Four weeks can really pass by quickly. In one way it feels like we just arrived, and everything was new and very different. Yet now, I feel like home, and don't want to leave. So these days I'm unwinding at Zanzibar's white beaches prosponing my return home.
But it`s also weird beeing here among tourists and palm trees. The first evening at a restaurant I was suddenly surronded by several people standing up taking pictures of the sunset. I was perplexed. This is such a different world than the one we've been working in for the last month. Somehow this one feels more artificial.
Also I noticed something was missing. The video camera, which has been like an extra part of my body is no longer with me. Now it's back in Norway, as is most of the AIM delegation.
It's going to take time to get used to it. That is something I have learned while beeing in Africa - here, things takes time! But the patience I`ve had to develop I'm taking with me home, because editing 35 hours of material down to one will be a timeconsuming job. But I promise you now: The DVD can be ordered in time for christmas!
Brynhild "Hilda" - The documentarist
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Project Legal Aid to a conclusion
The two weeks working on the projects passed by very quickly, and now suddenly the delegation is spread everywhere: some are leaving for Norway today, some are travelling further on in Africa. I'm in the last alternative, I haven't got enough of Uganda yet! I love it here.
About Project Legal Aid.
We successfully achieved everything we wanted to do during the project weeks: a meeting with the projects collaborators, an information meeting for local leaders about KCCC Advocacy, and a meeting with student leaders at Makerere University, faculty of law. We also got in contact with a Police Surgeon at Mulago hospital (the public hospital here), who is a Lions Club member as well. KCCC Advocacy will be able to collaborate with him further on. For all this, we are very satisfied. Together with Richard at KCCC Advocacy, we think these activities have been important for the project's way forward.
The question now, is how to conclude. How will the project continue in the future, and how can the next AIM delegation follow it up in the best way? The answer is not given, and we will have further evaluation on this subject when back in Norway in August. Although, we have some thoughts about it already. As the advocacy works now, they are in between the population in Kamwokya (the survivors/victims) and the different NGO's witch are specialized in different legal areas to provide legal aid services. As we see it, there could be different solutions.
The first one, is that KCCC Advocacy could develop to be an Advocacy that provides free legal aid services from its offices. This would be a new project, for the next AIM delegation. The challenge for such project, as we see it now, is the criteria of sustainability. Free legal aid provision is dependent of donors or other resources. We have already experienced KCCC's lack of resources, and lack of priority of the Advocacy program within the organisation. The other solution, is that the Advocacy at KCCC can continue working as they do now, to refer cases further on to different NGO's specialized in the legal areas, or to the police. The next delegation could then work on how to smoothen this collaboration of referral even better.
Anyways, how the conclusion on the way forward will look like, we are satisfied about the work we've done in collaboration with Richard and Sylvia at KCCC Advocacy. It has really been a great pleasure and good experience working together with them. Personally, I think I'll miss Kamwokya a little bit. :)
I would like to thank the Lions Club Norway and the AIM delegation 2010, this has been a really great experience!
- Therese
Project Legal Aid
About Project Legal Aid.
We successfully achieved everything we wanted to do during the project weeks: a meeting with the projects collaborators, an information meeting for local leaders about KCCC Advocacy, and a meeting with student leaders at Makerere University, faculty of law. We also got in contact with a Police Surgeon at Mulago hospital (the public hospital here), who is a Lions Club member as well. KCCC Advocacy will be able to collaborate with him further on. For all this, we are very satisfied. Together with Richard at KCCC Advocacy, we think these activities have been important for the project's way forward.
The question now, is how to conclude. How will the project continue in the future, and how can the next AIM delegation follow it up in the best way? The answer is not given, and we will have further evaluation on this subject when back in Norway in August. Although, we have some thoughts about it already. As the advocacy works now, they are in between the population in Kamwokya (the survivors/victims) and the different NGO's witch are specialized in different legal areas to provide legal aid services. As we see it, there could be different solutions.
The first one, is that KCCC Advocacy could develop to be an Advocacy that provides free legal aid services from its offices. This would be a new project, for the next AIM delegation. The challenge for such project, as we see it now, is the criteria of sustainability. Free legal aid provision is dependent of donors or other resources. We have already experienced KCCC's lack of resources, and lack of priority of the Advocacy program within the organisation. The other solution, is that the Advocacy at KCCC can continue working as they do now, to refer cases further on to different NGO's specialized in the legal areas, or to the police. The next delegation could then work on how to smoothen this collaboration of referral even better.
Anyways, how the conclusion on the way forward will look like, we are satisfied about the work we've done in collaboration with Richard and Sylvia at KCCC Advocacy. It has really been a great pleasure and good experience working together with them. Personally, I think I'll miss Kamwokya a little bit. :)
I would like to thank the Lions Club Norway and the AIM delegation 2010, this has been a really great experience!
- Therese
Project Legal Aid
Monday, July 12, 2010
Lions Quest
Although there has been terrible happenings in Kampala, we're still able to look back at a lovely week in Kasese. The Lions Club of Kasese welcomed us with open arms, making sure we got to do what we came for, as well as getting to see some of the sights. We were very pleased that all of the participants from the LQ Workshop in Kampala got to try out the material in the classrooms. It's been really interesting observing the different sessions, and the feedback from the participants themselves has been overwhelming.
In the afternoons we've had the opportunity to see the copper mines of Kilembe. We've also visited the Congolese border (where Kjersti became a legal visitor in Uganda), and we've got to visit a real Ugandan village where we enjoyed harvesting our own dinner (eager as small children).
Last, but not least, we attended the Installation Night of the Lions Club of Kasese, where we got to dance and hear the roars of the Lions.
Back in Kampala we're now getting ready for our last meeting, this time with the Lions Quest Uganda Team. We're looking forward to hearing their thoughts on LQ in Uganda, as well as sharing what we've experienced these last two weeks.
Wish you the best,
Kjersti (Christine), Stine (Tina), Petter (Petah) and Ranveig (Maya).
In the afternoons we've had the opportunity to see the copper mines of Kilembe. We've also visited the Congolese border (where Kjersti became a legal visitor in Uganda), and we've got to visit a real Ugandan village where we enjoyed harvesting our own dinner (eager as small children).
Last, but not least, we attended the Installation Night of the Lions Club of Kasese, where we got to dance and hear the roars of the Lions.
Back in Kampala we're now getting ready for our last meeting, this time with the Lions Quest Uganda Team. We're looking forward to hearing their thoughts on LQ in Uganda, as well as sharing what we've experienced these last two weeks.
Wish you the best,
Kjersti (Christine), Stine (Tina), Petter (Petah) and Ranveig (Maya).
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Terrorist bombings in Kampala
Yesterday evening two blasts went off in Kampala, and 64 people have by now been confirmed killed. The AIM delegation was not close to any of the explosions. Currently we are all safely located at Makerere University Guest House.
Hopefully our activities today will go on as planned.
Hanna and Jon
Hopefully our activities today will go on as planned.
Hanna and Jon
Saturday, July 10, 2010
The lonesome traveller
Things are going great! Right now, I'm sitting in the restaurant at my hotel in Arua, a city which is situated in Northern Uganda.
First of all I just have to tell you about what's happening at the hotel at the moment. Last time I witnessed this I was also alone, so this time I really need to share it. Here goes: I'm in the middle of a wedding, or in other words, there's a wedding at the small hotel I'm staying at. Ugandans seems to love weddings and there are hundreds of guests at the wedding receptions, I've even heard up to eight hundred. I'll tell you how a wedding usually (as I've now twice experienced from the outside) go about. In the morning they start putting up large tents, these are preferably white and pink. Chairs and tables are highly decorated with bows in the same colours. At about noon it's time for installing the sound system, and the DJ arrives. Sound testing and playing of music goes on for about one hour. At this time you believe that the music is extremely high beacause of the testing. This is not correct. When people start arriving at about 13:30, the music is turned up to the absolute maximum, and the DJ also picks up his microphone This is used so he is able to scream even higher than the music; either encouraging calls to the crowd to make them sing the song, to sing the song himself, or to cry out different religious messages (all of this on top of the already super loud music). The songs played are of two kinds. Most preferably are love songs from the nineties, for example: K-Ci and JoJo with «All my life», but different kinds of gospel songs is also frequently used. This goes on for about seven hours. Definately a lot of fun for the people attending, but I'll give it a medium minus for those of us who are just listening to it.
Anyway, over to what I was ment to tell you about. The AIM program in Uganda is roughly devided into three different periods. The first week is the starting week, which is supposed to give the participants information about Ugandan culture as well as gaining more knowledge about the work they are to in their sustainable aid projects. This year, the first week was spent on the very sucsessfull AIM ALL conference, a visit to the Norwegian Embassy and a round tour in Kampala and the slum of Kamwokya. The two next weeks are spent working on the aid projects. This year we have our four projects Pro:legal aid in Kamwokya (Kampala), Pro:piggery in Bushenyi, Sponsor a Dream in Kamwokya (Kampala) and Lions Quest in first Masaka and then Kasese. The last week of the month in Uganda the whole delegation gatheres again, and we spend time together to debrief, evaluate and share our experiences with each other. This year we will use the last week on the Lions World cup we are arraning in Kampala and going Safari at Murchinsons Falls. Some of us will attending the annual meeting of Silent Voices in Bushenyi the last weekend.
So today I'm really exited, and a bit freaked out, to say that theres only one day left of the «working weeks»! I don't have the latest report from all of the groups, but rougly I can say that the work in the projects has been prosperous and all of the groups have done more or less what they initially planned – some are even before scheduale! I'll update you later on the projects, right now I'm just very, very much looking forward to seeing each and every one again tomorrow afternoon.
As the delegation leader, it is my preveligie to be able to travel to different places both visiting this years groups, as well as following up last years projects. So far I've visited the Pro:piggery group in Bushenyi, the Lions Quest group in Masaka and I'm right now situated in Arua where I'm following up one of last years projects, AIM:art.
It's been a great experience to get to travel around and see more of the country. I can not easily decide on a favourite place, but I can tell you some of the things I've discovered during my trips. The south is very green and beautiful, and the villages are situated closely to each other. The north has a more scarce landscape and the villages doesn't pop up as often. In the north I also saw a lot of traditionally round clay houses with grass roofing, which I haven't seen any other place. As for the people, it feels like the people in the north are more used to seeing white people, also in the country side. Here I don't get as much attention as in the middle and southern country, where the children freely runs to you screaming «Mzungu, mzungu!». But some things regarding travelling are the same all around the country. The first rule is that people, food and living animals goes great togehter. Second rule is that the bus nearly never stops, while the last rule is that you will be covered in dust when you reach your destination, as the red soil roads are very dusty and the windows needs to be open beacause of the heath.
PS: The power just broke at thewhole hotel, so there's for the moment no more 90ies- or gospel music.
Delegation Leader Hanna
– who can't decide wether she's looking forward to the seven hour bus ride back to Kampala tomorrow morning or not.
First of all I just have to tell you about what's happening at the hotel at the moment. Last time I witnessed this I was also alone, so this time I really need to share it. Here goes: I'm in the middle of a wedding, or in other words, there's a wedding at the small hotel I'm staying at. Ugandans seems to love weddings and there are hundreds of guests at the wedding receptions, I've even heard up to eight hundred. I'll tell you how a wedding usually (as I've now twice experienced from the outside) go about. In the morning they start putting up large tents, these are preferably white and pink. Chairs and tables are highly decorated with bows in the same colours. At about noon it's time for installing the sound system, and the DJ arrives. Sound testing and playing of music goes on for about one hour. At this time you believe that the music is extremely high beacause of the testing. This is not correct. When people start arriving at about 13:30, the music is turned up to the absolute maximum, and the DJ also picks up his microphone This is used so he is able to scream even higher than the music; either encouraging calls to the crowd to make them sing the song, to sing the song himself, or to cry out different religious messages (all of this on top of the already super loud music). The songs played are of two kinds. Most preferably are love songs from the nineties, for example: K-Ci and JoJo with «All my life», but different kinds of gospel songs is also frequently used. This goes on for about seven hours. Definately a lot of fun for the people attending, but I'll give it a medium minus for those of us who are just listening to it.
Anyway, over to what I was ment to tell you about. The AIM program in Uganda is roughly devided into three different periods. The first week is the starting week, which is supposed to give the participants information about Ugandan culture as well as gaining more knowledge about the work they are to in their sustainable aid projects. This year, the first week was spent on the very sucsessfull AIM ALL conference, a visit to the Norwegian Embassy and a round tour in Kampala and the slum of Kamwokya. The two next weeks are spent working on the aid projects. This year we have our four projects Pro:legal aid in Kamwokya (Kampala), Pro:piggery in Bushenyi, Sponsor a Dream in Kamwokya (Kampala) and Lions Quest in first Masaka and then Kasese. The last week of the month in Uganda the whole delegation gatheres again, and we spend time together to debrief, evaluate and share our experiences with each other. This year we will use the last week on the Lions World cup we are arraning in Kampala and going Safari at Murchinsons Falls. Some of us will attending the annual meeting of Silent Voices in Bushenyi the last weekend.
So today I'm really exited, and a bit freaked out, to say that theres only one day left of the «working weeks»! I don't have the latest report from all of the groups, but rougly I can say that the work in the projects has been prosperous and all of the groups have done more or less what they initially planned – some are even before scheduale! I'll update you later on the projects, right now I'm just very, very much looking forward to seeing each and every one again tomorrow afternoon.
As the delegation leader, it is my preveligie to be able to travel to different places both visiting this years groups, as well as following up last years projects. So far I've visited the Pro:piggery group in Bushenyi, the Lions Quest group in Masaka and I'm right now situated in Arua where I'm following up one of last years projects, AIM:art.
It's been a great experience to get to travel around and see more of the country. I can not easily decide on a favourite place, but I can tell you some of the things I've discovered during my trips. The south is very green and beautiful, and the villages are situated closely to each other. The north has a more scarce landscape and the villages doesn't pop up as often. In the north I also saw a lot of traditionally round clay houses with grass roofing, which I haven't seen any other place. As for the people, it feels like the people in the north are more used to seeing white people, also in the country side. Here I don't get as much attention as in the middle and southern country, where the children freely runs to you screaming «Mzungu, mzungu!». But some things regarding travelling are the same all around the country. The first rule is that people, food and living animals goes great togehter. Second rule is that the bus nearly never stops, while the last rule is that you will be covered in dust when you reach your destination, as the red soil roads are very dusty and the windows needs to be open beacause of the heath.
PS: The power just broke at thewhole hotel, so there's for the moment no more 90ies- or gospel music.
Delegation Leader Hanna
– who can't decide wether she's looking forward to the seven hour bus ride back to Kampala tomorrow morning or not.
Pro:Piggery - The conclution
It is Saturday, and the Piggery group is back in Kampala after a 5 hour drive from Bushenyi. We have finished what we came to Uganda to do, and what we have worked with for 6 months. Now it is time to ask – did we achieve what we wanted?
We have had meetings with all parties, we have visited schools and Vocational Skills children and we have made new agreements.
If you asked me before we left for Uganda what the outcome of this trip was going to be, I think I could not have predicted the result.
So what is the result?
First of all, it is not going to be any big central piggery which provides Silent Voices with their central funding. Why? Because to run a large piggery like that, you’ll need artificial food, and that is so expensive that we wouldn’t make money.
So what have we decided to do?
We have decided to fund a pilot project called one One parent One pig. This project is to fund the local parts of Silent Voices. Basically each parent group will make 8 parents piglet breeders and 12 parents pig fatteners. Then they sell off the pigs, and hopefully makes money.
We are also looking in to a larger school based piggery to be a part of the central funding of Silent Voices. We are still researching this and we are yet to decide if we are to try this project.
The one parent one pig pilot will start right away, as soon as Silent Voices finishes a project plan and a budget. The pilot I approved by the Silent Voices committee, and all funding is in place.
We are happy to get some of the funding projects of Silent Voices up and running. If the pilot is a success we are not alien to get further involved in the project.
Apart from talking money, the last week we have visited several schools where deaf children attend. Monday we actually used some of the money from the AIM-Art project from last year and painted two classrooms at one school. We are all happy to see how the schools are treating the deaf children, and we are motivated to support the work of Silent Voices. Wednesday we went high up in the mountains, got a flat tire on the way, but reached a remote school, Butare. There the deaf children were baking cookies to fund some of their school fees. Fascinating.
Finally – last year the pro:piggery group funded Silent Voices’ vocational skills program. We have visited several of the children participating in this program. Where deaf children learn skills in their community. We are again very happy to see the program working, and the children learning skills. Nina and Jenny even bought one dress and one skirt from Erika, one of the children in the program.
What have this stay in Bushenyi given us?
It have been rough, coming from safe student life’s in Norway to conditions totally different from our normal life. We have met people who cannot imagine our standard of living. It have also been rewarding. We have seen that our work, supporting Silent Voices, actually makes a difference. We have also seen that it is not necessary to live in Norway to have a good life. And we ave experienced how it is to be different in a foreign country.
All in all a very rewarding two weeks in Bushenyi.
Anders – Pro Piggery
We have had meetings with all parties, we have visited schools and Vocational Skills children and we have made new agreements.
If you asked me before we left for Uganda what the outcome of this trip was going to be, I think I could not have predicted the result.
So what is the result?
First of all, it is not going to be any big central piggery which provides Silent Voices with their central funding. Why? Because to run a large piggery like that, you’ll need artificial food, and that is so expensive that we wouldn’t make money.
So what have we decided to do?
We have decided to fund a pilot project called one One parent One pig. This project is to fund the local parts of Silent Voices. Basically each parent group will make 8 parents piglet breeders and 12 parents pig fatteners. Then they sell off the pigs, and hopefully makes money.
We are also looking in to a larger school based piggery to be a part of the central funding of Silent Voices. We are still researching this and we are yet to decide if we are to try this project.
The one parent one pig pilot will start right away, as soon as Silent Voices finishes a project plan and a budget. The pilot I approved by the Silent Voices committee, and all funding is in place.
We are happy to get some of the funding projects of Silent Voices up and running. If the pilot is a success we are not alien to get further involved in the project.
Apart from talking money, the last week we have visited several schools where deaf children attend. Monday we actually used some of the money from the AIM-Art project from last year and painted two classrooms at one school. We are all happy to see how the schools are treating the deaf children, and we are motivated to support the work of Silent Voices. Wednesday we went high up in the mountains, got a flat tire on the way, but reached a remote school, Butare. There the deaf children were baking cookies to fund some of their school fees. Fascinating.
Finally – last year the pro:piggery group funded Silent Voices’ vocational skills program. We have visited several of the children participating in this program. Where deaf children learn skills in their community. We are again very happy to see the program working, and the children learning skills. Nina and Jenny even bought one dress and one skirt from Erika, one of the children in the program.
What have this stay in Bushenyi given us?
It have been rough, coming from safe student life’s in Norway to conditions totally different from our normal life. We have met people who cannot imagine our standard of living. It have also been rewarding. We have seen that our work, supporting Silent Voices, actually makes a difference. We have also seen that it is not necessary to live in Norway to have a good life. And we ave experienced how it is to be different in a foreign country.
All in all a very rewarding two weeks in Bushenyi.
Anders – Pro Piggery
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Confessions of a documentarist
By now, I guess you`re all well informed about how the AIM projects are progressing. Except one. It`s about time I tell you how things are going with the documentary making.
All on my own I`m making a documentary about the work that`s being carried out by the AIM delegation this summer, and I can assure you it`s a challenge to cover four projects executed at three different locations simultaneously. But I`m definitely enjoying it. I get to travel around, and have been to both Masaka and Bushenyi visiting the Pro:piggery and Lions Quest groups, as well as several places in Kampala. A few things has made such an impression, I must comment upon it. Here the cows are quite a sight with their 70 cm long pointed horns, all the cars seem to be Toyotas, and nothing is to big to be transported on a bike, It`s just impressive.
Now I`m back in Kampala and most of the time is spent in Kamwokya (the biggest slum in the city). Being withe, and also carrying a big video-camera I`m quite popular among the children. They flock around me, some pushing their face into the lens, some trying to catch a glimpse of the picture at the LCD-screen. I sometimes have to ask them to pretend I`m not there, they`re just too eager to be on video. The same does not necessarily go for the people I`m actually here to capture - the AIM delegation, but most of them are used to me now, following them close up.
I now have 25 full tapes, but still I feel a slight panic creeping up when thinking about the fact that it`s less than two weeks left. Will I have everything I need on tape? Will I recover tape number 17? Will everything at home feel boring after this? I think it might.
Brynhild "Hilda" - The documentarist.
All on my own I`m making a documentary about the work that`s being carried out by the AIM delegation this summer, and I can assure you it`s a challenge to cover four projects executed at three different locations simultaneously. But I`m definitely enjoying it. I get to travel around, and have been to both Masaka and Bushenyi visiting the Pro:piggery and Lions Quest groups, as well as several places in Kampala. A few things has made such an impression, I must comment upon it. Here the cows are quite a sight with their 70 cm long pointed horns, all the cars seem to be Toyotas, and nothing is to big to be transported on a bike, It`s just impressive.
Now I`m back in Kampala and most of the time is spent in Kamwokya (the biggest slum in the city). Being withe, and also carrying a big video-camera I`m quite popular among the children. They flock around me, some pushing their face into the lens, some trying to catch a glimpse of the picture at the LCD-screen. I sometimes have to ask them to pretend I`m not there, they`re just too eager to be on video. The same does not necessarily go for the people I`m actually here to capture - the AIM delegation, but most of them are used to me now, following them close up.
I now have 25 full tapes, but still I feel a slight panic creeping up when thinking about the fact that it`s less than two weeks left. Will I have everything I need on tape? Will I recover tape number 17? Will everything at home feel boring after this? I think it might.
Brynhild "Hilda" - The documentarist.
Sponsor a Dream
The last week has been quite eventful for the SD-team. We have met with the kids and drawn and played games together. We have also been visiting the homes of some of the kids that are participating in Sponsor A Dream. These home-visits have put things in perspective. On Average, the homes are 3-4 square meters and houses up to 7 people. They are sparsely furnished with worn out items and some of the homes are leaking when it is raining. The adults are often unemployed or working at low-paid jobs. Such as one of the mothers who is selling vegetables on the streets at a monthly income of USh 35 000 ($17.- USD). No wonder they have a hard providing for the family. Some times one or both of the parents have died of Aids, in which case the child(ren) is living with a guardian. However, the homes and stories all seem similar.
On the administrative side, all children have been registered in a digital archive together with some key data. We have had several photo shoots and also some video/interviews with some of the children.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
In sickness and in health
Some of us travelling to Uganda this summer have been joking a bit about how it's not a question IF you wil get sick, but rather WHEN and of WHAT. I can already answer these questions for myself with «day 6 » and «bacterial stomache infection» (kremt). Being sick has of course been both painful, boring and annoying. What's surprising me is however, how this experience in many ways also has been a positive one. First of all I've had the best helpers I could possibly ask for in all of the AIM participants. I don't think one of them have gone through these days without giving me my medicine, making my bed, byuing me different stuff (like a phone), washing my face, taking me to the clinic, order me food and drinks – and then sit for hours encouraging me to take it down.
Secondly, it did not take long until I understood that in Uganda, people who are sick are treated differently than in Norway. In Norway we might send an sms saying «get well soon» to the person sick - if barely that. In Uganda, on the other hand, people you have met once or twice (or not at all) comes to visit you and show their respect. They engage highly in how you are doing, and ask quite intimate questions about your health. A bit uncomfortable at first, but as I see it a sign of real concerne. Even though the whole sickness experience was both interesting and different, I am truly happy I'm feeling healthy as a fish now!
Hanna
Delegation Leader
Secondly, it did not take long until I understood that in Uganda, people who are sick are treated differently than in Norway. In Norway we might send an sms saying «get well soon» to the person sick - if barely that. In Uganda, on the other hand, people you have met once or twice (or not at all) comes to visit you and show their respect. They engage highly in how you are doing, and ask quite intimate questions about your health. A bit uncomfortable at first, but as I see it a sign of real concerne. Even though the whole sickness experience was both interesting and different, I am truly happy I'm feeling healthy as a fish now!
Hanna
Delegation Leader
Lions Quest
After a wonderful week in Masaka, we left to meet our friends in Bushenyi, the PRO: Piggery group. We had a lovely couple of days. We've been sunbathing and swimming at the King Fisher Hotel - looking out on the Queen Elisabeth National Park.
Yesterday we arrived in Kasese, full of expectations for the coming week. We found our new homes, and we were once again amazed by the welcoming and hospitable african culture.
We got to meet a joyful Lions Club, and today we met with the mayor and the senior education officer of Kasese Municipality. All of them eager to learn more about our project.
Right now, Petter and Kjersti are visiting Rock Primary School, where they're planning the next week's program. There's rumors that there will also be time for a bit of leisure, starting off with Ladies night this evening. We will try out our newly learned african dance moves, which entails to make our hips move like Shakira's. Maybe Petter will even get another marriage proposal.
Peace out,
Stine, Ranveig, Petter and Kjersti.
Det store spørsmålet denne uken: Vil alle greie seg gjennom nettene med med boltede dører, eller vil man igjen få bruk for sin pottetrening?
Yesterday we arrived in Kasese, full of expectations for the coming week. We found our new homes, and we were once again amazed by the welcoming and hospitable african culture.
We got to meet a joyful Lions Club, and today we met with the mayor and the senior education officer of Kasese Municipality. All of them eager to learn more about our project.
Right now, Petter and Kjersti are visiting Rock Primary School, where they're planning the next week's program. There's rumors that there will also be time for a bit of leisure, starting off with Ladies night this evening. We will try out our newly learned african dance moves, which entails to make our hips move like Shakira's. Maybe Petter will even get another marriage proposal.
Peace out,
Stine, Ranveig, Petter and Kjersti.
Det store spørsmålet denne uken: Vil alle greie seg gjennom nettene med med boltede dører, eller vil man igjen få bruk for sin pottetrening?
Monday, July 5, 2010
Project LegalAid - This (week) is it!
Project LegalAid is starting its most important week. But before I tell you about that I want to give you an update of how I find Uganda.
The people
Ugandans are one of the friendliest people I have met so far. People greet you in the taxi (which are more likely to be called small buses) and they are always very polite. Our host(Carol) is a very good example of the Ugandan hospitality. The family we stay at has taken us in to their home that has gone beyond all our expectations, they have been so warm and kind.
In the morning we have breakfast together, we often come home for dinner at around 7 pm and after that Olav and I try to help the kids do their homework, this is really a fun time!
If you want to go to any African country and you aim is to get to now the people and their culture, Uganda is the place to go.
The Food
Ugandans don’t use a lot of spices. Their food is in general very build up around bananas, rice and ground nuts. But if you want to try something else there is a lot of Indian restaurants here. We had our first pizza on a shopping center yesterday which was fantastic!
But beware that they use ages in serving the food, even if there is more staff that customers.
Meetings in general.
If you have a meetings with a Ugandan and you are the one to invite him, its quite common to give a amount they would cover the transport cost. You should also give the person some refreshments and something to eat.
Don’t expect the person to on time.
|If you don’t tell him or her that its American time, you can be waiting for a long time. Always tell people to come 30 min before the actually meeting so that you hopefully can start in time, this is common.
Project Legal Aid – This (Week) is it.
This week we will be on fire!!!
Monday and Tuesday we will be planning our Meeting on Wednesday, The Information Day at KCCC which is on Thursday and the Information Day at Makerere on Friday.
We sent out the invitation last week with Richard (our guy at KCCC) who drove around in Kampala on a Boda Boda delivering to their door – the post services in Uganda does not seems to be reliable.
The Meeting - Wednesday
We have booked the boardroom at KCCC for this meeting. The object for this meeting is to have a discussion around the problems that people who have been abused or neglected will meet on their way to court and how we can ease this process.
The people here face big challenges in getting to the right people and the cost of getting the evidence cleared by certified police surgeons (this is required and they charge 50 000 Ugandan shilling) so the case will be strong enough to convict those how have been charged in court.
We have invited totally 25 stakeholders, this including the police, different NGOs and governmental institutions that are involved in such cases.
At The Meeting KCCC Advocacy will first tell them about the problems that they have faced, then their will be a discussion ,before we in the end try to come up with ideas so that we all can work on solving these challenges.
The stakeholders will meet at 8.30, the meeting will start at 9 am and finish at 12 pm. We will serve them samosa and refreshments.
Therese and I are really looking forward to this meeting. There are high profiled people that will be attending this. We hope that this meting can in the longer run help people in general, but for KCCC Advocacy this will from this day help them in getting the right contact so that they know who to contact on their quest to help the people in Kamwokya.
The Information day at KCCC – Thursday.
This will be a short meeting with different local politicians and other religious leaders who are well known in the community . Here KCCC Advocacy will tell them about their services and how people of Kamwokya can contact them. This meeting will be in Luganda and since we are not yet fluent in this, the meeting this will be lead by Richard (We hope our presents will give some effect- Mzongos in the house usually does this in Uganda)
The Information Day at Makerere Univeristy- Friday.
This meeting we haven’t sett any confirmed plans than meeting the students together with the Guild president and the president of Makerere Law Society.
But look forward for the next update where we will be telling you how our plan for this week went.
And remember that the road to success will always be under construction!
Vinesh – Project LegalAid.
Project LegalAid is starting its most important week. But before I tell you about that I want to give you an update of how I find Uganda.
The people
Ugandans are one of the friendliest people I have met so far. People greet you in the taxi (which are more likely to be called small buses) and they are always very polite. Our host(Carol) is a very good example of the Ugandan hospitality. The family we stay at has taken us in to their home that has gone beyond all our expectations, they have been so warm and kind.
In the morning we have breakfast together, we often come home for dinner at around 7 pm and after that Olav and I try to help the kids do their homework, this is really a fun time!
If you want to go to any African country and you aim is to get to now the people and their culture, Uganda is the place to go.
The Food
Ugandans don’t use a lot of spices. Their food is in general very build up around bananas, rice and ground nuts. But if you want to try something else there is a lot of Indian restaurants here. We had our first pizza on a shopping center yesterday which was fantastic!
But beware that they use ages in serving the food, even if there is more staff that customers.
Meetings in general.
If you have a meetings with a Ugandan and you are the one to invite him, its quite common to give a amount they would cover the transport cost. You should also give the person some refreshments and something to eat.
Don’t expect the person to on time.
|If you don’t tell him or her that its American time, you can be waiting for a long time. Always tell people to come 30 min before the actually meeting so that you hopefully can start in time, this is common.
Project Legal Aid – This (Week) is it.
This week we will be on fire!!!
Monday and Tuesday we will be planning our Meeting on Wednesday, The Information Day at KCCC which is on Thursday and the Information Day at Makerere on Friday.
We sent out the invitation last week with Richard (our guy at KCCC) who drove around in Kampala on a Boda Boda delivering to their door – the post services in Uganda does not seems to be reliable.
The Meeting - Wednesday
We have booked the boardroom at KCCC for this meeting. The object for this meeting is to have a discussion around the problems that people who have been abused or neglected will meet on their way to court and how we can ease this process.
The people here face big challenges in getting to the right people and the cost of getting the evidence cleared by certified police surgeons (this is required and they charge 50 000 Ugandan shilling) so the case will be strong enough to convict those how have been charged in court.
We have invited totally 25 stakeholders, this including the police, different NGOs and governmental institutions that are involved in such cases.
At The Meeting KCCC Advocacy will first tell them about the problems that they have faced, then their will be a discussion ,before we in the end try to come up with ideas so that we all can work on solving these challenges.
The stakeholders will meet at 8.30, the meeting will start at 9 am and finish at 12 pm. We will serve them samosa and refreshments.
Therese and I are really looking forward to this meeting. There are high profiled people that will be attending this. We hope that this meting can in the longer run help people in general, but for KCCC Advocacy this will from this day help them in getting the right contact so that they know who to contact on their quest to help the people in Kamwokya.
The Information day at KCCC – Thursday.
This will be a short meeting with different local politicians and other religious leaders who are well known in the community . Here KCCC Advocacy will tell them about their services and how people of Kamwokya can contact them. This meeting will be in Luganda and since we are not yet fluent in this, the meeting this will be lead by Richard (We hope our presents will give some effect- Mzongos in the house usually does this in Uganda)
The Information Day at Makerere Univeristy- Friday.
This meeting we haven’t sett any confirmed plans than meeting the students together with the Guild president and the president of Makerere Law Society.
But look forward for the next update where we will be telling you how our plan for this week went.
And remember that the road to success will always be under construction!
Vinesh – Project LegalAid.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Lions Quest
Hi!
Finally an update from the Lions Quest group. We have been very busy, working from early in the morning til late in the afternoon all week long. But it has been a lot of fun! Last weekend we arranged a Lions quest workshop in Kampala with 16 participants from Masaka and Kasese. The workshop was both fun and interesting! The participants were very happy with the outcome of the workshop.
On last Sunday, we travelled to Masaka with some of the participants. After meeting our wonderful host families, we started planning our week in St. Joseph's and St. Paul's primary schools. The week has gone by really fast, and it has exceeded all our expectations. Our goal this summer was to create interest for the Lions Quest program, and not only are the teachers involved, but they have conducted LQ lessons in the classrooms. So we are very excited! The teachers at the schools have embraced Lions Quest and are eager to continue working on the project. Yay!
Even though this week has been a lot of work, we've enjoyed our stay here in this beautiful town. The people we have met have been very hospitable,and we are not looking foreward to say good-bye! But on sunday we leave for Kasese, and we are looking foreward to meeting all the wonderful people there.
Petter, Ranveig, Kjersti and Stine Mari
-Live from the Ugandan wilderness
Finally an update from the Lions Quest group. We have been very busy, working from early in the morning til late in the afternoon all week long. But it has been a lot of fun! Last weekend we arranged a Lions quest workshop in Kampala with 16 participants from Masaka and Kasese. The workshop was both fun and interesting! The participants were very happy with the outcome of the workshop.
On last Sunday, we travelled to Masaka with some of the participants. After meeting our wonderful host families, we started planning our week in St. Joseph's and St. Paul's primary schools. The week has gone by really fast, and it has exceeded all our expectations. Our goal this summer was to create interest for the Lions Quest program, and not only are the teachers involved, but they have conducted LQ lessons in the classrooms. So we are very excited! The teachers at the schools have embraced Lions Quest and are eager to continue working on the project. Yay!
Even though this week has been a lot of work, we've enjoyed our stay here in this beautiful town. The people we have met have been very hospitable,and we are not looking foreward to say good-bye! But on sunday we leave for Kasese, and we are looking foreward to meeting all the wonderful people there.
Petter, Ranveig, Kjersti and Stine Mari
-Live from the Ugandan wilderness
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Pro:Piggery meets Anders the cow
So, finally an update from the Pro:Piggery group. We have already been in Bushenyi (and Ishaka) for around 5 days, but it is'nt always easy to update the blog when we live in a house without electricity and the internet cafe in Bushenyi only have 2 computers.
We arrived to our host family on sunday evening. We were warmly welcomed by Agatha, who quickly made sure that we understood that we are now her new children. Agatha lives in a house in the middle of a lot of matooke palms outside Ishaka. She is an organic farmer and a wine maker (pineapple wine). Unfortunately for her, her kids and the orphans she has living with her, she is not able to sell any of her products. But either way, she was welcoming us with open arms.
On Monday Nathalie (patron saint of Silent Voices) came to Agathas and picked us up. She drove us to her house where we got some good coffee and finally were able to make the rest of the plans for our stay in Bushenyi. It was really nice to meet Nathalie as most members of our group had never met her before, but has spent the last 6 months conversing with her.
On tuesday evening our planned piggery-seminar started with a nice welcoming dinner at Bushenyi Guest House. David, who works for Lions Aid Norway, came all the way from Kampala. Luckily for us, he also brought our film-maker Brynhild with him.
On both Wednesday and Thursday Nathalie, Peter, Amanda and Pius (Silent Voices), David, and our group discussed Silent Voices, where they are now, plans for the future and finally, how AIM fit in to all the plans. The discussions where very fruitful, and I think we all agree that more came out of these two days, than our work has in a long time.
We have now agreed that we will support a pilot for Silent Voices new project called One Parent, One Pig. This project will hopefully raise all the income SV needs to run the local part of their organisation. But we are still looking in to the profitability of a piggery, which will be a part of the central funding of SV.
Anyhow, we will come back with more information about this when it's all settled.
Now you are probably wondering about the cow... When we came home to Agatha yesterday, her cow had given birth. In a moment of complete joy I found out that the baby cow didn't have a name. So now the cow is called Anders!! Anders was making a lot of noises the rest of the night, so I'm not sure if he was happy with the name.
This was it from our part for now. We have to wright long posts when we finally have internet. Now it's back to reality, which for now consists of a lot of matooke, no bathroom, a hole in the ground and popcorn for breakfast.
*** Jenny, Pro:Piggery***
We arrived to our host family on sunday evening. We were warmly welcomed by Agatha, who quickly made sure that we understood that we are now her new children. Agatha lives in a house in the middle of a lot of matooke palms outside Ishaka. She is an organic farmer and a wine maker (pineapple wine). Unfortunately for her, her kids and the orphans she has living with her, she is not able to sell any of her products. But either way, she was welcoming us with open arms.
On Monday Nathalie (patron saint of Silent Voices) came to Agathas and picked us up. She drove us to her house where we got some good coffee and finally were able to make the rest of the plans for our stay in Bushenyi. It was really nice to meet Nathalie as most members of our group had never met her before, but has spent the last 6 months conversing with her.
On tuesday evening our planned piggery-seminar started with a nice welcoming dinner at Bushenyi Guest House. David, who works for Lions Aid Norway, came all the way from Kampala. Luckily for us, he also brought our film-maker Brynhild with him.
On both Wednesday and Thursday Nathalie, Peter, Amanda and Pius (Silent Voices), David, and our group discussed Silent Voices, where they are now, plans for the future and finally, how AIM fit in to all the plans. The discussions where very fruitful, and I think we all agree that more came out of these two days, than our work has in a long time.
We have now agreed that we will support a pilot for Silent Voices new project called One Parent, One Pig. This project will hopefully raise all the income SV needs to run the local part of their organisation. But we are still looking in to the profitability of a piggery, which will be a part of the central funding of SV.
Anyhow, we will come back with more information about this when it's all settled.
Now you are probably wondering about the cow... When we came home to Agatha yesterday, her cow had given birth. In a moment of complete joy I found out that the baby cow didn't have a name. So now the cow is called Anders!! Anders was making a lot of noises the rest of the night, so I'm not sure if he was happy with the name.
This was it from our part for now. We have to wright long posts when we finally have internet. Now it's back to reality, which for now consists of a lot of matooke, no bathroom, a hole in the ground and popcorn for breakfast.
*** Jenny, Pro:Piggery***
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