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Unfortunately, as you might be able to tell from the 'location' of this blog, I am no longer writing to you from Uganda, but in fact from my kitchen in Molesey. Josh and I have been home for 2 weeks now due to the health of his mum, and were flown home from Uganda on emergency after having received the news 3 days before. So this is my last blog [for now] but I want to finish what I started as much as I can.
Our first latrine was completed only a day before we received the news we needed to come home; finalised with plaster, a door and our names massively painted on the side (thanks to the engineer). We also presented to the family, unaware, all the other items we had procured for them (2 matresses, 5 blankets, 2 wash basins, 2 soap bars, 2 jerry cans, 2 pots, beans and maize, 7 pairs of shoes and an array of clothes for each family member; amounting to only £150). This took place during the official opening ceremony of the latrine - to the local community of Kira, our work had been a major project, so the CALM team thought it important the local councillors and community were present to witness the completion of it - yet we didn't expect half the community to turn up. It was all very Ugandan, with lots of people talking (including the mayor of Kira and James, the founder of CALM Africa) and thanking us extensively, as well as the work of CALM. On giving the items to the family, we were unexpectedly overthrown by their reaction; the mother, Nabaweiss, was completely overwhelmed. We handed out all the clothes to the children, who were totally amazed at their new leather shoes, and carried everything through to the no-longer stark bedroom. Suddenly the house was filled, and their lives improved. Just like that. It was undoubtedly the most fulfilling day of my life; thanks to everyone at home, we witnessed the transformation of 7 people's lives that day. It was such a powerfully emotive scene; I don't think any of us will ever be able to depict it with adequate justice, and I know I'm failing to do so now.
Although our time was cut short by 2 weeks, and our work having to be left unfinished, we managed to fit a lot into the 2 days we were left with. I won't go into how heartbreaking it was leaving the children of Jolly Mercy so suddenly because I already sound pretentious enough. Obviously, our main concern was the fact that we have just under £1000 left of our fundraising money, having spent only £500 on our Kira family (an incredibly low cost considering they now have a well-constructed latrine and all basic living necessities). We managed to identify 2 more families on which we will be spending the money; both which need latrines and other items. The first family is one of five, with a widowed mother who was left with nothing after her husband died a couple of years ago. Luckily she found CALM and has been working part-time as a cook at Jolly Mercy for a year now, but money is still scarce and their house unfinished - including a latrine, for which the pit had been dug but she cannot afford to finish it. So our first project will be constructing the brick-work for this latrine. The second family we identified are much more needy than this; we located them on our last day in Uganda, and they live in the Kira region close to our first family. It is a family of 18, living in 3 tiny rooms with 2 beds. Most of the children are orphans and there are only 4 adults, who acquire casual work when they can but obviously the income is less than stable and totally insufficient to provide for this massive family. They do have a latrine but it was very badly built, to the extent that it cannot really be used - and if it is, it's extremely unhygienic. We can use the money to knock down their current disfunctioning latrine and build another one, and also provide the essential matresses and bedding they so desperately lack. As well as these two families, we'll also be providing bedding materials for the bead lady, Deborah, we used to visit once a week and make beads with - who is living in very impoverished circumstances with 5 grandchildren to care for.
We've left these instructions with CALM Africa, particuarly Israel, the outreach coordinator and Benedict, the accountant. However, the money will take a while to come through so there is the possibility that we'll get back there in time to oversee the projects as we did with the first one. Due to our decision to work more on outreach than the school, I only managed about 8 hours of teaching while we were there; something I want to do a lot more of next time. I did leave 300,000 USh (about 80 quid) to be spent on textbooks for the school, which should equate to 30 books altogether. Regarding our farming, altogether we dug up and planted seeds in 3 fields of the school's farm, which will feed the children over the next year. Unfortunately, our classroom renovation was incomplete but will be left in the hands of future volunteers.
Not sure on travel plans at the moment, but certain we'll be getting back to Uganda as soon as we can. The CALM team became like a family and Uganda like our home. We didn't visit Africa; we lived there, and it has given me a purpose.
So basically, we're back in the UK [temporarily], and stuck in limbo. Text me on my UK number :)
Big love
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