Our co-founder David Constantine spent a fortnight in Uganda last month, photographing and interviewing some of the people we’re working with there (hopefully you’ve already spotted some of his pics newly published on our website!) Here’s a snapshot of his trip.

The road into Gulu, Uganda

Monday

It’s 7am and I’ve arrived in Entebbe from Heathrow.  We get straight on the road, crawling through the Kampala traffic before hitting the dead straight road that takes us north to Gulu. It’s a long but beautiful drive: Uganda at its most green and lush. We arrive at our hotel at 4pm.  I have to ask the staff to remove the door to my bathroom so that I can get in there in my wheelchair and they’re pretty good about it. Otherwise I’d have done it myself – there’s a reason I always carry a Leatherman…

David interviews a Motivation wheelchair user

Tuesday

There are now fewer NGOs in Gulu than when I was last here in 2006. Now that the conflict with the Lord’s Resistance Army is over, it seems much of their work is done. I interview Millie, whose son Geoffrey has cerebral palsy. I don’t have to ask many questions: Millie just opens right up. She describes how her neighbours told her to just let Geoffrey die, that he’d never be any use to anyone. Fortunately Millie had the courage to ignore them. She and Geoffrey attended Motivation’s training for parents of children with cerebral palsy, and it has had such a positive impact that Millie has become a trainer on the programme herself so that she can help other families.

Wednesday

I arrive at a meeting with an NGO to discover that the person I’m meant to see is in Kampala. I’m passed to a second person, and then a third person tells me the second can’t see me because he is praying. Can I come back in an hour? We’ve done some work with them on accessibility but when I head back later I find two steps up to their office and a lovely big muddy puddle right in front of them. I won’t divulge the name – but it’s an international NGO that should know better!

Sadiki's doughnuts – yum

Thursday

I’m with Sadiki, a Motivation wheelchair user. He became paralysed when he was working in Sudan and was shot in the back. Sadiki starts describing how, when he returned to Uganda, his family sent him away. But then he breaks down, so I suggest we leave the interview and get some photographs of him doing his job: baking. I get dozens of stills of Sadiki cutting, rolling and shaping dough for doughnuts (they’re delicious). Taking portraits is harder. Persuading Sadiki to smile for the camera is a challenge – like everyone I’ve photographed on this trip, he’s taking it very seriously.

"Over here!"

Friday

Our wheelchair basketball programme is a brilliant photo opportunity.  Watching the kids whizzing around the court in our sports wheelchairs in their brightly coloured vests, throwing balls all over the place and just having the best fun is the highlight of my week. Even better, the court is on the corner of a busy dirt road – so the traffic sees the games and is presented with a hugely positive image of disability. I make the staff promise that they’ll never grow a hedge there!