Despatches

Today, i felt myself becoming a little impatient for the first time (perhaps a little scientifically interesting). I've been with my associate Joy on the island of Buggala in a place called Kalangala for a couple of days and we arrived back on mainland 11am this morning. I only had 3000 ush in my pocket (1 GBP) so needed some cash to get back home and get some breakfast. I had assumed accessing an ATM in Entebbe, the country's second city and home of the international airport, would be relatively straight forward but i was remiss. ATMs refused my card before we used our last shillings on going to another part of town by moped to get to Barclays, but of course, Barclays ATM was closed "for maintenance" I was informed by the lady attendants who waited for me to enter the ATM room and stare hopelessly at the dead screen before informing me. In the end I was informed that I could use the trusty stirling in my pocket so i could procure the native shillings. Lucky. Nonetheless, I write without having taken any water today. It is midday and the sun laps threateningly at the doorway of the internet cafe. I've also got sun burnt for the first time. The sign "Ponography is prohibited" (sic) is above my station. I am in Kajansi about 2km from the project.

The Kalangala trip was designed to give me a chance to see another side to Uganda. It involved taking a 3 hour boat trip across Lake Victoria from Entebbe (which is about 16km from Dewe) to the island. The island, Buggala, is a part of the Sesse islands and seems to function primarily as a holiday resort. At the start of the 20th century, the islands were evacuated and left empty for 30 years because of a "sleeping illness" delivered by Sesse flies which was killing everyone. The vervet monkeys which now roam the island were originally introduced here to see if the islands were now safe.


My aid, Joy and I took to sea on Tuesday at 2pm. Our passage was enabled by an old but sturdy little ferry/commercial boat. We travelled second class, provided with wooden benches upon which to repose. First class was divided from us by a threadbare curtain. I was the only Muzungo in 2nd class. Outside, the open air deck of the old girl was packed with 8 motor vehicles, allowing little space to move but we took to deck to enjoy the scenery. I sat on the deck next to a man who was sleeping sat upright - not leaning on anything.

We arrived on the island as the evening was drawing in and Joy negotiated a cheap price for us to stay in one of the more upmarket resorts. It turns out we are here out of season. Summer here is the winter months of December, January.

As the resort bus took us along the broken roads, we winded our way up and along the crest of the island, the journey affording stunning views over the lush forest and across the great lake. Joy joked that he was going to take me deep into the island and eat me and also that he would leave me here in the forest with the monkeys for 5 years and I would become an African.

We arrived at our resort and there were indeed a gang of monkeys larking around in the trees above our digs. Although, I was more concerned about the ostrich casually roaming the compound. On first appearance, the digs were good with a shower and TV but it conspired that neither were fully functional. In the resort dining room, football was on and I caught the end of Portugal v Mozambique. Earlier I had caught the news that Rafa Benitez was now in charge of Inter. This left me desperately in need of someone to speculate with about who the next Liverpool manager might be. Roy Hodgson? alas.


We slept after a typical tilapia dinner. In the morning, I was woken by the screaming hornbill bird which seems to be ubiquitous in Uganda and spent some time with the monkeys. About 6 were playing with a plastic bag and i sat quite near. They were very jolly. we took a walking tour of the island and our guide Kasim thrashed a way through the thick forest telling us all about the history and nature of the island. I regretted choosing shorts as the long grass chaffed. We did not meet any snakes. About halfway around the trail, he started telling us about his community project on the island to help kids with HIV. The island has a disproportionately high level of HIV. There are 7 men to 1 woman on the island. The island also doesn't have consistent power so no hospital. They have a health centre of sorts.

So, here was another project. It seems there are "projects" all over the place. These guys were doing a lot of what Dewe needs to do, growing chickens and pigs to sell on and having a craft shop. They had lots more they needed to do but they aren't supported by any NGOs or government money. It's all done by the local community. They handed me a brochure riddled with spellos.

Speaking of NGOs, I had my first brush with such an institution on Friday, after my last post. The Rainbow school I visited recommended I visit KIBO foundation who provide a "training programme" to help unemployed people get into work. Thinking this may be of some use, especially to the young men at Dewe who keep asking me how to make business, and how to get to the UK, I thought they could help. I was impressed with the place and it was full of philanthropic aspirations. They basically give a free 3 month course to people who are accepted and train them how to be more professional and how to develop ecomonies in their local communities. Very good indeed. They are backed by Canada and a number of Corporate super powers. They had 7 pillars upon which the course is built. In short, the aim was evidently to try and give people a bit of western nouce to give talented locals ideas about how to stimulate their local economy.

So, a little skeptically, I told some of the lads at the project and they were very keen. I took them back to KIBO on Monday, which was a comedy of errors. 2 of them turned up late after their boda-boda ran out of fuel on the way to Kampala and I got stuck waiting with two of the others for one of the guys who never showed. We got there in the end and Isaac and Mike, who i was with, were introduced to a stern lady who told them they had better learn some good english and sort it out generally if they wanted a hope of succeeding at Kibo.

Whenever, you enter formal situations here, everyone speaks english, even if both parties are ugandans. I understand it is necessary as a pan-national secondary language because there are so many different languages in the country. But, many times it seems that people use their command of english to show that they are educated and dominate the less able. English is up, Luganda is down. So, we have situations like at KIBO where those who spoke english talk down to the less able and make them feel low.

The people here also find it funny if I speak Ugandan and that I like the boda-boda - both signs it seems that I am in a way lowering myself. I have started driving a boda as one of the guys at the project, King Isaac, has one, and I've been driving him around, even at night. One person asked me didn't I find boda bodas "disgusting" and another person told me it was wrong that I was driving someone as they should drive "us" out of respect.

Back to Kibo, Ben and King Isaac turned up later and were interviewed with a different person. Again I sat in and again they were both told, in the kindest and most benevolent tones, that they were currently of little use, but KIBO would "transform" them to be better and do better things. Isn't this what A4E does in UK? The lads were keen though. My favourite part of the interview was when Ben asked how Kibo benefited from giving out this "free" programme and the guy managed to avoid the question saying something to the effec oft: "don't ask this, don't think about how Kibo benefits. Kibo benefits by giving to the community." He was a fantastic speaker though - very inspiring - and I think the guys and Dewe could benefit from it. All in all, it was interesting to smell the NGO machine up close.

It seems a bit that strokes of luck and word of mouth are what dictates who gets the money or benefits here. There's no way the guys at Dewe would find out about such a programme if I hadn't been lucky enough to be tipped off by the Rainbow school.

An hour later, time is running out again! I am to resume classes at Dewe this pm. I wanted to add that there are some very interesting names here. I've been reading the newspaper the Daily Monitor when I can. There is an Ethan Mussolini who writes a column called, "how to get rich". His name was also brought up at KIBO as an inspirational guest speaker they get in for the students.

Also, the general election is in 2011 and the opposition leader for the Democratic Party is called Mr Norbert Mao. Could he ever be party chairman?

In other news, I've read that there may be power shortages during the world cup which is worrying as power is already limited and inconsistent in Dewe. Apparently, power comes hand in hand with corporate activity. So, they say that because a sugar works is closing for maintenance during the cup, they will also close the power supply in that area.

Back on the island, there was little more to report as I slept after our ramble and we got the boat back early this morning.

I need to thank Dawn at my job in the Council for the gift of condoms! I've given some to the local volunteer counsellor Dixon who tries to help the men at the project, and some to the local nurse Jane. They were both really pleased.

Thinking about my previous job, it is funny to see a country so desperately in need of a Highways Maintenance PFI. There are massive holes in the roads! Also, I've been taking public transport more. This involves 17 people being crammed into a small minibus. It stops whenever anyone once. Along way from reliable journey times and bus lanes.