Hi! My name is Darcy Montgomery, and I’m a second-year medical student at the University of Glasgow, originally from the Scottish Borders.

This summer, I will be travelling to Uganda with Glasgow Straight Talk, a student-run charity working in partnership with the Straight Talk Foundation in Uganda. Our goal is to provide young people with clear, honest, and age-appropriate sexual health education something many students simply do not have access to.

The importance of this work became clear to me after hearing the questions children asked during last year’s programme. Students asked things like:

These questions were not asked out of curiosity, but out of confusion, fear, and lack of reliable information. For many young people, there is no safe space to ask these questions or challenge harmful myths.

For five weeks, we will be based in secondary schools across the eastern districts of Bugiri, Busia, and Iganga, delivering interactive workshops that focus on issues directly affecting students’ lives. These include child marriage, HIV, female genital mutilation, unsafe circumcision, period poverty, consent, relationships, and reproductive health. Our sessions are designed to be engaging and discussion-based, helping students feel heard, respected, and empowered to make informed choices about their bodies and futures.

By providing accurate information and open conversations, we aim to reduce stigma, protect young people from harm, and support them in making decisions that can improve their health, education, and long-term opportunities.

We are fundraising to make this work possible. Donations help cover essential costs such as educational materials, training, travel, accommodation, and ongoing local programmes that continue to support students long after we leave.

Every contribution: big or small, helps us reach more young people with knowledge that can truly change lives.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for considering supporting our cause. Your generosity helps give these students access to the information, confidence, and support they deserve.

-Darc xx