For many years my unclecraig.com website hosted an image gallery with the memories of my time with the African Childrens’ Choir and my life in East Africa. Those memories are also part of the lives of the many people I met along the way so I’ve carefully reconstructed the galleries below, as they were on the old website.
They still bring me great joy as I go back and look through them, and I hope that the people involved find themselves in these pictures from time to time and look back with the same fondness.
The following pictures are of the school at Kikoni in Kampala, adjacent to Makerere University. A number of the children that I toured with on Choir 19, and later in Singapore, ended up in the school after tour.
22 Photos
During my time in Uganda I got to see a number of new choirs enter training at the Makindye before they set off to tour the world.
4 Photos
I was welcomed to Uganda with open arms, this is just one of the many events I got to attend in a country that is still driven by it\'s strong communities.
7 Photos
The Okello family welcomed me into their home as a member of their family. Mummy Rachael and Baba will always be dear to me.
10 Photos
Jennifer and Geoffrey Okaka welcomed me into their home when I first moved to Uganda. As a newly married couple their warmth and hospitality knew no bounds.
3 Photos
When I first struck out \'on my own\' I rented a place in Bunga, outside of town, it was quite an experience!
3 Photos
Kawuka was my final home in Uganda, and arguably contains my happiest memories. I was finally settled and no intention of ever leaving.
6 Photos
One of my final jobs was working with African Renewal Ministries, where I built an internet cafe, amongst other things!
3 Photos
My first job in Uganda was working with Makerere Full Gospel church where I helped out with the sound and finishing the building project.
7 Photos
I had two cars in my time in Uganda. It was an invaluable learning experience as I took my little starlet to places the average soccer mom wouldn\'t take their monster 4x4\'s!
5 Photos
These pictures defy categorisation, but are an eclectic mix of everything that was great about my time in Africa.
15 Photos
I have only a few pictures from my time with Choir 19, but they\'re very special memories.
6 Photos
Some more fond memories of days on tour.
10 Photos
Few events can rival the sense of awe induced by watching the departure of a space shuttle.
3 Photos
I\'ve spent Christmas in many cases. In 2002 it was in Singapore, and it was a special few months.
13 Photos
Uganda inspired my passion for education. It\'s hard not to be passionate about education when you\'re surrounded by people who realise its true value.
5 Photos
One of the schools that I visited regularly (as it had so many of the children I toured with in it) was Grace High. It was a beautiful school in the middle of nowhere!
2 Photos
To the north of Kampala lies Luwero. Many of the children recruited to the choirs came from here.
5 Photos
One of my proudest achievements was giving the chance of education to young people that were skipping by the major NGOs. Here were a few examples.
4 Photos
Working at the orphanage in Gisimba for \"A Carpenter\'s Hands\" was a live changing experience.
8 Photos
Once a year was camp season when all the ex-ACC children would get together from their varying schools and attend camp. It was a special time.
6 Photos