The Lighthouse Project: An African volunteering adventure and orphan's story set in a traditional rural Ugandan village

by Taylen Calder

"Happiness requires something to do, something to love and something to hope for." East African proverb. When Sheila Knight decided to leave a personal legacy by establishing a volunteer project in East Africa, she could never have imagined the journey that lay ahead nor the world she would be drawn into by Coleb, an orphaned village boy, who wasn't quite the innocent child he at first appeared to be. Written by a former child protection manager and chair of a charity working within a community in East Africa, The Lighthouse Project is inspired by real events and chronicles emerging friendships built across cultural divides against a background of duplicity, deception, manipulation and ultimate tragedy as lives are changed forever.

290 pages, Paperback

Published January 25, 2024

Reviews

[Karamira George · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this paperback by a friend in the UK as I live in Uganda and she thought it would interest and entertain me as much as it had her. The story is about a family from the UK setting up a volunteer project in Uganda and the highs and lows of their experiences. It offers a very realistic view of village life in Uganda and I'm sure will be liked by those who have already been here,those who are considering coming and others who enjoy an often humourous and funny story about human relationships and family life between the generations in both countries. Although The lighthouse project is about overcoming challenges in different cultures,in the end it is a story about an orphan and his journey to find somewhere to call home.
Highly recommended.

[Mandy Rosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often write reviews but this novel about an orphan in Uganda trying to find somewhere called home was recommended to me by a friend given that I have spent some time in Uganda myself. In turned out the storyline was much more fulfilling spanning five years as a British family struggled to set up a charitable project in the country and became something of a mystery thriller as the orphan's personal story became entwined. Very emotionally satisfying and heart warming with a number of OMG moments along the way. If you have been to East Africa you'll want to read this, if you haven't been you'll want to go. Now to read the author's other books....

[Duncan Ifource · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have travelled to East Africa and enjoyed this thoughtful book immensely as it was very well observed. The characters were well developed as the story unfolds over a number of years ending with an emotionally satisfying ending. Although this will bring a wry smile to those who are familiar with the area it is a great story for anyone interested in human relationships and how they develop, driven by unexpected events.