After finishing school, Alisa decided not to go straight into university or start a career, but to go to Uganda as a volunteer. For almost four months, she worked at a primary school, where she taught maths, designed teaching materials and got to know what everyday school life was like there. It wasn’t just her encounters with the children and teachers that left a lasting impression on her. But read on and find out for yourselves!

Alisa, Long-Term Volunteer in Uganda, February – May 2026

After completing my Swiss Matura, I needed a break from the daily grind of studying and decided to leave Europe for the first time in my life. However, it wasn’t a traditional holiday but a volunteering placement. So, late one evening at the end of January, I found myself in the sweltering heat of Entebbe, Uganda.

After two days of theoretical induction with UPA (Uganda Pioneers Association) and an impressive day trip to Kampala, I headed off for the first time to my project, the Makerere West Valley Nursery and Primary School. The visit was brief, as the start of term had been postponed by a week due to the presidential elections and there wasn’t much for me to do yet. This gave me time to get to know the other volunteers better and to gradually explore the area.

Just under a week later, things got underway for me too. I was assigned a personal boda-bike driver who took me to school, as the road was being resurfaced and we therefore had to take a different detour every day through narrow, bumpy alleys.

Once the school day got underway, I was allowed to sit in on various classes and designing educational posters. By the end of the week, it was clear that I would be teaching maths to the second and fourth year pupils. I was given a textbook for the fourth year, which I could look through over the weekend, and on Monday I was thrown in at the deep end – or rather, put in the classroom with the children.

It was fun working with them, even though at times they lacked concentration and motivation. Over time, I got a better idea of what sort of lessons they were used to, and the children also got used to my style. It was the small successes that made up for all the repetition: for example, when a child managed to solve a problem correctly or even work out the next step on their own.

During the breaks, I often played with the younger children; they were always keen on various clapping games and would jostle to take part. When my patience ran out, I would chat with the older children or sometimes with teachers about our different cultures. It took time for me to understand how the school system and society are structured. Although some things were explained to me, much remained unsaid.

I also became aware of many things during weekend trips or other leisure activities. I sometimes became painfully aware of the differences – which were sometimes very subtle – as well as the significance of where someone is born.

On the one hand, I could write so much more about what I experienced during these almost four months. But even if I were to recount it in great detail, I could never convey everything exactly as I experienced it myself. The whole environment, the countless new sensory impressions – many of which we perceive only subconsciously – are so very different from what we are familiar with that you really have to experience it for yourself to truly understand it.

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