Masaba's report from Mbale, Uganda

After returning home from Uganda in 2008, I did a presentation at a Rotary club where I was asked by one man, "Do you think the Africa problem will ever be solved?"

Often I think of this question as it may encapsulate one perspective-- that there are so many problems in Africa, is it worth trying?

Contemplating the many challenges of creating not just a sustainable life for ourselves and others... but a really great life full of opportunity and freedom, it is good to remember that doing something is always better than doing nothing. If we can make a difference in the life of one child, then we have changed the world for that one person. And loving kids is a great way to make loving adults.

Casey, Miracle and I had a meeting last week at Bunabumali Good Samaritan school with Norman Nakhokhoe, James Nakhokhoe(Norman's dad), Julius(school headmaster), Esther(Norman's sister), and Sarah(a teacher). The school has 5 female and 4 male teachers working on voluntary basis working with children from nursery to P3(approx 8 years old)-- around 70 students.

The 2010 proposal is to expand to P6, and they have already cleared a space for new classrooms. The headmaster's report states many things are needed: 100 iron sheets for roofing, desks, black boards, text books, wall charts, teacher's quarters, and incentives for teachers. I took notes from the meeting and have Julius's full report in front of me now.

They have done well to expand from the building they were in when I was here in 2008, which is now the family home and school kitchen, since the former house crumbled to the ground. They have three new classrooms and a building for staff and a nurse.

Uganda's population is 33 million, about the same as Canada, living on land the size of the province of New Brunswick. Most schools in Uganda are funded by student fees, The Bunabumali Good Samaritan school is free.

Early last week, Gertrude, James's wife and the mother of all, become seriously mentally ill and has been singing at the top of her lungs every night. Due to this, the dozen children who normally sleep at the school have been staying with community members. Gertrude came into a classroom while Casey and I were working with kids writing pen pal letters and stood silently in the back holding her favorite spoon. The kids started flooding out and it became chaos, even though she was not violent in any way. She is usually very sweet and sharp, but something snaps when she is stressed, putting her over the edge, and she doesn't come back for sometime. It is unknown how long this episode will last.

Before I departed Saturday morning, the family had just knocked her out with an injection of Valium, so she could rest. Norman went to a clinic to get a dose and I had a couple vials in my kit to give. They can't afford more-- each $6000 Shillings(3USD). She is calm most of the day, it is at night when she can really wail. I would have given her the shot at night, so everyone could sleep.

Another big issue is that the children have not been using the hammocks to sleep in because they are too cold off the ground. Blankets are needed, but I was not made aware of this problem until I asked James if the fabric I had Norman purchase ever became hammocks. I saw that the fabric became pillow cushions and shirts that the girls made to sell(which are still in a bag). I am glad the sewing machines are getting used for making school uniforms and other things, but I need to know what is happening in reality, and I wasn't getting any information as to how things were panning out.

I asked for photos of the hammocks that were sewn, but never got any images after many requests. Norman says he created 8 hammocks himself, which he shipped to Kenya. From the several rolls of fabric that Norman brought to Bunabumali from money sent, I found one hammock that was created. The most disturbing part was that when we were in Kampala shopping for fabric, a store owner grabbed a hold of Norman and kept him in the back of a shop, saying he owed a balance of $470,000 shillings for the fabric he took. Norman claimed to have put the money in their bank account, but wasn't returning their calls. I agreed to pay the entire balance that day so the police wouldn't be called. The shop owner followed us around to three different banks until I was finally able to get the full amount from an automatic teller machine. Norman said he will go to the bank here in Mbale where he sent the money from to figure it out. I really hope it is as he says. I will not continue organizing to have hammocks sewn here for export after I leave.

I bought four rolls of fabric in Kampala for $800,000 Shillings($400USD), which will make 26 hammocks single hammocks to be given out freely, and 26 to be sold online to raise the money needed for school improvements. I have found an easy and secure method to tie ends of hammocks so that single width hammocks do not require any sewing at all. I have already sewn a double wide hammock since arriving and it is much better for sleeping in as one can lay flat on a diagonal. If legs are up it will impede blood flow making for uncomfortable rest. We are selling single hammocks for $60, which has ends sewn and a pocket that it all folds into, and double wide for $100. These will be brought back to Canada with me in January. See http://www.hanginghugs.com

I just found myself in money transfer hell.... as Paypal is not allowing me to move funds to my bank account while I am in Uganda. Surely it can get figured out, but at the moment it seems the best way to send money for hammocks, blankets, or anything else you'd like to give the kids is via an email money transfer. That way I get the full amount also, as paypal always takes a cut. Send to this address: cor.contact@gmail.com

Patty Donovan and my mother may also hold a fundraising event to sell the remaining clothes from Sam's Vintage collection that Danny the Traveling Piano Man drove up from Philadelphia. These are designer, plus size clothes-- some with tags still on. A lot of them are silk and famous brand names. If you want to get involved in that, it would be a big help as we want to get the funds while I am still here to put them to good use. Call or email Diana Richardson at: 506-635-4122 or email: george@nb.sympatico.ca
Another disappointment was finding the solar powered UV light water purifiers Ben got donated not accessible to the children, or even being used at all other than to recharge cell phones and LED lights. We were told that the filter bags needed to be cleaned. I cleaned the bags, but still no effort was made to use them to provide drinking water. I have a hand-held water filter and Casey left me with a small UV purifier which will do a liter at a time, so I am using those for drinking water.

The tap that brings clean water down from the mountains to their community doesn`t turn off, but constantly water falls to the ground on their plantation without any form of catchment. I suggested a hose to a large barrel that would at least enable people to quickly fill buckets, instead of waiting at the tap as water trickles. I noticed dishes piling up and was told water has stopped coming. Water still didn`t start by the time I left two days later. Rainwater catchment off the tin roof seems like a good option, so we need to buy tin to make gutters and build some kind of holding tank--- it could even be a heavy duty plastic tarp lining a pit in the ground to start with-- then maybe concrete or hard plastic. We have the river to wash bodies and clothing, but it is a bit of a walk down into the valley from the house to carry water back.

My first attempt at cooking pancakes for breakfast ended quickly. The kitchen was dark without any windows and very smokey. I pulled the nails from the tin sheet roof over the fire pit and propped it open with a stick-- letting light in and smoke out. Mother was happy. Problem solved. Why did it take me to do this?! We`ll make a rocket stove next, which uses less wood and burns hotter, and put a chimney on it. A hay box slow cooker may also be useful toward reducing the amount of firewood needed.

The pit latrine is a few feet uphill from the house-- much too close-- placed there before the addition of the kitchen, which it is above. I`ll pick up a five gallon bucket and toilet seat to make a humanure composting toilet. They can fertilize fruit trees with the composted humus that is created a year from now. I have not seen anyone with toilet paper, and I have not asked what they use. A roll snatched from the hotel has lasted me as it seems I don`t need to go to the latrine as regular as I would at home.

The cow shed also needs to be moved down into the plantation where the manure can be used to fertilize. Currently, the cow is above the school, because James is afraid of thieves. The poo pool can over-flow with heavy rains down to where new classrooms are being built. Now that they have two cows and a calf, more space is needed. Adam Mackim`s global issues class donated $400CDN or $560,000 Shillings of the $700,000 cost to buy the second cow, which is pregnant, so that will make four animals total in three months time. We`ll have to build a fenced area, but there is not money for barbed wire.

All the issues I have said above are basic necessities that need to be addressed in this school of life to create a healthy environment before we can move on to other things. If we are to teach these little people how to live... it is not going to take place in the classroom.

In a classroom, I asked a couple dozen students who of them was cold the night before and needed blankets. I was shocked to realize the headmaster could not communicate with students in their own language. Julius is not from the area and doesn`t speak Lugisu. Robert, the student who understands English best needed to translate. Julius is interested in agriculture projects, so I suggested he focus on that to help the school have food and get the kids involved in the whole process.

Ladies sitting at the table next to me here at the Mbale Hotel say it is against national policy to teach small children in a language other than mother tongue, however the school has no books or teaching materials at all in Lugisu. It would be a good project for each student to write their own story and create a book collectively, written in Lugisu. I bought a Scrabble board game from a street vendor in Kampala to play with kids, but I am not here to teach English, and be another colonizer.

Hitting as a form of discipline also not acceptable. James hit David with a stick, saying he could have got hurt running after a car. Does that make any sense? Casey freaked out and let him know hitting is not OK, then comforted David, who ran and hid as he felt shamed. I saw Julius chasing kids into class with a stick too. I have not seen any serious abuse, but violence in any form does not create a safe environment.

The most used items I contributed this visit are the soccer balls(with air pump that can also be used for bike tires) and djembe(hand drum). The kids are welcome to play the drum whenever they wish. They are very good keeping a beat and usually the scene becomes a dance party. Soccer is a very popular activity. I am not good at it, nor do I have much interest in watching, but I do enjoy the fact that many youth can get so much fun out of a sport that simply requires one ball-- nothing else.

I also donated a hair clipper kit and 12 volt power converter, so I have a funky solar powered hair cut to look forward to this week.

Wes Jagoe donated a fish tank air compressor for brewing compost tea, and we`ll use that for growing a plants from seed with the kids-- growing some with the tea and some without to test it.

I have spent the majority of the weekend here at Mbale Resort Hotel uploading photos to facebook, which in fact speak volumes as to what the experience is really like here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=356210&id=906200533&l=1406ae5d20
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=356803&id=906200533&l=75fc723fa5
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=356164&id=906200533&l=2754ef8c4c


I`ve enjoyed working with my hands make the steps up to the school, so we don`t slip on the mud when it rains--- which it does nearly every day. The swimming hole below the school is very beautiful, and James owns the land down to the river where there is a tall stand of eucalyptus trees and we will make swings and a tree house. James suggested a lodge could be constructed there to host future guests.
We need to organized the tools and create a workshop. We need to organize toys and create a playroom. I found a bunch of random small toys in a box tucked away and brought them out for the kids to play. It was so interesting to watch how they used them. Why where these not out for the kids to use? Play is so under-rated.

A couple dozen forks, spoons and sharp knives were brought from home that are now being put to good use. Some of those knives will get spread out into the community as well. More plates and cups are needed to serve the kids at lunch.

James and I walked to the village market day on Thursday and picked up three large thick blankets for $44,000 shillings($30CDN), that will be cut to make blankets of a half dozen for kids. I am nearly out of money, so that`s all I could buy. When I get Paypal money from the hammock sales transferred into my account it will be used to get more blankets first. Sleep is also under-valued. Hammocks for everyone... which now must include blankets!

A couple months before coming here, Casey met a Miracle Hassan online, who is a video editor at the national television station in Kampala. Miracle came with us to Bunabumali and has been very helpful as a camera man. We may work together to edit the video we've captured if there is time near the end of this journey here.

Miracle did archival research on a new documentary about Mobutu Sese Seko, the former dictator of Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He loaded the film to this laptop, and I watched the whole thing, even though many interviews where in French. What a nut case! He got to power by lying and killing and stayed in power for 31 years. Students protested his power, so he such down the entire university and put everyone in the school in the military.

Casey brought a baseball glove and ball, plus Boston Red Sox hat and t-shirt for a child named David-- a gift from her brother Jack who saw David in a photo. Casey asked Norman if she should give the glove and ball to David, or to the school, so more kids could play with it. I argued that if one person owns something it may get used more and better taken care of since it would not be up to school staff to deem when is a good time to use it, and who should get to use it. The glove and ball also had the intention of being a special gift from one person to another, which is meaningful. I often have this debate within myself about giving items to one child, or to the school as a whole. Norman then commented, "We are all equal, but some are more equal than others." I found that very interesting, since Animal Farm, which is where that idea is from, is the only book I brought on this trip.

Norman says Animal Farm is a popular book here in Uganda, often referred to by politicians. James was please to see I had it with me, and may read it again. It is a short read and I finished it in the middle of the night this past week while mother was singing. The animals decided to rule their own destiny on the farm and exiled the humans. Pigs, being the smartest, become the ruling class, and raised the dogs to be their protectors. Slowly but surely, the pigs become harsh dictators stealing all the resources and enslaving the others.
One afternoon this week, while James, Norman and Julius worked on report cards, we had a conversation about political leadership in Africa. They said Museveni, who has been president of Uganda since 1986, had legislation passed recently that would make him president of Uganda for the rest of his life. He came to power by force and will hold on to power by force. Norman said you'll never hear people in the military complain, as they are very well fed. The military is not as much to protect from outside forces as it is to keep their own people in line. Gaddafi in Libya is another life-time leader, however they suggested that life is good in Libia, rich with oil, but if you are not from Libia, there is no way you can get residence status. Gaddafi has been spreading the wealth by buying companies in Uganda and else where. On the bus ride here from Kampala, every third house is painted bright pink with the Zain logo, a mobile phone company named after Gaddafi's daughter.

Being an egalitarian, I have little use for politics and report cards. What do numbers and letters placed on me really say anyway? The report cards I was given in school never accounted for what I learned looking at spiderwebs in the forest. They only said what some people projected on me, much like when someone looks at my passport at a border. Do these numbers and letters say anything that is true? I am Canadian? What does that mean? Is it a privilege to travel freely? Doesn't everyone deserve that right?

I've heard a couple news reports about US military drone planes that pack lethal force in the middle east, controlled by pilots sitting at home in Arizona. The lines that divides us are so blurry now, maybe they never really existed at all. We are just a bunch of animals on the farm we call Earth.
One of those news reports came from CNN on the TV in Lawrence's bedroom last night. He has invited me to stay here in his apartment at a gated community a kilometer away from the Mbale Resort hotel, where he is the general manager. On one side of the gate is a swastika, and the other side is what looks like the Chinese Communist a red star. Lawrence has no idea why they are there. He left for work early this morning and I am sitting alone on his black leather couch, looking at sun casting shadows of the fancy iron bars on to the tile floor. I am thinking about heading to Wanale, the large mountain fortified by 200ft tall cliffs of solid rock where I want to bolt climbing routes today before returning to the village with Norman after he sorts out the banking.

Lawrence has taken me under his wing at the hotel, allowing me to use the net and even eat without charge. It is his way of supporting my work. The owner of the hotel asked for a proposal that would support the Orphanage in Bunabumali and create a demonstration garden on top of Mount Wanale that would educate locate people to produce high quality organic food for hotel. All that was his idea. I just happened to be in the patio restaurant where he was seated with his family.

Casey and Miracle had a room at the hotel, and I met Lawrence randomly by pitching hammocks to the resort construction foreman who was seated at the same table during breakfast. I left them with my card, and Lawrence cam back later to sit with me for the full scoop. I showed photos of the hammocks and kids in Bunabumali, and he said he was interested in selling hammocks at the hotel.
We toured the massive new addition to the resort, and met James, the owner, and his family. They were keen to know I see potential for adventure tourism in the area-- rock climbing and mountain biking. Mrs. Wokadala said I was a blessing. I invited Lawrence to go climbing with me on Wanale that afternoon. He arranged a car and driver, and brought along the fitness spa director and a local guide.

As we started driving up the mountain, Lawrence pointed out a 800ft waterfall, under which James owns a large amount of land and plans to develop a camp ground. It was astoundingly beautiful-- reminiscent of the cascading lush green walls of Kauai. I shot some video, and then we continued 30 minutes to the radio towers near the top, over-looking as far as the eye could see.

We walked through a friendly rural community where people proudly posed for photos in front of houses made of sticks and mud. Children washed clothes in the river that moments later became the waterfall hurling over the cliff. Davis, the fitness manager, showed me a bunch of sticks, saying it was a place where men get circumcised at 19 years of age in front of the community. If they flinch they are unable to marry into a powerful family.

Only foot paths connect houses and people are seen everywhere sitting on the grass relaxing. We found our way into a cave with a large overhanging opening where a couple circles of men played cards on large stones for chairs and tables. The path rejoined with the road where our driver waited.

As we coasted down, I saw a young girl rolling a large bike tire, and I asked that we pull over. The girl gave me the tire then ran away. It work great as a hula hoop. Within a minute a couple dozen women and children gathered to watch the crazy Muzungu(white person) dance to music provided by the car radio.

At the bottom of the mountain we walked to the base of the waterfall in the last rays of golden sunlight, lead by several boys. I was in heaven looking up at the cliffs and thinking about the climbing possibilities.

This past Saturday, I returned there with only two hours of sunlight left. I set off on a boda-boda(motorbike taxi) straight toward the cliff, even though neither of us knew exactly how we would get there. Coming down from the mountain last weekend we came from that direction, but the usual road to get up the mountain is quite different.

We got lucky and I got dropped a twenty minute hike below the cliff. It was straight up hill all the way from the Mbale Resort Hotel, so I paid the man an extra American dollar in addition to the 2000 shillings he asked for as it would have used a lot of gas to power us. A US dollar averages a bit less than 2000 shillings.

A few boys saw me starting off and took the lead to guide the way. Soon I was on familiar territory and on my own again. Passing another group of children tending small goats, I made my way to the top of boulders in a cabbage patch, where I could eat a mango in perfect view of the cliff. The kids joined me on the top the boulder, shy at first, but soon got cheesy for the camera. I promised treats below and delivered sour ice tea powder on tongues and chunks of cocco Vita Bar.

I left my backpack on the trail where it could be clearly seen from above, and one boy continued with me scrambling up a steep grassy slope to the base of the cliff. Something stung me hard-- I don't know if it was fire ants or thorns, but it burned my big toe for an hour.

The cliff looked was good for climbing, with finger pockets and interesting formations, and not too easy-- maybe rated a difficultly of 5.10. Hiking up the steep gully to the top to hand-drill bolts on rappel is going to be the tricky part.

The brilliant red sunset and the cool kid who joined me made the short adventure worth it. I made it out to the main road by dark and flagged down a boda-boda after several minutes of walking on the dark road. A lady was already on the back of the motorbike, and when the driver tried to continued up the hill with all three us... the bike could do little more than putter, so I got off and ran to the top where I rejoined them, and we all coasted the rest of the way winding down the mountain back to town.

I arrived back here to Lawrence's house in a gated community, but he wasn't here, so I let myself in as he instructed. He arrived a short time later as I was in the kitchen preparing a chapati flat bread with fresh peanut butter and passion fruit I picked-up in the market. The tasty little burrito was put in the fridge without a bite to save room for the buffet back at the resort. I sat with a friend of his from Kenya, who is here installing a boiler, and we had lots to talk about. We even sang a couple of his favorite John Denver songs together-- County Roads and Leaving on a Jet plane.

Casey is now in Kenya, which shares Mt. Elgon, where Bunabumali is located. She left Bunabumali early last week after someone went into her purse and took half of money. You'd have to care a little bit, but not a lot to take half of the money. She was feeling frustrated with a lot of things at the school, but we can't expect everything to be as we think it should be to our standards. This isn't Canada. When something is free of charge, you get what you pay for. We need to remember that we are here for the kids-- and they are all beautiful and sweet. No matter what we do, it is all a learning experience. Casey said she certainly learned a lot. All the students at Bunabumali got the books Casey's Kidsing students prepared, and she taught them to sing We Are the World. I'll video interviews with the kids and bring those back to show the Kidsing youth.

I will keep bringing others here who want to share and grow through cultural exchange. I enjoy living and working at the school with the family, but need time to explore this beautiful land around us to feel recharged and inspired. Liane joins us this week and Stefan will next week. It is definitely more fun and helpful with others of like mind to bounce ideas and network resources. Bunabumali School has rich land and a generous family to create abundant life for the children they serve. Where there is a will there is a way. It is about becoming the people we want to be.

Mother renamed me Masaba, after Mount Masaba which raises up with steep cliffs over the school. She said it means visitor, or traveler. We'll take the kids on a climbing trip there soon and camp over night. Everyone ought to have the freedom to travel--- to grow by expanding their comfort zone.

Posted November 30th, 2009

-Cory "Masaba" Richardson

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http://www.hanginghugs.com