So it might seem a bit early for another blog but hey we have reached our targets and it's the end of era. This week has been all about ends of era according to facebook and BBC. Zany left One Direction OHMYGAWD. Lol. Obviously that is a slight piss take but people here are even talking about it so you know word gets around.
This week has actually been quite bizarre. It's wierd knowing that you are about to leave a country which has taken you on a complete emotional roller coaster. It's wierd to know you have just over a week to do everything you have wanted to do in your community. So this week has been pretty productive.
On Sunday, Ella and Corrine's idea became a reality. Two weeks ago Ella was given a note by a girl begging her to buy sanitary pads. Her and Corrinne then researched how to make reusable ones and taught girls for the first time on Sunday. Polly and I tagged along and I was so proud of them. They taught the prefects of IBUN BAZ, who can now hopefully teach lots of girls. Good day!
On Monday I headed to Jinja for some meetings but Joe, Juliet and Ella taught S1 all about menstration and got them to evaluate the lessons we have been teaching.
On Tuesday came a big day. We had a session in the morning at the primary school, which consisted of songs and the hookie kookie, as well as bit of evaluation. The kids were having so much fun which was great. We held a parent talk on Tuesday afternoon which was great. The parents didn't really turn up as wet season has started so they are all in the fields, but the LC3 found some for us.
They actually asked so many questions as we discussed the rights of a child, the abuse cycle and the different work we had been doing which was great. Soon after the LC informed me I was the "perfect woman" as had a meeting with him while also looking after Colin from next door. But hey who said girls can't multitask. In the evening a girl came to ask for condoms and to help her to know how to lose her virginity that night, these things happen I guess.
We also had so much paperwork to do which was massively hard work.
On Wednesday we had three sessions and joe had gone home, Ella taught sanitary pads at the primary school, including the girl who had given her the note. Juliet taught farming to one out of school youth group. I taught S6 about HIV and STI and they understood me which was a massive plus. The questions were great and they learnt a lot more about CD4 counts, PEP and all felt sick having seen pictures of some of the symptoms of STI. They even wrote on the board that they would never play sex again haaa.
On Thursday we headed to Kakongoka and joe and Juliet ran a youth group on drug abuse, which Juliet and I had planned in the morning. Hopefully it went well. I headed to the football field and distributed 96 condoms to the captain. Fingers crossed they use them.
So tomorrow is the weekend off and there is a terror threat so unfortunately we will not be able to visit the equator or Kampala which sucks massively, but I'm sure we will find a way to have lots of fun in Jinja.
We could all do with it, this week might have had lots of good work but everyone but one person died in a taxi crash at the end of our road so it does make you think. That and the news of the airplane crash in the alps make you realise that you never know what will happen the next day. Maybe that is one of the major lessons here - live every moment as if it's your last.
So with that good night and once again thank you for the support. It is now possible to see how some of the work here really makes a difference. In the next week we have a few sessions with new youth, but also will be visiting some other charities which should be good. Sulle bolungie. Xx
Thursday, 26 March 2015
Saturday, 21 March 2015
Career planning, gender based violence and litter picking,,
This has been tough but productive.
This week we taught s1 and s2 all about life skills and life goals. We had aspiring presidents, doctors, accountants and engineers. Only one aspiring musician and soccer player, which would be different to asking a group of 12 and 13 year olds in the UK. We then went through the different knowledge, skills and attitude you would need to get to these goals. A very useful 4 sessions for the kids, we hope.
On Tuesday we taught primary 6 all about male and female puberty. This meant drawing all the changes on some outlines of a boy and girl child. We had the whole she-bang, then lead the children to repeat "I love me" while explaining and showing all girls and boys are different sizes and shapes.
On Wednesday we taught S6 for the first time and it was so nice as Ella and I got to teach a session by ourselves. It was inspiring to actually teach a lesson and not have to be a slated. So good. We taught it all about contraception and teenage pregnancy. It was a very in depth conversation from penis size, to which contraception pill to use, but hopefully useful.
On Thursday, Joe and Juliet taught saving and proposal writing to the youth group, while Ella and I got started on events planning. By Friday we had two lessons and our community dialogue with the crime preventers and all the LC officials. It was gender roles and domestic violence and definitely was a very interesting discussion.
Certain view points were interesting, that a man can rape his wife if she refuses sex for example. But also we got across how bad this can be for the children in the house and how vulnerable it can make them. It was such a worthwhile and invigorating session. I am so glad to have done it, and make clear that men and women can be victims.
In the evening we held an advice centre session answering questions from condoms and HIV for the teenagers who came in.
Today we held a litter pick in the market with Mukutu in the market place. It is meant to promote civic participation which it slightly did as some kids and others joined in.
Tomorrow we are teaching sanitary pads in the Muslim school and on Tuesday we wills run a parent session which should be good. So as we enter the penultimate week on placement wish us luck.
This week has also been good as we have made so a any friends involved in such a variety of charities out here. With such a creative mind, change can actually occur. From running new style nursery schools, to soccer clubs, to charities which help women's voices get heard and one which uses basketball to encourage boys and girls to play together - people working together is actually making a difference.
So with that, good bye. Thanks for all the support and lots of love xx
This week we taught s1 and s2 all about life skills and life goals. We had aspiring presidents, doctors, accountants and engineers. Only one aspiring musician and soccer player, which would be different to asking a group of 12 and 13 year olds in the UK. We then went through the different knowledge, skills and attitude you would need to get to these goals. A very useful 4 sessions for the kids, we hope.
On Tuesday we taught primary 6 all about male and female puberty. This meant drawing all the changes on some outlines of a boy and girl child. We had the whole she-bang, then lead the children to repeat "I love me" while explaining and showing all girls and boys are different sizes and shapes.
On Wednesday we taught S6 for the first time and it was so nice as Ella and I got to teach a session by ourselves. It was inspiring to actually teach a lesson and not have to be a slated. So good. We taught it all about contraception and teenage pregnancy. It was a very in depth conversation from penis size, to which contraception pill to use, but hopefully useful.
On Thursday, Joe and Juliet taught saving and proposal writing to the youth group, while Ella and I got started on events planning. By Friday we had two lessons and our community dialogue with the crime preventers and all the LC officials. It was gender roles and domestic violence and definitely was a very interesting discussion.
Certain view points were interesting, that a man can rape his wife if she refuses sex for example. But also we got across how bad this can be for the children in the house and how vulnerable it can make them. It was such a worthwhile and invigorating session. I am so glad to have done it, and make clear that men and women can be victims.
In the evening we held an advice centre session answering questions from condoms and HIV for the teenagers who came in.
Today we held a litter pick in the market with Mukutu in the market place. It is meant to promote civic participation which it slightly did as some kids and others joined in.
Tomorrow we are teaching sanitary pads in the Muslim school and on Tuesday we wills run a parent session which should be good. So as we enter the penultimate week on placement wish us luck.
This week has also been good as we have made so a any friends involved in such a variety of charities out here. With such a creative mind, change can actually occur. From running new style nursery schools, to soccer clubs, to charities which help women's voices get heard and one which uses basketball to encourage boys and girls to play together - people working together is actually making a difference.
So with that, good bye. Thanks for all the support and lots of love xx
Sunday, 15 March 2015
320 girls, 100 condoms and a lot of interactive learning - wiggling our way to a healthier Nakalama
So this week has been a week of contrast where you realise you don't have enough time to do everything you want to do but am also really starting to crave home.
Monday dawned and Joe, Ella and I were still learning to cope without Mumma Juliet. We jumped into teaching about compost, kitchen gardens and sustainable agriculture. Doing this in theory started to be tough so we took to chalk on the floor and getting the youth to be the sticks and wrap themselves around one another. Monday was also welfare so we all ranted and cried to Tara and Peter but at the end of the day had a team meeting and resolved a lot of problems.
In Tuesday we started the day with a primary school session where we talked about finding your future dreams and finding five year plans. Most revolved around staying in school and working hard, but it soon came clear that this hard not only because of exams but because parents can't afford the fees. It was still inspiring to hear from so many children.
Afterwards we made our way into Jinja for countless doctors appointments and I got called into office for some 'meetings'. Turns out what happens in Jinja doesn't stay amongst the volunteers but hey, it will be sorted soon.
Still feeling pretty ill we headed back to Nakalama and prepared for a new youth group on Wednesday 40 minuite away. It was a long ride but quite fun. We taught about family planning, HIV and condoms. We ended giving well over 50 away to quite a small group.
Thursday dawned with Anthony's youth group. We headed over and joe taught about resource mobilisation and record keeping which we hope was really helpful. Ella and I played with babies, ran the energisers and distributed condoms. Turns out when you can't speak Lusoga you wiggle.
With Friday we jumped back into school teaching kitchen gardens, sustainable agriculture and compost again but our classes had halved as kids couldn't afford the school fees. Good thing is that children from the older classes try to climb through windows and doors in order to listen to what we are saying. Our cheeky monkeys were in full force wiggling their way and singing the condom sing even when we are teaching about farming. Totally love them to pieces.
Got called to Jinja again and got wet in the taxi as got caught in a storm. On the way back Radha and Rhiannon and I needed up in a taxi stuck in a ditch in the pitch black. They told everyone but us to get out as 20 plus men tried to throw the taxi out of the ditch. I moved a on the wheel and in the process got thrown over the taxi. Musungu everywhareeee.
Returned to the beautiful surprise of Mumma Juliet in much better health woo. On Saturday I headed early into Iganga and then went to a football event in Busembatia which was wicked. I rode a body bicupycle sideways with a. Guy called Fred who was so nice so that was lots of fun. The kids were running up the side which was quite funny.
Sunday came and with it food shopping. Which was not overpriced and done on my own. I also managed to get the body driver to apply for ICS and pumped and collected water in my own. What a successful start to the day.
We then held an amazing health centre talk in IBUN BAZ, the all girls schol that Ella and I begged the headmistress to let us hold. 320 girls came to here about me station and periods and asked lots of lots of questions, like why you get period pain, to why more women get pregnant in dry season and one of my favourites whether it was true that your first baby would die if you threw your sanitary pad down the pit latrine.... Guess I have a lot of dead first born babies then. Rose and Stella the nurses were amazing and talked of how cultural rumours like that could make people very ill and answered the questions amazingly. The girls were so friendly and grateful, and really wanted us to come back regularly. I really hope we can.
So that is this week and we officially have 3 weeks left in placement and a lot of events to run. So here is to the next few weeks and some prayers for health would ape amazing as I am so fed up of being ill. Thank you for all the support. Sulle bolungie. Xx
Monday dawned and Joe, Ella and I were still learning to cope without Mumma Juliet. We jumped into teaching about compost, kitchen gardens and sustainable agriculture. Doing this in theory started to be tough so we took to chalk on the floor and getting the youth to be the sticks and wrap themselves around one another. Monday was also welfare so we all ranted and cried to Tara and Peter but at the end of the day had a team meeting and resolved a lot of problems.
In Tuesday we started the day with a primary school session where we talked about finding your future dreams and finding five year plans. Most revolved around staying in school and working hard, but it soon came clear that this hard not only because of exams but because parents can't afford the fees. It was still inspiring to hear from so many children.
Afterwards we made our way into Jinja for countless doctors appointments and I got called into office for some 'meetings'. Turns out what happens in Jinja doesn't stay amongst the volunteers but hey, it will be sorted soon.
Still feeling pretty ill we headed back to Nakalama and prepared for a new youth group on Wednesday 40 minuite away. It was a long ride but quite fun. We taught about family planning, HIV and condoms. We ended giving well over 50 away to quite a small group.
Thursday dawned with Anthony's youth group. We headed over and joe taught about resource mobilisation and record keeping which we hope was really helpful. Ella and I played with babies, ran the energisers and distributed condoms. Turns out when you can't speak Lusoga you wiggle.
With Friday we jumped back into school teaching kitchen gardens, sustainable agriculture and compost again but our classes had halved as kids couldn't afford the school fees. Good thing is that children from the older classes try to climb through windows and doors in order to listen to what we are saying. Our cheeky monkeys were in full force wiggling their way and singing the condom sing even when we are teaching about farming. Totally love them to pieces.
Got called to Jinja again and got wet in the taxi as got caught in a storm. On the way back Radha and Rhiannon and I needed up in a taxi stuck in a ditch in the pitch black. They told everyone but us to get out as 20 plus men tried to throw the taxi out of the ditch. I moved a on the wheel and in the process got thrown over the taxi. Musungu everywhareeee.
Returned to the beautiful surprise of Mumma Juliet in much better health woo. On Saturday I headed early into Iganga and then went to a football event in Busembatia which was wicked. I rode a body bicupycle sideways with a. Guy called Fred who was so nice so that was lots of fun. The kids were running up the side which was quite funny.
Sunday came and with it food shopping. Which was not overpriced and done on my own. I also managed to get the body driver to apply for ICS and pumped and collected water in my own. What a successful start to the day.
We then held an amazing health centre talk in IBUN BAZ, the all girls schol that Ella and I begged the headmistress to let us hold. 320 girls came to here about me station and periods and asked lots of lots of questions, like why you get period pain, to why more women get pregnant in dry season and one of my favourites whether it was true that your first baby would die if you threw your sanitary pad down the pit latrine.... Guess I have a lot of dead first born babies then. Rose and Stella the nurses were amazing and talked of how cultural rumours like that could make people very ill and answered the questions amazingly. The girls were so friendly and grateful, and really wanted us to come back regularly. I really hope we can.
So that is this week and we officially have 3 weeks left in placement and a lot of events to run. So here is to the next few weeks and some prayers for health would ape amazing as I am so fed up of being ill. Thank you for all the support. Sulle bolungie. Xx
Sunday, 8 March 2015
Two weeks and international woman's day.
So I may have been quiet but with good reason. On the not so great side I had malaria, recovered from malaria then been repeatedly diagnosed with bacterial infection after bacterial infection. Doctors here are so different, for one they are not free. After that you have a full blood test and wait for the results - meaning you actually find out what you have, which is pretty helpful.
We had an epic weekend off. We went to the source of Nile and paddled up to the sign. The shops were even in the river. We then experience Uganda clubbing which to be honest is pretty similar to the uk. But what happened in the weekend is I fell in live with Jinja, it's such a friendly and amazing place.
Now we are back and back to work. Ella and joe taught STIs to the you group, but school has exams, yesterday we litter picked around Busembatia. But today was by far the best we went to international women's day celebrations at Women in Leadership Uganda.
Women in leadership was set up by Cianne who was a team leader last year. She funds it by herself to run adult literacy and buisiness classes for adults, as well as lots of empowerment classes for girl in school. It is so inspiring to see what one woman's vision can produce and change. The sad but is NGOs like restless development have way more funding but a re doing similar work. As she is not registered as an NGO she does not despite truly changing lives.
The thing about women's international day is that here gender equality is a whole new ball game. I know we joke about kitchens, sandwiches and not having opportunities at home, but here women do collect the water, wash, clean, cook etc etc. that is just part of accepted life. Maybe we joke about football being a boys game at home, but here people did not believe that a girl could run a football tournament or be a football fan. Some babies here have bands round their waist to make it smaller. But some of the issues are the same, domestic abuse, rape, marriage. The there are things that we haven't got right yet. Women here know what they want and an LC1 at an event today was a woman, and women know what they want and are determined to get it. Maybe we have that in the UK but I truly believe with funding and support charities like Women in leadership could change the world.
But it has also taught me that what they need is a partnership organisation for the sensitisation of boys, because today it was obvious it will take work in both sides to break down the cultural norms.
But as a farewell on international women's day, women everywhere deserve equality, in how they are treated, what they do and what they dream of. Maybe that is a pretty good inspiration to know when we start this second half.
We had an epic weekend off. We went to the source of Nile and paddled up to the sign. The shops were even in the river. We then experience Uganda clubbing which to be honest is pretty similar to the uk. But what happened in the weekend is I fell in live with Jinja, it's such a friendly and amazing place.
Now we are back and back to work. Ella and joe taught STIs to the you group, but school has exams, yesterday we litter picked around Busembatia. But today was by far the best we went to international women's day celebrations at Women in Leadership Uganda.
Women in leadership was set up by Cianne who was a team leader last year. She funds it by herself to run adult literacy and buisiness classes for adults, as well as lots of empowerment classes for girl in school. It is so inspiring to see what one woman's vision can produce and change. The sad but is NGOs like restless development have way more funding but a re doing similar work. As she is not registered as an NGO she does not despite truly changing lives.
The thing about women's international day is that here gender equality is a whole new ball game. I know we joke about kitchens, sandwiches and not having opportunities at home, but here women do collect the water, wash, clean, cook etc etc. that is just part of accepted life. Maybe we joke about football being a boys game at home, but here people did not believe that a girl could run a football tournament or be a football fan. Some babies here have bands round their waist to make it smaller. But some of the issues are the same, domestic abuse, rape, marriage. The there are things that we haven't got right yet. Women here know what they want and an LC1 at an event today was a woman, and women know what they want and are determined to get it. Maybe we have that in the UK but I truly believe with funding and support charities like Women in leadership could change the world.
But it has also taught me that what they need is a partnership organisation for the sensitisation of boys, because today it was obvious it will take work in both sides to break down the cultural norms.
But as a farewell on international women's day, women everywhere deserve equality, in how they are treated, what they do and what they dream of. Maybe that is a pretty good inspiration to know when we start this second half.
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