“There is no Electricity here – Life is HARD in Uganda”

December 3, 2011

“There is no Electricity here – Life is HARD in Uganda”

I’m Back – Sorry but life here in Africa is non-stop work – as my counterpart said the other day as we sat in our office waiting for electricity to come…which it never did – “There is no Electricity here – Life is HARD in Uganda”. And it is. I cannot adequately convey the challenges people face just to complete the basic tasks of daily life. Nothing can be counted upon, and people have little control over their lives. Water may not be available for days; electricity may or may not come on during any given day – imagine trying to run a business without being able to count on the basics of electricity and water. Then throw in Disease- malaria, AIDS, along with gender inequality and mal nutrition and you will agree - Life is hard here!

Last week our site was out of electricity due to a late electric bill – so even when the power was sporadically available – our school was not able to get on the grid – In addition, salaries here have not been paid since mid-October, and in a staff meeting yesterday the Director said she does not see any hope for funds to pay Nov, Dec and most likely Jan salaries. From what I know of their cash flow projections, I can’t see how they will meet Feb salaries…but this is too far in advance for them to think about now.  Needless to say this adds to the difficulty of the already challenging life of our staff. I feel guilty for receiving my Peace Corps Stipend as they all struggle to feed their families.

Millions Fetching Water – My Observations

There are millions of people fetching water from down the road, up the hill, across the fields.

Their day begins with outdoor latrines or the bush, then bathing outside with cold water – if there is enough water for bathing. They wash dishes, clothes, themselves – all outside in plastic basins, using the same bar of soap.

They eat one or two staple foods - daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, …for a lifetime…mostly a bland starch with beans. A tomato or carrot is a celebration, a feast to mark a birth or the beginning of the dry season.

Bugs are part of their everyday life – inside, outside, everywhere. They barely notice them unless they are poisonous.

They can’t read, write, drive, or go to a bank.

Disease is everywhere, mal nutrition a given, death part of every week. They have lost parents, children and siblings to disease or war or both. Purchasing a coffin is a common activity.

Justice and fairness are not concepts to reflect on. They know that these notions have no meaning where they live.

They don’t hurry or fret. They are powerless to affect the majority of their lives. If you aren’t born to wealth or privilege it is impossible to attain. Things are as they are, life is what it is.

Waiting is part of life – life is lived in the waiting periods. Laughing, storytelling, gossip, news is shared as people wait for the line to move, the electricity to come, the rains to fall, the sun to rise and set.

Thanksgiving in GULU with PCV’s

Given the observations above, I am truly grateful for all the blessings large and small in my life. So turn on your tap in the kitchen and praise God! ...oh and be thankful for a drain too! I wish I had one in my Ugandan house.

Well, I finally had some real American R&R to help shed some of the stress and drudgery of the above mentioned everyday challenges in Uganda. We were given a 4-day weekend for Thanksgiving and being resourceful talented PCVs we organized quite a fun weekend.

It began with my weekly bike ride to Gulu town. Unfortunately it was drizzling as I left my school and shortly thereafter it picked up strength. So I had to seek shelter in a Boda Stage (think covered motorcycle taxi stand). It was actually a fun cultural experience as I chatted with one Ugandan man who recognized me from our Open Day with the German Ambassador. I practiced my pitiful Acholi language with the Boda Drivers (Motorcycle taxi drivers) and they smiled at my broken 3-year old abilities, but appreciated my effort. Very few foreigners make the effort to speak the language.

When the rain let up I forged ahead and arrived in Gulu with Mud flying everywhere – from my bike tires, from the truck & car tires, …from every direction all I could see was mud – much of it  on me. Good thing I had a backpack with a change of clothes. I went to the bank to withdraw my PC stipend for Dec and had to wait 30 minutes for the machines to come back on. Then off I pedaled to another PCV’s house to cook 3 packages of brownies – my contribution to the feast – thanks to all my supporters in the USofA.  

Baking is a challenge in Uganda – not many ovens – I have not seen one yet – though I hear rich people have them in Kampala. SO I made Stove Top Browning Scramble. Imagine brownie mix continuously scrambled in a skillet until it turns somewhat solid. I scraped the brownie scramble into a pan and then molded it into brownie bricks which could be cut into pieces. Yes – I felt a great sense of Pride for my accomplishment. It took over 2.5 hours by the way! There were people cooking all over Gulu that day. Iwas with a group cooking a turkey on an outdoor stove with a huge pot placed over the turkey – it turned out very well and I, like most of us, was very surprised!

We carted our items to an Ethiopian restaurant that lent us their facilities for the day – not much biz on Thursday afternoon on Thanksgiving in Uganda. I think there were 50-60 people there mostly PCVs but also other Americans that needed a place to celebrate the American Holiday. It was my first away from Family and I missed my parents, sibs, kids, husband and friends very much but this was a good alternative!

Beer Basting the Turkey! Sorry - No pics of my Brownie Bricks!

Murchison Falls Safari

Friday 12 of us woke at 4am for a 3 hour ride to Murchison Falls National Park to see Animals and ride a boat to the falls where the Nile river gets compressed into a narrow  gorge and then plummets down over a cliff to continue its trek towards Egypt. Unfortunately one of our vehicles broke down 1.5 hours into the trip and we sat by the roadside for a couple hours waiting for a replacement – so we missed the morning game drive and our best chance to see lions. However the day turned out wonderfully and we all enjoyed seeing the giraffes, water buffalo, wart hogs, Ugandan Kobs & Crested Cranes, elephants, baboons, monkeys, crocodiles, hippos, and a gazillion birds! The boat ride was relaxing and the falls a nice site – though nothing like Niagara. We all wished we were staying the night a t the Paraa Safari Lodge – it was luxurious with a pool overlooking the Nile and outdoor bar and lovely rooms and dining facilities – nothing like my home in Koro!

On top of our safari vehicle

Its Mister Baboon to you!

Elephants were all around us near the Nile River

Murchison Falls in the background

Perma-gardening Workshop

My site was selected to host the Northern Uganda Peace Corps training for Perma-gardening; which is organic gardening using locally available resources and materials to create long term sustainable family gardens that provide increased yields by planting complimentary plants together and utilizing varying plant heights to get the most out of smaller family plots. The purpose is to help improve nutrition and food security here in Uganda. So 37 people – a volunteer and their counterparts – came to Koro to learn the process over 2 days. We learned some in classroom settings and a whole lot in the fields doing the practical work. (KICKED MY BUTT!) As I love gardening, I really enjoyed it; and now I am caring for the 9 plots and the Keyhole garden constructed near my house over the 2 day workshop! 

Making and animal barriers out of local materials

Farmer Karla

my fellow co-workers digging beds

Keyhole garden - cent3er for kitchen compost which leeches nutrients into beds 

I love and miss all of you guys - the important things get very real here! So - please treasure your family and friends; and harmony in your homes; as your heart will be with what you treasure!
PEACE - Karla