Goodbye, Uganda

I am writing this from the airport, and I will admit I am heartbroken to leave. I went into this trip not to get attachments to the kids. I have attachments with kids in the Dominican and in India, and it is hard to leave. I figured that this trip would be more like those I had to Ethiopia, Haiti, Thailand, and Kenya; a learning experience and one where I try to do and see as much as possible, but not one where I leave hugging kids with tears in my eyes. I was wrong. Sometimes I guess you just can’t plan these kinds of things, and some of the kids I met are people I will never forget.

In the morning we finished profiling more children who arrived at school later in the week. There were about 10, so it didn’t take too long. Rebecca then arrived at the school! Last time I saw her she asked me if I could buy her an outfit. I said yes, but felt strange about it and discussed it later with Hellen, Kate, and Sarah; is it okay to give her a gift like this? What is the line between a hand up and a hand out? When is an appropriate time to give a gift, if there is one? They assured me it is fine and put my worries to rest, and I came to agree that my past 3 years of sponsorship have not been ones of showering her with gifts, so doing something special like this for her, while I am here, is perfectly okay.

We headed out with Rebecca and Emma, the son of Hellen, as he is leaving for boarding school this weekend and Kate promised him she would buy him his school shoes. Rebecca was super excited to go shopping, and had a very specific idea of what she wanted to get; flat, plastic shoes and leggings. Two days before, when Rebecca asked me if I could take her shopping, she mentioned the leggings. It is funny because she is 15 and at that age where she is maturing and dealing with the balance between getting older and staying respectful, in Ugandan society. All her life she has worn long dresses or skirts. She leaned in close and whispered, “Nikki, do you wear leggings?” When I told her that indeed I do, she burst out giggling and told me she wanted a pair. During our shopping trip, she requested a lotion that lightens your skin, which again shows the stage of life she is in. This girl is so beautiful though, it makes me sad that she would want to alter her appearance like that, and of course this request was turned down!

We arrived at the market and she spotted a pair of black leggings with a pink stripe, with a corduroy skort on a mannequin. The skirt is above the knee, and I am guessing that must be somewhat rebellious as she wouldn’t let Hellen see that purchase once we got back. We took it down off the mannequin, she held it up to herself, smiled shyly, and raised her eyebrows in that Ugandan way of agreement. She liked it.

As we went to find her shirt and shoes, Kate was robbed. I felt so bad as it was so frustrating. We were warned that this area of Uganda is notorious for its robberies, but as someone pressed up super closely against her back, another swooped in on the front and stole her iPhone. We were all pretty frustrated with this hectic area of Kampala by now, and hurried the kids along to pick out their next purchases. Men in Uganda are usually quite respectful to women, at least in my experiences, but the men working the stalls here would all reach out to try to touch us, use every pick up line in the book, and just be downright disgusting. We were getting quite fed up with it, but Rebecca laughed at our lesson on how to glare at men who call us their baby/darling/etc. “Rebecca, if any man ever talks to you like that, you stare him in the eye and say, ‘I am not your baby!’” She laughed, and agreed she would.

We found a pretty brown top and another longer red skirt, and then finally after looking through hundreds of shoes found the plastic flats she so badly wanted. Emma was much easier and picked his shoes out quickly, and then we got on the matatu just as the rain started (...again). We wanted to take the kids out for lunch, and we agreed on Indian; our favourite, and something new to them. It is a quite nice restaurant; similar to those back at home, and it was obvious they felt out of their element. While both kids were chatty during the shopping trip, they were quiet during lunch and kept watching us out of the corner of their eyes to copy our behaviours (how to eat using the naan, etc.) They both ended up clearing their plates though, so I would say their first Indian food experience was a success!

When we got back to the school, Rebecca tried on her oufit (the long skirt, not the short one and the –gasp- leggings!) so we could take some photos. She was so shy coming out of the house and blushed like crazy as I gushed about how gorgeous she is.

We walked down the street to the house of baby Immaculate, and she was home! For the past few days she has been at the clinic, and I have been worried about her. She has Down Syndrome, and with that, heart issues. Her mother, who speaks good English, wasn’t home, so I wasn’t able to get details on how it went, but she looked like her happy, smiling self and was excited to come back to the school with me to play. All too quickly it was time to say goodbye. I hugged Immaculate extra tight and had her wave bye-bye to me (one of the words she knows, and does so cutely!), then I went into the classroom to say goodbye to the kids. I have learned not to make a big, dramatic thing of it. I quickly announced that it was time for me to go to Canada, and for them to study hard and that I would mail photos and letters soon. To say goodbye, I chased them all around the classroom, giving each one a big kiss on the forehead. They all ran screaming from me, trying to avoid my lips, but then being sure to get close if I missed them so I could corner them and smother them with kisses. It was a happy goodbye with lots of laughs. The kids went home but Mariam and Sylvia hung back a bit. Mariam walked up to me briskly and said, in a way that made me think she had been rehearsing in her mind what to say, “Thank you, Nikki, I will miss you”. I gave her a big hug and kiss and told her to continue to study hard and to remember that as her sponsor, I will help her get through school all the way until she is the lawyer that she wants to be. She nodded and listened intently and hugged me extra close. Then Sylvia. Sylvia is my sister’s sponsor child and one of the kids who is super special to me. She is always first to hug me in the morning, first to greet me with a big smile, and last to say goodbye. I gave her a big hug and began telling her how special she is, how far she will go in life, and how she has been like my little sister these two weeks. Her eyes were filling up with tears and after a big hug, she left. As soon as the kids were out of sight (or so I thought) I let out the tears I had been holding in. They were peaking through the trees at me, and some came back for an extra hug after I pulled myself together.

Next was Rebecca. She asked us to “escort” her home so that I could meet her family and say goodbye there. We walked to her house; about 15 minutes from the school and nearly an hour from her high school. It is a beautiful walk through plantain fields, over rickety logs that cover rivers, and through little paths that zigzag between houses. We arrived at her house and we stood outside for a bit as she went in, not quite sure of what to do. I have heard negative things about her aunt and uncle, so was hesitant about whether I would be welcome. She assured me that I was, and that her uncle wanted to email with me (we exchanged information) but neither were home (they were both at work). We went inside her house (a tiny, cramped house for 10+ people) and the neighbours all crowded around to me us. Rebecca seemed so confident as she proudly introduced me to her friends as her sponsor, and they all got so excited and thanked me with big, happy eyes. One friend of hers is sponsored somehow (perhaps through an organization) and her sponsor is also from Canada, which she was excited about. Rebecca’s brothers, Dennis and Nicholas, are 7 and 5. Dennis is HIV+ as their parents died of AIDS, and they live in the village with their grandfather. Rebecca lives with her grandmother, aunt, uncle, and cousins. Barbara is 10, Mercy is 7, and Arthur is 4. There are some other older cousins and their children as well, who also live in the house, so it is quite packed. The visit was pleasant and gave me a small look into Rebecca’s life. She seemed comfortable and happy in her home, which made me happy. I gave her a big hug goodbye and said that I can’t wait to hear about when she is the most famous doctor in all of Uganda. Getting to meet her was one of the highlights of my trip.

We walked back to the school (jumping over streams, and climbing across logs in the process) and it was time to say goodbye to Hellen and Innocent and the kids of that family, and later, Sarah and Kate. The kids living in Hellen’s house all hugged me close, and then I noticed that little Ivan wasn’t around. Ivan is maybe around 9 years old, and his parents were killed by the LRA when he was young, so he now lives with his aunt Hellen. I went to look for him, and found him outside the house with big fat tears rolling down his cheeks. Ivan is not one of the kids that I particularly bonded with, but every day I would give him a big hug when I arrived and throughout the day we would playfully exchange tickles, hugs, football games, etc. I wiped up his tears and gave him a big hug, but I think he is really emotionally scarred from his parents’ murders, and having people leave his life is particularly hard on him. I had written Hellen and Innocent a letter of appreciation, and exchanged big hugs with them. They are both so wonderful, and I learned so much from them. Innocent is more organized than anyone I know (especially in Uganda!) and Hellen is like a Ugandan mother to all of us. I am going to miss them. We went back to Red Chilli, finished packing, and I was off. I said goodbye to Sarah and Kate; they are staying a bit longer and are headed up north to Apac for a few days. Love those girls, and couldn’t have asked for better people to travel with. (Sarah: I am going to miss our night-time snuggles tonight!)

I felt sad leaving for the airport. I kept replaying exchanges with certain kids in my mind, and thinking about all that I had learned. With each trip I go on, I feel like I grow so much as a person. Uganda taught me a lot and I will take something away from all the kids and families I met. Three years ago, when I began sponsoring with CUS, I never imagined that I would see it in person and play a role in implementing the sponsorship program. After having finished this trip, I am more committed to this school than ever. Sponsorship is $10/month, and trust me when I tell you it goes to a good cause. Empowering these young students to become educated will change the future of Uganda. And each one of them deserves it so much.

Wonder World

Today was the much anticipated field trip to Wonder World (previously called Didi’s World, just had a name change)! Kate had taken the kids 2 years ago when she was here last, and those that went still talk about it. Well over 100 kids showed up to school this morning to come (perhaps 130 kids??) with huge smiles. As we arrived at the school on boda-boda the excitement was so obvious. They were outside getting ready to load the three buses and were cheering and running and pushing in line with huge smiles. We loaded the buses and a half hour later we arrived at the front gates of the huge amusement park. The first bus with the youngest kids had arrived before us, and when we got off the bus we saw them on rides, and they ran screaming to us, each one with the biggest smile I have seen. The power went out shortly (welcome to life in Uganda!) so the rides couldn’t be operated for about 30 minutes, but we took all the kids to the playground part of the park. Imagine 130 screaming, smiling, running at top speed children. Their smiles were infectious, it was amazing.

The power came back on and we began going on the rides. We had the entire park to ourselves, and everyone ran from ride to ride, screaming and trying to get in line first. The rides were geared to different ages, so the little kids went on some and the bigger kids went on others. I spent most of the day with the big girls. Now that Mariam knows I am sponsoring her, she doesn’t let me out of her sight and she and Sylvia dragged me by the hand to every ride they wanted to go on. It has been years since I ran from ride to ride and it brought back a lot of good memories. Unfortunately, my stomach can’t handle the rides like it used to, but I managed to hold my own with them!

We started on the octopus, which I rode with Sylvia. She laughed the entire time; a huge belly laugh. After some of the smaller rides, the kids decided to be daring and try “the boat” (the pirate ship; the one that goes back and forth with 4 or 5 rows on each side). I sat with Mariam and Darphine and we sat close to the middle. They were terrified and clutched on to me, but were fine. Mariam covered her head in my chest, but pretended it was because the sun was in her eyes, not because she was scared, hehe. Sarah was in the very top row that goes the highest. Every single girl in her row was balling her eyes out, begging for the ride to be over. All the kids scream “OH MAMA!” when they are scared. Darphine was saying, “Oh, my life!!” Poor Felix leaned over the side of the boat and threw up! They were terrified, and yet loved it and wanted to do it again. This time we went in the highest row and I sat with Mariam, Sylvia, Molly, and Jackie. Molly, the youngest and tiniest, was loving life, and Jackie was handling it okay, but Mariam was hiding her head and crying, and Sylvia was screaming and balling her eyes out and clutching on to me for dear life. Afterwards, they all claimed that they loved it! Funny girls.

We served lunch to the kids (posho, rice, cabbage, beans, and beef) and gave each a de-worming pill. Hellen has been unable to provide this for them at school, and many parents can’t either. It should be done every term but this hasn’t been the case, and is something the nurse suggested for many of the kids with swollen stomachs and abdominal pain. We lined the kids up and gave a half a pill to the little ones and a full pill to the older ones. Then, it was time for swimming! The pool is reserved for kids aged 12+, but it isn’t really reinforced and so we brought in some of the 10 and 11 year olds as well. We had bought a few bathing suits and Hellen still had some from 2 years ago when Kate visited and brought some. It wasn’t enough for all the kids, but we had them swim for 10-ish minutes and then switch their “swimming costume” with a child waiting to swim. Some of the littler ones got impatient and just went swimming in their undies. Not a single one of the girls knew how to swim. A few of the boys did, but it was mostly girls and terrified doesn’t even begin to explain how they felt. Kate, Sarah, and I went in first and they would clutch to us like monkeys. We would take them in a circle and then take another girl. Some of them are 15 years old so it was hilarious. Two of the teachers- 30 year old women, came in as well and did just the same thing; clung to us like monkeys and were terrified! Darphine, usually so shy, was screaming her head off and a huge smile never left her face. Mariam was scared and only stayed in for a short while, mostly sitting on the side of the pool with her feet in. Molly, as usual, was the bravest, and managed to try kicking her legs as I held her stomach and pulled her across the pool.

After a long time of swimming, I got out shivering but warmed up quickly from running again from ride to ride and trying to keep up with a pack of 11 and 12 year olds pulling me along and fighting over who could hold my hand. I went and played with the little ones a bit and watched them go on some of the ride. It is funny how protective we are of our kids in Canada, and how these 3 and 4 year olds roamed the park by themselves all day long. They really take care of each other. By 4:30 we were sunburned (well, us muzungus), tired, and happy. The kids sang the entire way home and gave us lots of big hugs when we got back to the school at dusk and they made their way home. I know from the happy screams I heard all day that this is something they will remember for a long time!

My Two Girls!

Today was a fantastic day with an even better ending; Rebecca came to visit, and I was able to do a home visit with Mariam, my other sponsor child! We arrived around 9:30 and had a very productive morning of finishing (!) the sponsor profiles! Every single child who has attended CUS this week (as I said, they trickle back after break, so others will come) has been photographed, interviewed, and has written a letter and/or drawn a picture for their current or future sponsor. So many kids need sponsors in order to get this school off its feet, but I feel productive having that first step completed. I took the role of photographing the younger children, and then interviewing the older ones. The interviews went well and many kids lived with both parents, which was a nice surprise. One girl, Sarah, is a story I won’t forget. I met her on Saturday, as she and some other kids were at choir practice. She is one of the best singers in the church choir, and her eyes crinkle when she smiles; she is beautiful with big dimples. Monday and Tuesday she hadn’t been at school, but I would see her every day after school and would urge her to come. She was all smiles until I mentioned school, at which point she would become withdrawn. I was so excited to see her at school today and gave her a big hug and made a huge deal out of it. When I did her interview I learned the reason why. Sarah is a housemaid. She is 12 years old and only in p2 (with 7 year olds) because she has spent so many years not getting her education. Her mother is alive and lives in the village. Sarah lives with a family near the school and works for them, and they send money back to her mother. They hadn’t been allowing her to go to school, but with the presence of sponsorship, and with Hellen going to talk to them, they have agreed to let her come, although Hellen is doubtful she will be able to make it all the way through her primary education. Sarah is in need of a sponsor, and I hope that perhaps having a sponsor will help the family she lives with allow her to continue coming to school.

After school we went on two home visits. First we visited the house of Gloria, who Sarah is sponsoring. Gloria is in p4 and is a real sweetheart with great English. She lives with her mother, father, 2 sisters, and 1 brother, and there is another daughter who is living in the village. Gloria’s mom speaks very good English, and Hellen tells us the father is a drunk who has caused problems in the past for the family, but she seems like a wonderful mother. When Sarah told her that she was sponsoring Gloria, she was very overwhelmed and had tears in her eyes. It was really touching. I love meeting those mothers who really work hard to give the best for their kids.

Next up was Mariam's house. I have only just begun sponsoring Mariam but she is so sweet and I love her already. She lives with her mother, father, and 6 siblings. She is in p5, Onyongo Alex is in p4, Namyeri Sharon and Atyeno Sylvia are in top class, Okuma Francis is in baby class, Namyenge Agness is 2 years old, and Awino Alen is just 3 months old. It was a fairly nice house compared to others I have seen; it was 2 rooms and made of brick instead of mud. There is an outdoor kitchen. Mariam brought us inside and a pack of young kids (her siblings) all came over to greet us. Her mother spoke a decent amount of english and we chatted for a bit about school, about what being sponsored means, about her family, etc. I gave Mariam the doll I brought her and her face lit up. She is just super cute with her big gap-toothed smile! I handed out stickers to her siblings and they covered their foreheads in them. Mariam shared the doll with little Agness, who warmed up to me by the end of the visit. I asked her mother if I could take a photo, and she went to the other room to change and get the baby dressed. It is always interesting to get a look into what the homes are like, and I feel like talking to her mom and telling her that I plan on supporting Mariam through secondary school will enforce this and will encourage her to continue sending her to school. Mariam is super spunky... a little pipsqueak of a kid with long skinny legs and a toothy smile, but who I have seen on multiple occasions threaten the bigger boys! In the photo she is the one in the yellow uniform. Her little sister Agness is carrying the doll. She makes me smile :)

When we got back from the home visits Innocent had arrived back from town. He had been to Didi's World (the amusement park) to confirm our trip tomorrow and get the final costs (prices have been raised, so we are thinking we will cut the zoo trip in order to bring all the kids to Didi's World). I paid the year of my sponsorship for Mariam upfront, and he used it to buy text books for the school. He had a big bag full of the books and it was so exciting seeing how far the funds went. I flipped through the books and they are amazing; I can't wait for them to be put to use. We went outside to say goodbye, and then Rebecca arrived! So of course we changed our minds and ended up staying much longer. I have written about Rebecca before, and the challenges we have had with her aunt. Her aunt is a twisted woman and wants the worst for Rebecca. Hellen has had problems with her for as long as Rebecca has been at the school. She makes Rebecca work at the market a lot, while her kids do nothing, and so I have only gotten to meet with Rebecca for a few short visits. Rebecca is amazing. She is such an inspiration to me. We sat down outside the school today and everyone made themselves busy with other things, giving me a chance to get to know Rebecca more in private. She was not shy at all this time, and was quite chatty (and has excellent english). She watched the video of me bungee jumping and was in awe, it was really funny. She said I am "smart", but that she would never do it and the rope is too long! She had her geography and history exams today and I looked through her notebook and her writing is so neat and geez, she is waaaay smarter than I will ever be! Her notebook is impressive and I can tell her studies are important to her. She wants to be a doctor, and told me so proudly with a giggle. We talked about her family, about her brothers who are back in the village, and about school. We talked about the differences between Canada and Uganda and looked through some of my photos so she could see the Nile. As we talked, Hellen continually looked on and shooed the other kids away from joining in on our conversation. It was really sweet because Hellen looked at me with such a satisfied, happy, motherly look about her. She really understood how important this meeting was to me and Rebecca, and she was so happy that it finally worked out and I could spend more than 10 minutes in a crowd of people talking to her. As we talked more and more, we got closer and closer and by the end she was leaning close to me, clutching on to my legs as she spoke. Kate said that whenever I looked away she would stare at me with huge, happy eyes. It warms my heart to hear that, because it is so important to me that she knows how much love I have for her. She means so much to me and to be able to sit in privacy and get to know her and her amazing self is something I am so grateful for.

Nurse Esther

Today was the second day of school, and the day that we had arranged for the nurse (Esther) to come and give a check up to all the children (now slightly over 100, many children came today). The nurse arrived shortly after we did and we set her up in one of the empty classrooms (baby and middle classes went together in one classroom). She had a notebook and thermometer, although not much else. She said that next time she will bring more supplies, but that this time was late notice. Oh well; better than nothing. We began with baby Hellen (the baby sister of Sylvia/Joseph/Javel/Immaculate/James). The three youngest children in that family really worry me. They are such an amazing family, but living in such dire poverty. It is common in this area for children under 5 to pass away, and Immaculate is 4, James is 3, and Hellen is not yet 1. Immaculate and James have worms and malnutrition. The nurse thinks Hellen has a UTI, and suggested we bring her to the clinic for a test, which we will do. Compared to other children their age around here, they look sick to me. She checked up all the kids and wrote down whether they were okay, whether they need simple treatment (de-worming meds, cream for fungal infection, all of which we bought today) or whether it is more serious and we need to take them to the clinic.

We started with the baby class and then moved up until all kids and teachers had been checked out. The teachers talked to the nurses about migraines mostly. Lots of the kids, especially the little ones, had worms. Many had fungal infections. A few had mouth infections and need dental care. Others need urine and blood tests for different sicknesses. We plan on taking them all this week, if we can manage to arrange it. Baby Hellen is my top priority. She never smiles, always has a runny nose and a cough, and has big swollen cheeks. James and Immaculate do as well, and so we are going to really make it a priority to get them healthy. So much of it is proper food, but there are other factors as well.

Most of our day was spent getting kids (3 or 4 at a time), bringing them to the nurse, escorting them back and getting others. Only one cried (he didn’t want his temperature taken). I also spent about an hour interviewing all the p3 kids. The cook didn’t show up today and Hellen was busy making lunch, so I went solo with no translator, but the kids were old enough to speak a decent amount of English, and so it went well. Many of them didn’t live with their parents; some had died and many were in the village. Most said rice was their favourite food. One cutie said that his hobby is studying!

It was interesting seeing how many of the kids have medical issues; particularly fungal infections and worms. I am hoping we can arrange to bring them to the clinic this week, and that will be interesting for sure! On a happy note... baby Hellen tolerated me holding her for a whopping 30 seconds before she cried!! It is always a strange feeling when a 7 year old can soothe a baby better than I can, but I guess the little kids here take care of the babies just as much as the mothers do!

It was also interesting to get a better look into the frustrations of running a school in Uganda. Hellen has called and called the primary 5 teacher and he hasn’t answered his calls and hasn’t shown up to school. They are attempting to make due, but I walked into the classroom and three of the girls had fallen asleep! (update: he finally showed up the following day). Similarly, both cooks didn’t show up. This means no food for kids. We provided them with bananas on the first day, but that is all they got during the whole school day, and if we hadn’t been there it would have been nothing. The following day only one cook showed up (of two), so only half the kids could eat (the kids that stay the whole day; those that go home at lunch time went home having no lunch, even though those little ones are more prone to sickness and malnutrition). Because they can’t pay high salaries, these are common problems.

Back To School!

Last week was term break, so no children were in school. Today was the first day back, and the day that we begun major profiling of the kids to either update their sponsors, or find them sponsors. I found today particularly interesting because I learned a lot about the challenges and barriers that stop kids in Uganda from going to school. Many of the kids weren’t there. Of the 170 children at the school, only about 60 or 70 were there. Hellen told us it usually takes at least a week for the kids to slowly trickle back. Attendance rates are always a challenge due to many factors; sickness (malaraia, most often), going up north to the village, needing to work, and not having the school supplies among the most common. The kids need to have 12 workbook (lined notebooks) each term, with three terms per year. This costs 6000 shillings per 12 books, which is less than $3, but many families cannot afford it, especially if they have multiple kids going to school. I talked to several kids in the community who attend other schools who told me they didn’t go back today because they don’t have their books. Some of the kids who arrived had their full 12 books, but others had 6... 4... or none. Some didn’t have a uniform and some were barefoot, even though it is supposed to be a requirement that the students each have uniform, shoes, and books. Hellen tries to accept every child despite whether they can afford these things, but it is not always easy.

It was exciting seeing the kids in their uniforms sitting at their desks, despite the low number of students. Tomorrow we have paid for a nurse to come and check all the children, so we expect numbers to be much higher tomorrow. Wednesday is a field trip to Didi’s World, so again, it should be high and hopefully they stick after that. We began the day sitting around Hellen’s kitchen table (right next to the school) with Hellen and Innocent, going over the needs of the school. We made a cost breakdown for everything; teacher salaries, text books, registering the school with the Ugandan ministry, lunch, uniforms, etc. It is a long list and we have prioritized what is most important. Currently at the top is the lunch program and teacher salaries. Teachers at CUS get paid about half of what teachers at government schools get paid. They have a quick turn around rate because teachers will find jobs that pay more and will leave. They can’t hire good, qualified teachers because the pay is too low, and then the learning of the students suffer. We want to be able to pay the teachers what they would get at a government school. We also want to add fish, ground nut paste, and fruit to the students’ meals to make it more nutritious. Hellen said that when they don’t have the money to provide lunch, attendance drops rapidly. I found books to be of particular importance. The entire school only has a few text books, and most are several years old, from before the government changed the curriculum, so schools shouldn’t even be learning anymore. Ideally they should have a book for each child, but all they are asking now is for one teacher copy.

For the past three years, I have sponsored 2 kids with CUS; Rebecca and Adongo Kate. Recently Adongo has moved to Tororo, a few hours away. She had been tossed around from family member to family member and is not in school anymore. She is 10 years old. Hellen is going to try to get her to join Hope Home when it opens this summer (still waiting on papers from the government) but in the meantime, it doesn’t look like she will be at CUS, so I wanted to choose a new sponsor child. There are 4 girls in the p5 class that I have really bonded with. As I said before, Kate, Sarah, and I have each divided the grades to focus on separate ones. I am focusing on p 5 and 6. Sylvia, Molly, Jackie, and Mariam are all in p5 and are best friends. Molly and Jackie are sisters to Scovia (an Escape secondary student, friends with Rebecca) and three years ago I sponsored Sylvia for my sister for Christmas. Mariam is the only one of the four not sponsored, so I decided to sponsor her. Nabwende Mariam is 11 years old and wants to be a lawyer when she grows up. She likes skipping and is from the Tororo region of Uganda. She lives with her parents and 6 siblings (4 sisters, 2 brothers, she is the eldest). Her mother doesn’t work but her father is a fisherman. When she is posing for pictures she smiles with her mouth closed, but sometimes I catch one of her with her teeth showing and she has the cutest gap tooth smile, it just makes me melt! She and Sylvia are best friends and are always holding hands. All 4 girls speak excellent English. I was due to make payment for Adongo Kate, and now that I have switched to Mariam since Adongo is gone, I decided to just pay a full year upfront to get some of the text books purchased. Sponsorship of $10/month will cover a variety of things including those things I listed above, but I figured that since I am here I might as well just pay it all now and see with my own eyes where it goes.

(photo left to right: Molly, Sylvia, Mariam, Jackie)

We set up a good system. Sarah went to each class and had the kids write a letter or draw a picture (depending on their age, the youngest student, Divine, is not even 3 yet) for their sponsor or future sponsor. Then they would go to Hellen and Kate to be interviewed; name, age, hobby, family situation, etc. Then they would come to me to get photographed (one just a headshot, once holding a whiteboard with their full name on it) and to get a gift; underwear for the girls (thanks to Please Mum who donated 200+ pairs) and packages of stickers for the boys. It was interesting seeing the results of the interview. It seems most kids have at least one parent who has passed away. We have kids from all sorts of tribes; Acholi, Karamojong, Luo, etc. Some of the kids reported issues in the home such as abuse, and one girl, when asked how everything in her home is going, stood up and refused to speak again (she is a student who has had issues in the past, sadly, with abuse of all kinds). In all cases, nothing was pushed, and if they didn’t want to talk they certainly didn’t have to, but some were eager to open up. The littlest students were terrified and barely spoke, but as they got older they got more talkative.

Dinah and Ketty (the twins) stopped by at the end of the day and we spent time with them for a bit. I love getting to know the secondary school girls, as I have read so much about them and have been rooting for them to excel. I thought of them as such serious girls when I first met them, but they are getting more outgoing with us. We played in the compound and had a huge group of kids doing the chicken dance, the time warp, and the Macarena! And then Rebecca showed up! It was great to spend a little bit of time with her, although it was getting late and we had to leave before it got dark, as there have been lots of robberies on boda after dark. She had just come from school. She has exams all week long, so unfortunately won’t be able to come to Didi’s World on Wednesday. But it was great seeing her, and I gave her the book that I had brought for her; one that I had read many times when I was her age, and the copy which I still had, with my name and the date I bought it (2002) inscribed on the inside, with a note to her. She was a bit chattier but still quite shy. Her English is excellent. She said she would stop by before school tomorrow so that we can spend more time with her, as both times it has been very short. She has two exams every day this week until Saturday, so she is studying hard! I have the two most amazing sponsor kids :)

Note that that bottom picture is me and Rebecca. This girl inspires me to no end! The top photo is Prisca (Among Patience Priscilla). She is 4 years old, wants to be a teacher when she grows up, likes dolls, and is from the Luo ethnic group. She lives with her parents and Hellen tells us the father is an alcoholic and is abusive when drunk. Prisca is seriously the happist child I have ever met. I have never seen her without a smile on her face. She needs a sponsor at $10/month to help cover the fees I mentioned earlier to improve her quality of education. Please leave a comment if you are able to!

Religion and International Development

Today is Sunday... church day. In the past, church has made me nervous. I grew up not going to church, and most kids in my school never went either. Religion was something that wasn’t widely talked about. When I started doing international development work, I began seeing religion more and more often, and began getting curious about where I stood on the topic... what my beliefs are.

That said, I have had some bad experiences. Ethiopia was the first time that the organization I was working with was Christian (not by choice, but because it was the only NGO I could find that did short-term volunteer trips). It really turned me off Christianity as I got the impression that all they wanted to do was convert with a level of insensitivity. Having rarely even been to church, I was sneered at when I was not comfortable praying in front of a large group of people. To me, religion is a very personal thing and while I do have beliefs and I do pray when I feel the need to, it is never something I am comfortable sharing with strangers and having people treat me so negatively made me even surer that organized religion is not for me. Later, I worked with another Christian organization, and from day 1 I felt judged because I do not go to church or didn't identify as Christian. I was never asked what my beliefs are; it didn’t matter. I have never experienced more hostility and judgement in my life than I did during that time, and I again decided that if Christianity is all about such negativity and hatred for others who don’t think the exact same way, it is not for me. I sporadically attend a Unitarian church at home, and it is all about accepting everybody, learning about world religions, and promoting social justice. This seemed to go against everything I believe in.

Needless to say, I was nervous about going to church today as it has been uncomfortable for me in the past. When we arrived at the church, we were early, but Hellen began singing as people came in, and we were greeted with great excitement.... visitors! Muzungu visitors! Baby Immaculate arrived (with a diaper this time, teddy bear from Nana in hand) and families whom we had visited greeted us happily, proud that they were already friends with these visitors. We were given seats at the front, and for the next four hours (!!) we enjoyed the service. There were 2 preachers, 2 choirs (adult and children) and a time for testimonies.

At the beginning of the service, Hellen pulled us up to the front and we each went to the microphone and introduced ourselves and shared a bit about who we are and how much we have enjoyed getting to know them so far. I nervously thanked them for welcoming me into their church, their community, and their homes, and told them how much I have learned from them and how I will take their stories and the memories of our time together back home with me. Sarah hilariously quoted a bible passage in an attempt to be inspiring (I won’t bother explaining that any further... you had to have been there, but we are still laughing about it!)

After one of the men preached (about the 7 things God can’t tolerate; lying, killing, etc) Hellen asked those who have testimonies to come up and share. About 7 people came to the front to share a story about what they had God to thank for. Of those seven, three were the parents of the three families we had done home visits in earlier this week; Bena’s mom, Sylvia/Joseph/Javel/Immaculate/James/Hellen’s father, and Rita’s mom. Bena’s mom, her usual emotional self, began cheering and sharing excitedly about how we had visited her house. Rita’s mom called the sponsoring of her child and the home visit “a miracle”. Sylvia and family’s father touched me the most. He had been at the stone quarry when we went to visit, and we hadn’t met him yet. Most fathers are absent or not very good parents. He loves his children so much. He shared with everyone how grateful he was that his daughter Sylvia had the opportunity this week to see the Nile River, and how surprised he was when he came home earlier this week to see his 6 kids with new clothes after having us visit. His words spoke a lot to me, particularly coming from a father.

After the testimonies, there was singing. This was my favourite part. I admit that the sermons didn’t particularly touch me, although I could see that the congregation enjoyed it, but the singing made me emotional. The children’s and adult’s choir performed, and every single person, even the toddlers, were on their feet, hands raised, dancing up a heavy sweat. With eyes closed and hands raised, I could see their faith shining through. I could see how important their belief of God is to them and how it gets them through many of the tough things they experienced.

I was never drilled on what I believe, I never felt judged or as if I am a bad person, and our differences didn't even matter. I simply felt welcome. And the welcoming joyfulness that I experienced as I was brought into hug after hug after hug made me inspired. Ugandan church is definitely something I would do again, and something I will never forget. (On a sidenote, the NGOs I had a negative experience with were both run by foreigners (Americans, in both cases), and this is run by a local Ugandan... interesting...)

The rest of the day consisted of meeting with 4 of the 6 Escape girls (Scovia, Dinah, Ketty, and Darphine) and hanging out with them and telling them about their sponsors and getting updates, then going for a swim and watching the monkeys by the pool again! Tomorrow is a big day; school starts up again after term break and we have 170 children to update and many of those to find sponsors for!

Not As Planned

Yesterday I got pooped on. Great. But let me tell that story later. First, from the beginning of the day:

As I have posted about before, some things happen very slowly here, and not everything goes as planned. Yesterday was a Saturday and we hoped to visit an orphanage for children with special needs that we have read about online. It is located in Kireka, the same region of Kampala that the school is in. Since we couldn’t find a phone number or address online, we figured we would ask around and that someone would be able to direct us. Wrong!

Several people told us they knew where it is, but after driving around on boda boda for about a half hour (and losing money in the process... of course they “knew” where it was, they were getting money out of us!) we never found it. We found a few schools and rehabilitation centers, but being Saturday, they were closed, and it was not the orphanage we were looking for. If anyone is familiar with the Kireka Home for Children With Special Needs, let me know!

We ended up playing at the school and getting to know some of the kids better instead. As I began this post with, I got pooped on. Yep, thanks Immaculate. Immaculate is the 3 year old with Down Syndrome who is the sweetest child I have ever met. She is so funny. Today I brought her a teddy bear that my Nana had made. She was so excited and was cheering and giggling and hugging her “baby” and then I felt it..... poop on my leg. Ohhh nasty. Most babies here don’t wear diapers. She flipped up her dress and looked at her butt, and then my leg, got a solemn face, and walked herself and her “baby” home to get cleaned up. I spent the next thirty minutes washing and sanitizing!

The rest of our day was spent with the kids. The choir was practicing for church the following day and it nearly brought tears to my eyes watching them. The girls held their baby siblings as they crowded into a small classroom with tin sheet walls and a dirt floor. One of the boys played the drum and they sang, swaying the babies back and forth to the beat like little mothers. They sang with such pride and emotion and it was a beautiful moment. Outside, the other kids were trying to peak into the classroom to watch as well, so we encouraged them to put on their own singing/dancing performances. We did boys vs. girls. Boys went first, and let me tell you, boys will be boys anywhere. Their “song” was a bunch of screaming and jumping up and down to get on the camera! As they sang, the girls sat quietly in a row on the sidelines. The girls went next and sang a beautiful African song, whilst the boys ran across the view of the camera, in front of them, making faces and trying to get on film. Needless to say, we voted that the win went to the girls!

While our day didn’t work out exactly as planned, it turned out to be a good opportunity to get to know some of the kids better, to organize some of our donations, and to see the beautiful signing of the children’s choir.

Rebecca

A young girl named Rebecca is the main reason why I decided to come to Uganda. I have been sponsoring her for over 3 years, since December of 2007 when my parents sponsored her for me as a Christmas gift. Since then, I have sent money for her school, sent the occasional letter and photo, and continued my sponsorship now that she graduated CUS and has started secondary school. Teachers at the school recognized me from photos I had sent in letters to her, which I thought was funny, and they asked me how my trip to India was last summer, knowing from a letter that I had been there! She wrote me a letter once two years ago, asking when I can come and meet her, and I knew ever since then that at some point I would have to come. Rebecca’s parents have died of AIDS and she lives with her emotionally abusive aunt and uncle, who don’t treat her well. She is very intelligent and is going to go far in life, which I told her in every letter I wrote. Over the years I have looked forward to getting updates on her, but never really realized the impact that sponsorship had on her.

This week is term break after exams, and Rebecca had been travelling up north with her family. I had been excitedly anticipating her return all week, but thought it wouldn’t be until later. Innocent, her teacher from last year, called her aunt and asked when they would be coming back. She said they were en route to Kampala, but traffic is heavy and we were leaving soon, so I expected I would meet her the next day. Just as we were about to leave, Rebecca arrived back in Kampala and came straight to the school.

Sarah, Kate, and I all stopped what we were doing and walked over to the school’s front entrance where Hellen was talking with Rebecca. Kate had met her before on a trip 2 years ago, so she was tearing up from the beginning, knowing what an amazing kid Rebecca is. I gave Rebecca hug after hug and began excitedly asking her questions; how is school, how was your trip, how are you, I am so excited to finally meet you, etc etc etc. Finally we all just began laughing because Rebecca had stood there for 5 minutes straight in almost dead silence, continually bringing her hands to her face and tearing up. She was completely overwhelmed and in shock. The look on her face was priceless when I told her how special she is and how I have been wanting to come to Uganda for 3 years just to meet her. It is a moment I won’t ever forget, and it confirmed for me how amazing child sponsorship can be. It is not just me sending money for her school. It is offering her a support system and making her feel special.

Rebecca’s story is much like that of Cinderella, but with an aunt instead of a stepmother. Her uncle is a kind man, I am told, but he works in Iraq with a security job and the family rarely sees him. This is good for the family as he makes about $300/month, compared to the $60/month that many others in the community make. He and his wife send their children, around the same age as Rebecca, to a pretty good school, but they will not pay school fees for Rebecca. They recently sent her brother, who is also HIV+, back to the village.

Rebecca’s aunt is a strange woman. I haven’t met her, but have heard a lot about her and the challenges Hellen and Innocent have had with her over many years. Thankfully she is allowing Rebecca to go to school, as that wasn’t always the case, and I was worried that she wouldn’t attend secondary school. But she is controlling and makes Rebecca work a lot (culturally acceptable here for kids to work, but it is only Rebecca, and not her own children). She wouldn’t allow her to go to the Nile River with her friends because she had to work at the market. I guess she wouldn’t consider for just that one day having one of her own kids work, and allowing Rebecca to take part in this day. She wouldn’t allow her to visit Sseko with us either as she had chores to do. Innocent tells me it looks promising that she will allow Rebecca to come to Didi’s World (amusement park) with us next week, so I am hopeful. I will be relieved when the paperwork for Hope Home is ready, so Rebecca can move in and won’t be under the care of her aunt any longer. Her aunt is waiting for this day as well, as she wanted Rebecca to go to a boarding school so she would have one less child in the house.

Right now though, I am still on a high from meeting Rebecca. I am hopeful I will get to spend more time with her, and make sure she knows that I will support her, and then if she keeps working hard, she will be able to achieve everything she dreams of.

Shopping Ugandan Style

After our visit with Sseko we took Hellen and Darphine out for lunch. I am not a fan of Ugandan food... interestingly, it is the first country I have been to where I don’t like the food. I had a bit of rice, but didn’t eat too much. Darphine ate lots though, and enjoyed an orange fanta. Next we had to go downtown to buy some soccer balls for the school, and then enough food for the next three months of breakfast and lunch at the school. The kids get porridge for breakfast and posho and beans for lunch. We want to make this more nutritious, so hopefully we can secure the funds to do that through the new sponsorship program ($10/month instead of the prior $35/year, so it won’t just cover uniform but will cover food, teacher salaries, books, etc). First we got the soccer balls. I had never been downtown Kampala before. I was surprised to see skyscrapers. Prior to this, I hadn’t seen any beggars in Uganda. Downtown this isn’t the case. There are many people from the Karamojong tribe who beg in the streets. They are traditionally agriculturalists but due to lots of issues (I am not too educated on their history, but am going to research it more) they have been driven from the land and don’t have the skill to do anything else. They have resorted to begging, which is so sad. Many of them tattoo their faces, and this, along with the look of them, reminded me a lot of Ethiopians. I spent some time researching their tribe today, and interestingly they migrated from Ethiopia around 1600 AD. I heard from Kate that parents will leave their babies on the streets to beg, and cross the street or go nearby where they can watch them, but they leave them by themselves with their hands out, as they think a baby by itself will get more money than a baby with its mother. Twice on the ride I saw babies, maybe 18 months, sitting on the sidewalk all alone. Another 4 year old boy ran up to the car beside us with his hand outstretched. No matter how many times I see child beggars, it always gets me. And never before have I seen baby beggars.

Getting places in Kampala takes so long. There isn’t enough roads, there isn’t a single traffic light, and traffic is awful. I know that this is Africa and that I have to be patient and go with the flow, but sometimes it can be so hard. Sitting at a standstill for so long, getting carsick, having everything take so long... it can be hard! We drove to the food market and Hellen haggled for food. We usually stay away when she is haggling because if they see muzungus, they will jack up the price. Fuel prices are up, and so food prices have already doubled and in some cases tripled. It is awful. Lots of food riots going on in Kampala and lots of kids hungry because their parents can now only afford half the amount of food as they had prior.

After we bought the food, we headed back to the school for a bit and played with the kids. Most people in Uganda speak Luganda, so we have been trying to learn a few words... so far, it isn’t going well! Many of the kids come from the North, so they speak a wide variety of other languages as well, but English and Luganda are the main ones. We played with the kids for a bit and then Sarah and I headed to do some souvenir shopping at a market downtown. I got a few things, but much of it was similar to what I had seen in Kenya, so I didn’t need to buy too much. The paper beaded jewellery is something that is unique to Uganda, at least from my experience. I have never seen that anywhere else, so the paper beaded bracelets I got are my favourite souvenirs. Also, I love knowing that the funds go to supporting Hellen and the school.

As I said, I am not a huge fan of Ugandan food and neither is Sarah. We found an Indian restaurant next to the market, and I was sooo excited to get some Indian food inside of me! Most of the food I eat at home is some type of rice dish, usually with spicy sauce, so I have been craving some spice. Ugandan food is quite bland. It felt so good to find this restaurant! We headed back to the guest house and I am typing up my blogs on Microsoft Word now. Power and internet have been on and off, and so once I get a chance, I will post this to my blog. Dates may be a bit off as posts will be delayed due to the lack of internet!

Sseko

This morning we hired a car to drive us about a half hour to the office of Sseko, a fair trade shoe company that I have heard a lot about. I first heard about Sseko about a year ago. I bought a pair in the winter, so hadn’t been able to wear them until today. They are sandals with ribbon so that you can tie them in different styles. They are so unique and beautiful and there is a huge market for them.

We brought Hellen and Darphine with us. Hellen is always interested in learning more about other work being done in her country. Darphine is a 12 year old girl who graduated last year from CUS. She is one of our Escape Scholarship girls now enjoying secondary school, where her favourite subject is biology. She wants to be a doctor when she grows up. Darphine is one of the shyest children I have ever met. She was tough to get a word out of, and when she did speak I had to put my ear very close to her mouth to hear what she was saying. She speaks great English and told me that she has 3 younger siblings and that her best friend is Apio Betty (another Escape girl). She must have a wild side to her, because when I showed her the video of me bungee jumping, she is the only person who said she wanted to do it too! Every other Ugandan thinks we are crazy! As Sseko promotes higher education for women, we brought Darphine along to inspire her towards completing secondary school and then University, and showing her by their example that it is possible. We invited Rebecca as well, but her aunt said no (again). I am going to devote an entire post to Rebecca, and I promise that is coming soon...

A woman named Cameron (from Texas, but has lived in Kampala working with Sseko for a year) greeted us at the gate and brought us in. We met the women working for Sseko and she showed us the process of making the sandals, which was interesting. She then brought us into the office and explained the story of Sseko. I read the blog often so knew much of this, but not all, and I was glad she went over it as Hellen and Darphine knew nothing, and I thought this would be especially interesting for them. Sseko was founded 2 years ago by a woman named Liz, who was volunteering in Uganda. She was working with a school founded by an organization called Cornerstone. It was a girls secondary school. Hundreds of girls apply to be accepted into this school, but only 25 are accepted, purposely from different tribes from all over the country so that they can learn about peace amongst different ethnic groups. It is more than just a secondary school, it is a leadership academy. These girls are among the best of the best, however when they graduated, Liz noticed that many went back to their villages without the money to go to University and with few jobs available. She wanted to help them help themselves.

Liz came up with an idea for a product that is now the Sseko sandal. The first year, she hired 2 girls who had just graduated the school to help her make the shoes, paying them a fair wage so that they could go to University. In Uganda, there is a 9 month period from the time that you graduate secondary school until the time that you begin University. Sseko hires girls for these 9 months and pays them an excellent wage so that they can save for University. They are also train on skills like typing, and they have people in the field they hope to go into (nursing, business, social work, etc.) come in and mentor them. As I said, the first year they hired 2 girls, the second year they hired 5, and they now have 6 girls who will soon be starting University. They have 14 other full time staff members who work for them, brought in from other NGOs, mostly for women who have been sexually exploited.

Sarah bought a pair of shoes, and I bought a different coloured ribbon for the shoes I already have. We stood with the women and chatted a bit with them, and they showed us some of the different ways to tie up the ribbon. I love the idea of social business, and love the Sseko product. It is unique, and there is a market for it both in Uganda (I got so many compliments on my shoes from Ugandans today) and in North America. Best of all, it provides hope, education, and employment for 20 amazing Ugandan women. In the future, with a growing market, it can support even more!

Go buy a pair of Ssekos... or two!
http://www.ssekodesigns.com/

Bungee Jumping!

I did it!!! I went bungee jumping!! Oh my gosh, scariest thing ever. All week we have tried to explain to Hellen that we wanted to go bungee jumping, but most Ugandans don’t know what it is, and it is hard to explain. Later on, when we showed her and the kids the videos, they laughed hysterically, or their faces went white. So funny.

Earlier when we were taking the kids to the Nile, we were separated into 2 buses. The other bus (with Kate in it) had an attempted robbery twice. Two times on the highway a different man jumped out and tried to slash the bus’ tires; the first time with machete and the second time with a board covered in broken glass. Apparently this is common up north, but has been happening more and more often in Kampala and Jinja. Our bus was never targeted, likely because Sarah and I were sitting in the back so they couldn’t see muzungus in the car, where as Kate was up front. Both times, the driver swerved and avoided it, but because of this, Hellen sent her brother Innocent to protect us and go along with us. He also made a great photographer!

We arrived at Adrift where the bungee jumping takes place and nervously signed up. Two other girls from somewhere in Europe arrived shortly after us to jump as well. It cost $80 (more than I had thought) but it turned out to be well worth it. A Canadian guy named Will works it (his wife also lives in Uganda doing HIV/AIDS research) and I had him reassure me that no one had died before! My heart began pounding at this point!

It all happened very quickly. He weighed us, we said goodbye to Innocent and gave him the camera, and then we made our way up the big tower. I had “called” going first days before, but when I got to the tower and looked around, and I chickened out and made Sarah go first. Prior to this, she had been nervous and I had been excited, but once the time came, she was excited and I was nervous! I was second, and the other two girls were behind us. Innocent had my camera below, and I held Sarah’s to take photos/video of her, and then handed it to the girl behind me to take photos/video of me. I have an amazing video and will upload it as soon as I am home and Internet is better.

I watched as Sarah sat in the “throne” and had her feet tied up. She then hopped to the ledge, they shouted “three, two, one, BUNGEE’ and off she went! I was going nuts videotaping her, and was shaking already! She screamed up at me from the boat below that I would love it. I made my way to the “throne”; the chair where they tie up my legs. I was scared that if I pointed my toes it would slip right off, but they assured me that was impossible! I hopped over to the ledge and listened to Will’s advice not to look down. He asked me if I was ready and I said no! I was sure I couldn’t do it. He gave me a pep talk for a few seconds, and then it was time. He told me to jump out as far as possible, as if I was doing a big belly flop.

“Three, two, one, BUNGEE!”

I bent my legs (they felt like jelly) and jumped out. Oh my gosh, it was terrifying doing that jump, but as soon as I did I loved it. The adrenaline was pumping through me and I began screaming once I hit the bottom and starting bouncing back and forth. My hands felt tingly! I grabbed on to the paddle that the guys in the boat were holding out, and they pulled me in. As soon as I was in the boat I sat with my head in my hands for a few seconds, shaking like a leaf and needing a break. Sarah and I were so giddy after that, and for the next half hour I could still feel it. Well worth the $80, and we made it back to Kampala safely with Innocent’s help. What an amazing, amazing day!

Nile River

Yesterday we arrived at the school at 8am to take all the Primary 5 and 6 students on a field trip to the Nile River! School doesn’t start until Monday (term break) but Innocent (Hellen’s brother and their teacher) got in touch with all the parents to let them know, and all the kids who were back from the village were ready at the school waiting for us when we arrived. Sarah, Kate, and I have split up the grades so that we can make sure each grade is taken care of in terms of sponsorship. I am in charge of Primary 5, 6, and the secondary students (there is no P7 as they have all dropped out or gone back to the village), so I was excited to get to know this group. 24 kids were coming, and not a single one had laid eyes on the Nile River before. They are all learning about water in their science classes.

In typical African fashion, the buses taking us didn’t arrive until 10:30, but I spent time getting to know the kids, and snuggling with Immaculate (not Immaculate who needs a sponsor, the 3 year old Immaculate with Down Syndrome). I am so in love with her! Just wait until I get home and can upload a video... you will fall in love too! Four of the six Escape Scholarship (secondary school) girls were there; Dinah, Ketty, Scovia, and Betty, and it was fun getting to know them. Darphine was on her way back from the village (but we spent time with her today, more on that later) and Rebecca’s aunt needed her to work in the market (more on that as well). Dinah and Ketty are twins, and are both very serious girls. I sat next to Ketty on the bus ride and it was hard to crack a smile out of her, even as the younger kids were going crazy cheering and singing as we approached Jinja, the city of the Nile. Betty is a strong leader and the other kids seem to look to her. Studious Scovia is a teensy little thing and brought her notebook and pen, and was busy scribbling down notes on the Nile throughout the trip. Her three siblings (Jackie, Molly, and Fred) were on the field trip as well. They are all very close in age. Having heard about the Nile all my life, I was just as excited as the kids.

We arrived in Jinja and had lunch first; posho, matoke, rice, chicken, ground nut sauce, and beans. Then we headed down the steps and saw the Source of the Nile. A guide stood with us and explained all about the Nile, and Lake Victoria (where the Nile flows from). He was great to the kids and tested them on things like asking them to name three counties that the Nile flows through (Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt) and three countries that Lake Victoria is in (Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania). It was really quite educational and they were all listening intently. Then, the part they had all been waiting for; the boat ride! Our guide brought us down to the Source of the Nile and we boarded a big boat that fit us all. None of the kids know how to swim, and even Hellen was scared (last time when she came with Kate two years ago she refused to get on, bus was brave enough this time!) but the kids loved it. They were saving seats for us muzungus to sit beside them, and splashing their hands in the water and enjoying the ride.

I know for me, it was pretty cool to see the Nile River with it being so famous. It was just as wonderful getting to know the kids, and watching them experience it for the first time. I loved getting to know some of them better. Sylvia and Mariam are best friends and are always seen holding hands with big smiles on their faces. Ivan’s parents were both killed by the LRA when he was young, but he has been taken in by Hellen, and although it is clear that he is still emotionally scarred from his past, when he smiles, his eyes light up and he has a mischievous look about him, even though that is so far from his personality. Definitely a successful field trip and tourist attraction at the same time!

Plan Canada

Plan Canada has an office in Toronto and is an NGO I have heard lots of great things about. They are very similar to World Vision (who is better known, I think) but isn’t religious, which I like. We organized to have a visit today with Plan Canada’s Kamuli project, about 3 hours northeast of Kampala. Wanting to get as much out of the visit as possible, Kate, Sarah, and I sat down last night and made a list of questions we had. We got to talking with the staff today, and I learned SO much. But let me start from the beginning...

A Plan Uganda staff member named Lucky and our driver Eric picked us up this morning at 8am. We headed out on the long 3 hour driver to Kamuli, a rural area where Plan Uganda works. We chatted for most of the 3 hours, getting to know Lucky and Eric and learning about their experiences with Plan, and what Plan does. When we were nearly there, we stopped for snacks and Plan covered everything. For the entire day, they didn’t charge us a thing, and made us feel so welcome, going out of their way to make us comfortable and enjoy our time. That says a lot about the organization they are. Plan sponsors 39,961 children in Uganda, and 13,000 in the Kamuli project (there are 4mother project areas). One, Luwero, has an ebola outbreak so they didn’t bring us there, even though it is closer to Kampala than Kamuli.

We arrived at the office in Kamuli and met with more staff members, and learned more about their mission. They operate under 6 program pillars; the right to education, the right to water/sanitation, the right to community security, the right to protection, the right to participate as citizens, and the right to protection and assistance in emergencies and improved resilience to natural and man-made hazards. They have 3 campaigns; Because I’m a Girl (all girls schools, latrines and supplies for menstruating girls so they can go to school, vocations for teenager girls like tailoring and hairdressing), Learn Without Fear (advocacy against corporal punishment in schools, good child:teacher:parent relationships), and Universal Birth Registration (getting all sponsored kids birth certificates for free, as this is needed to start school and many kids don’t have it).

As I said, we spent a lot of time asking questions, and I learned a lot about life in Uganda and how NGOs deal with different issues that come up. Most families in this area rely on agriculture (sweet potatoes, rice, maize, and beans). Maize is the only cash crop... the rest are simply to feed the family. Rice is a cash crop as well, but not all families grow that, they primarily grow the others. During rice farming season, many kids are pulled from school to help out. Plan goes to each family, finds the children who aren’t in school, and talks with the parents about why they need to not pull the child from school. We asked about children with special needs, as Sarah and I both have a growing interest in that. They struggle with this as there are few options and no schools for the deaf, blind, etc. in the area. They have sent 3 children to special school out of the area. Lucky actually has a 6 year old daughter named Divine with severe cerebral palsy, and it was touching seeing how much love she has for her daughter, as she showed us pictures, and then discussed how her son wants to be a doctor so he can help his sister walk and talk. He is only 4 years old

We spent the next several hours visiting different Plan projects in the area. First we went to an HIV/AIDS project, that promotes testing and counselling for couples. They hold meetings where positive adults and their children can come together and discuss issues they are dealing with, how to overcome the stigma, ARVs, etc. They were in the midst of a meeting when we arrived, and one woman stood up and shared her story. Monica was tested positive for HIV in 2000, and she later convinced her husband to get tested as well. He is also positive, and was at the meeting beside her. They have four children, of which one is also positive. She began ARVs in 2005 and is proud that her home is running well, that three of her children are not positive, and that she convinced her husband to get tested. She left us feeling quite emotional as the crowd of women and men clapped, and I looked at the pride shining in her eyes.

Next up was Kamuli Girls’ School, a primary school for girls, part of the Because I’m A Girl campaign. It was funded by Plan Germany and is absolutely beautiful, with boarding rooms, a big dining hall, and lots of classrooms for the 360 children who attend (some board, some do day school). It is a term break after exams, but some girls who board were at the school and 11 of them came over to talk to us. They were all in Primary 7 (the last year before secondary school) and were excited to show us how good at English they were. I went through each one and asked their name and what they want to be when they grow up. Among their dreams were a lawyer, a surgeon, a doctor, a pilot, and an accountant. It is beautiful to me seeing such intelligent and confident girls.

Next up was a maternity health clinic. The maternity ward was funded by Plan Germany as well, and it had a delivery room and several beds for mothers and their babies. Three babies are born here a week. Next door was an immunization clinic funded by Plan Canada (woohoo!) The room was packed with mothers and their tiny babies, all coming to get their free immunizations for things like polio, measles, and hep B. Most babies I meet are scared of muzungus, but these babies were so happy and smiley!

Later, we went to a youth group called Nakiwulo Agaliawamu, where youth aged 14-24 are invited to take part in a pig program. 25 youth (15 boys, 10 girls) are given pigs. When they reproduce, they must give one back to the project to let in new participants, and they sell the rest to make a profit. Next to that was a banana plantation, which they also use to sell and to eat. Nearby was a women’s group led by Plan. 15 women (and 3 men) meet every Wednesday, and they were meeting as we arrived. They have a lock box locked shut with three locks. Each lock has a different key and three different women hold a separate key, so that it can only be opened when all three of those women are together (and thus nothing can be stolen). Each Wednesday when they meet, they bring either 500 or 1000 shillings (they choose) to put in the box. If needed, women can request a loan (one woman received a loan of 20,000 shillings today to pay fees for her kids to go back to school after break on Monday) and they each have a passbook where it is recorded how much they have loaned out, how much they have put in the box, etc. Since these women don’t have access to a bank, this is their community bank. When the session is over, they get back everything that they put in, so it teaches them how to save. When they get a large lump sum back, they are more likely to use it on house repairs, school fees, etc. There are very strict rules and fines for anyone who doesn’t follow these rules. If you are late, you pay a fine. If you leave the room without asking permission or skip over a step of the process, you are charged a fine. The women seemed to like the structure, and benefitted from learning how to save money. Some women save 10,000 shillings a week! Before we left, we introduced ourselves to the women, explained who we are and thanked them for letting us learn from them. We asked if one of them might be able to share how this program has affected her. A woman named Jennifer raised her hand, and told us about how so many women in the community are wanting to enter the program. Before, all her money went to food, with nothing left over. Now that she is learning how to take care of her money, for the first time she is able to afford other things aside from just food.

Our last project was a borehole, where kids were crowded around pumping water to bring home. We headed out for a late lunch (it was 4pm by that point) and enjoyed getting to better know six of the Plan staff members. Again, this is something they generously covered, which touched us. They were nothing but welcoming. We said goodbye to our four new friends, and at 5pm headed back to Kampala with Lucky and Eric on the long ride home. We weren’t back at the guesthouse until 8:15pm, and we parted ways with Lucky and Eric with an invitation to stop by the Kampala office next week. It was a long day with lots of driving, but I feel like I learned so much and have a newfound respect for a great NGO working around the world.

The Stone Quarry

Most of the kids at the school (and many others across Uganda) have at least one parent that works in a stone quarry. This is a common occupation in Uganda, although one that doesn’t pay very well at all. Helen, and two of the mothers whose houses we had visited (Scovia and Pudesta and their children), took us to visit the stone quarry and wow, was it ever eye opening. I have seen heavy labour before... I have seen child labour before, but it is a different look actually speaking with the people who do the job and learning about it from them.

Work at the stone quarry consists of sitting from 6am to 6pm and breaking rocks into smaller stones to be used for concrete. Big chunks of rock are taken from a cliffside, which is dangerous in itself as 2 weeks ago a man, and father of 2, was crushed by a falling boulder and killed. Women were breaking the boulder that had killed him when we were there. Money needs to be made.

The job is done by both men, women, and children. The younger children sit in the shade near their parents, but as they get older they begin to help, using the tools to crack the rocks. They are paid per jerry can, and each jerry can collected means 200 shillings (less than 10 cents). They do between 10 and 15 jerry cans every day, so make around a dollar a day after back breaking work. With a family of 8, like Scovia’s, this doesn’t go very far. The mothers handed me their tools and showed me how to do the work, and laughed as I tried over and over again, but only chipped off a small piece of stone. Sylvia and Nelson, the kids from the large family whose home we visited, crouched down and showed me how it was done. We laughed, but I couldn’t help but think how this is their reality; working hard labour under the hot sun day after day to still not be able to properly feed and care for their families. I have so much respect for the mothers I have spent time with, as they live with such strength.

After our visit we went back to the school and a 3 year old girl with Down Syndrome showed up to play. No one seemed to know the reason behind her “mental illness”; whether it is because they don’t know what it is called in English, or whether they just don’t have that vocabulary for different types of disabilities, I am not sure. She has heart problems, and a burn on her head from a medical procedure the hospital gave her, which accidently burned her. I sat for the longest time holding her and swinging her around the merry go round. It was tough to get a smile out of her, but I just melted when she cuddled into my chest and got sleepy. Her speech is delayed and she can’t walk well, but I am in love! Her name is Immaculate. After having worked with the kids with special needs in India, and having a cousin with Down Syndrome who thrives back in Canada, I couldn’t help but worry for her future. But she seems loved by her mother, who came by the school later and who talked to me for a bit and spoke good English, and for that I was relieved. My first reaction when I saw the big scars on her head was that she was being neglected at home for her disabilities, but that isn’t the case at all and her mother has a lot of love for her. It was a good reminder not to jump to the worst conclusions and to always give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

Right before we were heading out, Rebecca showed up at the school! I have been sponsoring her for 3 years and her family has been up north for a week during the school holidays. Innocent, her teacher from last year (and Hellen’s brother), called them today and they said they were en route to Kampala from the north. Rebecca came straight to the school when she got back and it was a very emotional meeting that I will save for its own post. Just writing about it gets me choked up!

After a long day with the kids, and then at the market shopping for donations, we ran to the pool, red with sunburns. A pack of about 10-15 monkeys were lounging on our lounge chairs, and playing poolside. I was absolutely infatuated with them! They weren’t timid and let us get very close to them. They live nearby and I have often seem them dropping from the trees, but this was the first time I had seen them so close, and it was fascinating just watching them play!

Families of Kireka

When I travel, the most important thing to me is connecting with the people and building relationships. Today we did home visits to meet several of the families of the children who attend CUS (in the Kireka region of Kampala). Each were so lovely and welcoming. At times, in other countries, I have felt unwelcome or that the people just wanted money out of me, which is always unsettling. The families we visited with today were so excited that we had chosen to visit them. One mother even squealed with delight and began cheering as we sat in her house and told her about the woman who sponsors her daughter.

We began in the house of Rita Kwagala (sponsored by Freeda). Rita has 3 younger siblings; Yesse (7), Gift (3) and a newborn baby named Judith. One more child lives in the village with his grandmother (5). Her house is a thirty minute walk from the school and because of this, her attendance isn’t always perfect, but she is bright. The house had a dirt floor and was one large room broken off into smaller rooms by sheets. The mother was so excited for us to be there and Rita opened the gift from her sponsor Freeda with excitement. She cradled the baby doll and took its shoes on and off over and over again. She bowed down as she thanked us, which is custom here in Uganda. She was terribly shy but warmed up by the end. She was very polite and sweet.

Next we took a boda boda to the house of Sylvia, Nelson, Javel, Immaculate, James, and Helen. Their mother, Scovia, works at the stone quarry and the kids were ones that we enjoyed spending time with yesterday. The baby, Helen, has been sick with measles. She was vaccinated so it isn’t too serious, her mother told us, but she was lethargic and has a raspy cough. James is quite malnourished and has a fungus on his head. The other 4 appear to be healthy. Their mother, Scovia, is a lovely woman, but they are struggling. I am happy though, because many other families have sent children away. Of the three homes we visited today, the first had sent 1 child to live with the grandmother, and the second had sent 5. They are a loving family and it was nice to see them staying together and encouraging the kids to go to school (they are at the top of their classes). Nelson was recently sponsored by a woman named Amelia, so we filmed a short video of him and his siblings for her. He wants to be a driver when he grows up. He is a super playful boy with a huge smile. Immaculate is the only child in this family still needing a sponsor. She is 4 years old, has the sweetest giggle you will ever hear, and can pout like no one I have seen!

We finished at the home of Bena who is 7 years old and in the top nursery class. Her mother, Pudesta, is the one who began squealing with delight as we arrived at her home. Bena, in contrast to her excitable mother, is very shy. Bena is the youngest of seven children. The eldest lives next door with his pregnant wife, and the other five live in the north with their grandmother. Pudesta works at the stone quarry, like the other mothers, but she also rolls paper beads, although she doesn’t have a market for them. Paper beaded jewellery are quite popular here, and a way that many artisans make a living. Bena’s house was quite tiny, and had a dirt floor with a tarp placed over it, however her mother owns it rather than rents, which she was very proud of.

Each of the families talked about how special they felt that we visited them. It gave me a better look into what their lives are like; listening as they shared about their jobs (another post on that to come), their struggles and having to send some kids ‘back to the village’, etc. The mothers and kids took us around the community for several hours, proud to know us and feeling special that we had visited. I usually work with North American run organizations, so it was really different (a good different) seeing the community through the eyes of its Ugandan leader and through the Ugandan mothers who took us under their wings.

Meeting the Kids of CUS!

We arrived last night in the beautiful country of Uganda! Kate and I coincidentally had our layovers at the same time in Amsterdam, even though we had flown from different cities and were laying over in different cities afterwards (she to Nairobi, me to Kigali and then to Entebbe). We were able to entertain each other with our excitement and that layover went by quickly. The following 9 hours to Kigali and then to Entebbe were long. Super long. But I made it into Entebbe where Sarah was waiting for me, ready with lots of stories from her first three days. I was standing next to a man who works for the UN while waiting for my visa, and enjoyed chatting with him. He spends 2 months in rotation in Uganda and the Congo, and then 2 months back in Canada. I asked him what he thinks the best NGO working in this area is, and he said Doctors Without Borders. An hour and a half later, just before midnight, Kate arrived as well and we drove to our guest house, the Red Chilli Hideaway, in Kampala. We were all completely exhausted, and it was too dark to really see anything, so we crashed quickly and woke up at 7:00 the next morning. Before I go on to tell you about the rest of our day, let me tell you that Sarah and Kate are amazing travel buddies! Already so many laughs...

This morning the excitement set in and we started our day with a walk around town to explore a bit, change our money, and buy some groceries. The city reminds me a lot of Nairobi in Kenya, although parts remind me of the Dominican as well. The first thing I thought of was the smell; that mix of humidity and diesel and garbage and I don’t know what else... that familiar smell of travel! Hellen, the principal of the school and someone I have heard so much about over the past three years that I have been supporting the school, met us at our guest house to take us on boda-boda (motorbike, similar to the moto in the DR) to the school. She is beautiful and sweet and kind and intelligent and someone that I had a lot of admiration for right away. She is such a good person and gives so selflessly of herself to everyone in the community. She knew all the kids and all their stories and all their families and acted like a mother to them all. Meeting her made me feel more strongly that CUS is a good place for me to support. I can say without doubt that the money goes to the best possible place.

We zipped on boda-boda through the city and arrived at the school after ten minutes. As soon as we arrived, it began pouring rain and we ran inside Hellen’s house for 45 minutes until it stopped. The rain came quickly and heavily and left just as suddenly. We took the opportunity to get to know Hellen, meet her kids (she has 2, but several other kids live with her), and look through some paper beaded bracelets that she and the kids have made (I bought 10 off her, and will be selling them on my blog soon to fundraise for the school).

Before the rain let up, kids began arriving. Soaked to the bone, Hellen looked into her closet for a towel and clean clothes to dress them in. Little James was in a long pink flowered shirt, but he had a big smile on his face and didn’t seem to care!

Hellen took us on a tour of the school. One building made of corrugated tin is where primary 4-6 studies. The classrooms for the younger grades are really quite awful. Falling apart, too tiny, no lighting, dirt floors... the school is in the process of building a new brick classroom, but the money hasn’t come in to finish it yet, so it stands half finished at the back of the property. The bathrooms are quite nice and there are plenty of facilities for both genders, as well as a shower. We walked down the road to Hope Home, where 10 girls will move in to next month, all living in neglectful or abusive situations. My sponsor child, Rebecca (who I will meet later this week, as she is up north on school break) will live here, among 9 others. My first thought upon touring the school was what an overwhelming need it has. But then I met the kids, and their joy was contagious.

The community is one of the most poverty-stricken that I have ever worked in. It is impossible to ignore. And yet the kids are so precious... indescribable. Little Immaculate was a favourite of mine; so sassy. There are 6 kids in the family; Sylvia, Nelson, Javel, Immaculate, James, and Helen. They came in from the pouring rain absolutely soaked, but after getting dried off and warmed up they were all smiles for the rest of the day. EXCEPT baby Helen, who cried any time I came near her. We racked our brains trying to come up with ways to entertain them... thumb wars, tag, singing songs, and dancing can only go so far, until we resulted in just holding their hands, running around the compound, and having them copy our fish faces, lion growls, and chants of “muzungu!!!” Needless to say, by the end of the day we were coated in dirt, exhausted, but smiling. The kids are joyful but very desperate for attention. The day was a great way to begin to get to know some of them, and as an introduction to Ugandan life.

We headed back to the hotel, went for a swim, and then went out for dinner and I tried Ugandan food for the first time. I am not in love with it like I am Indian and Ethiopian, but it wasn’t bad. We took Hellen out to a restaurant called St. Anthony’s. I tried matoke and posho, which are the two main dishes here, as well as nakati. Posho was really plain; like a bland mashed potatoes. It would have been better if I had beans with it. Matoke is a way of cooking plantains, which I didn’t mind. We spent a lot of time going over the new sponsorship program with Hellen, organizing some ideas for programs and our itinerary, learning what the greatest needs for the school are and what Hellen’s plans/hopes are for improvement. Teachers aren’t getting steady salaries, so we want to focus on that. When teachers are motivated and paid, they can support their own families and will be better motivated to make a larger investment in their students’ education. Plus the lunch program isn’t doing well and food is scarce. The food they do have is lacking nutrients. Next, school supplies, books, and uniforms. We are starting the sponsorship program to be for $10/month so that it will cover all these things. I think the school will really improve quickly if this program takes off!

This beautiful little girl, Immaculate (who I spoke about before) is in need of a sponsor at $10/month to improve the quality of her education. I am going to meet her family at her home tomorrow, and I am told they are some of the best parents at the school. They both work in the stone quarry and Immaculate is a bright, hilariously spunky little cutie! Let me know if you are able to sponsor her!

Plans for this week include home visits, stone quarry visit, Plan Canada and Sseko visit, going to the Nile River (and possible bungee jumping!!), visiting the Equator, and doing some shopping!