New generation introduced to volunteering

The Great Generation recently took students and teachers from Calder High School in West Yorkshire to volunteer in a community development project in Uganda.

The students helped to design and deliver a hygiene and environmental awareness week in partnership with a local NGO. They used sport, art and drama activities to highlight hygiene issues and went on community clean-ups.

As well as having a positive impact on an estimated 2,000 people, the group learned about problems in Uganda and what they could do to help. Through their fundraising the students contributed to an infrastructure investment in the community and a microfinance loan to help build future livelihoods.  Students will be able to continue to promote and support the community in Uganda through The Great Generation Supply Chain.

One pupil said, “After this trip I feel this is something I would definitely enjoy doing through my life.”

This was the first project that The Great Generation has run for people under the age of 18. The organisation hopes to work with a number of schools to build up long-term connections between young people in the UK and communities in other countries such as Uganda, Brazil and India.

The Great Generation aims to, “Advance the education of the public around the issues of poverty and development (through our volunteer programme) thereby encouraging greater leadership and advocacy for change.”