Uganda 2008

And we begin with Ollie

UNBELIEVABLE – some of the places we visited and the sights that we saw were awful. For example at the Mityana Secondary School the dormitories sleep 80 people on triple bunks, in a small room- shocking conditions for children to sleep in.

GRATEFUL – nearly all of the people we met were truly grateful for what they had, even though it was so little.

AWARENESS – many children that we met were fully aware of the problem their country is in. One boy that I talked to said that he was determined to become an engineer and get out of the cycle of poverty in order to help his family and his country. I found this really striking as it is so hard to get a good income when you have so little.

NEED – Seeing the area of Mityana in Uganda shows how much they need our help. The standard is so far from what we live in the Diocese of Whitchurch that it is so important to support Mityana so that it can develop properly.

DIFFERENCE – Even though poverty is such a big problem on a world wide scale towards the end of the trip I started to feel as though I had made a difference. Presenting the children with the gifts we brought them made me feel really good even though understanding their lives was so hard. At the end of the week we all sat together and decided how we would split the money we had raised between the places we had visited, here we could really make a difference to the people we had met.

APPRECIATE – Visiting Uganda has made me fully appreciate what I have. I have heard many times in the last 16 years how lucky I am and how I should value the way I am able to live but it wasn’t until I saw the lives of the Ugandans and how grateful they are, that this point was really hammered home to me.

And from Miranda

When it comes to the holidays, you’re always provided with your conversation starter- “so, what have you been up to this summer?” which of course people reply with the usual France or Cornwall, maybe Corfu if they are feeling exotic, it has been extremely amusing for me this summer to reply casually that I have been to Uganda which really takes them by surprise. I have come back with so many stories, thoughts and knowledge.

My most memorable moment has to be our visit to the maternity ward of Mityana hospital. We came bearing a suitcase of woolly clothes and blankets to give to the new mothers there, it could have looked very similar to the occasion of wise men coming from afar bearing gifts for baby Jesus. The hospital sadly was not a lot better than a stable and this really shocked me; lots of women were sprawled out on metal beds in two dirty bleak rooms, some with relatives lying underneath them, there was nothing else. I felt like an unwelcome intruder at first and was quite terrified and nervous. We unpacked our huge suitcase and started to offer the woolly clothes to the mothers, it took a while for them to realise that we were giving them these gifts as for them it seemed too good to be true. The mothers then came flocking, earnestly thrusting their babies out for us to dress. I put a hat and cardigan onto a newborn child with its umbilical cord still attached, I felt so honoured because I felt that the mothers really wanted us to dress their babies as a kind of blessing. We then visited a mother with her twins that were just five days old, I was allowed to hold the girl, and I found it difficult not to squeeze the air out of her she was so cute and beautiful! It seemed especially special because it was my birthday that day and she and I both had twin brothers. On our way out of the hospital we were approached by an extremely old women who hobbled towards us like a monkey because her back was hunched so far over, she asked Canon John Musaasizi, our guide, for some money and he gave her a little bit, she had no relatives and little hope for the rest of her life. As we were leaving Dodie gave Dorothea 1000 shillings which is about 30p. She ran back and placed it in the woman’s hands, the happiness on the women’s face was incredible; this tiny amount in our eyes meant so much to her.

A word from Eddie and Dorothea:

We will always remember the fact that, even though they had nothing, everybody out there was happy and contented with what they had. This was especially evident at Ziira school where their only building was a church and the children walked miles everyday to get there. The vast majority of the lessons took place outside under trees, which must have made things near impossible in the wet season. Most of them did not have enough money to afford lunch but, despite this, they were so happy and grateful that they were receiving any education at all. It will certainly make us think twice when we complain about our teachers at our schools!

Another thing that struck us while we were out there was how the smallest things like footballs or bubbles would provide the children with so much joy. For example at Lulagala Primary School, when James opened the suitcase we had brought with us, a huge cheer erupted when the football was thrown up in the air. This really made us appreciate the smaller things that we are given and to value them.

Benedict writes:

Although I have been to Africa before I had never experienced anything like what all the group experienced during our 2 week stay in Uganda. For two weeks nine teenagers learnt to live together some way out of our comfort zones. During those two weeks there are several habits I developed and now that I'm back in the UK I am having problems shaking them off. For example I look around for mosquito repellent and Malaria Tablets in the morning, at night I still try to wash my teeth with bottled water (rather than the unsafe tap water) and I still wake up at night wondering where my mosquito net is. However I know that everyone has taken something more than unhelpful habits away from this trip. Although everywhere we visited was completely different to anything any of the team had experienced I think that there were several places we visited that stuck in everyone's mind. One of these places was Ziiri, an hour's drive from Mityana along dirt tracks - a small clearing in a forest. This was the local school, made up of one building (a church) and five black-boards. During our short stay there we helped build (brick laying) the school building. Ziiri was different from the other schools because of the completely different level of poverty and how remote the place was. Adults and children alike had never seen white skin and this was one of several places where the children tried to rub off the whiteness. The other place was the Mityana Orphanage where the children slept in tiny dark rooms and could still find the energy to get so excited about a game of football. These places and people, everyone and everywhere we visited, were grateful beyond belief for things that we had taken for granted all of our life.

What Hamish will never forget:

The one thing that I took away from my trip to Uganda and that I will never ever forget is how content the children feel with the very little they possess. When you go to any school in Uganda whether it is a secondary or a primary school, you can ask any child in the school about their lives and that child will tell you that they are so very happy with what they have. Some of the children I talked to in a school told me that they only had one pair of shorts, one shirt and didn’t even own a pair of shoes and probably never would, but when the children told me these kind of things the smiles never left their faces for a second.

The reason this memory I have will always stay with me is not because of the shock I got when I heard that some children may never own a pair of shoes etc it is because when I eventually realized how unbelievably lucky I am to have 6 pairs of shoes, countless amounts of t-shirts and a number of shorts and trousers that could last me until I’m 100 years old I nearly broke down in tears, and yet most of the people reading this I guarantee have everything and more they will ever need and probably still complain about some of the most petty things. These children have so little and love so much. Knowing this will never ever leave me, some of the things I heard and saw in Uganda have changed my life forever.

And from Wilhemina Gibbs

During my Ugandan experience I got to see and be a part of the Ugandan way of life. Naturally their lifestyle is extraordinarily different from ours due to the lack of resources and money. But what really hit home was the fact that over in Uganda, they have next to nothing and yet are so happy and thankful for their lives. This was an emotional contrast to England where we have all the technology and great advances in life and yet still aren’t as happy as they are.

The enthusiasm and hard work from all the schools just to make us feel welcome was amazing. When we would arrive at each place, the children would run behind the bus for what seemed like miles and they would bow down when we got out of the bus. Personally this humbled me, and all I could think was ‘how can they be giving us so much when we are the ones who should be giving everything to them?’ This thought ran through my mind for the whole two weeks, and I still don’t understand it fully. But what I have learned is that they are so happy to have ‘white people’ visit that they just want us to feel as welcome and as part of the community as possible. Then having that feeling was truly amazing.

I have never felt so connected to a group of people before. But I guess the thing that really helped the whole experience was the team we had. We all got along really well even though some of us had only met for the first time at the first meeting! But altogether I believe we made a strong team that made the experience that extra bit special."

And from Charlotte

Thinking about the trip makes me think about all the faces that we’ve seen the smiles, the appreciation, and the changes I have seen since my first trip. Therefore the one thing I loved the most was being able to contribute by interacting with the children. Face Painting was so much fun and although we can never fit everyone in, its lovely to see that we tried. I really felt this at the children’s hospital when I was able to spend as long as I wanted on a young girl the age of 3 or 4. However much she fidgeted I carried on going, whether paint smeared she did not mind, as this was something she’d never experienced before. The extra time was really special to me as the children’s hospital is such an amazing organization.

In Uganda I can not say that all the times were happy as it is a time of realization for the amount that we have and the little they do. But it is such a strong atmosphere where people with so little give so much, there beliefs are amazing and there personalities strong. However one of the hardest moments for me had to be eat food in front of these children knowing they had none. It makes me sick to my stomach when I see peering eyes over the windows as the food is placed in front of us. But it is seen as rude to not except this gift, therefore I was delighted to see that Dodie had donated money specifically for their lunches for that week. To know that instead of the small 10% that can afford the food everyone will have the chance to eat for at least a week. I will never forget the children with their plates or mugs as the happiness begins to arise again.

This trip even though only two weeks the amount Dodie has achieved each time is incredible, she brings Joy to each other children, and the songs they sing for her and us I will always remember. Dodie arranged that we brought them Bubbles, Face painting, Stories, Footballs, Clothes, Glasses, Colours, Skipping Ropes and the list really could go on. The Donations they have received from our community has helped to strengthen their environments, especially at ZIIRA where the children will hopefully soon be able to have classes inside rather than out. I would like to thank Dodie and the Team of 2008 who have helped make this trip so special and also all the Parish’s who supported us.

Memory of Uganda – Bryony Anning (14 years.)

I had a wonderful time in Uganda and gained loads of brilliant experiences.

What I liked most about Uganda though, was how everyone was so friendly and kind towards you. On our way into Mityana, we visited the craft fair where we bought lots of handmade gifts to bring back home. It was a really beautiful place and the people that owned the shops there were lovely to us and told us lots of general information about the area and the things that they were selling.

In the first shop I went in, I walked in and the man on the counter got up, said, “Come in Sister, come in.” Then he came over to me and gave me a big hug and we chatted away for ages. In the end, I must have spent at least quarter of an hour telling him how the Queen was doing, if England was well and generally about me which he seemed very interested and exited to hear about.

The friendliness of those I met in Uganda will always stick with me as a memory from Uganda.

And a final word from Dodie

This year I was able to meet with the head teachers of the seven primary schools we are linked up with. We discussed the many problems they have: including feeding children on a daily basis and funding repairs to classrooms and the problems that we face – charity fatigue and accountability. Out of that discussion came the possibility of a ‘Kick-Start Programme’ which will enable schools to begin generating their own income by growing and selling food, piglets or chicken. Our pilot scheme at one school has proved successful (ie the piglets are alive and well looked after and safe!) and we hope that other schools can start similar projects in October when I meet with the head-teachers again. This is a real break-through as we are including in our plans people who can offer their experience in sustainable organic farming methods. Please get in touch with me if you would like to support this project.

The baby clothes people so generously knitted or crocheted were so gratefully received at the maternity wing of the hospital and in different schools. Our thanks to everyone who gave us tools, money, sewing items, medical books & equipment – all were gratefully received.

Mityana 2008

In October there is a group of people from around the Deanery going back to Mityana in October. If you have any of the following you'd be happy to give us we be delighted.

Mobile Phones
If you have any we’d love to take them. In July we gave 4 to a priest called Simon Peter. He was able to sell them and buy two cows. From these he will be able to generate an income.

Carpentry tools
Afinnet helps young men learn carpentry skills and they are very short of saws, hammers, screw drivers, planes etc. And they are looking for electric drills, circular saws, jigsaws, planers. These will hugely helpful.

Key board
A portable electric keyboard (that can be powered by batteries) for a school.

Other things
a) Cash (!) Whilst we are there we are hoping to support clergy (who do not receive any salary) and income generating projects in each of the seven schools we are linked with.

b) Ties, shirts or jackets for men, scarves or jewellery for women.

c) Sewing bits - needles, threads (but not material – it’s a bit too heavy.

d) Digital or non digital cameras that you no longer use.

Please get in touch if you’d like more explanation or discussion please do phone me on 01264 738211. Here’s a quote from Rev. Simon Peter Kakeeto about the four mobile phones we were able to give him:

Dear Rev. Dodie,

I have written to thank you in a very special way for the phones you gave me. I sold them and the money I got out them helped me very much. It was three hundred thousand. (300,000/=) I managed to buy 2 young cows. I will send you their photo. Thank you very much indeed.
Yours in Christ Rev. Simon Peter