From Cambo to Uganda
You may be struggling to think of a connection between the beautiful Cambo Estate and the exotic East African country of Uganda? Well, you could have asked any member of the South Morningside Explorer Scout Unit during 26th – 28th of September 2008, when we had the pleasure of staying and working in the grounds of Cambo.
In summer 2009, 24 Explorer Scouts (aged 14-18) and 7 leaders from the South Morningside Explorer Scout Unit, Edinburgh will embark on a three-week International Expedition and Community Project to Uganda. Whilst there we will be working closely with a fantastic charity, Village2Village, who provide compassionate care for children who have been orphaned due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Our aim whilst there is to work alongside Village2Village staff, local villagers and Ugandan Scouts to build an adventure playground and staff meeting hut. This will help provide the orphans with a safe place to enjoy childhood and to grow up, something that we take for granted here.
Obviously this takes a lot of both mental and physical preparation. Cambo was our latest challenge. We were delighted when Sir Peter and Lady Erskine let us stay in their grounds in return for widening an existing foot bridge and constructing a new woodland path. We started the work, with thirty eager Scouts and leaders bustling about with wood and tools, and ended the project being pleased, yet totally exhausted. The new widened bridge and fresh footpath had not only improved our construction skills but also brought us together as a team. I can now safely say it is extremely difficult to stay up-beat and tolerant of other team members after twelve hours of manual labour in the rain. However two new friends we did make who helped keep our spirits up were Holly and Ivy, Cambo’s finest pigs!
On Saturday evening after a long day, spirits lifted as we all scrubbed up for a reception at Cambo House with Sir Peter and Lady Erskine. With the thick mud removed from our skin and in full Scout uniform we were piped into the grand house by one of our Explorer Scouts; Jamie Errington and were given a warm welcome by the family. Good chat and an entertaining tour of the many rooms made for a great evening along with the delicious food we were all voracious for.
So any time you have the pleasure of walking around the Cambo grounds and see a reasonably new-looking path or renovated bridge, you know that just as the bridge connects one bank to another, Cambo is now connected to Uganda.
By Alice Mackenzie
Explorer Scout
If you would like to support the expedition or simply find out more information, please visit our website for contact details www.smesu.org.uk
For further information, please contact
Russell Torrance 07738 980 225
Expedition Leader (Projects)
26a Biggar Road, Fairmilehead, Edinburgh, EH10 7BH
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