Valentina Lisec, (Handicraft/Classroom Teaching Volunteer, September/ October 2012)
My name is Valentina and I come from Croatia. I was volunteering for one month with Clemency
Uganda in 2012, which I found out on internet. I wasn’t very sure of what I’m getting myself into
with wanting to volunteer for an organization so far away from my homeland, but from the very
first live contact with the organization’s members, I knew I have met extraordinary people. They
accommodated me with a local host family which gave me full experience of living in Uganda. The
family was full of love and very helpful, without them it wouldn’t be so easy. After finishing my
program and spending a full month with them, I can honestly say that I have a family in Uganda. Also,
they have family in Croatia.
We were working on different programs: teaching children in primary schools, teaching unemployed
women making fabrics and identification of OVC’s for sponsorship. Clemency provided me with all
information, help and good mentors, to whom I am very thankful for being with me every single
moment I needed them, without asking for anything in return.
Working with Ugandan people was something very special and inspiring. They are full of life and
good spirit despite of very bad situation- the poverty, they are in. It wasn’t just that they were
learning things from me; I was also learning a lot from them. The very first ˝lesson˝ I had was with
the kids: you can never get mad with them; because every child has its own bad life situation that
I would never even think of, every person has his/her life and a lot of reasons to do what they are
doing, whether it is bad or good. So next time they didn’t do their homework I wasn’t mad, we
talked…
Uganda, itself, is a very nice country, with beautiful nature, good people and a lot of things to
surprise you (for example exciting night life). Definitely, a country I would recommend to a tourist or
volunteer.
Throughout the work I saw every side of Clemency’s activities and I saw what tremendous and
hard job they are doing with no funds except their love, strength and will. Once you join Clemency
Uganda, you cannot leave them, they become part of your life. That’s how powerful their work is.
The kids that are with Organization are happy, even though they don’t have anything in their lives;
but they have Clemency staff looking after them and being their friends.
After one month of volunteering with Clemency Uganda I know I will come back. They gave me an
incredible experience I would never forget and for what I am very thankful. They took very good care
for me, not as their volunteer but for me as their friend. So I left the country with a smile, positive
feelings and bunch of beautiful memories.
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