Just wanted to share a little news article that I came across while reading the paper today.
There are schools here that won't allow the girls to have long hair - basically they have to have a buzz cut - more or less.... the reason?
They proclaim that if girls are allowed to have long hair, they will not do well in school. Why, you may ask... as I did... well - they say that they will spend too much time plaiting their hair and maintaining it, and therefore they won't study. Also - then they will become competitive about their hair, and they will lose focus on their education.
This wasn't just a little column either - it was an entire 2 page article with comments and everything!
Wow!!!!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
RWEYOWA
What can I say about RWEYOWA. They are an all-volunteer organization that does some amazing work. The three guys who started this organization are young Ugandan men who are so compassionate and really want to make a difference in the AIDS epidemic here. They do so much for the people of this community with the small amounts of money and resources that they have.
The three guys are:
- Ssekibuule Wilson (23 yrs)
- Ronald Kassamba (27 yrs)
- Tony (32 yrs?)
It seems amazing that these young guys are doing so much, and have gained so much respect in their community to be doing all of this. Their stories are amazing, and have made them into wonderful men who really care about the people they serve, and their volunteers. There are more people that work with the organization, but these three are the main organizers.
In the short three days that I have been here, we have helped to bring a client to the hospital, helped another to attain medicine and food after we checked her health status, did an HIV sensitization (education and awareness) at a local primary school, and also performed a VCT (voluntary counseling and testing for HIV) outreach.
I think the one that amazed me the most was the VCT. It was a small VCT, as we only had 45 people come to get tested – usually there are 70-200 people. However, it amazed me as to the different people who came. There were 60 year old men, 18 year old girls and everywhere in between. They all had different reasons for coming, but they were all so brave. I can’t imagine getting tested and getting my results in that setting. A small NGO (non-governmental organization) held the VCT in their center, where the counseling was held in not-so-private areas. Everyone had their blood drawn in the open, and we did all the tests right there. The results were all private, and it was wonderful that only 1 person was positive. That is amazing, as normally the rate here is 6-7%, while today we were closer to 2%. However, when you are in a situation where there are not a lot of resources, and there is still a lot of stigma, how do you not react so that everyone knows that you are HIV+. I can’t imagine.
I got to actually work in the ‘lab’ today… filling out forms, helping read the test results and such. It is really quite amazing to watch.
It is so good to see these guys at work.
The three guys are:
- Ssekibuule Wilson (23 yrs)
- Ronald Kassamba (27 yrs)
- Tony (32 yrs?)
It seems amazing that these young guys are doing so much, and have gained so much respect in their community to be doing all of this. Their stories are amazing, and have made them into wonderful men who really care about the people they serve, and their volunteers. There are more people that work with the organization, but these three are the main organizers.
In the short three days that I have been here, we have helped to bring a client to the hospital, helped another to attain medicine and food after we checked her health status, did an HIV sensitization (education and awareness) at a local primary school, and also performed a VCT (voluntary counseling and testing for HIV) outreach.
I think the one that amazed me the most was the VCT. It was a small VCT, as we only had 45 people come to get tested – usually there are 70-200 people. However, it amazed me as to the different people who came. There were 60 year old men, 18 year old girls and everywhere in between. They all had different reasons for coming, but they were all so brave. I can’t imagine getting tested and getting my results in that setting. A small NGO (non-governmental organization) held the VCT in their center, where the counseling was held in not-so-private areas. Everyone had their blood drawn in the open, and we did all the tests right there. The results were all private, and it was wonderful that only 1 person was positive. That is amazing, as normally the rate here is 6-7%, while today we were closer to 2%. However, when you are in a situation where there are not a lot of resources, and there is still a lot of stigma, how do you not react so that everyone knows that you are HIV+. I can’t imagine.
I got to actually work in the ‘lab’ today… filling out forms, helping read the test results and such. It is really quite amazing to watch.
It is so good to see these guys at work.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
For bad drivers, call 078.956.784.888
Hello from Namasuba!
Wow! It has been an amazing couple of days already. Got in about 10pm on Tuesday, got to the new house, ate dinner, talked, went to bed about 1am. Proceeded to wake up at 8am, and hit the ground running!
My first day was a busy one - we were lucky to have a vehicle for a short time, so we were able to take a client with TB to the government hospital. She couldn't afford the $1 that it costs for transport into the city, so she wouldn't have been able to go if we weren't able to help her.
We then proceeded to another clients house, who is not only HIV+, but also has TB and malaria. Her medications were causing a very painful skin condition, and she was unable to buy the medication for it, as it is not provided for free like her other meds. It cost about $1.50. Her family of 8 (including parents, sister and her kids and her and her kids) live in a room about the size of most people's bathrooms.
Then - on to a sensitization, which is an HIV education session at a local primary school We were working with the equivalent of 5th and 6th graders,and it was really quite scary how little they knew about HIV. And all of this only on my first day. Needless to say I was tired, hungry, and ready for bed....
But - I wanted to share this and a little story of somee of the signs we see. It is hilarious, as English is well-known, but spelling and some explanations in English are not quite understandable to native English speakers. Today I almost got a sandwich with 'sauntered' onions, and I also saw a sign on the back of a bus saying 'for bad drivers, call #'. I love the english language! Especially when it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Anyways - I should leave it at that for now.
I will try to write more soon!
Love and smiles from Namasuba....
Wow! It has been an amazing couple of days already. Got in about 10pm on Tuesday, got to the new house, ate dinner, talked, went to bed about 1am. Proceeded to wake up at 8am, and hit the ground running!
My first day was a busy one - we were lucky to have a vehicle for a short time, so we were able to take a client with TB to the government hospital. She couldn't afford the $1 that it costs for transport into the city, so she wouldn't have been able to go if we weren't able to help her.
We then proceeded to another clients house, who is not only HIV+, but also has TB and malaria. Her medications were causing a very painful skin condition, and she was unable to buy the medication for it, as it is not provided for free like her other meds. It cost about $1.50. Her family of 8 (including parents, sister and her kids and her and her kids) live in a room about the size of most people's bathrooms.
Then - on to a sensitization, which is an HIV education session at a local primary school We were working with the equivalent of 5th and 6th graders,and it was really quite scary how little they knew about HIV. And all of this only on my first day. Needless to say I was tired, hungry, and ready for bed....
But - I wanted to share this and a little story of somee of the signs we see. It is hilarious, as English is well-known, but spelling and some explanations in English are not quite understandable to native English speakers. Today I almost got a sandwich with 'sauntered' onions, and I also saw a sign on the back of a bus saying 'for bad drivers, call #'. I love the english language! Especially when it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Anyways - I should leave it at that for now.
I will try to write more soon!
Love and smiles from Namasuba....
Sunday, February 21, 2010
The Journey Begins...
So life has a funny way of working.
Sometimes I wonder how I ever got into this life style - where did this passion for travel and overseas adventures come from? Where did this passion for helping others come from?
Well, wherever it came from, its here... and I leave tomorrow morning.
Everytime I think about the trip, my stomach does a little flip-flop, and I almost feel sick. Not sure why - it could be because I don't want to leave Jeremy for that long... it could be that I really don't know that much about the people I am going to work with, and what I am really getting myself in to. Sometimes I think I trust too much - but it has always worked out before, so why not this time? Right?
Today I get to do the last minute packing. My two check-on bags are fully packed with donations for RWEYOWA, and I just have to repack my clothes, books and laptop into my carry-on. Feels so weird.
Lastly - I want to say thank you to the many people who have given so generously to support RWEYOWA and our effort to bring as many donations as we can. Thanks to your efforts, we are going to be able to bring around 200lbs of medical supplies and other donations, and give money to the organization for purchasing more supplies in the community - that way we are not only helping out the people that the organization helps, but we are also helping to support the local community, and increasing the positive views of the organization in their community. This will surely help them in their continued work.
So - THANK YOU! You are all in my thoughts and in my heart on this trip. I want to say thank you so that you really know how I am feeling. Not sure how to do that in words.
Sometimes I wonder how I ever got into this life style - where did this passion for travel and overseas adventures come from? Where did this passion for helping others come from?
Well, wherever it came from, its here... and I leave tomorrow morning.
Everytime I think about the trip, my stomach does a little flip-flop, and I almost feel sick. Not sure why - it could be because I don't want to leave Jeremy for that long... it could be that I really don't know that much about the people I am going to work with, and what I am really getting myself in to. Sometimes I think I trust too much - but it has always worked out before, so why not this time? Right?
Today I get to do the last minute packing. My two check-on bags are fully packed with donations for RWEYOWA, and I just have to repack my clothes, books and laptop into my carry-on. Feels so weird.
Lastly - I want to say thank you to the many people who have given so generously to support RWEYOWA and our effort to bring as many donations as we can. Thanks to your efforts, we are going to be able to bring around 200lbs of medical supplies and other donations, and give money to the organization for purchasing more supplies in the community - that way we are not only helping out the people that the organization helps, but we are also helping to support the local community, and increasing the positive views of the organization in their community. This will surely help them in their continued work.
So - THANK YOU! You are all in my thoughts and in my heart on this trip. I want to say thank you so that you really know how I am feeling. Not sure how to do that in words.
Monday, February 15, 2010
One Week to Go!
It's Monday - and I leave in a week.
Sometimes I wonder what I am doing... Why am I doing this? Why am I leaving my wonderful husband for two months to go work in Uganda? Can I really do this?
Yep - I have doubts about myself...
But then I remember my passion - my love for this work - my love for Africa and its people - my desire to increase access to primary health care, work toward decreasing HIV prevalence and stigma - and to help build the capacity of local organizations to keep doing this work themselves.
Then I know that I am doing the right thing.
Am I still scared - yep... a bit...
Do I wonder how it will all turn our - yep...
But I keep moving and keep heading toward that goal and I know that everything will work out exactly as it is meant to
So - with one week to go - I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped support my mom and I and helped us to realize this dream. I want to thank you all for being there - whether you know it or not - in my mind - pushing me on to greater heights. I couldn't do it without you all.
Thank you!
Sometimes I wonder what I am doing... Why am I doing this? Why am I leaving my wonderful husband for two months to go work in Uganda? Can I really do this?
Yep - I have doubts about myself...
But then I remember my passion - my love for this work - my love for Africa and its people - my desire to increase access to primary health care, work toward decreasing HIV prevalence and stigma - and to help build the capacity of local organizations to keep doing this work themselves.
Then I know that I am doing the right thing.
Am I still scared - yep... a bit...
Do I wonder how it will all turn our - yep...
But I keep moving and keep heading toward that goal and I know that everything will work out exactly as it is meant to
So - with one week to go - I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped support my mom and I and helped us to realize this dream. I want to thank you all for being there - whether you know it or not - in my mind - pushing me on to greater heights. I couldn't do it without you all.
Thank you!
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