Staff Interview – Colleen
March 17, 2015Our CEO, Colleen Yuen, has just spent three weeks in our Gulu office, northern Uganda. Today, she is back in the UK office, complete with presents – including handmade banana and passion fruit jam from Uganda made by our very own volunteer Jade! Here, we catch up with Colleen to offer you a sneak peek into what her packed trip involved.
1/ Can you a share a little bit about what you get up to when you visit the AR Uganda Office?
When I am in Uganda, I spend most of my time catching up with our Uganda staff on programme related activities, meeting up with potential local partners, district officials and visiting our past and current past projects.
2/ What have the highlights of this trip been?
Being there for the launch of the Bestseller-funded project and seeing our ECD teachers completing their first week of training, meeting the Head Teacher from Juba Road, Mr Okot Fred Evaline, and the Head Teacher from Lutuk Primary School, Walter Okello. Also, I have enjoyed spending time with our dedicated volunteers.
3/ What do you enjoy most about visiting Gulu?
Spending time with the staff and seeing the impact of our work being implemented by our very capable staff on the ground.
4/ What are the greatest challenges of doing your work from Uganda?
The lack of reliable internet sometimes makes keeping in touch and communications with the UK team and the Zambia team challenging. The time difference as well makes my working day quite a bit longer than normal. Trying to be there for everyone when I have quite a packed itinerary also proves to be difficult at times.
