The Bay and Basin residents recently came back from a confronting and eye-opening trip to the slums of Kampala, Uganda and will never forget their experience.

They went to a school, saw real poverty, helped give people food and they are still always thinking about their trip.

Karen’s daughter Lisa and Gabrielle’s sister Ellen also went on the two week trip.

Gabrielle said words like ‘moving’ and ‘confronting’ described the trip and it was something she would always remember.

“I felt very privileged to have had such an opportunity,” Gabrielle said.

“To be able to experience life in Uganda was confronting.

“The trip made you realise the significant issues that need addressing in Uganda.”

Gabrielle said the issue included real poverty. Karen agreed with her friend’s comments.

“Look, I found it confronting and emotional because I had not seen poverty at that level before,” Karen said.

“I also found the trip very uplifting because the people were beautiful and very grateful for everything we did for them.”

The group took loads of gifts with them on the trip and also did volunteer work in the slum schools.

They said the children at school were the lucky ones as their parents could just afford to educate them. The students were in kindergarten classes up to year seven.

Karen said the classrooms were tiny.

“They were the size of a bedroom with about 70 kids in a class,” Karen said

“The kid’s uniforms had buttons off, holes in them and sometimes they had no shoes.”

The group also provided the children with a hot meal each day.

They traveled with KwaYa Australia to work in Kampala and joined in singing at free concerts with the African Children’s Choir. They formed a relationship with the choir after it came to Vincentia High to perform last year.

Gabrielle said the choir did a wonderful job.

“The organisation is so wonderfully set out and so students who are given the privilege of receiving an education through the choir go back to their communities with this passion and dedication to help others,” she said.

“One of the philosophies behind the organisation is that you gain your education and now you go back to your community and change the lives of 10 people.

“So the young people we were meeting were paying for their uncle's groceries, paying for the cousin’s education and more.

“It’s all about giving back to the community.”

Gabrielle shared her experience with her students at Vincentia High.

“On my first day back we all sat down and I showed them (her year 12 students) some photos and they were very moved actually and shed a few tears” Gabrielle said

Karen added the whole school body also got to see the presentation and were moved by it.

“It makes you think how lucky you are,” Karen said.

They both thanked everybody who donated things like shoes, clothes and money for them to distribute.

“There is always someone worse off than you I think and everyone is happy to give,” Karen said.

They got to meet people who have been helped by the choir.

“We met university students who volunteer one day a week at the school and they go in and do lessons with the children. They do life skills and teach thing like personal hygiene and the adults who have jobs come back in and help,” Karen said

For Karen and Gabrielle it was their first trip to Uganda and would go back in a flash

Karen is now helping to coordinate KwaYa’s Humble Hamper program.

“Between $5 to $10 can feed a family for a week.” Karen said

You can purchase a Humble Hamper online for $25 and go to www.kwaya.org/ACCHUMBLEHAMPERS.html to donate.