the children of uganda are inspiring. they are independant, strong, agile little people who care for themselves and others like no other children i have ever met before. it's as if there is an upspoken social code that teaches these children to care for anyone smaller than themselves. for these reasons, working at the daycare has become one of the highlights of each week. i look forward to the days i get to spend playing with, teaching, and learning from the children at the center.
i'm currently spending mondays, tuesdays and fridays at the daycare center. we have structured activities in the morning (i.e. crafts, storytime, writing and mathematics), offer a limited but adequate lunch (i.e. african tea, buns and fruit), and have general play each afternoon. the facility consists of a tent (approximately 20x15ft.) with 2 benches and a large grassy area equipped with 4 swings, a merry-go-round, a teater-totter, and 2 slides. materials and supplies are also limited but adequate since 95% of the time the children graciously share everything amongst themselves.
since i began my work at the center i have had some opportunities to chat with parents, guardians and older siblings of children who use the service. everyone expresses their great appreciation for the daycare and their gratitude for my contribution to the service. at times i do not feel as though i have a wealth of knowledge or experience to bring to the daycare since i am not trained in early childhood education or other related services. however i do have love and compassion that i bring with me each day, and i am beginning to understand that this is enough.
each day as i walk onto the hospital grounds i here the children calling my name from the center which is located at the top of a hill. they wave with excitement as i make my way up to them and run for me once i reach their location. they love to hold my hands, stand near me, feel my skin as different from theirs, and investigate everything about me. i do anything from pushing them on the swings, teaching them games, to comforting them when they are upset. it truly amazing to witness the lives of these children. they have so many challenges to face in life yet they are so happy and thankful for the lives they have been given. i only hope to grow to love life as much as they do, and to always remember their beautiful smiling faces.
thanks for listening. till next time...
-rachel-
Thursday, May 14, 2009
week 2
Well week two @ CRO was incredible. I went on their camp to Kalangala island with 105 street children which was definitely one of the most challenging & rewarding things I have ever done. The opportunity to connect with these children on the camp was so great. I believe by going on the camp I have connections that I would not have otherwise. The journey was quite remarkable as all the children were loaded in a local transport truck to endure quite the long haul. At first I was concerned about their safety & then it occurred to me the reality the face every day is much more dangerous. They were so excited to be going on the camp & they had the chance to be children again. We arrived to the camp i.e. Ssese farm school to face some adversity as it was quite late & there was no water on site. The team was incredible & the older children pitched in to help feed the masses. The first night was a difficult one & there was a savage fight between two boys. The nurse operated on the one boy who took a club to the head for many hours & she was able to stop the bleeding. Again I was amazed at the resourcefulness & skill of the workers. On the camp the children were able to sing, dance, play football & not have to worry about food, shelter or the harsh conditions of the street. Even the group of children that take drugs had a few days clean. I really made an effort to connect with these children as they are difficult to reach & as it is my speciality in Canada I thought I would give it a try. The language barrier is great as most of these children cannot speak any English as they have not been in school, so good thing I can connect in creative ways. I found the boys playing poker in the jungle so I pulled out a deck of cards & started to play cards with them a bit risky yet successful. While we were there one of the boys spotted a monkey which was a great chance for a photo shot so I showed a few of them how to use the camera. The oldest really enjoyed it & asked to use it on other occasions. I knew I could trust him, yet it was still a risk as if we were back in Masaka he could fetch a fair price for my camera. (I did have a moment of clarity & was glad the boy had not used drugs that day or he might have acted differently.) We went to the beach one day which was so amazing to see the children filled with excitement & happiness. They played on the playground, in the sand, swam & went for a canoe ride. Beach day was definitely the highlight of the trip. The next day there was a football game between the CRO team and the local village team (which was hardly fair as they were men & CRO were boys) Despite the challenges i.e. no shoes & facing the giants, they played quite well. Each group performed a presentation on the finally night which was so incredible. They sang, acted, and performed so well. Some children wrote songs & poems & despite not understanding the language as it was all in Luganda I really appreciated the chance to be there & felt honoured & inspired by their lives. I contributed with my group & did some very bad dance moves which everyone loved & laughed needless to say I heard a lot of dance Mazongoo dance after that. The last day was a relief for some children & a sad time for others to be going back to the streets. One boy ran away after getting of the ferry. I ran after him & thought to myself what I can do I don’t speak Luganda & he does not speak English. However after calling his name several times & luring back with candy & a hug he got back on the bus. We arrived home safe & exhausted, yet the camp was totally worth every minute & hopefully lives were changed & the children have hope for their future & if not then even a small break from their painful harsh lives was worth the effort. Yet I can’t help feeling overwhelmed & sadden by the harshness of the lives these children have had to face. They have definitely taught me even in the toughest of places there is still hope. I am looking forward to building the connections I have made on this camp & hope that I can make some difference even it is only a drop in the bucket as with every drop there is a ripple effect. Stay tuned...
Michelle
Michelle
week 1
Today was such an amazing yet challenging day at Child Restoration Outreach. There were children as young as five who are living on the streets. The social worker took me into the slums to look for some of the missing children from the center which was an eye opening experience. The level of poverty and desperation is like none I have ever seen and yet the people have this incredible resiliency and heart that most of us could learn from. Regardless of the language barriers there is still the unspoken language of the heart which was how I got through most of the day. It is so easy to connect with most of these children because they are craving attention so desperately. One boy told me I had a face like a mother which spoke volumes to me that what they are looking for is someone to care for them. The journey thus far has had some challenges, i.e. lost luggage, jet leg, lack of sleep ... yet being at CRO today made up for all of that and then some. I am excited for the opportunities to come and will keep you updated as much as I can.
Michelle
Michelle
experiencing uganda
hmm where to start... i guess i should let you know that my health has stabilized. ugandan food is no longer upsetting me as it once was and actually i'm beginning to grow quite fond of it. who knew fried flat bread (chapatti) and bioled beans would become a staple part of my diet, and that i would actually like it?
anyways... since i first blogged i have experienced many exciting, challenging, and simply interesting things. for example:
1) i had to visit a local clinic which was quite a cultural learning experience. coming from canada it is hard to adjust to ugandan life and my clinic encounter definitly challenged my ability to do so. there are no formal line ups so patients are expected to maintain order amongst themselves as they wait to see the doctor. as well, there are numerous different waiting areas which patients are directed to for various clinical services. i personally felt lost within the entire system but ugandan people seem to understand how to navigate these situations quite well. what seemed chaotic to me appeared to make perfect sense to individuals who live here. i'm sure i will become more comfortable with this system as time goes on.
2) i've developed a great appreciation for automatic washers and dryers. it is a daunting task washing clothes by hand but it is and important aspect of my cultural experience while here in uganda. i've only taken on the washing challenge twice since i arrived, as it can be quite painful since my knuckles get small cuts from scrubbing the red dirt out of my clothes. i have learned very quickly that wearing outfits 2-3 times before washing them is very reasonable considering the cleaning process that follows deeming an article "dirty". canadian and ugandan standards for cleanliness are quite different. i wish i could find the words to explain my thoughts better but i'm afraid i cannot. all i can say it that by ugandan standards my dirty shoes or shirt is acceptable or even above average compared to what is considering normal here in uganda.
3) lacey and i were followed home by young child yesterday. we took a moment to wait and let them catch up to us after approximately 15 minutes of being stalked. they had a well prepared message about needing money to continue their studies as they have no family and live on the streets. it was difficult to listen to this young child (12yrs old?) explain their situation but i did not feel compelled to start dishing out cash. lacey was carrying a gift of corn so she shared one cob with the child and explained that this is what she had to offer. i agree with her choice to give in this way because i know how the corn will be used. i do not believe that handing money to children on the street is an answer to their problem though it may help them in the short term (i.e. buy them something to eat). i feel as if giving money will only perpetuate a cycle of dependance and teach this young child that hands out are the answer to all of life's problems which i don't believe to be true. the child continued to follow us but i feel as ease with the way the situation ended.
so much for shortening the length this time. i guess i had a lot to say. thanks for tuning in.
-rachel-
anyways... since i first blogged i have experienced many exciting, challenging, and simply interesting things. for example:
1) i had to visit a local clinic which was quite a cultural learning experience. coming from canada it is hard to adjust to ugandan life and my clinic encounter definitly challenged my ability to do so. there are no formal line ups so patients are expected to maintain order amongst themselves as they wait to see the doctor. as well, there are numerous different waiting areas which patients are directed to for various clinical services. i personally felt lost within the entire system but ugandan people seem to understand how to navigate these situations quite well. what seemed chaotic to me appeared to make perfect sense to individuals who live here. i'm sure i will become more comfortable with this system as time goes on.
2) i've developed a great appreciation for automatic washers and dryers. it is a daunting task washing clothes by hand but it is and important aspect of my cultural experience while here in uganda. i've only taken on the washing challenge twice since i arrived, as it can be quite painful since my knuckles get small cuts from scrubbing the red dirt out of my clothes. i have learned very quickly that wearing outfits 2-3 times before washing them is very reasonable considering the cleaning process that follows deeming an article "dirty". canadian and ugandan standards for cleanliness are quite different. i wish i could find the words to explain my thoughts better but i'm afraid i cannot. all i can say it that by ugandan standards my dirty shoes or shirt is acceptable or even above average compared to what is considering normal here in uganda.
3) lacey and i were followed home by young child yesterday. we took a moment to wait and let them catch up to us after approximately 15 minutes of being stalked. they had a well prepared message about needing money to continue their studies as they have no family and live on the streets. it was difficult to listen to this young child (12yrs old?) explain their situation but i did not feel compelled to start dishing out cash. lacey was carrying a gift of corn so she shared one cob with the child and explained that this is what she had to offer. i agree with her choice to give in this way because i know how the corn will be used. i do not believe that handing money to children on the street is an answer to their problem though it may help them in the short term (i.e. buy them something to eat). i feel as if giving money will only perpetuate a cycle of dependance and teach this young child that hands out are the answer to all of life's problems which i don't believe to be true. the child continued to follow us but i feel as ease with the way the situation ended.
so much for shortening the length this time. i guess i had a lot to say. thanks for tuning in.
-rachel-
Saturday, May 9, 2009
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
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
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
Monday, May 4, 2009
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
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
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