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When Elephant Meets Hippo by Wesley Chau

Tattered uniforms of beige and orange run around the room, reviving it with life, warmth and excitement. The voices of premature school children whisper in anticipation as the first period class begins. Teacher Irene enters the classroom.

“Good morning children!”

“Good morning teacher Irene!” shout the children, as they arrange themselves back into their seats. It is another ordinary day at the HIPPO Africa elementary school in Kampala, Uganda, where two hundred deprived kids travel great lengths to receive a proper education. Irene begins to sing a morning song which is shortly accompanied by the whole class. The song gets louder as hands flail in the air in a synchronized fashion. Goosebumps ride up my arm as I hear these energetic, mighty voices coming out of these tiny little bodies. I stand next to teacher Irene with paint and brushes in my hands, looking around at the overjoyed faces of “Top Class One”. With me is Matt, a family friend and Caeden, my younger sister. Teacher Irene announces, “Today class, our brothers and sister have come to paint with us.” Whispers and sounds of interest echo around the room as Caeden, Matt and I lay down the painting supplies. Teacher Irene calms down the thrilled students with her friendly, yet firm tone. She sits down at her desk with one hand fanning her from the heat and the other placed over her unborn child. Moments later, the three of us are ready for the kids. One by one, each student eagerly paints an image on the uninspiring wall which separates two neighboring classes. Some students splash the paint as if there is no tomorrow, while others apply delicate brushstrokes with caution and care. Deborah, one of the youngest girls, lets out the widest smile and looks into my face as she dabs some yellow onto an outlined elephant, which I drew earlier. By the end of the day, Matt, Caeden and I finish painting with not only Top Class One, but Top Class Two and the three older grades.

Our journey began about a week ago when my family and I arrived in this captivating city. Matt’s family moved here a year ago to open the school and established HIPPO Africa (Hands In Poor Places Organization). They invited us to join them in their work at the school before the summer break began. It is a privilege to be involved with HIPPO because they deal with the issues right at the source.

Uganda is a country with notorious history, people and culture. Before I traveled there, the following things came to me when I was thinking about Uganda: Idi Amin, genocide, child soldiers, rebel groups and poverty. They were not positive thoughts, but those were the impressions that I’ve developed from the media, literature, and peers. It was my goal to learn about the positives when I arrived in Uganda and to take every experience home with me to educate others. In all honesty, I had a very slim idea of what I was getting into. It intimidated me at first, since I have never been to Africa. But, after watching a documentary by an organization called Invisible Children, I felt deep curiosity, compassion, and motivation to go to Uganda. The images and footage captured in that documentary was beyond moving, it was inspiring. I felt so excited and honored to know that I was going there, to that deprived place where people needed immediate help.

I’ll never forget my first day at the school. Never have I experienced walking through a red-dirt school yard staggered with two hundred elementary students eying at me as if I were an elephant in a room. The awkward staring slowly died down as I went to various kids, kneeled down to their level, shook their hands, and introduced myself. I was amazed at their courtesy and well-mannered behavior when meeting a “mzungoo” (foreigner) for the first time. One boy, Patrick, had the same reaction as me when I met Santa Claus for the very first time. When the children knew my name and learned that I was going to help around for a little while, they opened up to me immediately and included me in their activities. In the two weeks working at the school, I’ve played soccer, volleyball, hopscotch, basketball, haki sack, jump rope, catch, and football during recess. I’ve also conducted craft activities, mural painting, shoe sizing, landscaping, and transported bulk food supplies. It was so special to get to know the kids and to realize that they are no different than the ones back at home. Most of these kids suffer from the loss of parents and siblings, and experience hunger and poverty. A high percentage lives with HIV and is not necessarily aware of it. Some of these kids are victims to horrendous situations such as rape, violence and neglect. But in spite of it all, these kids come to school everyday (even on weekends) with strength, resilience, and spirit. It amazes me that these kids can turn any situation into a happy one and makes me feel more appreciative of my life in Canada. One of the positive lessons that I learned was that children are universal; their smiles, innocence, and intelligence are extremely valuable to humanity. Although these kids live in an underdeveloped country with an unbearable standard of living, they still perceive the world with purity and hope. With their desire to learn, I gained hope and reassurance that they will strive for a better future.

Back at home, I live a fortunate lifestyle with education, shelter, food and safety. In North America, it is so easy to indulge and feast into luxuries. I continuously remind myself to differentiate my needs from my wants. After leaving Uganda, I felt as though I left a part of myself with the school, and in return, they granted me with indispensable memories that I’d hold onto forever. Recently, I was informed that teacher Irene passed away during childbirth. I just couldn’t believe it. I was heartbroken. My thoughts were going out to the kids and everybody at the school. It saddens me to think of Irene and how wonderful and inspirational she was to her students. Her personality, fun and friendly, always charmed her surroundings and set off a positive energy. It’s people like Irene who may seem small and insignificant, but really, they’re larger than life and are the key source to world happiness and peace. The people that I met in Uganda have made a meaningful impact on my life. They’ve taught me the true meaning of joy, respect, and liberty and remain unforgettable in my heart. I am more comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings, like an elephant in a herd of hippopotami. I will definitely go back someday, to help continue a journey and to contribute to a meaningful cause.