Let The Crying Begin

Today started with Ruth and Kakembo coming to my house to ask me for their pens back. I had put them in my bag and forgot about them. I thought it was funny that they took those pens so seriously because they didn’t have a spare one. As they were about to leave Kakembo asked me when we were going to look for bikes. I told him to go look and let me know how much they cost first. He smiled then walked off to school.

Today was also the day I was to drop Jimmy off at his new school. He came to the guesthouse this morning all ready to go. As soon as we went to leave it started to pour rain. It was seriously the hardest rainstorm I have ever seen. We got stuck at Nalusse in the office for ½ an hour waiting for it to slow down. When it did we stopped by the P6 classroom to say good-bye to everyone. The girl Jimmy secretly told me he liked was not there, she had went with Jesse to Kampala. I asked him if he wanted to write her a letter and I would give it to her, but he said no. I think he wanted to but was just to shy to say so.

After the rain let up we headed out to the new school. By the time we got there it started to pour again so we got drenched walking into the school. We spent some time with the headmaster and settled up payment of school fees and the cost of uniforms and clothes. I also gave them some spending money for Jimmy so that he could buy some snacks and other small things throughout the year.

When the money stuff was all settled we went to the dorm to unpack his things and get him settled there. By this point he was acting a bit strange and I think was getting sad about me leaving and about being left there without knowing anyone.

To my surprise the school kept their promise and gave Jimmy an entire bunk bed to himself. We made the bed and unpacked a few things then hung the mosquito net (I gave him mine) I then told the dorm master about when Jimmy is to take his medication and what schedule he is on. I really felt like his mother giving them all his information and how to properly take care of him. I really want to make sure that his is in good care.

Before we left for the school I had printed out all the photos I took of Jimmy while on this trip and gave him a copy. There was one with him and Ruth as well as one of us together. I think he really appreciated that and didn’t want to put them away. I also gave him some envelopes with stamps already attached for him to send me a letters while I am in Canada.

By this time it was after lunch and I had to get going. I asked him to walk me to the road and I had already started to cry. It was still raining at this point and I am sure he was cold so I wanted to make it quick. I started balling and he teared up. He didn’t want me to see but I did and told him it was ok to cry. We hugged then both turned and walked away. It was so hard to say goodbye because I don’t know when or if I will ever see him again. He is well now but who knows how long he really has.

While I was with Jimmy Jesse had taken Ruth and Kakembo to Kampala to finish the passport paperwork. After getting the receipt they went back to the office only to find out that the parents needed to be there. We were told ahead of time that we didn’t need the parents but apparently things had changed. They came back to Mukono and called the parents to come. Only Kakembo’s mother showed up and they left Mukono for Kampala again around 4 pm in hopes of making it there before they closed. Turns out the reached Kampala 5 minutes after they closed and were told to come back tomorrow. I know Jesse was trying to get everything done by the time I leave and I really appreciate that but I feel bad they had to do so much running around. They will try again in the morning

In the afternoon I met up with Ruth’s mother and we went to her house to take some pictures. They live far away and I can’t believe Ruth walks it every day. It takes her 2 hours to walk to school each way. She gets up at 5, washes up and has tea then walks 2 hours to school to arrive for 7:30 am. She then goes to school until 5:30 before starting her 2 hour walk home. When she reaches home she must fetch water and wash clothes. She probably also does the dishes and other housework. Then it’s time for homework before going to bed at around 11 or 12. What a day for such a small girl.

I took some photos of their house and spoke with the mother for a while. We had a very interesting conversation about witchcraft and people killing other people in Uganda because her neighbor was a witch doctor. She was telling me about how if someone steals your property and they get caught a crowd can form and beat that person, sometimes to death. I asked her what happens if they beat the person to death and she told me that they just light the body on fire and run away. She then asked me if this type of thing happens in Canada. When I told her no she told me that there is a good amount of killing in Uganda, and that husbands often kill their wives out of jealousy. She spoke so matter of factly about it I found it so strange. At the end of our visit she gave me some cushion covers she made. Nothing I would ever use but extremely thoughtful considering these people have no money.

As soon as I arrived home Kakembo showed up telling me he found a bike and that he wanted to go look at them right away. It was already dark and we were about to have dinner but he was so excited I couldn’t say no. When we arrived at the bike shop they were just closing but we were able to get them to pull out the bike Kakembo picked. It was definitely used and needed a few repairs. We negotiated on a price then they agreed to fix it up and make everything work.

After spending some time shining my trusty finger flashlight (thanks mom) on the bike and helping screw and unscrew some parts we finally got it all ready to go. It was so worth it because I have never seen Kakembo have such a reaction. He started to stutter a bit and thanked me over and over again. He had called to tell his mother that he would be late and she started calling me back to say thank you for buying him the bike. It was another one of those great moments, and I got a great photo of him on the bike to prove it.

Tomorrow is my last day and I am sure there will be many tears to shed. Better get a good nights sleep.

Jenn

Sick

Today I am fully sick. I took some drugs to at least get me through the day, because I knew I had a lot to do.

I met up with teacher Jesse and the two kids I am inviting to Canada so that we could go into Kampala to process the paperwork. We finally got all the signatures needed and thought we could just go into the city and hand them in. Of course that’s not how things work in Africa. When we arrived at the office there was confusion as to where we should go, and we were moved from one office to the other. We were told that we had to pay first before going into processing. The cashier took our papers and told us to go sit under the tent where several other people were sitting. After a long wait they came out and called our names. We were then told to go into the city and take the papers to the bank to make payment.

When we arrived at the bank the teller processed the papers and told us to come back in 2 hours for the receipt. While waiting I decided to take everyone out for a muzungu lunch. These 2 kids had never eaten in a muzungu restaurant and were so excited to order food. It got them chicken and fries and they ate everything until the bone was dry. During the meal I asked them how often they get to eat meat. But Jesse and Kakembo responded that they don’t know when the last time they even had meat. For them they usually just have posho and beans, for both lunch and dinner. I couldn’t image having that every day of my life. It has no taste and has very little nutritional value.

After lunch we walked around a bit then sat in a public park. By this point I was really starting to feel sick and it was quite hot so I wanted to head back, but we had to go to the bank. When we arrived at the bank there was a huge line of people all trying to get receipts. Soon the line turned into a large crowd of people pushing to the front. Jesse and I got close to the front when it started, then he told me to sit down so that he could take care of it. I was very thankful for that because I thought I might pass out being stuck in all the people. Right after I sat down with the kids the power went out in the bank. For the next hour and a half we waiting to see if Jesse was able to get the receipts. He eventually came back with no success. He was told to come back tomorrow. We left with our heads down feeling tired and defeated. Nothing accomplished that day.

When we left the bank we caught the first mutatu home thinking we would get some relief from the day and just relax. No such luck. We got stuck in the worst traffic jam I have seen in Kampala. I had Ruth sleeping on my lap the whole time and I was feeling so sick I just wanted to be home to lie down. After an hour and a half we finally cleared the jam but were then stopping every 5 minutes to let someone off and to gather a new passenger. I was so frustrated I almost yelled at the driver. Two and a half hours later we arrived in Mukono.

I took Kakembo home so that I could take some pictures of his house and his family. To my surprise no one was there when we arrived and the house was locked up. Kakembo’s family is one of the poorest I have seen. They live in a shack and have a small structure outside for cooking. He is in charge of fetching water, washing and cooking. He often burns himself while cooking and has several scares to prove it. I took a few photos of the house and surrounding area and spoke with Kakembo about how he and his family live. He told me that he only sees his father once a year because they don’t have enough money for him to travel to Mukono from where he stays. He only came in last week to personally see me and to thank me for helping his son. This blew me away.

Kakembo has never asked me for anything and is always very quiet. But tonight he asked me to buy him a bicycle. I told him that I couldn’t make any promises but that he could look to see where to buy one and how much they cost. He could then tell me tomorrow. I know a bicycle seems like a silly gift, but for this family it is a huge deal. They also live far out and I know having a bike will make life easier for them.

By the time I reached the guesthouse and sat down to rest he had called to tell me that he found the bikes. His English isn’t great so the conversation was very funny. When I asked him what the price was he said he forgot then just said goodbye and hung up. So cute.

By this point I was feeling dead to the world. I immediately took some more pills and took my temperature. I was running a fever and had the hot and cold sweats. All I really wanted to do was to go to sleep but I had made plans to go for dinner. I also knew that eating would probably make me feel better, so I went out. We ate at a “pork joint” in Seeta. It was an outdoor pub style place and the food was great. We threw our bones and leftovers to some stray cats and watched them fight over it. The place had a TV so we got to watch some cheesy Nigerian soap opera’s. Very funny.

As soon as we got home I went to bed to sleep off my sickness. Hoping tomorrow I will feel better. I know it will be a sad day because I drop Jimmy off at his new school.

Jenn

A Day In The Garden

This morning Valance came by to pick up the donated money. When I told him what we would pay for he was so moved. He just looked at me and said, “sometimes it is so overwhelming and I don’t know what to say, thank you very much.” I started to cry. In fact, this whole last week I have cried a bit every day. I know it is going to be very difficult to say good bye this time. Valance also told me to thank everyone who contributed, which I thought was great that he didn’t think it was just me and remembered that there were many people behind this. I gave him enough money to build the two classrooms as well as doors and windows for 2 other classrooms. It was the second largest donation we made next to the lunch program at Nalusse. Not sure if I mentioned this already but things hear have almost doubled in the past year and a half since I was here. The lunch program is now $4000 and the cost of building supplies has sky rocketed. We are still making a huge difference but the money doesn’t go as far as it did last time. At this we have the exchange rate on our side.

The rest of the day was a day of sacrifice on my part. Nansubugu has been begging me to come to see her garden because I was the one who bought her trees last time I was here. She really wanted me to see how they were doing. As all of you know, I am not a garden person and really don’t like getting dirty, so I could care less about the garden but felt obligated to go.

It was about 10:30 at the time and I told Nansugua that I needed to be back at the school by 1 because I promised the kids I would show them a video. As usual with Africa we didn’t leave until 11:45 so I knew we weren’t getting back by 1.

We took a 1 hour boda bodo (motorcycle) ride to the garden, which was at the end of a road in a really remote village. When we got there she gave me some rubber boots to wear, and of course I had no socks so that was pretty repulsive for me. We walked around the whole 5 acres and she pointed out every tree and plant. When she started picking greens I just stood on the side because I wasn’t about to work in the garden. My dress was fully of thorns, it was hot, I didn’t have any water and I just wanted to get the hell out of there. Finally we left after Nanusubuga tore a strip off there garden helper for not doing good work.

Once we arrived in Mukono, Nansubuga insisted on taking me for lunch. We talked a lot about the garden, her son and life in general in Uganda, then finally headed back to the school.

I spent the afternoon with the kids and showed them a video of some South African kids who are orphans and who have made a CD and DVD of themselves singing. The kids seemed to really like it, but when it came to the part of a man dying of AIDS a few of the students started to cry. There is so much death and sadness here that you never really hear about unless you end up having a private moment with someone. At the end of the movie they tried singing some of the songs even though they were in a completely different language. It was very cute.

During the video Jimmy called me and asked to meet me at the nearest road by the school. I asked him why he didn’t come to school and he said his cow had a calf that morning and he was looking after it. He wanted to talk to me about the phone I wanted to give him. Apparently his aunt heard me talking about it and asked him to ask me if she could have it. I was a bit pissed that she would even ask because I know she has her own phone. When I told Jimmy this he told me that someone came and took her phone this morning. I wasn’t buying the story. Just when I thought I was making head way with his family and that things were becoming clear she turns around and tries to pull that. I wasn’t impressed.

After school Nansubuga insisted that I go to her house for tea. I went with her and another female teacher from the school. She had a lovely house and 2 house girls to do everything for her. We had tea and some plastic looking cake then discussed the garden again and a few personal things about the female teachers. I learned that teacher Milly’s husband recently died from Diabetes, which was very sad to hear. Finally after the proper amount of time I told her that I had to get going because it was dark and I can’t see well at night. They found me a boda boda and I headed back to the guesthouse.

Luck for me, the girls at the house decided to cook spaghetti so we had a nice western meal that night. I recently caught a cold from the 2 little girls that live with us so I decided to take it easy and go to bed early here. When you get sick in Africa it hits you like a ton of bricks because your body isn’t at full strength and can’t fight it as well as it would at home. I know tomorrow it’s going to be bad

Jenn

New Project to Love

This morning Leslie took me out to one of her pet projects, it is run by a Rwandese man named Valance who has several school projects here in Uganda. We drove out to a far village that was about an hour or so away. It was raining all morning so the roads were bad but it made the drive fun.

When we arrived at the project I was immediately blown away at how awesome it was. I knew this was the place I would like to volunteer at and where I would like to donate a good amount of the money towards. Valance is a brilliant man who is unlike any other Uganda I’ve met. He had a vision and plans ahead. When he is planning a project he starts slowly with things he and the children can do hoping that one day someone will give them the money to finish the project. He told me that he starts early so that if someone comes along who wants to donate he is ready to go.

The school has a western school feel. They were donated 8 acres of land so they have spread out the classrooms and teachers living quarters. They even have a garden where they grow food for the teachers. School fees are minimal as most of the kids families can’t afford them, yet they get to go to an amazing school.

I spoke with Valance about what the greatest needs were and he told me they were trying to build another 2 classrooms because 2 classes were under a temporary structure and when it rained they couldn’t work. He had a full written proposal that he gave me which broke down the costs. He also mentioned that they needed doors and windows put on the existing classrooms so that people wouldn’t steel the school supplies and books. I told him that I would look everything over that night and that he should come by the guesthouse the next day and I would give him the money.

After the school visit we went for lunch in Biukawa and picked up a volunteer who is leaving early because she is sick and need surgery back home. No she did not catch anything here, but rather has an illness that flared up when she arrived.

In the afternoon Jimmy came over to the house and we decided to take all his new things to his new school so that we wouldn’t have to carry everything on Thursday when I drop him off. I asked if his aunt would like to come so that she could see the school and she agreed to join us. We labeled everything with his name and packed it up for our Mutatu ride to the school.

It was nice to have his aunt there because she could negotiate the price of the Mutatu. I paid 2500 per person last time only to find out that it was supposed to be 500. They love to rip off us white people here.

When we arrived at the school we took his aunt to the boys living quarters. As mentioned before it is very modest and I think she was a bit surprised. They man who looks after all the boys opened Jimmy’s case and started going through all the things we brought. He was just checking to make sure we had everything but he also looked a bit too excited about a few things. When he saw the soccer ball he thanked me over and over again for bringing the school one. I had to remind him that everything in the case belonged to Jimmy and that is was his to share if he wanted too.

They pulled a few things out of the case that were excess and decided to put them in storage. In theory it is good because Jimmy may just blow through all the pens and paper right away and not have any for the rest of the term, but I was also worried that we many never see them again. I had to again tell them that all of this was bought for Jimmy and that I expected that it not be given to any other students or get lost. I guess we’ll see how it all works out.

There was also an issue with beds when we got there. Initially they told me that they had lots of beds and that Jimmy would get his own bunk bed, the top to sleep on and the bottom to store his things. Well, when we got there they just shoved him in a bottom bunk where another kid was on top. There wasn’t even a mosquito net for them. I told the director that this wasn’t acceptable and they assured me that when we come back on Thursday he would have his own bed.

We finished the tour of the school then sat down with the director to discuss some details. When we asked Jimmy who should go with him to get his monthly ARV medication, he asked that his aunt take him. We all thought it was a great idea to keep his family involved. Plus then I wouldn’t have to worry about paying for transport to and from Kampala for him and an escort. I do have a feeling that his aunt is going to ask me for something though.

Josephus (the angel) spent some time talking with Jimmy’s aunt about treatment and what should be done. When they finished they promised to keep me posted on the progress he is having with the medication.

I also asked the director if I could leave a phone with Jimmy so that I could call and check up on him. I was advised not to because the other kids would try and steal it to sell for extra money. They told me that I could call their phones if I wanted to talk to him.

One the way home Jimmy’s aunt thanked me over and over and seemed to be very happy that he was getting this opportunity. I’m happy that everyone seems happy with this decision to send Jimmy to boarding school.

Jenn

Chimp Trekking

This morning we got up very early to drive to Kibale forest. The drive was absolutely beautiful. When we arrived for chimp trekking there were a few other groups there that were to join us (18 people in total). One group was of 6 Italians who couldn’t have looked more European. We had a good laugh at them and prayed that we wouldn’t be in their group as they were all chain smokers.

We were told to break up into small groups of 6 so we had a European couple join us. They were loaded up with fancy cameras and proper hiking boots, while we were in our running shoes with ankle socks. Before we entered the forest we were told to tuck our pants into our socks to protect us from the safari ants. Of course none of us could do that because our socks weren’t long enough, so we were just careful where we stepped.

As we started the walk our guide told us about all the things that live in the forest which included, chimps, several other types of monkeys, snakes, elephants, antelope, and of course many types of bugs. Two of the other volunteers were terrified of the snakes and were constantly on the look out for them. When I asked the guide what he was most afraid of, he told me the snakes (because they were extremely poisonous) and the forest elephants. He described a time where he was giving a tour to some older people and they came up on some forest elephants who started to charge them. They all had to run for their lives and many of them fell and hurt themselves. You know its bad when your guide starts praying to God and telling you to run as fast as you can.

We were very luck in the fact that we ran into some chimps about 15 minutes into our walk. They were in the trees as well as on the ground in front of us. We watched them groom each other for about 40 minutes while our guide told us lots of interesting stories about how they live.

After some time our guide radioed to the other groups to see if they found any chimps and none of them were successful. He invited them to come where we were so that they could see them close up. When they arrived they all swarmed the chimps and scared them off. Idiots. We just left and went for a walk through the forest where our guide talked about all the different trees and bugs and what they are used for. We even had a bit of a sex ed class. He pointed out a certain tree that is used for men “who have low batteries” (Africa’s own natural Viagra) There was also another tree for women “who are sexually dry” Apparently this tree will make you “soft and jelly” We all had a good laugh.

After the walk we started our 6 hour drive back to Mukono. When we arrived we just ate and went straight to bed.

Jenn

Drive to Fort Portal

This morning 3 other volunteers and I left for Fort Portal to go chimp trekking. Rather than take one of the “death busses” we decided to pay a bit more money for a special hire. Our driver was a friend of Leslie’s who drives many muzungu’s around. It was nice to have a whole mini van for just 5 people rather than the usual 20 to 24 people.

It rained the whole day and we almost got rear ended on the way up there. For what ever reason the Ugandan road authority feels it necessary to put very large speed bumps every 20 feet or so. This lasted for over and hour and a half so there was no way to sleep and we were all very tired.

6 hours later we arrived in Fort Portal which is on the boarder of the Congo. The town is very sweet, it’s in a very lush and hilly area so the scenery is beautiful. It was also nice to be away from Mukono because no one in Fort Portal was yelling at us or pulling at us to come buy something.

We spent the day just walking around enjoying ourselves and even managed to find a muzungu restaurant. The food wasn’t great but it was sure nice not to have posho and beans.

Our hotel was quite nice by Ugandan standards. Each room had two single beds with mosquito nets, a bathroom attached to the room with a western style toilet (that actually worked) and a proper shower. The water was of course cold but it was still nice not to be splashing water on myself in a bucket.

Tomorrow we drive another hour or so into the rain forest to go trekking.

Jenn

Masks Day 2

This morning we went with Lee to one of her very remote village projects. She wanted to show it to me to see if I was interested in giving some money to the project. The village was so remote, it was an hour mutatu ride and a 30 minute bodo bodo ride. Great fun to find the place, but very far out. The people on the main road were excited to see so many white people passing on motorcycles.

Once we arrived the schools director took us for a tour. At present they are renting a small house and using it for 4 classrooms. The other classes are taught outside under trees in a temporary structure. There are 300 kids there and they have nothing. The project really needs to be built from the ground up.

When I asked the director what the biggest need was he told me that they need permanent structure and some more land. They have also started a latrine but need money to finish it. To buy the land is inexpensive but to build the school is very expensive. The cost of everything here in Uganda has doubled in the past year and a half. They told me to finish the latrine was 70 000 shillings so I gave them the money on the spot, but when I handed it over they guy looked at me funny. Apparently we had a miscommunication and the latrine would actually cost 700 000 shillings to finish. I didn’t have the money on me but am ok with giving it to them later. I don’t think I will invest in the project because there is far too much to do and they don’t seem to be the most organized people.

We also stopped at an orphanage school on the way back, which Lee also runs, but the director wasn’t there. When we arrived I was so excited to see that the kids were wearing bright yellow Tim Horton’s uniforms. On the back they had numbers and the name Timbits across. Apparently another Canadian volunteer brought them, but it was great to see them all wearing them. We did a quick tour, took some photos and went to find our way back to Mukono.

Because we were deep village we were at the mercy of passing by boda boda’s to pick us up. Luckily there was a truck passing by who offered us a ride. Two got in the front and Sarah and I stood in the back of the pick up. As we drove down the road people were coming out of their homes to wave at the passing white people in the back of the truck. We were definitely the superstars of the village that day.

This afternoon Coline and I went back to Nalusse to finish painting the masks. It took another 3 hours to finish them and we were sweating the whole time, but it was nice to see the kids happy with the outcome. As with last time, they really enjoyed the feathers and wanted to put a ton of them on. The class was a lot more crazy than my last students so they got a bit out of hand. One of the kids threw his shoes on the roof and they had to lift a small kid up there to walk across the iron sheets to get it. I thought he was going to fall in on us. In the end I got some great photos of the masks and a good group shot of all the kids.

Off to do chimp trekking tomorrow and can’t wait to get out of Mukono and see more of this beautiful country.

Jenn

Skipping With The Kids

This morning Leslie took me and Sarah out to the PACE project. I was able to see the updates since I gave them the money last week. The school now has proper doors and windows and they are working on finishing the latrines. I gave them the school supplies they requested and they were so thankful.

We spent a bit of time there and played with the kids. There is even some video and me, Betty (the 68 year old director of the school), Leslie and Sarah jumping rope with the kids. We were all a bit rusty but we managed to jump a few times without it getting caught. The school also has a small piggery project so we watched and video taped the kids trying to catch the piglets. There was so much squealing, I felt bad for the little pigs, but the kids had a great time showing us them.

There were also 2 small girls who were sisters, one was 3 and the other was 5. I was told that they have lived a rough life, many deaths in the family and are now unsure of people. One girl is extra clingy and her older sister is over protective. The young one hung on to one of us the whole time. She held so tight and didn’t want to let go. When it was time to start school her older sister came over and collected her. Sad but so cute to see them cope with what life gave them.

Once we left Seeta Sarah and I went into Kampala to buy our passes for chimp trekking this weekend. We spent the afternoon running around Kampala and taking boda boda’s (motorcycle taxi’s) everywhere. For lunch we went to a muzungu restaurant and had proper food, I had the steak sandwich with cheese. Mmmmmmm cheese. My stomach was a bit upset afterwards but it was so worth it.

The ride home from Kampala took forever. What normally is a 1 hour drive took us over 2 hours. We were stuck in traffic and ended up taking a back way home. We arrived late but stayed up having great conversation with the other volunteers. Note: must investigate the “She Wee”. (photos to come)


Jenn

Masks Day 1

Today Jimmy and I went to the Jim Education Center (the boarding school of the man I met yesterday). It is a modest school on a large piece of land. They have electricity and water on site but the school is not fancy by any means. We had a nice meeting with the director about the school and what they stand for. We also spoke about Jimmy’s treatment and who would ensure he goes to Kampala to get his ARV’s. They assured me that there are other students who are HIV positive and that they take them all for treatment. After discussing all the fees involved they took us for a tour of the school. The classrooms are bigger than Nalusse but a bit more disheveled. The boys dormitory is 1 large open room with just a few beds in it, very plain and a little scary because it is so open with nothing in it. I wasn’t sure what Jimmy was thinking so I told the director that the final decision was up to Jimmy.

When we left I asked him which school he would prefer to go to, Nalusse or this new boarding school. He said he would like to go to the boarding school. We were given a large list of things to buy for him to attend school. Things like a trunk with a lock to put his things in, a mattress, sheets, towels, brooms, soaps, dishes, hygienic things, and a hoe. Yes a hoe, the school believes in education, agriculture and religion. Funny to me but common here. When we started buying all the things are the grocery store Jimmy was all smiles. He had such a great time picking out the items he wanted. Especially the soap, he chose an apple smelling soap. I think he feel very proud that he new has all of these things that belong just to him.

In the afternoon Coline and I went to Nalusse to do the plaster masks for the P4 students. There were 32 of them and it took us over 3 hours to do them all. Thank goodness I had her there. It’s funny how this P4 class is so different from my old class. They seem younger, smaller and are more troublesome. Regardless, they had a good time.

It was overcast today so for once we got a break from the sweating, should be able to sleep well tonight.

Jenn

Today I Met An Angel

Today I met an angel, his name is Josephus. When I told Esther (our house girl) that I had a problem with one of my students being HIV positive and that he was being beaten badly at home, she then told me that she knew someone that could help. She called her uncle who is also HIV positive and who runs a school and centre for children with HIV. When he heard about Jimmy’s story he immediately said he was on his way over. This man drove in from the village with a proper counselor to meet with Jimmy. I took him over to Nalusse and they have a private meeting just the 3 of them. Afterwards we discuss Jimmy, his situation, and a little about AIDS in general. This man truly is a saint. He tested positive for HIV in 1992 and is living very opening with it in a country that it is still taboo to discuss it. He is the local spokesperson in this entire district for HIV and AIDS and has helped many people. I arranged to come to his school tomorrow to check it out and see if it will work for Jimmy.

In the afternoon I went and bought a bunch of school supplies for a few schools I am visiting this week. I will be returning to the PACE project out in Seeta to see the new doors, windows and other changes we paid for last week. They are also in need of school supplies so I am bringing them a bunch as well.

There was a small glitch in the passport process today. We got the 3 LC leaders to stamp the passports and next was the mayor. Before he would sign there is a man who is supposed to check everything out and give a recommendation. Jessie took the kids to go see him and he to them to come back with their parents. He wanted to make sure that I wasn’t trying to steal these kids and that the parents were ok with them getting a passport. Jessie asked me to come back with all of them thinking that if a muzungu came the guy might be quicker about signing off. Jessie warned me that this guy was very rough and that he was ex military so I should be prepared. When we got there the man immediately asked Jessie why he was there because this was a matter between him and the parents. He also asked who I was and what I was doing there. When I explained that I was the person who invited the children to Canada he just told me to leave the room. The man was definitely scary. He had a chat with the parents and then told us to come back next Wednesday. Not sure why we have to wait a week, but I think he was just trying to show his power. So, we’ll see what happens next week.

That’s it for now.

Jenn

Positive

Today I took Jimmy with me to Kampala and we had a great day, just the two of us. The day started by me taking him to get tested at the International Clinic. We could have went to a local cheap place but I wanted some questioned answered and to make sure he was getting good care. As expected the test came back positive. We spent some time talking to the doctor about the treatment and how he should be taking it. He seems ok with the whole thing and never really showed any signs that he was upset or sad.

After the doctor I took him to a local muzungu restaurant for a treat. I guess I didn’t think about what a shock it would be for him to go to such a place. When we arrived his eyes got really big and he was surprised at how big the place was. When I asked him what he would like to eat he just told me to order for him because he didn’t know what anything was. I tried explaining what a burger was and what a few other things were, like pizza. In the end, after consulting a local waiter, we decided he would have a chicken burger. When it arrived, again his eyes got really big because he was surprised at the size of it. I could tell that he didn’t know what to do with it because he was looking at me for guidance, so I told him to cut it in half to make it easier. These kids don’t use utensils they just use their hands, so he was unsure how to properly do it. He tried to use his fork and knife to cut it because it didn’t work so I just cut it for him. Again I assumed that he would just pick it up and bite into it like we would, but instead he took it apart piece by piece and ate one layer at a time, bun, meat, lettuce, tomato and finally bottom bun. It was just a great moment for both of us. At the end of the meal I told him that we could take the leftovers with us. He looked a bit shocked and asked “where will we put it”. I told him that they would wrap it up for us so that we can eat it later. That made him very happy.

After lunch I took him to a large grocery store in the area and again his eyes lit up. He was looking every direction and couldn’t decide on what to look at. We walked around for a bit and I explained what certain things were. They even had a few products from Canada and the US which he was really interested in.

We ran a few more errands (bought more books for 2 schools) then headed back to Mukono. Jimmy went to class and I had a meeting with Kakembo’s parents about the passport process. We finished all the paperwork for both kids and are now ready to take it to the next step. In order for a Ugandan to get a passport it must be signed off on by 3 local chair people and the mayor, all which require bribes or “tips” as they call them here. I have one of the teachers taking care of that tomorrow.

Tonight we had a new volunteer arrive. She is an older lady from England who is very nice. We also sent Ann (the new volunteer from the other day) out to her village. She was terrified and needed to be consoled and hugged. I hope the shock where’s off and she is ok.

Jenn

Ahhhh Villlage Life

This morning the Coline, Ann and myself decided to take a trip out to a village. We wanted to just walk around and see what village life is like. We decided to go to Katosi which is about a 1 hour mutatu ride from Mukono. As usually the mutatu ride was absolutely terrifying. They were driving as fast a possible on old dirt roads and we were swerving everywhere. Believe me if you are going to die in Uganda it won’t be from AIDS or war, but rather any form of transportation.

When we arrived in Katosi we just started walking around. It is a small fishing village on the lake so we took a few pictures of the boats and some crazy birds and then decided to walk further into the remote villages. We of course were swarmed by every child in site yelling “bye muzungu” This went on for the whole time we were there.

It was a great village and we were greeted by everyone on the path. They were all curious why we were walking away from the town and not to the town. When we spoke to them in Lugandian they were all very excited. Especially the older people.

This village wasn’t as remote as the one I went to last time I was in Uganda. In that village they still lived in grass and mud huts and had never seen white people before. I was hoping for more of that, but still enjoyed myself.

After some time we decided to head back to Mukono. The ride back wasn’t so bad but we had a full mutatu (22 people) I think Ann was a bit shocked, but Coline and I were both used to it because we had been here before.

Tonight I cooked dinner for all the volunteers. Spaghetti and tomato sauce from scratch. I don't really cook much at home so I was a bit worried how this would turn out. It was okay but the tomato paste they have here is brown so that color of the sauce was weird. The other volunteers thought it would good. I hope they weren't just saying that to make me feel better.

We have 2 small girls that live with us, Sarah(6 years old) and Katherine (3 years old). Sarah loved watching me good, especially because I had brought some silly gadgets we have in Canada. She never really smiles but we were able to catch a photo of her in the kitchen with me and she actually smiled. It was a nice moment.

Another cool thing was that the president drove by our house. He and his very long line of cars and guards. The people in our area were very excited.

That's it for now. Tomorrow I am taking Jimmy to Kampala to get tested. I will also take him for some Muzungu food. Should be a good time.

Jenn

First Cockroach Sighting

This morning I went to the school to meet the kids for a “play day” It’s Saturday and I thought we were all meeting to just have some fun. My roommate came with me and when we arrived the kids were in class. Apparently they have school on Saturday until 1 pm. I don’t think it is mandatory though.

After they finished their work I put on some music from my stereo that a brought and we blew up some balloons. The kids had a great time hitting them around until they all broke. We played several games and danced to music for a few hours. I took some great video of them dancing and playing.

The rest of the afternoon I spend lying around the guesthouse because it was too hot to do anything else. I think I have officially sweat out every toxin in my body. While I was lying around, Kakembo brought his father over to thank me for everything. He came in from a far village just to say thank you and to meet me. He also gave me a very sweet letter.

He had a new volunteer arrive today. She is also from Canada. We’ve had a good laugh at how many Canadian’s there are here right now. She is young and a bit nervous about being here, so Coline and I have been coaching here through her first days. So far she hasn’t left our side and is afraid to sleep in the bedroom by herself. A bit clingy and completely scared to do anything, so I’m not sure how she is going to manage in the village.

In the evening we watched a movie on my laptop. It was good to feel a little like we were back home. Life can get a bit tough here some times so it’s good to have a few luxuries.

My roommate had the first cockroach sighting this evening. She said it was only one but that’s the first we have seen. I am however making myself familiar with a very large spider in the latrine. Whenever I go in I make sure it is in the corner and not moving before I start my business.


Jenn

Witch Doctor and Child Sacrifice

I had the meeting with Kakembo’s mother and Ruthy’s Father last night. It went great. They were overjoyed about me inviting their kids to come to Canada. They kept thanking me over and over again. I was told that Kakembo’s family is very poor and they do not have a phone, so I agreed to buy them a cheap cell phone. When the mother was told this she immediately got down on her hands and knees and grabbed my hand to thank me.

After I left school, Jimmy walked me home and we discussed what was happening with him and his AIDS status. He told me that his aunt told him that he has AIDS and that he is on ARV medication. We spoke for awhile about what AIDS is and the things he needs to do to be safe. He must have had some counseling already because he already knew a lot. He also told me that he is nervous about staying at his uncle’s place because he is beating him badly. He even showed me the marks. We discussed a few options and he told me he was going to talk to his aunt about it. We also discussed taking him to be tested at a proper clinic in Kampala, so we are going to do that on Monday.

Jimmy’s guardians asked me to talk to him about not walking home on the main road because it was dangerous. They told me to have him walk home the back way. When I spoke with him about this he told me that was scared to take the back way. I asked why and he told me that both he and his sister were threatened by a local person. The local person told them that they are working with a witch doctor and that they would cut off their heads. Normally I would have thought he was making the story up but just before I left Canada I read an article about how child sacrifice is on the rise here in Uganda. When I arrived here I spoke with a few people about it and they told me that it is popular in the Mukono district where I am staying. Not so much in the town but in the villages further out. Basically these people kill children thinking it will bring wealth to their family. Needless to say I told Jimmy to stick to the main road but to be very careful.

This morning I went with Leslie to visit the PACE project in Seeta. It was great to see the progress that was made since I saw them last. They are on the new land and the shell of the school is built. Even though the school is not finished they are teaching in it now.

The area where the school is, is absolutely beautiful. They had to put in a road when they built the school because it is off the main road. The “road” looked like a walking path, we managed to make it up but it was off roading.

We had a meeting with Betty (the schools director) about what the current needs are. She gave me a list of things they need to finish the school. I have given her money to finish putting doors and windows in. We have also bought school desks and benches, as well as a blackboard. On Monday I will buy them new textbooks and supplies.

In the afternoon I picked up 3 of my favorite students and went to Kampala along with another teacher from the school. We went and picked up the passport applications and got photographs taken for them. Afterwards we went to Oweno market and bought them new shoes. They were very excited to be in Kampala because none of them had ever been in the city before.

On the ride home our Mutatu (taxi van) ran out of gas on a remote village road. The driver had to walk to town to get gas while we all waited in a field. Of course when they local children saw a white person get out of the van they all came running towards me yelling “Muzungu, Muzungu” I took a few photos and then we were on our way again.

When we arrived back in Mukono it was dark. I was so tired I just wanted to go to bed, but it has been so hot I haven’t been able to sleep. I ended up sleeping in the main sitting room because it was cooler in there.

Waiting for the clouds to come again.

Jenn

AIDS?

Today I woke up late and went to school for my 10 am meeting with Jimmy’s aunt. As with all African’s no one really keeps time so she showed up closer to 11. Before they arrived Jimmy pulled me aside and told me that he wanted to talk to me about what his guardians told him last night. I told him that we would talk after school when no one was around.

Jimmy’s uncle (brother in law to the women I met the other day) also came. The uncle was very nice and asked me a lot of questions. We exchanged addressed and took photos of each other. He eventually asked me if I knew Jimmy’s status. I played dumb and told him no. He told me that Jimmy has AIDS and that he is on ARV medication. He told me that both Jimmy’s parents died of AIDS a few years ago. They also told me that is the reason why Jimmy had swelling in his head. They said that the P5 teacher did not know and was beating him because Jimmy would show up late to school. The reason he was late is because he was taking the medication and that was making him sick. I wanted to believe the uncle because he seemed very sincere and why else would he say Jimmy had AIDS in a society where it is kept quite. The aunt on the other hand looked very suspicious. She kept her head down and didn’t say much.

When they left I asked Nansubuga if she believed them. She said that she believed the uncle but that the women was looking srrange. I told her that Jimmy had told me that here husband was beating him and that is why he had problems with his head. I then asked Nansubuga and another teacher if they thought it would be ok for me to take Jimmy for an HIV test. They both said yes, so I may take him later this week, if he agrees.

This afternoon I showed the kids the video I took of them last time. They LOVED it! I even video taped them watching it and their reaction. It was a great moment. We have agreed to meet at the school on Saturday to have a dance party, so that should be fun.

Tonight I am meeting with Kakembo's mother and Kwagala's father to talk to them about getting passports for the kids. I wanted to invite Jimmy but if he does indeed have AIDS I think it would be too much of a risk. We'll see what the other two kid's parents say.

This is my first visit to the internet in Mukono and it seems to be MUCH better. It is way faster this time and I was able to put up several posts in a short amount of time. I really feel like this trip is so much different than the last one. There are fewer volunteers, the latrines are cleaner, the internet is better, so far so good. I am glad though that I went through hard times last time because it is really making me appreciate this trip so much more. I love this country and it's people and wish I could share it all with everyone.

Hope you're all enjoying the winter. I know it's strange to say but I can't wait to get back to the cold, this weather is killing me. 30 degree's in Uganda is like 50 degrees in Canada. HOT!


Jenn

Still Sweating

When I woke up this morning the sun was out at it was blistering hot already. When I walked outside I swear I could hear my skin sizzle. Even the African’s were saying how hot it was. I'm starting to get used to having constant body odour and a dripping face.

I had a chat with Leslie this morning about other projects she supports and what they might need. On Thursday we are going to see the PACE project and to talk to Betty about what she needs for her small school. There is another project in a village that needs help so we will probably go out there to check it out as well. That will be next week.

Nansubuga and I went into Kampala today to buy new text books for the school. It was my first time being in a Mutatu since returning to Uganda. It was a pretty good ride considering how they were last time. I think the country must be cracking down on how many people you are allowed to have in there. This time we had only 14 people. Not bad. The driving is still crazy and the traffic has definitely increased. We live on the main road that goes through Uganda to Kenya and there are a lot of big trucks and just a lot of traffic in general on it. The exhaust can be overwhelming at times.

By the time we reached Kampala my throat hurt so bad from the exhaust. I was covered in a thin layer of dirt and black from the exhaust. Gross! Nansubuga is older (73 I found out) so I wanted to treat her to an ice cream because we were both hot and tired from walking through town. She was so excited and ordered up a double Gelatto. After eating she told me that she had never had Gelatto and will have to go back and tell everyone how great it was. I was happy to treat her to something so small that made her so happy.

After Kampala we returned to Mukono just in time for school to end. I spent a bit of time with the kids then they walked me home just like last time. They all want to come up but I told them they are not allowed. It’s so cute because some of them don’t even live in the same direction as me but still want to walk me home.

I asked Jimmy to stay behind so that I could talk to him a bit more. I asked him if he knew how his parents died and he said he didn’t. I asked if he thought it might be AIDS and he said he thought so but that no one had ever told him. I asked him about being sick last year and about being beaten by the teacher and he told me that he was not being beaten by the teacher but rather being beaten at home by his uncle. That is why he had the sore on his head which everyone else was saying was due to AIDS. When I asked if he was ok living there he told me that he liked it, which surprised me. He told me that they had taken him to be tested before but that no one has ever told him the results. I asked him to talk to his guardians tonight and see if they would be ok with me taking him to be tested. He told me that he would go ask them about everything, his parents, his sickness etc. and let me know tomorrow.

I met the new volunteer from Belgium tonight. She is very nice and we are sharing a room. She is here not as a volunteer but for research. She is researching the Buganda Kingdom for her masters thesis.

I had given most of my kids my phone number and address, and in the middle of the night I received a phone call from one of them. I didn’t bother to answer because it was late and I was sleeping. I fear the parents will start calling me all the time and asking me for things.

In the middle of the night I woke up sooooo hot. The wind had died down and it was unbelievably hot. I went searching through my suitcases for a fan just so I could fall back asleep. I really hope this weather breaks soon.

That’s it for now. I’ll have lot’s more to report tomorrow. Jimmy’s aunt is coming to school.

Jenn

Nalusse Rock Star

School today was much better, the kids really opened up. I think it was mostly because I brought gifts (always the best ice breaker). After lunch (posho and beans… yuk) I pulled out 2 soccer balls and some skipping ropes, and of course they all went crazy. I didn’t have to peal anyone off another person this time but it was sheer hysteria there. Don’t worry I caught it on tape.

As with every morning when I arrive at the school I am greeted by a swarm of small children. They immediately run to me and all started grabbing my hands. I felt like such a rock star. They all just wanted to touch me or stand near me. Even when the other kids were playing there were 2 or 3 little girls that wouldn’t leave my side. So cute.

I tried to explain to my kids that I had created a website about them. None of them have ever touched a computer and I think mine might be the only one they have ever seen. I don’t think they grasped the full concept but they did think it was cool that other people around the world have seen them. Kakembo was so happy when I told him that I named it after him.

Speaking of Kakembo….. he has been so shy to talk to me but didn’t leave my side the first day. After school yesterday he hung around for a bit but when he saw me talking to other kids he starting walking home. Every 5 feet he would turn around to see if I was looking. I caught up to him with other kids in tow and we all walked together to the main road. He was really happy then, but I had to keep inviting him in the circle to talk with us.

I was completely blown away by the living conditions of the teachers here. They all stay in 1 room homes (if you could call them that) They are 10 x10 and have no electricity and no running water. Some don’t even have windows. The rent is $25 per month, which is hard for them to afford. It’s very sad to see. Just think… they have their bed, which they share with their children, a sofa and a place to cook. That’s it!

I checked out the cooking area at school to see if I could maybe make a meal one day. I think if I do, I may die in there. It really is a cave at the back of the school with no windows and two open fires to cook over. It was so hot I could barely stand to be in there. I feel so sorry for the school cook who is in there every day from 7 am to 3 pm. WOW!

I’ve already told the school about paying for the lunch program and they were very excited. They had an assembly today to thank me. I have started showing my kids the pictures of all of you who donated. They are very interested in seeing your faces and keep taking the paper away to see you all closer.

At the end of the school day I was talking to the teachers about Jimmy (the bad kid) being transferred to another school. They told me they found out he had AIDS and was being treated for it. I spent some time talking to some of them about it, and explaining how you can get AIDS (some of them thought you could get it by washing hands). About 10 minutes later, at the end of the day one of the students ran up to me and gave me a letter that was from Jimmy. I asked where they got it from and they told me that he was hiding around the corner. I ran over and found him hiding then gave him a huge hug. He told me that he had seen me walking in Mukono the day before and wanted to bring me a letter with some pictures of him. (this is a big deal because he would have had to pay someone to take the photos of him) I decided to walk him home that night to talk to him a little more.

When we arrived at his home the people in the surrounding houses were very excited and shocked to see me because white people don’t usually visit the local’s houses. They invited me in to have a chat. I spoke with Jimmy and his guardian aunt about coming back to Nalusse. His aunt told me that one of the reasons she removed him from Nalusse was that the P5 teacher was beating Jimmy so bad they had to take him to the hospital. I assured her that I would talk to the school about this and that we would very much like Jimmy to return. She agreed, but we never discussed whether or not Jimmy was had HIV.

Well, I think that’s it for now. Uganda is great, I’m still sweating but loving every minute of this country.

Jenn

Muzungu Night Vision

Day one at school was great! The director of the school called Leslie in the morning all excited asking if I was in Uganda and when I was coming to the school. They were very excited for my arrival. When I rounded the corner to the school my kids saw me and started to scream. What a great feeling! They were all pretty shy and didn’t know what to say, but I could tell they were very happy to have me there.

I spent the rest of the day in the office talking with Nansubuga (the school’s director) and the rest of the teachers. We had a long but very good conversation about the school and what the needs are. Nansubuga has not raised school fees in several years in fear that the student’s parents could not afford the increase and then will remove their children. Nansubuga has a heart of gold, and is willing to take in any child even if they cannot afford to come to school. She just tells the parents to pay when they can. Unfortunately this is bad for the teachers because without school fee’s they do not get paid much. Since my last trip the school has lost 3 males teachers and 1 female teacher.

I was also told that the landlord has raised the rent again, but this time just on the office space. I gavel the school money to pay for the rent for an entire year, and they were overjoyed. The rent was way past due and they were about to be evicted.

Several of my students are now missing. I knew about a few of them moving but there are more that did not return for the P6 year. One of them was my “bad kid” whom I was really looking forward to seeing again. I was told that Nalusse wanted him to repeat the P5 year and his guardian was not happy about that. They have since moved him to a new school but I am unsure how they plan to pay for it. Nalusse was letting him attend school for free because they wanted to help him become a better student. Both his parents are dead and they knew that his guardian didn’t have the money to send him to school so they let it slide. I will try to track him down at another school.

After school I went to dinner with a few of the teachers. We ordered fish, which came whole, and of course we ate it with our fingers in the dark. It was good though. By the time we left it was completely black outside. I swear Africa is the darkest place on earth at night, there seems to be no moonlight. The teachers were laughing at me because I honestly couldn’t see where I was walking and every 5 feet or so I would fall in a hole. After a lot of mocking and ridicule from them on how Muzungu’s (white people) can’t see in the dark, one of them took my arm and guided me home.

Upon my arrival home I came to find out that my house key wasn’t working so I had to sit outside for 1 ½ hours to wait for the other volunteers to come home. I’m sure the neighbours thought I was crazy.

There are 2 other Canadians (both from Toronto) staying with me in the house. This is strange because they usually don’t get too many Canadian’s coming here. There is a Belgian girl joining us this week and another Canadian next week.

At this point I have my own room and am sleeping in my old bed, which is great! I am most impressed that the latrines are in much better shape than last time. Someone has cleaned them so there are far fewer bugs in there. I even went to the bathroom last night and there wasn’t a cockroach in site. What a relief! On the other hand, I firmly believe that no one can ever get used to having a cold shower (or bucket rinse off) even if it is crazy hot outside and you’ve been sweating all day. Every time I do it I feel like by body will go into shock.

That's it for now.

Jenn

The eagle has landed ...

So after a very long journey I have finally landed in Uganda. Ah the sweet smell of body odour and dirt. God I love this country!

Other than the fact that it was a long trek things when off without incident. I wasn't able to sleep much on the planes so I am hoping to get a good nights sleep tonight, although at this moment I am wide awake. I did manage to catch 30 minutes of sleep on an Amsterdam bench in a food court. That was a first for me... sleeping in an airport. Don't think for a moment that I wasn't nervous about carrying all that money, but I had it strapped to my stomach and slept face down.

As expected it is very hot here. From the moment I stepped off the plane I have been sweating. I'm sure there won't be a single photo from this trip where I don't have a shiny sweaty face.

My fancy $26 a night hotel was night was not what the website had shown. Surprise surprise! It's infested with ants, but I guess I shouldn't complain, at least it's not cockroaches. My mosquito net over the bed is filled with holes, some of them are being held together with duct tape, the universal fix all tape. They shower head has some electrical wires hanging out of it and those of course are also held together with tape. All the little things that make Africa so special.

That's really it for the first night. Tomorrow is my first day at school, so stay tuned for that.

Jenn