Graduate engineer Finlay East spent two weeks in Uganda earlier this year, with support from BSP Consulting.
Finlay, who joined us in 2022, hopes, in time, to use his skills as a civil engineer to support water projects in Africa and other under-developed areas of the world.
He has been going to Cameroon with his family since the age of five with two charities – CBM, a Christian charity, and Meal-A-Day, which was founded by his grandfather Arthur East and now has projects throughout the world, but mainly in Africa.
During these visits, Finlay and his family have helped at a centre in Mbengwi which provides operations and rehabilitation for children who are unable to walk, are blind or have other disabilities.
Due to the civil war in Cameroon, he has now begun undertaking voluntary work in Uganda instead, and on his most recent visit he travelled around the country visiting small churches in the bush and seeing first-hand what a difference charity work has made.
“The charity my grandfather founded provides water pumps throughout Africa, so we were blessed in seeing the massive benefit these have on the local community,” explained Finlay.
“Before, the main crop is maize, and people (often the children) would walk for miles to get water from a probably polluted river. But now, fresh, clean water is taken from the ground and enables the community to grow all sorts. Tomatoes, carrots, peppers, potatoes and more. As the local children no longer need to walk for miles to get water, water pumps allow these children to go to school. It was truly precious witnessing the benefit these water pumps had on this community.”
The group of volunteers also gave bible and healthcare talks, as well as organising football and volleyball games.
“As I am a civil engineer, I took a few images of some construction out in Uganda – plenty of mud brick buildings and bamboo scaffolding,” he added.
“I truly love it in Uganda. It is a beautiful country with beautiful people. Being reminded of how we can support those less fortunate than ourselves, helps me to be grounded, humble and grateful with what we are so blessed to have.”
