SHS Students Build Friendships and a Playground in Uganda

When I formed the Park and Recreation Club at SHS with three friends, we never dreamed that we would have the chance to travel to Africa to build the playground we worked to fund. Hayden Carey, Michael Fialkow, Drake Weissman and I created the club at Scarsdale High School with the mission of helping kids in underprivileged areas enjoy their childhoods. We ended up taking an adventurous trip to Uganda where we built a playground and also met the kids who would play on it and learned about life in Uganda.

When we launched the club, we were uncertain about how we would accomplish our mission. So we began by doing some research and ultimately decided that the club would raise funds to build a playground in Africa through a UK based organization called East African Playgrounds. The organization sends volunteers to Africa to build playgrounds in Uganda. It seemed like a perfect fit.

Our club raised money by organizing pizza days and other fundraising events and forwarded our first few donations to the organization. We then learned that there was an opportunity for us to go to Uganda with a group of university students from the UK. We were ecstatic to have this chance to physically make a difference. With the excitement, came the nervousness of the unknown; travelling to a third world country in Africa where our safety could be an issue.

Three of the club's officers, Simon Brovender, Hayden Carey and myself decided to make the trip. We each needed to raise an additional $1,000 that would go directly to fund the playground. Through GoFundme.com we were able to raise over $4,000 combined. We were set to go.

Sitting in my seat on the plane before the long flight to Uganda, the reality of the journey started to set in and I grew nervous and uncertain. When we landed in Entebbe, the contrast between the US and Uganda was quickly apparent as we were escorted through the airport by armed guards.

The next day we set off on a four-hour car ride to Buwengie Blue School where we would build the playground. Driving on dirt roads we passed through slums with dilapidated houses and half-naked children roaming the streets. Half the population of Uganda is under 18 so many of the people on the streets were very young kids. I realized that that this trip was going to be like nothing I had ever done before.

Eventually we made it to a guarded gate and entered the school area which was a group of very simple buildings around a courtyard where we would be building our playground. Ten of us lived together at the school with only a mattress and a mosquito net as our bed. With no running water, our only water came from the local well and the bathroom and shower situations were extremely dire. It took a while to adapt to our new home.

East African Playgrounds did provide a local chef to prepare local delicacies for our meals. We ate chapati with onions, peppers and eggs, and lots of fresh fruit.

The work schedule was pretty rigorous. We woke at 6 am and worked straight until 1pm. The organization provided four local builders, Dan, Esa, Stvn and Jeffrey, who were trained workers who taught us how to build the playground. We did various tasks such as digging holes, cementing, soiling, sanding and painting. None of us had any experience doing manual labor. The builders had their work cut our for them but we were quick learners and developed good relationships with our trainers.

After lunch, we got to do activities with the students such as play soccer, teach them games from America and learn games from Uganda. Their games did not make much sense to us but hanging with the kids was always lots of fun. We were not just there to build a playground but to also interact with the students and the community so that we could make a bigger impact on their lives. Our afternoons together were the highlight of the students' day. They spoke only a little English but we found ways communicate and have fun. Every night we would go to the Trading Center, which is essentially a small village, where we would be trailed by a large group of little kids who have never seen a white person. It was kind of strange to get so much attention but it was also quite funny because all the kids were so excited to see us and would scream "hi!"

My previous worries about safety were quickly forgotten due to the kindness of the Ugandan people and the fun we had each day.

After a couple weeks, we eventually finished the playground. On the opening day, the kids played for hours on the playground. To see the pure joy in the kids' eyes reminded me of my own childhood at the Greenacres playground. We had achieved our goal.

Knowing that I could be part of something that makes so many kids happy makes the weeks of hard work and unfavorable living conditions worth any personal discomfort. I never thought I would be upset to leave Uganda but it proved to be a trip that I will never forget and would be happy to do again.

Patrick Lyons
Vice President
Parks and Recreation Club
Scarsdale High School