Barnstaple students experience a life-changing trip to Uganda

Students from The Park Community School spent their October half term in Uganda to see the work of the charity Amigos in what proved to be an eye-opening and life-changing experience.

The group of 39 teenagers from Park visited Kira Farm Development Centre, the Ugandan base for Barnstaple-based charity, Amigos Worldwide, as well as remote rural communities in the north of the country.

The students have spent the past 18 months fundraising for the trip by organising events such as quiz nights, cake sales and bingo. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Park School visiting Kira Farm, with their first trip running in October 2015.

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On October 23 they flew 12 hours from London to Entebbe, via Doha, before travelling to Kira Farm on the outskirts of the capital Kampala.

Above: The Park School group at Kira Farm in Uganda, their home for the October half term. Credit: Amigos

The visitors were welcomed by the Kira Farm students and taken on a tour of the tailoring, carpentry, construction and hairdressing workshops where Ugandan students learn vocational skills to take back to their rural communities.

They then got their hands dirty learning how to build a mud stove, which ensures energy-efficient cooking for people living in remote villages in Uganda.

Above: The students from Barnstaple working with Ugandan bricklaying trainees at Kira Farm. Credit: Amigos

Firm bonds were formed between the cross-cultural students, particularly when the Park students were taught traditional dance by their Ugandan counterparts!

Food technology teacher Gilly Walden, who led the trip said: “Our students threw themselves straight into the dancing and football. The rhinos have been incredible too!”

Above: Students from Park try their hand at traditional Ugandan drumming and (below) the group also enjoyed a trek to see rhinos in Uganda. Credit: Amigos

The Barnstaple group also travelled 250 kilometres to the north of the country where they visited communities Amigos is supporting to access clean water and learn farming skills so they can grow enough food to eat.

It has been a life changing trip for the Devon students, who learned more about global injustice and were inspired to support others to lift themselves out of poverty.

Above: The North Devon group also visited remote rural communities in the north of Uganda. Credit: Amigos

Amigos has been running school trips to Uganda for 15 years. The next North Devon schools to visit will be Braunton Academy and South Molton Community College in July 2026.

Students who have visited in the past have gone on to support Amigos by organising fundraising events, sponsoring children and volunteering in the UK.  

James Lewis, Amigos CEO, said: ‘We are so pleased that more students from North Devon have had the opportunity to visit Uganda; we hope they are challenged and changed by their experience.

“There are always opportunities to volunteer in the UK in the future or to even return to Uganda with family or friends.”

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If you would like to find out more about the trips Amigos run for schools and supporters, please go to www.amigos.org.uk/visit-uganda-with-amigos