Maureen is getting ready for the trip of a lifetime ... and you can read all about it

Apr 24 2009 by Alison Rennie, Paisley Daily Express

OUT of Africa ... and into the pages of the Paisley Daily Express.

Schoolgirl Maureen McGeogh is getting ready for the trip of a lifetime volunteering at a school in Africa.

And she is going to tell Paisley Daily Express readers all about it by writing a diary of her trip for the paper.

Maureen is one of 24 sixth year pupils from St Andrew’s Academy who will be travelling to Uganda in June.

Together with four teachers, the group will spend just over two weeks in the town of Kigumba where they will build four classrooms and help with lessons at Kihura Primary School.

A year of events and appeals has raised the £35,000 they need to go and the countdown is now on to Friday, June 12 when the group flies out.

Maureen said she wanted to keep a diary for every Buddie’s favourite paper because so many people have donated to their fund.

The 17-year-old said: “We’re in a school so it’s easy for us to keep in touch with pupils and parents and teachers.

“But anyone from outside the school doesn’t get to hear about the trip.

“We’ve been given so much support and donations I thought keeping a diary for the Paisley Daily Express would be a good way to let everyone know how we get on.

“It will also be a way of thanking them for their support and they can see what their money has gone towards and the difference that it will make.

“They’ve given us a great experience by donating money for the trip so I want to give something back to them.”

Pupils interested in going to Uganda had to apply this time last year.

Then when they returned to school as sixth years, they had to fill out an application form and fill in questions about themselves.

From that, 24 were selected to go on the trip and they started fundraising.

The Foxbar girl said: “I was really happy when I found out I was going on the trip.

“It’s something I probably wouldn’t plan to do myself so this is a fantastic opportunity.

“What I’m looking forward to most is seeing the differences and how they live over there and meeting people from different backgrounds and helping them.

“We’re building four classrooms over there which will make a real difference to people’s lives.”

Maureen, who plans to study maths at university when she leaves school, said the teenagers were looking forward to the trip.

She added: “I think everyone’s a wee bit worried about it just because it’s somewhere we don’t know and we’ve been getting all these vaccinations for all these different things.

“That’s probably on people’s minds but I’m sure everything will be fine.

“It will be hard work building the classrooms but we’re also going to do some teaching with the children, doing cooking and things like that which I’m looking forward to.

“Until we’re actually there, I don’t think we’ll really understand what it’s like for people living in Uganda.

“We’re going to experience it first hand which will be an amazing experience.”