Hi Friends and Family!
The rainy season has ended...let the sunshine in!! In Uganda, the end of the second rainy season marks the time of new, explosive growth of crops and (as I was informed just yesterday) a season of births. Apparently, June and July are months that see a jump in the number of babies being born. After Barbara's three week visit, I also feel a certain "rebirth", if you will. Seeing Uganda through her eyes has allowed me to re-discover people and places that I have become accustomed to over the last ten months. We had the good fortune to spend time with the children of Buyamba (a tiny village about 10 km away from Kyotera) teaching them to make paper bead jewelry which I will send to the States to be sold with the profits returned directly to the children to pay for school fees, books, uniforms and shoes so that they may continue their primary education. We also went to Bethlehem Parents' School to have a futbol practice with the girls team. When we arrived, we were greeted by about 400 of the students who were standing barefoot, dressed in the bright blue uniform of BPS. The pink soles of their brown feet lined the dirt road entrance to the school compound. We could hear, softly at first and then loud and joyous, "Welcome Ms. Barbara. Happy stay Ms. Barbara." being sung by the students. As we walked through the center of the two lines of singing children, they folded in behind us and kept singing as we both became teary-eyed (of course!) at such a generous and warm welcome. After a big meal of local food (I'm not sure Barbara's stomach will ever be the same!), the children then performed songs and dances and we found ourselves being pulled into the dancing and singing by smiling children with outreached hands (how can you not be compelled to share this experience regardless of dance skills?!). After a wonderful futbol practice, we left BPS and I found myself again inspired by the selflessness of the children and community of Bethlehem. The next two weeks found us on safari to Murchison Falls (elephants, giraffes, lions, oh my!) and then west to Kabale and Lake Bunyonyi (we agreed, it was the most beautiful place either of us has ever seen). As I said a painful good-bye at the airport, I was feeling a strange mixture of sadness and joy. Although the end of her visit marked another period of geographic separation, I felt that Barbara's visit renewed my determination and (if possible) increased my love of this land and its people. I cannot thank her enough for allowing me to end my personal rainy season by seeing Uganda through her eyes.
My work with child abuse prevention and protection is proceeding slowly as my organization (ANPPCAN) is in between grants. One of the biggest frustrations that I encounter daily is the dependency that aid organizations have introduced and nurtured over the last several decades in "developing" countries like Uganda. Due to the dependency on outside funding, theese organizations (including ANPPCAN) have to wait for funds that often come with strict instructions from donors that may or may not have been to Africa, Uganda, or the particular village in which the numerous NGOs, CBOs and FBOs operate. I am reminded of (allow me to step atop my soapbox for a minute) my work at P.S. 75 in the South Bronx and the failure of the "No Child Left Behind" program. Although never fully funded, the money that was spent on the program had cookie-cutter restrictions related to text books, curriculum and testing that more often than not failed to address the actual needs of students and teachers alike. Okay....enough of my preaching. I have a feeling it is to the choir anyway :) So we find ourselves planning programs and activities and waiting for funds to come through to realize such projects. I am plenty busy with my work in the community, but cannot help feeling frustrated with the senselessness of donor-recipient relations. My colleagues (in particular my direct counter-part and the accountant, Mr. Kalamagi and Ms. Nanono) are devoted and committed to continuing their work regardless of the lack of funds (and despite the fact that their salaries are several months in arrears). I am fortunate that they are my family here. What wonderful people!
My health and my stomach issues are remaining at status quo and I am headed to Kampala in the coming weeks for more tests. Although my medical issues will result in my having to leave Uganda sooner rather than later, my spirits are high and my yoga continues to improve (in my slightly biased opinion!) with each sunrise that I greet on the rooftop of my home.
As I close this email, I want to wish all of you and your families peace and love. May you be as fortunate as I have been to find inspiration (through another's eyes or through your own) from your surroundings, from the people you encounter, the places you go and from each sunrise and sunset.
The rainy season has ended...let the sunshine in!! In Uganda, the end of the second rainy season marks the time of new, explosive growth of crops and (as I was informed just yesterday) a season of births. Apparently, June and July are months that see a jump in the number of babies being born. After Barbara's three week visit, I also feel a certain "rebirth", if you will. Seeing Uganda through her eyes has allowed me to re-discover people and places that I have become accustomed to over the last ten months. We had the good fortune to spend time with the children of Buyamba (a tiny village about 10 km away from Kyotera) teaching them to make paper bead jewelry which I will send to the States to be sold with the profits returned directly to the children to pay for school fees, books, uniforms and shoes so that they may continue their primary education. We also went to Bethlehem Parents' School to have a futbol practice with the girls team. When we arrived, we were greeted by about 400 of the students who were standing barefoot, dressed in the bright blue uniform of BPS. The pink soles of their brown feet lined the dirt road entrance to the school compound. We could hear, softly at first and then loud and joyous, "Welcome Ms. Barbara. Happy stay Ms. Barbara." being sung by the students. As we walked through the center of the two lines of singing children, they folded in behind us and kept singing as we both became teary-eyed (of course!) at such a generous and warm welcome. After a big meal of local food (I'm not sure Barbara's stomach will ever be the same!), the children then performed songs and dances and we found ourselves being pulled into the dancing and singing by smiling children with outreached hands (how can you not be compelled to share this experience regardless of dance skills?!). After a wonderful futbol practice, we left BPS and I found myself again inspired by the selflessness of the children and community of Bethlehem. The next two weeks found us on safari to Murchison Falls (elephants, giraffes, lions, oh my!) and then west to Kabale and Lake Bunyonyi (we agreed, it was the most beautiful place either of us has ever seen). As I said a painful good-bye at the airport, I was feeling a strange mixture of sadness and joy. Although the end of her visit marked another period of geographic separation, I felt that Barbara's visit renewed my determination and (if possible) increased my love of this land and its people. I cannot thank her enough for allowing me to end my personal rainy season by seeing Uganda through her eyes.
My work with child abuse prevention and protection is proceeding slowly as my organization (ANPPCAN) is in between grants. One of the biggest frustrations that I encounter daily is the dependency that aid organizations have introduced and nurtured over the last several decades in "developing" countries like Uganda. Due to the dependency on outside funding, theese organizations (including ANPPCAN) have to wait for funds that often come with strict instructions from donors that may or may not have been to Africa, Uganda, or the particular village in which the numerous NGOs, CBOs and FBOs operate. I am reminded of (allow me to step atop my soapbox for a minute) my work at P.S. 75 in the South Bronx and the failure of the "No Child Left Behind" program. Although never fully funded, the money that was spent on the program had cookie-cutter restrictions related to text books, curriculum and testing that more often than not failed to address the actual needs of students and teachers alike. Okay....enough of my preaching. I have a feeling it is to the choir anyway :) So we find ourselves planning programs and activities and waiting for funds to come through to realize such projects. I am plenty busy with my work in the community, but cannot help feeling frustrated with the senselessness of donor-recipient relations. My colleagues (in particular my direct counter-part and the accountant, Mr. Kalamagi and Ms. Nanono) are devoted and committed to continuing their work regardless of the lack of funds (and despite the fact that their salaries are several months in arrears). I am fortunate that they are my family here. What wonderful people!
My health and my stomach issues are remaining at status quo and I am headed to Kampala in the coming weeks for more tests. Although my medical issues will result in my having to leave Uganda sooner rather than later, my spirits are high and my yoga continues to improve (in my slightly biased opinion!) with each sunrise that I greet on the rooftop of my home.
As I close this email, I want to wish all of you and your families peace and love. May you be as fortunate as I have been to find inspiration (through another's eyes or through your own) from your surroundings, from the people you encounter, the places you go and from each sunrise and sunset.
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