Newcastle University

Twelve architecture, planning and engineering students have been spending the summer in Mbarara helping to build a children’s village for thousands of orphans.

Heavily affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the Mbarara community is home to many orphans who desperately need a safe, stable environment to live in.

The students involved in the project covered the cost of their own travel and living expenses and raised over £10,000 to pay for local labourers and building materials with the support of many benefactors, including local firm Gradon Architecture.

The team is now in the final stages of this phase of the construction: fitting electrics and plumbing, setting window panes, putting up fences and painting the building.

Efforts are currently focused on finishing a large water tank on stilts connected to a nearby tap which will provide almost constant running water for the community.

With no running water at present, the students and builders have to make several trips each day to a nearby lake to fill jerry cans.
 
Third year architecture student Laura Whittaker, said: “This is such an exciting opportunity for us to see how construction is done in another country, while helping a community by providing much needed new homes for orphan children in a developing country.

“The project offers them the opportunity to help more children in better conditions, and provides important work for local labourers for at least a few months every year.”

Newcastle students have been volunteering in this region of Uganda since 2004, and have already completed several projects, including a school and hospital.

The Wider Mbarara Project is a five-year plan to build a house for the orphans, accommodation blocks, kitchen and toilets.