And the page turns... (Nasamula/Chelsea)

These last few weeks have been a whirl wind of activity and unfortunately I am not going to be able to give any of them justice on this blog.  It has been a stressful but extremely rewarding time. I wish I had the time to  provide you all with the details of our adventures but tonight three of us are starting our own travelling adventure and are off to explore Kenya and Tanzania (and Rwanda if time permits) and will have limited computer access (due to the fact that we have donated the ones we were using in Masaka). 

These last few week flew by. Jesse and I toured the shrines and interviewed a number of traditional healers in and around Masaka. We were told about things like ancestral sprits,  bewitching, local medicinal herbs,  healing techniques,  mental illness  as well as the successes and the obstacles they face in their daily practice and in the new collaboration with the hospital.  It was an amazing experience, an eye-opening experience and an experience I will not soon forget.  Our 2 days of interviews were followed by a weekend getaway at Lake Bunyonyi in the southwest of Uganda.  It is truly the most beautiful place I have ever been.  It is full of lush green islands surrounded by a mainland full of terraced hills and amazing people.  Jesse and I were lucky enough to meet a couple locals who took us on a 5 hour hike up the hills of the mainland, through villages to watch a blacksmith make souvenirs out of scrap metal.  We tried the local brew and treated the locals to a round of drinks.  It was an amazing day.

We left and took an 8 hour bus ride up past Masaka all the way up to Kampala in order to meet our Hospital Supervisor who took us on a tour of the National Referral Hospitals.  It was a good experience to see the other referral hospitals (one was the general Nation Referral Hospital and one was the National Referral Psychiatric Hospital) and how they differed from each other. At Butabika (psychiatric), the resounding and repetitive message we received during our welcome and tour was how understaffed  and stretched they are, despite there being more services offered to patients including an amazing occupational therapy department and psychoeducation program.  At any one time there is 600-700 patients with a nursing staff of roughly 100.  What is accomplished for these patients are amazing feats with the resources they have available to them.

I ended up with a respiratory tract infection from all the dust from travelling and after getting seen at the hospital had a day to rest,  and the following day at CRO was a yet another travelling day.  A social worker with CRO and myself  did some school visits out in the next district over to pay school fees for ‘gradutated’ CRO kids.  It was a long ways away.  Our trip started with a taxi ride (where there were 9 of us in the car, 5 in the back 4 in the front) and then  various boda rides out to the different villages and schools.  Jesca told me that the kids will walk for 2 days during grasshopper season to get to Masaka.

The following day was our sensitization/psychoeducation day with the Traditional Healers.   In true African fashion we started extremely late (but did get more interview completed), our sensitization was then hijacked (I say that in the nicest way possible) by various dignitaries as well as Sense International .  Sense International is an organization that teaches children who are deaf/blind how to communicate.  The speaker was incredibly excited about the collaboration and talked about how traditional healers are often the entry point to the medical system and how every parent goes to them first when children have disabilities.  It was an amazing message and she provided the traditional healers contact information so they too could refer children in need to this organization to learn how to communicate.  When we finally came time for us to do our talk, we talked about concepts surrounding alcohol and drug abuse,  effects and risks associated with the abused drugs of the region as well as possible signs of withdrawal.  It was another full day.

The rest of the week was full of more school visits with CRO, and a series of home visits with Thomas to various members of USF.  As always we were warmly welcomed to everyone’s homes. We were shown projects they are working on and often given food to take home with us.  It is impressive to see the empowerment and successes of this extremely marginalized population.  

Our final few days were blurs of interviews, project proposals, and reports.  One evening we were able to go on a Night Survey with CRO through Nyendo (the local slum) to see where the kids sleep.  I remember waiting for our security guard to arrive and there were these puppies, wondering around sometimes crying and whining.  At first my heart just wanted to break for these puppies and the back of my mind I started making plans on how I could save these puppies from the street.  Then I realized I need to check myself, my priorities and really think about what we were there to do.  I will always remember the dirty groggy faces of a few of the boys crawling out from under a container and the line of boys sleeping in potato sacks and dirty blanket under the awning of a shop.  These experiences leave me with no words.  I struggle with how they may translate to my life back in Canada. All I can do right now is shake my head and hope that these impressions will yield more meaning in the future.

Our last days onsite involved farewell gatherings, speeches, soda, ‘bisquits’, sweets, pictures, a traditional dance party (I cannot shake my hips like that no matter how hard I try) and bittersweet goodbyes.  The following days involved,  more travel,  chimp trekking, waterfalls,  hippo, giraffes, elephants, boat rides and stupid truck drivers who won’t let you past and cover in you enfoofoo (dust) for miles.  I am sad to say goodbye but so excited  for the next leg of our journey (Hello sandy beaches!).

 I want to thank everyone who has been part of this experience so far.  I will never forget you and will always be thankful for what you have imparted on me. I know I will stay connected to Uganda and its people (I’m just not sure what that is going to look like yet...  but things will work themselves out).

Forever Yours,

Nasamula (Chelsea)

It's time to go..... (Chera)

What an incredible experience it has been! I can hardly believe that it has come to an end. Today is my last day in Masaka and I have been spending most the day reflecting, writing, packing, and organizing. This past week has been a whirlwind of emotions. A large part of me wishes I had more time here. I have learned so much, but in many ways have only scratched the surface. It will be interesting to see how things will translate when I get back home. Has this experience been life changing? Not really..I am still very much the same person I was before I left. Life enhancing is more like it. My values have not changed since I’ve been here, only strengthened. I thought I knew myself before, but now I know even more. I’ve learned the importance of community, and experienced the power of music and dance. I experienced what it feels like to be loved and accepted just the way I am and how to treat others the same. On the flip side, I have also experienced what it feels like to be a minority, to stand out in the crowd, and to be judged by the colour of my skin. My patience has been tested, I have learned to relax. I’ve learned what it means to be a friend, to be part of a family, and to be part of a student group living and working together for 10 weeksJ
My experience in Uganda has been challenging & it has been incredibly rewarding. I came to Uganda as I learner and that is exactly what I did. I leave here feeling blessed for having such an amazing opportunity so thank you to Douglas College, Anaweza, and Kakunyu School! I am inspired by the people I have met here especially the children and my supervisors at Anaweza and Kakunyu. I hope to be more like them as I move on from this point forward: authentic, compassionate, resilient, accepting, open-minded, patient, loving, selfless passionate leaders!

Love,
Chera

The end is near.. (Kayla)

Well I can't believe I'm saying this, but we're almost nearing the end of our practicum. It feels like just yesterday the time was going by so slowly and I felt like returning to Canada would never be a reality. Now I have to admit that I'm deeply saddened by the fact that I'm going home soon and I'm already planning my next trip back !

My practicum at Wakisa has been challenging yet rewarding. The time that I have spent getting to know the girls and forming relationships with them is unforgettable for me. At first, I felt like the girls thought I was a big nerd because there would often be giggles whenever I spoke and not many of the girls had took to me. It wasn't until I attempted to speak Luganda and relate to them on a similar level. We often exchanged our favorite movie titles, songs and fashion tips. I also came to learn that those giggles were derived from a big language barrier that was between us. I designed a sheet for the girls to fill out about their future goals and self care techniques. It was so amazing to see their faces light up as they described to me their goals for the future whether they wanted to be a farmer or a doctor. I encouraged them to stay strong and believe in themselves,  things that are even often difficult for me to do. They were suprised that sometimes I feel unmotivated and discouraged when it comes to my goal but it was good to normalize that experience for them. We explored a lot of their resources and support systems that they have in their lives and I have never met a stronger, more resililent and hopeful group of girls. I only wish for them to  have full happy lives with their babies and that eventually they are able to continue their studies and follow their dreams.

My stay here has been unforgettable even on the home front. I have had the pleasure of staying with Robert, Carli and their 16 children. Let me tell you, going from a home in Canada where my youngest sister is 18, to a house where everyone is under 15 has been quite the experience. Carli and Robert have a children's home here but it's the strongest family I know. The children come from either the street or vulnerable home situations. Carli and Robert have been able to be the best parents and encourage them to live to their full potential. I have never been in awe of children who are so helpful around the house and with one another. All the kids really care and look out for one another. Despite some of their devastating and terrifying pasts, they are still able to make me laugh everyday and teach me something new about life. I'm heartbroken to be leaving my nephews and nieces but I'm grateful that my life has been enriched with such bright and talented children who I know I will return to Uganda to visit.

A past student, Laura,  told me, "don't let your expectations guide your experience". This has been one of the most meaningful pieces of advice that I received before I came to Uganda. It couldn't be more true that often times we set high expectations for ourselves and especially in another country, they aren't always attainable. The fact is, I've had a few curveballs thrown my way in terms of my accommodations and practicum placement. If I didn't heed this little piece of advice I had heard before I came I think that my experience here would've been negative. I've taken every change with positive thoughts and made the best learning opportunities I can from my time here. In reality, Uganda is a 24/7 practicum because you see and hear many things that will challenge your perspectives. At first, you feel really out of our comfort zone because your worldview that you've come to know all your life will be completely challenged and in my case, altered. I have learned more about myself than I ever would doing a practicum in Canada and I'm grateful to the project for giving me the opportunity to enrich my life perspective and share it with others.

I have a week packed with practicum, good food and great company. Although the ending is bittersweet for me, I'm beyond excited to travel to Kenya and Tanzania with a few other teammates. I also am in forever thankful for to the people of Uganda for opening your arms and welcoming me like I'm one of your own. I truly can't wait to return back to this amazing country and create more beautiful memories with the family and friends I've made here.

The past two weeks.... (Chera)

Oh boy, there are so many stories to tell! All of these stories effect one another creating the overall experience. I have been struggling to write a blog entry for the past two weeks because with so many things happening at once, it is difficult to sit down with a clear mind and choose just one or two things to write about.

I guess I’ll go back to significant impressions; things that have impacted me these past two weeks as my time here quickly winds to an end. At Anaweza, I’ve been accompanying my supervisor to nearby villages and towns to meet the beneficiaries of his IGA (Income Generating Activities) project. Through the help of donations from friends in Australia, 50 families in need were offered a business training workshop and granted 100,000 shillings (approx $50.00) to start their own business. My supervisor and I visited these people (many of them parents/caregivers of the children who attend Anaweza) so he could collect their accountability reports (receipts and itemized details on how the money was spent). We were graciously welcomed into homes as children scurried to quickly bring chairs or a mat for us to sit on. All the beneficiaries were genuinely grateful for the opportunity to start their business. Businesses included: A hair salon, eucalyptus tree nursery, selling food, selling coal, breeding/selling pigs and chickens, and making/selling crafts. I was really moved and inspired by what I witnessed..the amount of pride beaming from these people as they talked about their business was enormous. These people have been given hope. Hope to feed and clothe their families, send their children to school, get medical attention when needed, the list goes on and on. It is amazing what $50, a little education, and the will to create a better life can do!


I think I may have mentioned in a previous blog entry that school is now in session. The number of children at Anaweza have reduced to about 10 (although the number is climbing as kids are sent home for failing to pay school fees). The reduced number in children has allowed me to get to know many on a more personal level. I have heard about the struggles which have kept many of them from attending school and it is extremely frustrating. A few general examples are: Parents/caregivers who can’t pay school fees, wont pay school fees, or will pay school fees but only for the male siblings. I look at these kids with such incredible potential, eagerness to learn, who have big dreams and I want to yell out for help. My supervisor is so passionate about helping these kids because he feels their future, the future of the community and the future of Uganda depends on it and he’s right! He has big dreams for the Anaweza Project and I have no doubt in my mind that he will accomplish his goals…but it does take time and he does need support. I recently created a facebook fan page for Anaweza to help get the word out about what they are doing. I also added several photos so please check out if you can! My supervisor has talked about setting up a child sponsorship program as well so children can access assistance with school fees when all other avenues fail.


Over the course of the past two weeks at Anaweza I have been leading activities that encourage imagination and creativity. While working with the children I noticed that play has a real practical theme, usually centered around agriculture, school, and work. I also noticed that when I gave examples during previous activities, that the children would often stick very closely to the example rather than come up with their own idea. I understand that this is partly to do with the language barrier, but I also believe that the children have had a limited outlet for creativity. I’ve begun introducing activities such as an adaptation of charades, story telling games, and free dance (not choreographed). Already I have begun to see an increase in self expression, confidence, and creativity. I will continue with this until I leave and give the information to my supervisor so he can continue with the activities after I leave. I really hope that a TR student will be placed at Anaweza next year. There is so much potential there and my supervisor is very open and receptive to ideas..it really is a perfect fit!

At Kakunyu School I have expressed interest in working with my supervisor’s children in her home who have both cognitive and physical impairments. I have been telling her about the benefits of starting a sensory stimulation program. I had the chance to work with a couple of her children by demonstrating the therapy. My supervisor asked me to write the information I told her on a large poster board so she could follow it later. A good sensory stimulation program should be consistent and the fact that I’m only there on Thursday and Friday has been frustrating..not to mention the fact that I am done practicum in a week and a half! It is true what I was told before I left: The time will go by fast!

Ahhh time…as it winds to an end here, I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting on my experience here, the people I have met and all the things I have learned. I’ve been trying to stop every once in a while to look around, take a deep breath, and make a mental picture. I feel like no matter how hard I try, it is difficult to capture my experience in writing so I am sorry for that..there is so so much more, but feelings that run deep are hard to articulate.

Time Machine! (Jesse)

Boy, do I ever wish I had a time machine. 10 weeks seems like a lot of time at first, but its only by failing to recognize the amount of time it takes to acclimatize to a wholly different culture. Just as things get comfortable and it feels like a real bond has developed with the country-in its people, in the work, the land, the spirit of the place-it is time to begin preparing to say goodbye. The other day, sitting down with our supervisor at CRO, we realized how short our time is—despite having 3 weeks left in our practicum, we are left with only 3 working days left here. We are there 2 days a week, however there have been an abundance of public holidays landing on the days we work there, which have significantly limited our time. It took all three of us by surprise when we looked at the calendar, we all knew our time was winding down, but it feels now like a sadly abrubt ending. The unfamiliar concept of “African time,” and the repeated refrain of, “remember you are not at home,” seems to sadly ring especially true here.

Chelsea and I have both had the opportunity to accompany CRO staff to Nyendo a number of times, on both a couple of “slum walks,” and a couple of women's groups. For the slum walks, we accompanied one of the social workers on a walk around of the area to identify street kids who are connected with CRO to try and convince them to come to the centre. Often times, some children need some convincing to return. The reasons are varied, it can take time to properly connect with the children, they are also often involved in exploitative relationships on the street, and work for adults in the area. We met one child who has been on the street for over a year. The social worker explained that he has been working for a local shopkeeper who, by keeping the child in her employ, is able to leave freely throughout the day and have someone to tend the shop. Recently, the centre has had a sharp drop in attendance, because school has started again (resettled children are welcome to reconnect with CRO when school is out). We've been told that it is much quieter than just previous to the break. The reason is that it is grasshopper season and many of the children are put to work preparing and selling them. The children are rarely paid, but can be given some shelter and food in exchange for their work. The other day, one of the few girls at the centre was dozing in class, as she was up the entirety of the night helping with the grasshopper operation. I haven't yet tried one, but intend to. They are generally sold by the bag, though, and I'm not quite so anxious to try as to buy a whole bag.

Nyendo itself is somehow not quite what I expected of an African slum. The poverty is very apparent, but somehow I imagined it to somehow be more shocking or feel more grim. Although I'm sure there are shocking elements, the overall atmosphere is not much different than other areas of Uganda (that we've been to). Other than it being so stripped down, its very much a bustling place, with many shops lining the main thoroughfares. People are out of their homes washing laundry and doing their work. There is a huge marketplace, although we haven't yet been there for market day. Getting off the main artery, there are residences and stores (as in storage), made out of mud, brick, and sheets of corrugated metal bolted together. The “street,” is dirt and it feels a bit like a maze to walk through. Although not a menacing place, there are enough narrow passages and blind corners to have felt uncomfortable should we have been lacking an escort (which we wouldn't be). We mzungus are not as common a sight as in Masaka town, a fact marked by the excitement and curiosity of the children, who are very plentiful. One child we encountered was absolutely shrieking with glee at the sight of Chelsea and I, screaming, “Mzungu! Mzungu!,” in rapid succession while jumping up and down on one foot, then the other, his hand placed on the top of his head in amazement and his mouth agape. I'm sure I've already mentioned it, but the novelty of being held in such utter wide eyed amazement just doesn't get old. One reality of Nyendo we were witness to was when we were down by the wetlands, where a woman was collecting water out of a small stagnant pool for laundry. The worker pointed at it and explained that many people access this water, including as drinking water.

Chelsea and I (mostly Chelsea this day) co-led a talk around Epilepsy at the weekly women's group.    It can be quite startling to hear some of the common ideas around this condition. When asked around what people know about epilepsy, some of the misconceptions were ones not uncommon back at home, such ideas as that someone may swallow their tongue, or that you should attempt to place something in the mouth. More disturbing are ideas around it being dangerous to touch someone who is seizing. Or that should you pull someone in a seizure out of a fire that they will not heal properly (a patient who until recently was at ward 14 bears the consequence of this belief). It can be difficult to process this, as we take our access to more accurate and medical knowledge around this for granted, and because the human fallout is so apparent.  We have also seen the incredible ability of people here, despite such a lack of basic resources, to band together for support and to educate their communities. Its a bit of a perplexing position to be in as someone from the West, who does not have a deep knowledge of local culture or beliefs or history, at the intersection of traditional belief systems and more modern and western approaches. But knowing just enough history, its impossible not to be aware that much of the knowledge and ideas we, and Africans too, are trying to impart to improve and empower, come from the same parts of the world that looted with abandon while ignoring human dignity and paving the way for unspeakable horrors. I think reasons for these things are incredibly complicated but what I am trying to say is that, as shocking as some beliefs are, it is understandable in the wake of these things that people cling to traditional ideas linked to their identity and place in the world and that there be some resistance to western ideas. And then on the other side, in spite of the history, we have felt welcomed with open arms by just about every person or group of people we have encountered, and have never been met with resentment or hostility. Our contributions have been received with enthusiasm Whether our input or suggestions are taken to heart is hard to guage; we've been told a number of times that it is very rare for a Ugandan to disagree openly with a guest or let us know if something is a bad idea. I sometimes wish they would but it illustrates their tremendous hospitality. So our exact role remains mysterious, but I'm comfortable with our stated primary one that we are here as learners.

Oh, here is a picture of grasshopper traps to compliment Chelsea's last entry: