The problem...

Many children who attend schools in Uganda have to ‘board’ because of the distances and location of available schools. They sleep in dormitories which have no electricity, usually on wooden bunk beds, the only light being provided by candles.

Records show that in previous years the number of fires in schools across Uganda has been as high as 30 within a 4 month period culminating in 20 children fatalities. This follows a number of years when fires in schools were identified as being a serious threat and when other children were killed. Sadly, because of a perceived security threat, some schools put bars on the windows and lock the dormitories at night, for the outside.

In addition to this, Uganda has no established Professional Fire Service. Responsibility for Fire Fighting is with the Police who, (other than those in the capital Kampala), have no knowledge, training or equipment.

How I plan to help...

I am a firefighter with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and have been granted leave to volunteer for 'Community Safety Uganda (click for website)', a UK registered charity, (reg No. 1118765), who send volunteers to the Mityana region of Uganda to deliver a comprehensive programme of fire safety training to school children and student teachers. To date, they have trained around 150,000 children and over 1,000 student teachers.

In addition to the schools fire safety education project, the charity has also built up strong relationships with local officials and leaders and have also been able to provide some limited and basic fire fighting equipment as well as training, (in emergency first aid and RTC as well as firefighting), to the Police in the Mityana District, (around 100 officers).

As a serving firefighter, I have the knowledge and experience to help deliver both the schools education programme as well as the various forms of training for the police.

The reason I joined the fire service was to help other people and whilst I do get to do that on a regular basis within my role in the fire service - this trip gives me the opportunity to help people who have literally next to nothing and to make a real difference to the lives of many children and their families.