mangoes, papayas, pineapples or watermelons. The main meals we had were also really nice, with a good variety of food, both familiar and more traditional foods we hadn’t tried before, with banana-flavoured mashed potato being the most unique!
By the end of the 1st week, the majority of the digging and cementing, and the playground were starting to take shape, and it was also so special to see the children also help with the building due to their excitement. At this point, it was time for all of us to have our 3-day excursion weekend, in which I went kayaking in the grades 1-5 Nile Rapids!
This was truly a bucket list activity for me, as these are considered the largest rapids on the planet that you are permitted to kayak on, and the pure size and intensity of some of the waves were unbelievable. I would be lying if I didn’t admit there were some close calls and scary moments during the 3 days, but it was all part of the adrenaline-filled experience, and it is something I would recommend to anyone!
Also, this 3-day weekend acted as a fantastic opportunity to meet some of the other groups volunteering at different schools, who were equally as lovely as mine, and spend time getting to know them during the weekend. Finally, the food during this weekend was incredible, as we were able to get such a wide variety of food any time we liked, which was needed in such a busy schedule!
Moving onto the 2nd week back at the school, the team and I continued to finish the remaining digging and cementing, and then once all the tyres had been positioned, I went about filling in all the holes. After this, all that was remaining was the painting, which was a team effort all around, to make the playground stunning with such vibrant colours. Eventually, the playground was complete and we were now ready for the Open Day!
This was the most special day of the 2 weeks in my opinion, as it consisted of several impressive dances from the children, speeches from the headteacher, mayor and religious figures, and also a teammate of mine and I both did a speech to the whole school to represent the volunteers. After all these official proceedings, we all excitedly prepared for the cutting of the ribbon and opening of the playground…
It was such a rewarding and satisfying moment to see the children swarm onto the playground and play on the different equipment for hours on end. It was so wonderful to get to know so many of the children, such as through football and netball games, and our ‘creative play’ sessions, where we made crowns, bracelets, paper chains and footballs made from banana skins.
From all of these sessions, it was heartwarming to see all their faces light up with smiles, even if you waved, fist-pumped or high-fived them too! After many hours of playing, taking photos and dancing with the children, we had to say our goodbyes to them all, which was a sad moment, but they gave us many gifts and letters to remember them by which we will cherish forever!
Early the next day, we left the school after a final group photo on the slide, and I said goodbye to 2 children in particular, who I got to know well, called Shukul and Timoth. Then, we got on the bus, travelled back to the hostel, and were again reunited with the 4-week volunteering teams, and were able to talk all about our experiences.
Overall, I believe this is the most enjoyable experience I have ever embarked on in my life, and it is an experience I would recommend to anyone to give a go. On the journey back to the airport, I was continually thinking about all the different experiences and cultures I had been exposed to, and how different it is to ours in the UK, and all the children and staff I will miss so greatly.
Finally, as I made the flights back, and my volunteering team went our separate ways to our respective homes, we said our goodbyes, and I undeniably made some friends for life in my team and the other teams, from conversations we had during the 2 weeks. It was a truly unforgettable experience which I am so glad I signed up for, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
