Though we’re not the only species on earth to use tools, you can’t deny that we’re better at it than any of the others. Our modern life would be impossible without them.
So, if you are a young Ugandan, access to tools and the training in how to use them will be a necessity for a long and fruitful life, especially if you don’t have the opportunity to complete your secondary education.
At Uphill there are many pupils who will be in that situation, so we are taking steps to include vocational training facilities within the school. Vocational training unlocks many more opportunities for the youngsters as the skills they learn will help them find gainful employment or start their own businesses.
There were two ways we could do this – raise money to buy the tools in Uganda or ship tools from the UK. In the normal course of things, shipping tools from the UK would be prohibitively expensive but, thanks to a chance meeting, the cost fell massively. In fact the price dropped to zero!
How did we manage that? That chance meeting was with Adrian Hatch, the CEO of UK charity Workaid. Adrian was in Uganda on business, and staying at the same guest house in Fort Portal as the trustees when we visited in February 2024. Adrian explained that Workaid send renovated tools to several African countries, and he offered us space in one of his shipping containers. (Space for tools, not us.)
Workaid has its charity HQ in Chesham, Buckinghamshire. Here in their large workshop (a former boot factory), their volunteers collect and restore tools and machinery. Their workforce, sort, repair and overhaul all donated tools, then ship them in kits to vocational projects in several African countries. Anything that would be of little use in Africa they recondition and offer for sale in their adjoining shop. They do a very successful line in reconditioned petrol lawnmowers, for example. They also provide training and skills to various groups of disabled and vulnerable people in their local area.
Pick ‘n’ mix
To be able to take up this hugely generous offer from Workaid, the Trust put out a request for redundant tools. Our supporters turned up trumps, donating a large and varied selection of all sorts. This included some lovely vintage joinery items donated by the families of former craftsmen who had lived and worked in Dundee from as far back as the early 1940s.
So it was that the Uphill van, laden with sewing machines, a knitting machine and many, many boxes of assorted hand tools, left Dundee heading south at the end of July. Driven by Liddy and Calum, it arrived at Workaid HQ in Chesham and was squeezed into their carpark to be descended on by a pack of willing volunteers who did all the unloading.
First class travel
Liddy and Calum had a very warm welcome from the staff at Workaid (tea and the good biscuits, no less) and were given a tour of their workshop. This place was stacked with every variety of hand tool you could imagine plus rank upon rank of sewing and knitting machines. Liddy was asked to give an impromptu talk to the staff who were very interested in our work at Uphill and enthusiastic to help us. Their volunteers will now check through all our items, repair, sharpen and overhaul as they need, and then make up the tool kits which will go out in their next shipping container to Uganda.
Men at work
Nothing is wasted at Workaid. Any tools which are beyond saving are sent for scrap, bringing in more money to help run their charity.
“Our” container will leave the UK in late September (2024) and make the long journey by sea round the Cape of Good Hope to the east coast of Africa. It will then be trucked overland from there to the west of Uganda. In all, a journey of about three months apparently.
In the meantime, the Uphill Trust will be fundraising to build and fit out a single large classroom/workshop in the school compound. This will be used for the vocational studies and the storage of all the necessary equipment. Donations are already coming in with sponsorship from the recent Dundee Kiltwalk and the help of Kilsyth Rotary Club members.
With all this help, maybe the building will be ready before the tools arrive!
We are hugely grateful to Workaid for their generous help with this project which simply wouldn’t be happening otherwise. We are also very grateful to everyone who donated tools and equipment. We know they’re going to a good home.
If you would like to help us fund the bespoke Vocational Training Workshop for Uphill Junior School, please click on the button below.
THANK YOU.
Tags: skills for life, The Uphill Trust, Uphill Junior School, Vocational Training
