‘They have nothing and no want, and we have everything and want more’

Shanise Fitzsimons joined 'Warriors of Humanity' to support community projects in Uganda

“I’d go back in a heartbeat.” Shanise Fitzsimons is struggling to adapt back to Ireland. Right off the plane coming from 30 degrees in Kampala, the frosty temperatures gave her a cold straight away. Now she is wearing a cozy woolen jumper. Only a beaded bracelet in black, yellow, red hints to her recent journey to Uganda.

“A place,” she says, “where time doesn’t exist.”

Alongside other GAA athletes from Ireland, the Denn native joined the ‘Warriors of Humanity’ to support tree-planting and community projects in East Africa. The organisation was founded by former Galway dual player Alan Kerins to combat climate change and improve livelihoods by planting trees that provide food, income, and shelter for local communities. Every year, 30 GAA players travel to Africa for the initiative that has raised €1.7m and planted 3m trees across Africa since it started in 2021.

Cavan County camog Shanise had heard of the initiative through fellow members of the former Ulster Allstar Team and was intrigued.

“You have to be the right fit, because it is not an easy journey,” she explains.

The Antrim players recommended her to Alan who subsequently asked her in March to get onboard along with Limerick’s five-time All-Ireland winner David Reidy, Cork camogie All-Star Saoirse McCarthy, Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson and Mayo’s James Carr - each volunteer contributing €10,000 to the cause.

Coming up to her trip in November, Shanise looked for different ways to raise money for the project.

“You might have seen me on a stationary bike in Cavan market square during a spinn-a-thon.”

Her former school St Clare's in Ballyjamesduff raised €700 on a Jersey-Day, the ATA Group, the County Board, Denn Camogie Club - as well as many others - supported her.

Before flying into Kampala, the group attended a briefing about the locality and culture of the Ugandans in the Jinja District not far from the Victoria Lake. She initially took it with a pinch of salt when the organisers said that the people would be dancing and singing a lot, but it turned out: “They were literally dancing and singing all the time. It was amazing.”

They were met by Ambassador Mags Gaynor and world handball medalist Martin Mulkerrins who cut the ribbons to the first one-wall handball alley in Uganda at the Secondary School in Jinja. Since last spring this is also home of the first GAA affiliated club in Africa: The Simba Wolfhounds. The Irish players mixed with the students to play the different GAA codes and left Shanise utterly impressed.

“They were so good and so fast," she enthused.

Being outside most of the time, walking long distances, mostly bare foot and dancing all the while, certainly has sharpened their motoric skills – giving them the ability to easily adapt to new sports.

“They picked up hurling like this,” she says snapping her fingers.

“They really have this trait to want to learn and to do it right.”

Before the trip, the group made up of 30 intercounty players wouldn’t have imagined that a 5k run would seriously challenge them. But when local Joshua Cheptegei - Olympic medalist and current world record holder for 5,000 and 10,000 meters – met them at a Sipi Falls trail, they knew this meant business.

“The trail went up and down on nearly twice the elevation of Carrantuohill. I could really feel my lungs afterwards - and they run this in 15 minutes bare foot, no problem,” Shanise marvels.

The Irish volunteers stayed in small B&B type places that Shanise said felt a little like family homes. Breakfast consisted of omelette or matoke - a national dish made from boiled and mashed green bananas.

The dinners served, she admits, were sometimes hard for her to eat, having witnessed the preparations ahead.

“They slaughter the animals on the side of the road, I know the process is the same here, but seeing it so directly, makes a difference.”

During their week’s stay, Shanise and the others were sent to different areas to plant Banana, Mango, Apple or Coffee trees. From being so close to the families, she knows, they made a real impact.

“Their smiles light up the room after you have planted a mango tree. They would tell you how the fruit will be used to feed their small family unit.”

Some sold their fruit in a stall on the side of the road, others worked for local farmers. Only some families could afford a cow for milk. What struck her as a Secondary schoolteacher particularly, was that many parents couldn’t afford to send their children to school.

“They have nothing," she says, "and no want, and we have everything and want more.”

And yet, there is not a bother on them. She describes how they go about their everyday without haste: “Like time doesn’t exist.”

There were tough moments, she admits. When she entered the small houses built with bare brick walls, torn curtains for doors and mud floors. 15 people lived in the three rooms. “I’m still taking in all the feelings, it’s hard to describe.” It will hit her harder, she reckons, once Christmas comes “when we are buying all the gifts and are looking at all the items”.

Working along the Nile, which she had only heard about in school, was one of the many surreal moments she lived in Uganda. Another was seeing a motorbike driving past, transporting 30 dead chicken hanging from a pole.

“They don’t have cars, they travel on motorbikes and transport everything on them – even mattresses,” she laughs.

Another culture clash was witnessing the divide in family chores — with certain tasks clearly shouldered by one group more than another, such as preparing food, gathering firewood, and fetching water.

“The water pump was about 20 minutes from the house, and the women carries the water on her head. The women do all the work!”

Even when the male GAA players offered to help, they denied – while their men sat at home.

Something that was said at the debrief after the trip was over has stuck with her.

“Don’t let this be the only thing you ever did. Go out, help out another person, volunteer in your club, be more involved.”

She is proud that she was able to contribute and have a lasting impact on people's lives. She knows they have had on hers, creating ties, similarly unbreakable like the coloured bracelet beaded in a dusty African schoolyard.