Meet the teacher trainer working in Uganda's largest refugee settlement.

Around that time, my sister went to Cambodia as a volunteer with VSO Cambodia. While she was there, she saw similar gaps in teaching, particularly in English education. At the time, I was teaching in Uganda, and she invited me to come over. Since VSO didn’t allow holding both a volunteer and a teaching role at the same time, she suggested the idea. Initially, I was sceptical, but my interest grew over time, and I decided to explore other avenues.

I went to Cambodia, not as a volunteer at first, but as an ESL teacher. In Cambodia, as long as your command of the language was slightly better than the locals, they would allow you to teach. I was given a few classes to teach, and during that time, I had the opportunity to work with people from all over the world—from the West, Thailand, and other places. We had weekly CPD (Continuing Professional Development) sessions, and through those CPDs, my eyes were opened to many things I hadn’t known while teaching in Uganda.

That’s when I started thinking about contributing in a more impactful way. When my sister moved on to her next project, I stayed in Cambodia. As a foreigner, I connected with other foreigners who came to work in Cambodia. That’s when I also started interacting with people working on education projects with VSO. They brought in their project work experience, and we brought in our classroom teaching experience, which led to a valuable exchange of knowledge.

What made you want to try volunteering with VSO?

At first, I was sceptical because I didn’t fully understand the concept of volunteering. I saw it as working for free, without any real benefits, and I couldn’t grasp why my sister was so interested in it. However, it was the interaction with different volunteers that sparked my own interest in volunteering and led me to give it a try myself.

What role did you play on your project?

In VSO Rwanda, I was a Teaching Advisor for one district, Cheirehe, and my main focus was teacher support, essentially teacher development. I was using a toolkit for numeracy and literacy to improve the teachers' teaching methodologies. There was a lot of valuable material in the teacher's toolkits, and I used them to help teachers enhance their literacy and numeracy skills. At that time, they were transitioning from French to English, which was a great opportunity for me. Having come from Cambodia, where I was an ESL teacher, I could now apply those skills in Rwanda and transfer what I had learned there to BLF.

For teacher development, I primarily relied on these toolkits to support the teachers. Additionally, there was the Headteacher's Companion, which I used to assist headteachers. There was also a system-strengthening initiative led by a different group, but my role was focused on helping teachers transition from French to English.

You were in Cambodia before you joined B-Serve Rwanda as a national volunteer with the BLF team?

Yes, I was in Cambodia first, then in Rwanda. Since I'm Ugandan, I was an international volunteer in Rwanda.

And did you work with VSO while in Cambodia?

In Cambodia, I initially worked as a classroom teacher. Later, I got involved in an education project, though it was for a short period. That project also focused on supporting teachers with teaching methodologies, different ways of teaching, and material development.

And regarding the dates, BLF was a project that ran for quite some time, I believe it was a five-year project, but it has since ended.

When did you join and finish the BLF project, and how soon after that did you join the Bidi Bidi project in Uganda?

I joined BLF in February 2019 and worked there until September 30th, 2021. After that, when I returned to Uganda, I faced some health complications and had to undergo an operation, which was generously sponsored by VSO, for which I’m very grateful.

Following the operation, I took a year off from fieldwork. Then, in August 2022, I joined the VSO Uganda Bidi Bidi ECCE project as a teacher educator.

Can you share a little bit of context on how your interest in joining this project evolved?

My interest developed when we were in Rwanda, working on the BLF project. There were many wonderful things we accomplished there, and I knew for certain that the teachers here in Uganda could benefit from them.

While working with teachers in Rwanda, and sometimes directly with the children, I felt that the methods and approaches we were using were effective. I believed that some, if not all, of those practices would be very helpful for the teachers in Uganda. So, I made it my goal to join VSO Uganda and bring those fresh perspectives from the BLF project over to VSO Uganda.

How long have you been on this project, and what impact it’s made so far from your perspective?

I’ve been on this project for over a year, as I joined in August 2022. The main focus of the project is to improve access to quality, inclusive education for children between the ages of three to ten within the Bidi Bidi refugee settlement. Since we are targeting children, we also focus on teachers, community members, and the Ministry of Education and Sports here in Uganda.

As a teacher educator, I work with primary school teachers, specifically those teaching P1. A colleague of mine works with caregivers, who, though not trained, teach very young children aged three to around seven.

In my role, I aim to expand the reach of the education project by adding fresh perspectives from my past experiences and ensuring long-term sustainability. Even after we leave, we want the impact of our work to remain. It’s important that the community retains some level of sustainability, even if it's not everything we initially achieved.

On this project, I do a variety of tasks. I work with parents because we want to encourage local participation—this isn't something that VSO volunteers can do alone. We have school management committees for primary schools and centre management committees for the ECCE centres. I work with these committees to raise awareness, not just about the project but also on how to run the schools, focus on their vision and mission, and realise the future they want for their schools.

We regularly bring these committees together for training, usually once a year, to build their capacity, remind them of their roles, and discuss ways to improve their schools. With the teachers, I engage in several activities, including planning and facilitating training sessions.

I also focus on capacity building and curriculum support. While we have a curriculum, it needs significant support. I help teachers develop or adapt teaching materials to suit the needs of their learners, especially since they don’t have access to manufactured materials. We often create materials using local resources from the community to support the curriculum.

Another part of my role involves collecting data and monitoring progress. I do this through classroom observations and by working with district officials who join us in the monitoring process. Together, we identify gaps, assess areas for improvement, and collaborate with teachers and schools to address these issues. These are just a few of the many tasks I handle as part of this project.

Can you describe a little bit more about the actual context in which you work, the level of need, and how the community, teachers, parents, and children have responded to you?

There was a great need for this project because, as you can imagine, when refugees enter a new place, it’s empty. There are no schools, no hospitals—nothing is there. When we, as VSO, first entered that setting, there were only a few ECCE centres because the children start there before joining primary schools.

What happened was that they gave us a space, but there were no structures, nothing. Most of our ECCE centres started under trees or in open spaces. That’s where the need came in. Even the communities recognised the need for a school where children could build a foundation. The host community provided us with spaces, and they worked with us to put up temporary structures for the children. Some of our structures are still temporary, but the learners are there, and it has greatly improved access to education.

Many children, who would have otherwise stayed home without any education, are now able to attend school. This has helped improve their literacy and skills at an early age. So, the project was very much needed, and it continues to be needed.

Can you describe the transition that you’ve seen so far in how the community responds to you and engages with you?

I would start with the impact on the teachers. Initially, the teachers I interacted with were dedicated to their jobs, but they were frustrated. Many of the children struggled with basic reading and math skills due to a lack of resources and no knowledge of modern teaching methods. The teachers felt like, no matter how much effort they put in, the children wouldn’t reach even half their potential.

When I began working with the teachers and building their capacity, their mindset started to shift, little by little. We’ve been taking steps to improve their thinking. We trained them on how to use inclusive teaching methods because, for them, the initial thought was that all the children were simply slow learners. We also provided training on psychosocial support since many of the children were traumatised. We helped the teachers with lesson planning and introduced more hands-on activities like group work.

Now, instead of relying solely on pen and paper assessments, they’ve started using group work and interactive activities. We also introduced literacy and numeracy clubs, giving children different ways to engage. The impact has been noticeable as the teachers now have a list of keywords and strategies they can use during lessons, and they see that the children can achieve more.

‘Now, instead of relying solely on pen and paper assessments, they’ve started using group work and interactive activities. We also introduced literacy and numeracy clubs, giving children different ways to engage. The impact has been noticeable as the teachers now have a list of keywords and strategies they can use during lessons, and they see that the children can achieve more.’’

As for the community, the response has been very positive. The school management committee members and the centre management committee members I’ve been working with have built a real connection with me. When they talk about VSO within their circles, they share positive stories. They have also been very open with me about the challenges they face in running and supervising the schools, which shows they have trust and confidence in me.

I’ve seen that our relationship goes beyond just the schools. They also talk to me freely about matters in their personal lives. It’s clear that the connection I’ve built with the community is strong, and they feel comfortable discussing both professional and personal issues with me.

Is there any specific story or individual you feel you’ve impacted the most?

Yes, there are many, but I'll talk about one specific teacher who works in a primary school. He is one of those very dedicated teachers, but he was also one of the most frustrated. He often expressed his frustration with the school administration, and he was equally discouraged by the poor results from his students.

I remember finding him one day scoring a literacy test, and all the students were below 30%. I asked him how this made him feel, and he responded with so much frustration. He said, "I don’t know what to do with the children. I’m doing my best, but I’m still not getting the results I thought I would." He felt like he was working too hard but not seeing the expected outcomes.

At that point, I stepped in to offer guidance. I hand-held him, so to speak, and with the additional trainings we provided, I supported him in lesson planning and giving different types of assessments. With that kind of support, he began implementing some of the strategies he had learned, such as pair work, group work, and outdoor activities. Slowly but surely, he started noticing changes in his learners.

This improvement in his mindset helped him see progress in his students’ performance. He specifically teaches numeracy, which often requires the use of materials because many concepts can be quite abstract. Initially, he was hesitant about using materials, feeling it took up too much time. But through ongoing support, coaching, and mentorship, he came to understand that using these materials wasn’t just for his benefit—it was for the children.

As a result, he became more open to incorporating hands-on learning, and that shift has made a real difference in his teaching and his students' learning.

What kind of impact do you think this project had on you, both professionally and personally?

Professionally, this project has contributed significantly to my growth. When I first joined, I had very little knowledge of budgeting, planning, and budget analysis. These were new areas for me, and I

was introduced to them through the ECCE project here in Uganda. I've since gained skills in budgeting, planning, budget analysis, and following up on budgets and analytics. These are all areas where I’ve developed considerably while working on this project. Additionally, I’ve learned a lot about procurement processes, which is another aspect I didn’t expect to use when I first joined as an educationist. However, once I started working, I saw the value of learning these processes, and they have since become essential skills in my role. As a result, I feel I've grown into a more seasoned professional, capable of handling a variety of tasks beyond my core expertise in education.

On a personal level, this project has also strengthened my resilience. I've faced many challenges that required perseverance and problem-solving, and rather than giving up, I’ve had to push through and find solutions. This experience has certainly built on the resilience I already had, and I feel even stronger now as a result.

Could you elaborate on one of the challenges you faced and overcame, which stands out to you as a moment of growth?

One significant challenge I faced was the issue of mindsets. The work we do involves changing people’s perceptions, particularly regarding child-centered teaching approaches. In Uganda, convincing teachers, parents, and the community to see the value in allowing children to play as part of their learning was difficult.

For instance, when I suggested taking children outdoors for educational games, many teachers and parents saw it as a waste of time, believing that this approach would prevent them from completing the syllabus.

Over time, though, I was able to shift some mindsets. Not all, but a few teachers now recognise that play and learning can go hand in hand. It was a significant challenge to help them see this and understand that the children were not just playing but learning as well.

The education system in Uganda is not yet fully supportive of play-based learning, so this added to the difficulty. However, through persistence, we’ve seen some progress.

How do you think your personal and professional mindset and attitude helped you overcome this challenge?

Consistency was key. Regular mentorship, coaching, and school visits helped me overcome this challenge. It wasn't just about conducting a training session and leaving; it was about continuous support. I also involved people from within the system, which helped create a sense of collaboration. When mentoring and coaching sessions took place, I made sure to invite others to participate, making it a team effort to show how these changes could be implemented in practical terms.

What does active citizenship mean to you, and do you see a link between volunteering and the development of an active citizenship mindset?

Active citizenship, to me, is about individuals and communities raising their voices to hold duty bearers accountable and push for better service delivery.

As part of VSO, we focus on three thematic areas: education, resilient livelihoods, and resilient health, but active citizenship can extend beyond these. As a volunteer working within VSO, I’ve developed my skills in advocacy, which has allowed me to push for improved service delivery in various sectors, not just education.

In Uganda, where the VSO approach integrates multiple areas, we often include health workers in our gatherings to teach them how to voice their concerns to those in power. The use of tools like the Intersectionality Community Scorecard and MILE (a VSO approach) has been particularly valuable in streamlining this process.

These approaches have not only benefited the communities we serve but have also shaped my own growth as an advocate and volunteer.

Active citizenship, to me, is about individuals and communities raising their voices to hold duty bearers accountable and push for better service delivery.’’

What do you think distinguishes VSO’s approach to development, and why does skill-based volunteering matter? 

Youth volunteering is immensely valuable, offering experiences and exposure that are hard to come by elsewhere. Through volunteering, young people gain skills that they can use in the future to improve their lives.

VSO’s approach is unique because it emphasises continuous learning. There’s always an opportunity for growth through training, whether it’s through Kaya or other platforms.

VSO doesn't leave its volunteers as they are; it elevates them through learning opportunities, which is something I’ve found distinctive compared to other organisations. This constant learning and development make VSO stand out.

If someone reading this is considering volunteering but hasn't taken the plunge yet, what advice would you offer to help them succeed?

To anyone considering volunteering, I would say give it a shot—it’s a meaningful, rewarding experience with real impact on the communities you'll work with. My advice would be to lower your expectations before starting, especially when working in very poor communities.

You may find that people know less than expected, but that’s where you come in to share and learn from each other. Lowering expectations helps you approach the experience with an open mind and makes it easier to integrate and make a difference.

What drives your passion for this work?

My passion is fuelled by the desire to give children a better learning experience than I had. My own school days were filled with trauma, where corporal punishment was common. I dream of creating an environment where children can learn in a friendly, engaging atmosphere, free from fear. Seeing children happy and excited about learning is what motivates me every day in this work.

What are your aspirations for the future, both for this project and beyond?

For this project, which has about six months remaining, I hope to see a smooth transition for the students as they move up to their next classes. I want them to feel confident and unafraid as they move from one teacher to another, knowing that they’ll continue to learn in a supportive environment.

Personally, if I get another opportunity to volunteer, I will gladly take it. Beyond that, I plan to continue pushing my career in education to new heights."

ACTIVE in Uganda

With over 270,000 South Sudanese refugees fleeing the ongoing civil war, Bidibidi Refugee Settlement is one of the largest refugee settlements in the world. The ECCE ACTIVE project aims to improve access to quality, equitable and inclusive early childhood care and education for children of aged three to ten in the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement.

So far, 4500 learners are enrolled in VSO education centres, with 50 early-grade teachers trained in skills to improve numeracy and literacy among learners and gender-inclusive and disability-sensitive teaching methods. 

Learn more about ACTIVE