My Time in Gulu

Unlike past trips to Gulu, where I spent my time relaxing in a village where time seemed to slow almost to a complete stop, this year my schedule was booked with tasks to complete with my colleagues from our newest partner school, Parents Junior School.
Fortunately, I arrived on Saturday so I had all Sunday to recuperate since I managed to get sick on the way here. After a cocktail of prescriptions from ibuprofen to flagyl (that cost a little over 50 cents); I was up and running in a few hours.

This year we have been working with Colorado engineers, Jon Novick and Tyson Ingels, to design sustainable water catchment and sanitary systems at Parents Junior School. Currently, the school uses water from an exposed spring about 500 meters away, and two pit latrine bathrooms as their only system of waste disposal. 

On the school grounds there is a large metal structure that we plan to fix with gutters, so the school can harvest rainwater, which will be stored in large tanks. This will provide clean and accessible water for the school. 

In place of the pit latrines, we will install five EnviroLoo bathroom systems, which are waterless toilets that turn waste into compost that is safe to use in the garden. 

EnviroLoo bathroom systems the Mwebaza Foundation built in Central Uganda

While I was visiting Parents Junior School, I worked with the teachers to facilitate their first batch of pen pal letters that I will bring home to Coronado Hills Elementary in Uganda! 

I spent many days walking around Gulu gathering cost estimates for things like gutters, clips, PVP piping, and water tanks, but it wasn't all work! Every night I came home to the family I was staying with (my host family from 4 years ago when I was on a study abroad program in Gulu). 

My Gulu family enjoying coconut macaroons (a gift from Dale Peterson) an ice cream. 

The new Gulu indoor market center: a government initiative to reduce congestion in the streets. Now people who used to be street vendors have their assigned station where you can find everything from beans and fish to selfie sticks and clothes.

Village life... Mama cooking matooke, kids doing chores, and me holding a baby goat!

Journey to Gulu

Today I caught a bus from Kampala to Gulu. The usual 9-hour trip was only 6 since they paved the highway from North to South. This week, I will be working with our newest partner school, Parents Junior School, in Gulu, which is partnered with Coronado Hills Elementary in Thornton, CO.

In every village along the way there are vendors that swarm buses when they stop to let people off. These vendors sell everything from snacks and drinks, to live chickens and goats!

I sat next to a single mom of two boys that were headed to Kitgum, north of Gulu. At first, the older one was very shy, but warmed up to me after a offered him one of my ear buds. We listened to Michael Jackson the entire way until he fell asleep in my arms.

We passed village after village and even the Nile River, before making it to Gulu, land of the Acholi.

Middle School Construction

My aim this trip was to ensure that the new middle school building we have been constructing for the graduates of Mwebaza School is completed before I leave, and before the rainy season starts! To make sure everything goes as planned, Namatovu started construction in April. On Thursday, I visited the middle school site for the first time this year. The plastering on the outside of the building was almost complete and the doors and window frames had been installed! I arranged for the electrical circuiting to be done over the weekend so the construction team can begin plastering the inside of the building and finish the floors.

Some of our construction team.... 

Our site supervisor, Jimmy... 

Our site supervisor, Jimmy, telling me to fix my hair before we took a photo together... 

And our contractor, Nasser... 

The next day we spent 5 hours in the government offices trying to certify our bank resolution document. After finally processing our payment, they said to come back on Monday to pick it up. Between spells of nodding off in a hot and crowded waiting room, I found myself at times frustrated and impatient with the entire process. However, these five hours was well worth it since it only cost us 35,000UGX ($10USD) compared to 300,000UGX ($90USD) it would have taken for a lawyer to do it! 

When we finally got back to Namatovu's family's house, I was greeted by a crowd of kids that Namatovu's mother has taken in to ensure that they get an education. Their smiling faces made me forget about such a long day. While we "took tea," I set up my computer and played the BBC documentary, Africa, for them. I couldn't help but smile at the gasps and awes coming from their mouths in between bites of popcorn and sips of tea. 

Arrival in Uganda

Stepping off the plane in Entebbe, I was hit with a wall of hot, humid air. It had been raining, which only added to the heaviness of the air. Ms. Namatovu Catherine, the headmistress of Mwebaza Primary School, was waiting for me outside customs. "I was looking for a muzungu (white person) with many bags, and I knew that would be you." she said. She was absolutely right, I had checked two bags full of school and medical supplies. I used to bring three bags until British Airways changed their baggage allowances from three to two checked bags.

We took a longer route back to Mwebaza School as to avoid any roads that might have been washed out by the rain. As much as I wanted to get back to my hotel, shower, and sleep, I first had to stop by Mwebaza School and greet Namatovu's family who founded the school many years ago on their own property, and where they still reside.

I was welcomed with a cup of tea and some boiled "Irish" (potatoes) and began the exchange of a string of greetings that most Baganda people extend to all visitors. 

"You are welcome!"

"Thank you!"

"How is Colorado?"

"Colorado is fine, how is Uganda?"

"Uganda is alright."

"How is your family?"

"My family is good!

"How is yours?"

"Our family is ok"

Only after this introduction, could we begin talking of other things. We spoke until I could barely keep my eyes open. Apparently someone must've noticed, since Namatovu being the gracious host she is, insisted she accompany me back to my hotel that is only a block away from Mwebaza School, so I could rest. 

Knowing that Wednesday would be a busy first day, we got up early to get a head start. We wanted to leave early for "town" (Kampala) since we had a list of errands to run. However, in the typical African way, our driver didn't show up until 1pm so I used this time to drop in on all the classes at Mwebaza!

When we finally got into Kampala, our first stop was the bank. For months we have been working on setting up a bank account in Uganda under the Mwebaza Colorado Educational Foundation (the Mwebaza Foundation's Ugandan branch), but there were still a few loose ends to tie up. Opening a bank account in Uganda is a completely unfamiliar and very complicated and lengthy process. To set up online banking we had to reschedule to meet with an online banking representative and to make sure our account is "official" we had to certify our bank resolution document, at which point we were directed to the government offices, because they do not certify documents at the bank. We were, however, able to withdraw $5 million shillings ($1,500 USD) to place a deposit on a large 30 passenger bus for Mwebaza School that will be used as a school bus and a taxi to generate income for the school. The teachers and students here are so excited!

After only a short time of being greeted as "sister" and "mama" once again, I can't help but think how connected we really are. Not only on a human level of compassion and empathy but on a genetic level too! Watch this video that keeps playing through my head, DNA Test.