Military instructors from the Armed Forces of Malta and the Irish Defence Forces, who were supporting the EU’s training mission for Somalia, financially assisted a school in the remote district of Lbanda, in Uganda.

The infantry instructors first became aware of the children’s needs when they observed a number of pupils playing in a field seven kilometres from the Bihanga Military Training Camp where they were based.

The headmaster informed them that the school catered for 525 children aged between three and 15.

The students have to walk as long as eight kilometres a day to attend school and return home.

Though partly funded by the Ugandan Government, the school lacked basic equipment such as benches, chairs, tables and textbooks.

No window panes or doors were in place and the school also lacked basic sanitary facilities.

In a goodwill gesture, the Maltese and Irish infantry instructors travelled 70 kilometres to purchase the items requested and presented them to the headmaster.

The AFM regularly deploys infantry training instructors, primarily from C (Special Duties) Company, to Uganda to train Somali soldiers as part of Malta’s contribution to regional peace and stability there. So far, no fewer than 15 AFM infantry instructors have served on six-month-long tours of duty.