In 1908, future Prime Minister Winston Churchill was elected as the MP for Dundee.
That same year, he described the nation of Uganda as the “Pearl of Africa”.
The term still has wide currency, as billboards throughout the nation proudly bear that proclamation.
I spent 10 days in the eastern town of Lugazi, which has a landmass equivalent to Arbroath and is similarly located about one hour and 40 minutes from the nation’s capital, in this case, Kampala.
I am here to see the work enabled primarily by Dundee and Angus-based donors through the Christian charity Capstone Projects.
Chairman of trustees Derek Marshall, who is also chief executive of Fun Factory in Dundee, started travelling to and building relationships in Lugazi in 1993.
At the time, Uganda was rebuilding in the aftermath of a civil war and coming to terms with the outbreak of Aids.
Capstone was founded in 2005 to raise funds and deploy 100% of its resources to projects in Lugazi.
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The charity is the manifestation of a deep-rooted relationship spanning more than three decades with Pastor Sam Okadi and Bishop Tom Wanyama, who together lead Lugazi Pentecostal Church and its wider ministries.
Its portfolio of projects includes Winners Primary School, Living Water Medical Centre and Capstone Children’s Centre.
Derek said: “We identified gaps in education, healthcare and welfare, areas in which the global church has historically been involved.”
One beneficiary of all three is 24-year-old Elsie who was raised in the Capstone Children’s Centre from the age of seven and attended school from P4.
She told me: “As a child here, they asked what I wanted to do and I told them I wanted to be a teacher.”
Elsie later studied for more than two years and is now a qualified teacher employed at Winners Primary School and has a healthcare plan with Living Water.
When asked what Capstone means to her, she said: “It transformed my life.”
Ugandans have a great reverence for fearless Scots, such as Dundee’s Mary Slessor, who came to Africa to share their faith and serve the people.
The most humbling moment, for me personally, took place after I spoke at a village church.
Their pastor, a lady named Rose, followed me by praying for our people caught in the grip of coronavirus.
Despite identifying cases in neighbouring Rwanda and Kenya, Uganda has withstood the tide.
The love in that building and at that moment was deep.
It takes as little as £30,000 per year to run Capstone Projects and they invite anyone to join them on annual trips or financially support the work.
Those keen to do so can email derekmarshall@capstoneprojects.org.uk and the charity is also on Facebook.
While I do not think I ever really forgot how emotionally rich the people of Uganda are, this trip just served to polish my perception of the Pearl of Africa – and to remind me how brightly she truly shines.
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