My daughter is your daughter!

These are the words that Justine's mother said when she started School on Monday, it was very emotional and again I cried like a fool. The smallest things mean so much here, one of the items I bought for Justine for her school trunk was a flask which they keep safe drinking water in, in the UK the flask would probably have cost approximately 3 pounds, and the look on their faces ( you will see the pictures) was worth all the money in the world, such a simple thing caused such delight! I think it was the red hearts which did it. Now Justine is at School I feel as protective as her mother, I have to check on her every day to see that she is ok, she has a bit of an eye infection so I said she must see the nurse tomorrow.  The staff of CALM and Jolly Mercy keep saying to me how is your daughter :-). I am also extremely fond of a few of the other children, a little girl called Lorda who looks about 3 but is actually 7, for most of her life so far she has lived with her grandmother and since she could walk she has been sent to look after the cattle in the woods and fields during daylight hours only coming home in the evening and has experienced very little motherly love and affection . Her mother recently got a job at the school so went to fetch her daughter who is now seriously under developed - she is so smal, everday I pick her up and give her a long cuddle which she loves and funnily enough in just a few days she has actually started talking, very quietly whispering 'thank you teacher', but according to the school this is huge progress. She has just 2 dresses one of which is about 10 sizes too big and the other one falling apart. So this morning I took a needle and cotton into school and stitched up the shoulders which were tired together to stop them falling off her shoulders. Well that opened the flood gates and by lunchtime I had 4 little girls queuing up with clothes (which we probably wouldn't even consider sending to oxfam) that needed mending, so that was my job this afternoon and I even ended up bringing some home to fix and take back tomorrow. Those of you who know me well will know that I  can hardly stitch on a button so these childrens clothes will not be being 'professionally' mended but at least it may make them last a little bit longer.

If anyone at all has ever been interested in sponsoring a child do let me know, there are so many children here who need help. To sponosr a child at day school is approximately 150 pounds per year and a full time boarder is approx 300 pounds per year. My email is alison_michie@yahoo.co.uk.

So we have also now finished the painting and I will try to attached a picture - the kids started it off and we just tidied it up a bit, the kids and the school were delighted.  Next we are going to paint the newly constructed walkway (well the concrete which defines the walkway anyway).

Anyway, enjoy the photos below.  More soon.

THE flask!

Justines mum says thank you again!

My daughter is your daughter!!

The master piece!

Leaving our mark!

Morning cuddles with Teacher Ali

One of many drawing the kids do for me, this one reads, Dear Teacher Ali, I love you so much, may god plass (bless) you!!

Ivan, how gorgeous is he, he lives in a mud hut with his grandmother and 5 brothers and sisters!!!

Teacher Ali, Teacher Ali!!!



Agnes, one of the Artists!




John Kenneth the artist of these flowers!



Simon, the little rascal who just got in the way!!



The girl in the green tshirt is the one who was working as a prostutute! She is 13 and her name is Ida, she loves teacher Ali!!



The girls love a cuddle!

You just can't get away from the champions league!

Justine is the little girl next to me! Dreadful pic of me!

Olyotiya!! (This means how are you in the local language)

Hannah (the fellow volunteer) and I have been learning a few words from the locals and are quite impressed with our repetoir so far, but yesterday I was getting a bit confident and starting shouting Baby Baby Baby, instead of Stop Stop Stop when we were on the local bus!! this caused much laughter for the locals and us, we were laughing so much we had trouble hawling ourselves out the back of the little mini vans which serve as the local buses! they crowd as many people as they can on to these buses so not good for those of us who don't like small spaces!! Also yesterday we went to the country club where all the expats hang out which was a real treat, there were flushing toilets and proper showers - we made fill use of the facilities before heading home.  We decided to get a boda boda back to the bus stop ( a boda boda is a motorbike which a local lad drives) both Hannah and I sat on the back - can you imagine 2 girls on the back of a motorbike with no helmets at home - we ended up being on it for ages as the driver misunderstood what we said, however we have perfected the art of saying slowly slowly when on the back of a boda boda, otherwise they can be quite scary!!!

Today we are under house arrest!! We've been told not to leave the house, the election results are announced today and they are a little worried there may be some trouble, but I'm sure it will be fine! So we sneaked out down to the little internet cafe shack for some internet therapy!

You will see some picutres above of our painting on the wall at Jolly Mercy! To be fair we hardly did anything, the kids did it all, they were so excited to be involved particlarly a couple of te kids who were just fantastic at drawing. The kids are on holiday until Thursday but there are about 40 kids who are boarders so we are going into the schooll on Tuesday to do some more painting with them. They kept saying Teacher Ali Teacher Ali we want to do more painting! I'll post some more pictures of the finished masterpiece later in the week.

Anyway, better sign off now as my time on the internet has nearly run out (it's taken nearly and hour and half o do this post!!) thats Africa time for you!!

More pics of the kids

Kids will be kids

William  (one of my favourites!!)

How cute!



Nap Time in baby class



So whats been going on here... well I've spent alot of time at the school which I love, the kids are so excited to see you, talk to you, touch you, hold your hand etc 

 

Yesterday we went out with the chaps from the charity to a rural comunity to visit families who the charity have given pigs too to help them sustain their income - very humbling as these people were so grateful. At lunch we visited a family who have 4 children and they are so poor they can't afford to send them to school so I am going to sponsor the eldest daughter Justine to go to school at Jolly Mercy, so today I have been out and bought a trunk (made of tin) bed sheets a blanket, school bag, mosquito net, toothpaste etc etc and she will be starting school on Monday, It was very emotional.... I cried buckets and so did the mother of family, she kept saying 'you have been sent from god'  I am really looking forward to her starting school on Monday.

 

On Friday it is the election here in Uganda, its completely mad with all the candidates riding around on open top vans with massive sounds systems blaring out and hundreds of people riding around on their motorbikes beeping etc. The election is on Friday and we've been told NOT to go anywhere - except the school and our house, so we are going into the school to paint a picture on one of the walls - god knows what it will be like but at least we are trying!!

 

Got so much in my head to write but can't seem to get it on the screen but I guess you could say this experience is just blowing my mind, I am so lucky to spend this time with these wonderful people - a but gushy I know but thats whats its doing to me.

 

Anyway off to school tomorrow to help out in baby class in the morning (this is crazy) about 30 3 and 4 year olds going crazy wanting to touch the muzungu and then in P7 in the afternoon - these are the oldest kids and we sit in on their english language class which is hilarious as we haven't got a clue about some of the things they learn!! haha

 

Better go now....

 

 



Jolly Mercy Kids

Are you a Muzungu?

Look at me !!

The best part of the day

Hey Muzungu !!!

That's the most frequent thing I am hearing at present - it means hey white person! and the kids just love shouting, hey muzungu as you walk along the road :-)

Been in Africa for 4 days and am absolutely loving it so far. Hardly know where to start...

As I think I wrote a little while ago I am working for a charity called CALM Africa. They have a number of projects in Uganda and so far I have been helping out at one of their Schools called The Jolly Mercy Learning Centre, they educate children from about 2.5 to teens. The children are adorable and love us muzungu's they love to touch your skin, hair, earrings, watch and are fascinated with the freckles I have on my arms - they just don't get it. They love to talk to you and the little ones love to sit on your lap and stroke your skin, in church (yes they have a service every lunch time in a ramshackle - but newly built building) today a little chap of about 3 fell asleep on my lap - so cute.

Its a private school - which is quite normal in Uganda - the public school system is very over subscribed with apparently an average of 80 - 100 students per class - with only 1 teacher - can't believe they actually learn anything.  Anyway this school has 3 levels of students those from well off families who pay 50 pounds (UK) per term - average families pay 25 pounds per term and vulnerable kids pay nothing - these kids are identified through the charities outreach programme, for example a 15 year old girl started today, she has been working as a prostitute in Kampala for the last 2 years (shocking) she was identified through the programme and will have her fees paid for by the charity / sponsors, I felt pretty choked up I have to say, such a young sweet girl. I am going out on the outreach programme next week where you visit vulnerable children and their families - lots of Aids victims etc, Am going to sponsor a child but need to pick just one, when really I will want to sponsor the whole lot. Its pretty mind blowing stuff I can tell you!!

Anyway accommodation wise, its pretty basic - am sure some of you would think it pretty dire - no running water and electricity that only works for about 30 mins at a time, but it is alot better than I thought it may be!

The Volunteer House

My room

The Kitchen

Hey Muzungu!

Lunch anyone?

Health & Safety Unganda Style!

Suffice to say, I am just delighted that I have chosen to volunteer here, the staff and children are probably some of the most welcoming and hospitable people I have ever met.

Anyway, better dash now, not particularly safe when it gets dark round here which it will do shortly so better get off.

Bye for now.

All packed up and ready to go..

Is this really going to last me 6 weeks?

Eagle Creek packing cubes are a packing Revelation!



Let's hope I wont be needing this!



Is not quite like packing for 2 weeks in Spain!!

Have just had my last 'very british' dinner, Cottage Pie and Apple Crumble and Custard, in preparation for 6 weeks eating who knows what .... tomorrow morning I head off to Uganda for 6 weeks to volunteer with CALM Africa, am excited, if a tiny bit nervous! I wonder what awaits me there!! People seem to think I'm going to end up sleeping in a grass hut in the middle of the nowhere ......I guess its possible??? Watch this space and I will write more as soon as I am able to access to Internet .......... (who knows when this might be)

Trabants, condoms, cornettos and wine!



Dad wants a Trabant



Brandenburger Tor

 

The Trains were very tiring!

 

The red light district was interesting!



Something from here Dad?

 

Dad's turn with the camera!!



Dads favourite passtime! (even in Venice)

 

Just one Cornetto!

 

St Marks Square (Dad tries another photo!)




The worlds most expensive taxi!!

I lied, THIS is Dad's favourite passtime!



3 coins in a fountain!



Sod the Audi, I want this one!



A quick word with the Pope before we go home!