Hi again. I am writing from Jinja, on my first weekend off from placement. It is really nice to have a bit of a break from bucket showers and latrines, and to see some people from other placements. However, now that I have started work, I think I should tell you all about it.
We arrived in Busaana on January 31st, in the afternoon. There are no paved roads beyond Kayunga town, so the last part of the drive was really dusty. That is one constant in Uganda, and especially in rural communities - the dust is everywhere. I'm sure that I will come back with red dust coming out of my pores. Busaana is no exception - we sweep our room all the time, and somehow the dust just gets back in every day. The place we are staying is alright. We have one room at the back of the police station, so it is very safe. The room served as last year's youth resource centre when Restless Development was working in Busaana, but since they couldn't find another place for us to stay, we are living in it for the time being. This means that our room is decorated with posters having to do with sexual reproductive health! On our walls you can learn about how to use a condom, or even some relationship advice for young people - "show your girlfriend love by helping her carry a jerry can".
The toughest part of living in Busaana has been adjusting to the day-to-day routine. I shower using a bucket, and have to carry my own water to do it. We cook on a small charcoal stove, eating mostly rice, plantains, and beans. The latrines are probably the least enjoyable part, and I know that I will not miss them at all. There are also some improvements from training. I am eating a lot of fruit - every day we have jackfruit, sugar cane, or the occasional pineapple. My placement partners are continually surprised when I tell them that these things do not grow in Canada, and they don't really get it when I explain that Canada has no national cuisine. It's a hard thing to explain.
Work has also been going pretty well. So far, we have been doing a lot of surveys and assessments, so that we can get to know the community and plan our work around what is most needed. We have been going to various schools, local government officials, youth groups, and religious institutions to introduce ourselves and the organization. This is the second year that Restless Development has worked in Busaana, so we still have some groundwork to do. I am one of the only 'muzungus' in Busaana (so far the only other is an American missionary named John, who is based in Jinja), so people are really interested in talking to me. Some have asked for things or money, but as a volunteer representing Restless Development, I can't do anything about that because it would set a bad precedent for future volunteers and also sends mixed messages to the community about what we are there to do.
I have also been doing some more informal assessments on my own, trying to observe and learn from what is around me. The most shocking thing that I learned was that child sacrifice still occurs in Uganda - this was from an NGO poster in the headmaster's office at the primary school. I'm not sure what work is being done to stop this, but it is definitely something that needs attention. The other main thing that I have noticed is gender inequality. This has shown up in our official assessments as well, as we have done some testing with young people in and out of school. Some manifestations of gender inequality are quite obvious. For instance, women here will sometimes kneel to greet men, even in the dusty roads. While I knew that polygamy was common in Africa, I was quite surprised to learn that some of my colleagues are polygamous themselves. One of the volunteers on my team has three wives! It has been difficult to hold my tongue in some circumstances, but I am trying my best to be respectful and learn more about cultural practices in the community, and also explain that this is not the case in Canada. I'm really interested to see how the community will react to some of the sessions we will be holding on things like gender and relationships, and I will make sure to write more about this as I continue working.
I have to catch my bus back to Busaana (there are only a couple each day), but I will be back in two weeks with another update.
Cheers,
L
P.S. Will post photos the next time, as the internet is too slow this time around.
We arrived in Busaana on January 31st, in the afternoon. There are no paved roads beyond Kayunga town, so the last part of the drive was really dusty. That is one constant in Uganda, and especially in rural communities - the dust is everywhere. I'm sure that I will come back with red dust coming out of my pores. Busaana is no exception - we sweep our room all the time, and somehow the dust just gets back in every day. The place we are staying is alright. We have one room at the back of the police station, so it is very safe. The room served as last year's youth resource centre when Restless Development was working in Busaana, but since they couldn't find another place for us to stay, we are living in it for the time being. This means that our room is decorated with posters having to do with sexual reproductive health! On our walls you can learn about how to use a condom, or even some relationship advice for young people - "show your girlfriend love by helping her carry a jerry can".
The toughest part of living in Busaana has been adjusting to the day-to-day routine. I shower using a bucket, and have to carry my own water to do it. We cook on a small charcoal stove, eating mostly rice, plantains, and beans. The latrines are probably the least enjoyable part, and I know that I will not miss them at all. There are also some improvements from training. I am eating a lot of fruit - every day we have jackfruit, sugar cane, or the occasional pineapple. My placement partners are continually surprised when I tell them that these things do not grow in Canada, and they don't really get it when I explain that Canada has no national cuisine. It's a hard thing to explain.
Work has also been going pretty well. So far, we have been doing a lot of surveys and assessments, so that we can get to know the community and plan our work around what is most needed. We have been going to various schools, local government officials, youth groups, and religious institutions to introduce ourselves and the organization. This is the second year that Restless Development has worked in Busaana, so we still have some groundwork to do. I am one of the only 'muzungus' in Busaana (so far the only other is an American missionary named John, who is based in Jinja), so people are really interested in talking to me. Some have asked for things or money, but as a volunteer representing Restless Development, I can't do anything about that because it would set a bad precedent for future volunteers and also sends mixed messages to the community about what we are there to do.
I have also been doing some more informal assessments on my own, trying to observe and learn from what is around me. The most shocking thing that I learned was that child sacrifice still occurs in Uganda - this was from an NGO poster in the headmaster's office at the primary school. I'm not sure what work is being done to stop this, but it is definitely something that needs attention. The other main thing that I have noticed is gender inequality. This has shown up in our official assessments as well, as we have done some testing with young people in and out of school. Some manifestations of gender inequality are quite obvious. For instance, women here will sometimes kneel to greet men, even in the dusty roads. While I knew that polygamy was common in Africa, I was quite surprised to learn that some of my colleagues are polygamous themselves. One of the volunteers on my team has three wives! It has been difficult to hold my tongue in some circumstances, but I am trying my best to be respectful and learn more about cultural practices in the community, and also explain that this is not the case in Canada. I'm really interested to see how the community will react to some of the sessions we will be holding on things like gender and relationships, and I will make sure to write more about this as I continue working.
I have to catch my bus back to Busaana (there are only a couple each day), but I will be back in two weeks with another update.
Cheers,
L
P.S. Will post photos the next time, as the internet is too slow this time around.
Hey Lauren!! Great to hear how things are going so far - it sounds like quite an experience! I'm excited to hear more about your placement as you really get into it! Sending hugs and good vibes from DC! :)
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