shaking your hips can be therapeutic

This week I was lucky to experience the benefits of music and art therapy. The Fellowship choir was practising a drumming and singing routine that they will perform on Nurses Day on May 12th. They attracted a crowd of in-patients who joined them and were thoroughly entertained. One young woman who is often sitting alone or walking around in a lethargic daze heard the music and whispered to me that she loves to "traditional dance." We walked over together and before I knew it she was shaking her hips, smiling and clapping. It was an unbeleivable transformation.
That same day I had brought some art supplies (that was donated by someone wonderful at home) and sat down with a few of the in-patients and we painted and drew pictures together. The stimulation instantly changed the mood, and we had a great time chatting, laughing and singing. One of the woman said to me "this is so good, when I do this it helps me to not focus so much on my problems." It was so neat to hear her say that. It really has troubled me that there are not many activities for the in-patients to do during the day. Many of them sit on their beds for hours and hours unstimulated. The painting and colouring was such a hit that I will definitely bring them along with me again.
Everything at the library at Tekera (TRC) is going very well. The local librarian and I have been working hard to get the books catalogued, decorations up, and plans in order for the library to open to the community on May 25th. There will be a quiet study area, comfortable loungey area, storytime every Friday followed by creative writing and Adult English classes three times per week.
We have brought a lot of donations with us and have found ourselves faced with the challenge of what to do with them now that we are here. How do we be charitable to people in an empowering way that helps to maintain their dignity? One of the foundations of our project is to empower people and their communities and we are concious of the fact that handouts can be disempowering but at the same time we see a need for them. There is an expectation that as a white westerner I have brought donations for people. I am constantly asked for things whether it is for money or the shirt on my back. It seems that some people have become accustomed to handouts and it is almost expected. So the struggle is that we have come with the intention to give to people but do not want to continue the pattern of dependence. Or maybe we should just stop being so social worky about everything and just give the stuff away.

I will be going to an "introduction" this Sunday. An introduction is when a woman takes the man she wants to marry to meet her family and the dowry is discussed. Apparently it is a large and serious celebration with lots of food and dancing. I get to wear traditional garb! Google "Uganda Gomez." They are awesome. --K

Ugandan Days

Two weeks into my praciticum at TASO has been challenging. I am very impressed with TASO and the work they are doing. They are helping to improve hundreds of lives by providing HIV testing, couselling and treatment, however, I still need to find my place within this organaztions. I have seen HIV testing in remote villages and HIV counselling at the centre in Maska. On tuseday TASO loads their buses full of medication and a number of counsellors , nurses and doctors to go to a village and set up for a day to do HIVcounselling, check ups and drug distribution to people who would otherwise have trouble reaching theses services at the centre in maska. TASO helps so many people in need, to improve and extend their lives! I feel fortunate to be witnessing it all. My last two weeks have been mostly observing. I get furstrated with not understanding the language. The counselling sessions are in Lugandan. Even with a brief translation I still feel like I am missing a lot of interesting information. The TASO empoyees are all so nice and they joke around and laugh a lot but mosly in Lugandan so as a foreigner I am definitely challenged in fitting into a place where I look different, speak differently and think differently. Ugandan people are very happy and kind from what I have observed. I am also however challenged by the strict religous views that many Ugandan's have. Yesterday I was upset when a conversation with my TASO colleagues went sour. We were all coming home in the TASO van from an outreach mission in a remote village doing HIV testing, when the led conversation led to the topic of homosexuality. I was shocked by their strong feelings against homosexuals, but I was not yet sure if I wasn't going to say anything when someone else said, "in her country homosexuality it is ok," pointing to me. I was happy to respond by saying yes it is ok in Canada to marry the same sex and that homosexuals are born that way, it is natural. Everyone looked disgusted with me and for the rest of the van ride a man was trying to convince me that it is wrong and it is just as bad as rape or incest. I was happy to go home after that day to debrief with my roomies as I was and still am quiet frustrated and disturbed that Ugandan's have such a strong dislike to homosexuals. Many days at TASO I have come home discouraged because of the language barrier but this was something different. I am so thankful for having such great roommates to greet me at home with warm smiles and concerned looks so I can then normalize my feelings.
The other day I spent a day at a daycare as I am considering other practicum placements. The children in Uganda are so fun to work with. They love waving at you yelling hello muzungu !! At the daycare I was able to overcome the language barrier by playing with the children. It was refreshing to be able in engage with the children instead of observing. I may go to the daycare two days a week now. Right now I am waiting to speak with my supervisor at TASO to discuss having more of a role at TASO and to maybe go part time or maybe go to another practicum altogether. Wherever I am, there is always learning taking place by just being here. Uganda is a beauitful country and I am taking it all in !!
Blessings Chandra

Crazy 8s is International

We have all been very busy trying to get settled into our practicums. Each day I am feeling more and more comfortable in my new environment. Last week at the Fellowship we had a big monthly general meeting. There were around 60 members that arrived. There was more wonderful singing and dancing as well as some important business that was attended to.
I have spent a lot of time socializing and chatting with the members of USF as well as the in-patients and their family members. I have been surprised at how many people are able to speak English with me. I have met so many different types of people-soldiers, students, mothers, farmers, teachers, and so many more. It has been great to hear people's stories, but also talk about subjects unrelated to their illness. I find myself feeling frustrated though. The hospital does not have access to new medication so many patients are experiencing debilitating side effects from older medication. I know that the mental health workers are doing the best with the resources they have, but it is difficult to witness the level of care that they receive when I am aware of the level of care that is available in Canada. There is a thirty bed psychiatric ward that is being built at the hospital. In the mean time, the patients and their caretakers are crammed into a tiny room with very few beds and many people are forced to sleep on the floor.
On a lighter note, I discovered today that the card game ‘Crazy 8s’ is played in Uganda. I have been able to interact with many more people now that I carry around a deck of cards! Tomorrow is National Epilepsy Day so there will be a big meeting and celebration at the Fellowship. Epilepsy is treated as a mental illness as the Masaka Hospital. Some days a majority of the people I interact with are there because they are seeking treatment for their epilepsy. National Epilepsy Day helps to raise awareness about Epilepsy and break down certain stigmatizing attitudes—such as the belief that Epilepsy is contagious.

We had a nice weekend in Kampala visiting a former Douglas College student who now resides there with her husband and many many children that they take care of. The children that I have met in Uganda, and there have been very many, have been so sweet, well behaved, grateful, respectful and…. hardworking!! I woke up on Saturday morning to a nine year old changing her baby brother’s diaper, and a six year old sweeping the backyard. The children were very shy around us but on Saturday night we brought out our drums and began drumming and dancing with them. Music and dance is in their blood. The children were teaching us djembe beats and how to dance traditionally. They came out of their shells in no time. It was very funny.
It was nice to be in the city—although I think we all have come home to Masaka very grateful that we have settled here and not the capital.--K

Rally day

I woke up early on Saturday morning and walked up to the hospital grounds to meet Thomas and the USF members. They were busy practising their performances for the rally. We soon piled into a matatu.... all twenty of us! We stopped at four different villages and each time would meet with the LC1 (local chairman) and congregate into the house of a person living with mental illness. The mental health professionals would take this time to explain the importance of medicine and hospital support. Often, when a person with mental illness displays symptoms, they are taken to a local traditional healer. Often the healer charges a lot of money or goods for a person to seek treatment that can sometimes be damaging and insensitive. While the hospital recognizes the value of the healers in certain areas, they believe that it is critical that a person with mental illness is taken to the hospital as soon as possible.

We continued on through many villages stopping to pick up and greet people along the way. We arrived at the last village to be welcomed by over 100 people! They were all there to watch the rally. The members started by introducing themselves and sharing their experiences with mental illness. Some of them were dealing with illness themselves while others were family members. I found it so interesting to hear the similarities between people's experiences in Uganda and those that I have heard in Canada. Despite all the cultural, historical and economic differences--our struggles are all very similar.

One woman, a member of USF, shared her poem with us. It was very powerful. She challenged the community to imagine how they would feel if they or someone they love was diagnosed with a mental illness. It seems that anywhere in the world the main causes of stigma, social isolation and discrimination are misunderstanding and lack of empathy.

The members then put on a drama performance and the rally was brought to an end. It must be so empowering for the USF members to stand in front of such a big audience, share their struggle, show their strength and advocate for others. They are also spreading the message that treatment at the Masaka Referral Hospital is effective and free!

We had a long drive back into the city but I think I was the only one that was tired—the members were singing and drumming the whole way back.

It was a long day, but one that I will never forget. -K

life in uganda

well, it's been one week since we left home. i'm starting to feel settled into life here in masaka. although i've been set back a few days due to some tummy problems; feeling quite ill this past saturday/sunday. i slept for over 12 hours : and still feel kind of tired and generally worn down. hopefully it is just my body adjusting to the food and environment here in uganda.

it's monday the 27th today and i've got the majority of the day off to regain strength and prepare for my first week in practicum. i have a meeting scheduled for today at 2pm at the hospital with john, my instructor the hospital social worker. we are going to tour the hospital and i will be introduced to the head sisters (head nurses) of each ward. hopefully this tour will help me get a good sense of the hospital grounds and on which wards i will feel most comfortable. as a student social worker at masaka referral hospital i hope to gain a basic understanding of how uganda's social support system works, and develop a greater understanding of how to be an advocate in the social service field. i'm not exactly sure what i will specifically learn through my practicum at the hospital, so i'm trying to keep my learning goals broad for now.

this past friday i spent the day at my other practicum placement, the hospital's daycare center. i was introduced to the full time daycare worker in the morning, and jumped into interacting with the children almost immediately after that. at first i didn't know what to expect at the daycare in terms of valuable work experience, and i was unsure how working there will help me become a better social service practitioner back in canada. but as the day went on i realized i do not need to be in a placement specifically designed for 'social service work' to benefit from this experience. as long as i am interacting with children and families that have social needs, i'm confident that i will have the opportunity to nurture the skills i've developed in the classroom. i will be spending two days per week assisting at the hospital day care. this day care is beside uganda cares which is an hiv/aids testing and treatment clinic. the majority, if not all, of the children using this service are hiv +. they come to uganda cares for testing, counselling and medical treatment for hiv/aids; spending time at the daycare while waiting for test results or to see their doctor/counsellor. i haven't yet set specific goals for my time at the daycare, but hope to do so as i begin working there more regularly.

we spent yesterday at mburro national park. it was a good break from a busy week and a nice introduction to african wildlife. we took a mutatu (sp?) to the park with a funny ugandan driver named robert. the ride in was quite bumpy; even the main highway was full of potholes with some stretches made of only gravel. once into the park, robert made many stops for us so we could photograph the zebras, cobs, warthogs, and monkeys. i was surprised how many zebras we saw and how unnatural they seemed amid the ugandan landscape; their coloring quite cartoon-like next to the greens and browns of the wild. when we got to lake mburro we were welcomed by two large warthogs chowing down on grass. we took a 1.5 hour boat ride which introduced us to a number of hippos, one crocodile, many fish eagles, a water buffalo (way bigger than i had expected), baboons, more monkeys and other beautiful bird species. about half of the group were introduced to our first pit toilet at mburro and speaking for myself, i feel very fortunate to have a porcelain potty at home! overall it was a fun day.

well, thanks for tuning in. i'll try to sum things up quicker next time. many thanks for all your support.

-rachel-

waking up in Uganda!

So far I have experienced two FULL days in Uganda. Yesterday I got up early and ventured out to Tekera Resource Centre (TRC) which was about a 40 minute drive from Masaka. I was with three other western women, two from Canada and one from Ireland. We passed through several small villages as we drove along the potholed dirt road. All along the way kids were running out to the road yelling "Hello Muzungu!" at us. Muzungu means "white person" and I feel like it is my new name. Every time it is yelled out I turn around and wave and smile.

I met many wonderful people and tons of friendly beautiful children. I was able to join up with a women's craft group where one woman was patient enough to teach me how to weave a pair of earrings. The other women thought it was quite hilarious. The craft group is a place where women can get away from their daily stresses, support each other, chat, relate, laugh and make crafts that they are able to sell to create a little bit of income. The baskets and bowls that several people bought at our fundraising events were made by this group. I spent the rest of the day with an Irish woman who has been volunteering at TRC for the last four months. She was such a great help and together we brainstormed ideas for what I will be doing there for the next ten weeks. She has tried to develop a library but has not had the time to get it really happening. I met with the head mistress of the TRC Primary School and she was happy to arrange a day where each class would come to the library for 1 hour and participate in a story time and craft time. So over the next few weeks I will get that going! I will be working with a Ugandan teacher who is retiring from full time teaching but would still like to be active with the students. Together we will hopefully create the library into a safe, clean, fun, and comfortable learning environment!

I spent most of the day in the country side and it was very lush, fertile and beautiful. I really felt like I was in Africa. I walked up to a lookout point with some of the workers and volunteers. We could see gorgeous lush jungle and the massive Lake Victoria. There were little homes and villages scattered throughout and intricate roads connecting them all.

This morning I met with Thomas from the Uganda Schizophrenia Fellowship. The Fellowship is located on the Masaka Referral Hospital grounds. They have recently been granted the funding to expand their 4 bed psychiatric ward to 30 beds! The building is currently being constructed and the staff is very excited. It will be opening in June, hopefully before I leave.

I am lucky that I met with Thomas when I did. Tomorrow they are holding an anti-stigma rally and a large group of mental health professionals as well as members of the Fellowship will be traveling out to surrounding villages to raise awareness and educate the public about mental illness. I am so excited that I get to participate in a Ugandan rally!

I did feel a bit discouraged because I have so many questions for the members of the Fellowship, but I feel very limited by the language barrier. I am curious to see how my Lugandan will develop.

Waking up each morning to the sunshine and birds and fresh air has been amazing. I am so surprised with how comfortable I feel here. The people have been so welcoming and have a great sense of humor.

Despite a few hiccups such as lost luggage (containing toiletries) and absolutely not a drop of shampoo in Masaka, everyone seems to be healthy and in good spirits. K

reflection

Today we had our final meeting before we leave for Uganda on Monday. It was strange to be hugging our instructor goodbye (he will be heading to Uganda tomorrow and will meet us at the Entebbe airport on Wednesday) and saying "see you at the airport!" to the girls. A year of planning and fundraising is behind us and we are finally about to embark on our adventure.
We took some time in today's meeting to reflect a bit on the past year. We all feel blessed for the amazing support we have recieved during our fundraising efforts. The level of generosity has been surprising and very appreciated. Without our friends, family, community members and the college, this trip would not have been possible.
We also talked about our reasons for going, expectations, fears and goals. The two main principles of our trip are to do no harm, and start projects that "have legs when we leave." We are not going to Uganda to try to save lives or change the world. We are there primarily to learn from the Ugandan people. If the opportunity comes up to create change, then we will take it, but the main benefit will be the experience we have that we can bring to our practice here in Canada.
Leaving on our adventure has been and will be emotional. Saying goodbye is never easy and adjusting to a new culture can also be very challenging. But we are five strong and capable women--lookout Uganda!