It started as a geography trip for Symonds students to support their A level studies. Four years down the line the Peter Symonds community continue to actively back the Bakiga communities, in the Kabale District of rural south-western Uganda both through their summer visits as well
as the foundation of a charity called Project Embabazi.

Symonds students have been travelling to the area since the summer of 2011 to get involved with practical, sustainable community projects which are proposed and implemented by the local people. Initially the group visited Kanjobe village, but now they are also supporting the
Kyeibale community and this summer they are adding a new village - Rwiraguju. The tasks vary year on year according to the needs of the community but they have included building and education as well as helping the women in the villages to learn a trade to enable them towards becoming self-sufficient in providing for their families.

Through the charity Project Embabazi, Uganda www.projectembabazi.org.uk future groups will be able to focus on providing or assisting in the provision of education, training, healthcare projects through their fundraising efforts.

“Project Embabazi’s name was generated by the Peter Symonds students,” says Head of Geography, Lauren Lewis, who is trip co-ordinator and chair of the charity, “and is based on the Rukiga word embabazi, which means generous kindness.”
She adds, “The charity’s aim is to work towards improving the standard of living of all members of the community.” Commenting, “Students who have visited the area, are being invited to stay
involved and to become its trustees.”

Eighteen current students are hoping travel to Uganda this summer and have been working hard fundraising for a number of community projects. An animal sponsorship scheme, which enables the distribution of live animals to nominated village members, is attracting generous support
from college tutor groups. The students are also selling craft form the village including beads purses, woven pots, greetings cards, featuring award winning photos taken on previous visits, as well as jewellery made from waste paper by local women in a craft cooperative; this skill was
taught to them by the students visiting in 2013.

Anyone interested in finding out more or wishing to help Project Embabazi, Uganda can contact the group through the charity’s website www.projectembabazi.org.uk.