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Should probs have set up this blog before I left home, but I assumed it wouldn't be necessary so only just starting it now. Saves me emailing you all f***off emails (I still will though).I'll try and not write EVERYTHING cos I'd never finish, just as much as you need to know. Internet is sporadic so each entry takes so long.
Sitting in the Ugandan equivalent of an internet cafe - a shack with 5 windows 95s, one fan blowing out hot air and a charge of 14p for half an hour of internet. Can't really believe I'm here. It's impossible to know where to start.
We're staying just outside of Kampala, the capital of Uganda, in a small town which I don't know the name of (I've been told like 5 times but my mind is constantly saturated- f*** knows how I'll learn the language). We arrived there on Monday morning after spending our first time in an airport hotel in Entebbe - it is unsafe to drive at night. James, who is the director of CALM Africa (the charity we're working for), drove us back here after stopping at a bank and an orphanage which he plans to collaborate with. We were so awkward and English in the bank.
Driving through Kampala was so surreal. Years of interest in Africa, years of anticipation; yet nothing could prepare me for that - it was so alive. There is so much life here it staggers me. The city was not utterly destitute by any means; it obviously functions well and has, by Ugandan standards, a fairly good standard of living. The buildings were disjointed and without any structure; the infrastucture seems like it has been constructed for temporary use, but we saw no overwhelming suffering. Poverty is of course everywhere, but that is a part of the life here, and unavoidable.
The Ugandan people are unlike anyone I've ever witnessed. The way they live is completely natural and human; they are not saddened by their poverty but accepting of it, and so incredibly self-sufficient. The community functions as one. More than anything they are so welcoming. Meeting someone new, we'll be told several times that we are "very welcome" and shaking hands is never done just once. We are stared at, but with interest and eagerness. Everyone is so happy to talk; they will talk and talk - the history of Uganda and the current political situation has been explained to us with such elaboration and brilliant English (better than mine really). Have definitely fallen in love with at least 3 Ugandan men, they speak like Othello (so dignified and calm) - although it is a patriarchal society and sometimes the men will only look at Josh when they are speaking to us both. The women are submissive and will mostly only speak when spoken to, but they are lovely.
We're working with CALM Africa, who concentrate on the protection of children's rights. We've met all of the team, and they are amazing people. The school they've set up is called Jolly Mercy learning centre, which is a 5 minute drive from here. It was opened 2 years ago and now supports about 140 children (about 30 of whom board there). There are 7 classes, a girls dorm, a boys dorm, and farming fields in which the food is grown for the children and a few pigs are kept. There is still so much to be done; currently a hall and another boys dorm is being built. All the children who attend have come from the most insanely appalling backgrounds - one girl, 13, was previously a prostitute, and another girl, 7, was working in the cattlefields before her mum started working for CALM. The majority have no parents and live with their grandparents. We met them on Monday - they are so eager in every way (eager to learn, eager for affection, attention and conversation). They call us "teacher" and will listen so intently - it couldn't be more different to England. They cling to us and fight for affection, but will ask questions and express such an interest in where we come from. At the school it will be up to us to use our initiative - we've already made plans to try and renovate the badly-constructed classrooms, paint bare walls and I've offered to teach French (f***in idiot, cant speak it myself). I spoke to the headmaster who showed me what other volunteers have done since the opening, and he said how necessary we are, how much we can help the kids and how much of a change each volunteer makes before they leave. The school is a haven for the children amongst the surrounding poverty, and a chance to be free to learn and be happy after the horrors they have endured during their upbringings.
While at the school we met with the CALM team and had an introduction into their work - they reiterated how welcome we are, how thankful they are, how we must feel free here. Amongst our introduction James spoke of the 8 MDG's, and joked how the UN had plagurised his notes, because they summarised all he has been working for with CALM. His total determination to his project is plainly obvious in the way he talks; yet he comes from a family of 25 siblings, 14 of which have died from AIDs/HIV - literally a fact out of a GCSE geography text book yet he is a real man and this is his life. He has dedicated himself to his community, himself coming from such stricken poverty.They are inspiring and I can't believe I have the opportunity to work with them.
As well as doing whatever we can at Jolly Mercy, we'll be taken on community outreach about twice a week. Yesterday we visited a woman who's livlihood entails making beads out of paper. She lives in a mud hut with 2 rooms, and has to look after 5 children, to whom she is the grandmother. We'll be visiting her once a week to do what we can to support her.
Our accommodation is so nice; we are spoilet. Built of bricks for a start, and mostly there is electricity (such a luxury). There is generally no running water but clean water is provided for us to drink, and less clean water is also provided for us to wash with. Showers consist of a bucket and a jug, which has been fine. We're so lucky to have such a nice place to stay and it feels disgusting knowing how much poverty there is around us. There's 4 of us in the house - me, Josh, Hannah (18) and Alison (39), who are lovely.
The heat is impossible. I definitely underpacked, currently wearing a cut-up pair of trousers (2 trousers for 2 months, me and my mum are s*** - my shorts are too short to wear; no one shows off their knees). Cut these ones up earlier, I look like a boy (standard). Yesterday I had heat exhaustion (put a white girl in the sun for a few hours and she dies) but hopefully it'll rain more in March so we can get used to it.
Africa thus far has been everything and nothing like I'd expected. Everything I expected in terms of the constant poverty, the surplus of children, the state of the buildings and the infrastructure. Nothing I expected in terms of the amazing positively of the people; their extraordinary motivation and their knowledge of their country. What has amazed me more than anything is their self-sufficiency - the UK's attitude towards Africa undermines this. It has been a total assault on the senses, a total mindf***, but I'm here and the only way to adjust is to be thrown into it. I am finally here.
This has been so short, I have so much to say - I'm sure over the next 2 months I'll go into much more detail about the school and the area, but I think this is enough for now.
I miss everyone so much and think of you all everyday. Be safe. Make sure twinkle doesn't die.
Big love x
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