AFRICAN ADVENTURES!
I was going to start with a “normal” day of life in Uganda
As the first newsletter, this will be a general report on Care4Kids ISA.
Care4Kids Children's Home
Emily and Rebecca in a village
The Children
The Children's Home has just moved to its own property closer to Lake Victoria . There are 24 children staying there, and many other sponsor children in hostels or still at home in the villages. The aim of Care4Kids is to look after children who have nowhere to stay. That's why we're getting 70 children come from Lira over the next few months. Lira is one of the main areas the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is focused. These children have lost their families and seen (or even had to commit) violence worse than anyone should have to.
Staff – on and off the base
Mebbre, Jesca and Christine sleep at the base, and do the cooking, cleaning and child-care. Annet washes the clothes – a full day's work when you're washing by hand. Pastor Kawoya, Raechel and Aidah do the administration, reporting and fieldwork (this is where Bec and I are also focused, at least until the Lira children come). Cosmas is the driver, and does bits of work on the property. And Lawrence is the farmer. He cares for the 14 pigs, 12 piglets (more to come this week!), 4 goats, 2 kids, chickens, and 2 cows. The animals provide us with eggs, meat and (soon) and income. Income is also generated by the coaster and two matatus (public buses) ISA owns. Plus, an internet cafe was established at the end of 2007.
It's been interesting getting to know Bec and the staff. There's nothing like a bit of shock factor to get yourself known... It was Bec's second day in Africa – still feeling a bit vulnerable, as you can imagine. So, I was helpful and took her for a walk. Lawrence came to show us the way to the lake. On the way back, my until then vaguely light head got the better of me, and I ended up out of it on the road, carried by villagers into the shade. Just as well Lawrence was there to translate! They called for a boda boda (motorbike taxi), and Lawrence carried the still passed-out me on the back to Jinja (the local town) Medical Centre. Bec made her way back to Care4Kids, met Aidah, and then was introduced to town by having to come and find where I was. Lawrence, Bec and I have gotten along wonderfully ever since.
Projects
Much time is spent taking clothes, medicines and school fees to children in surrounding areas. Plus, we encourage self-sustainability, and so have a number of agricultural projects set up. For example, in 2006 Care4Kids established a piggery in Kikuuku. It is run by a group of 12 widows, which is expanding and will soon be big enough to generate an income that isn't fed back into caring for the pigs. Projects enable locals to use their own ideas, skills and resources to set them up for the future; and so encourage development on the basis of local desires and initiative.
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| Clothes to Karen and Kevin |
School near Namaganga
“Give me a child until he's seven, and I'll show you the man.”
Judging by peoples testimonies – young and old alike – it is what happens in these first few years that is most significant. But by grace it's also wrong!
Shakira's Story - Shakira is a 16 year old girl who stays at Care4Kids. An absolute pleasure to have around. Her father died when she was born, and she and her older sister Sarina have lived with a series of families since. First they stayed with their step-grandmother's daughter. As a three-four year old, Shakira dug, cooked and carried her guardian's baby. At 5, they went and lived with their grandmother. Here they had to dig everyday, often with only hot water to fill their stomachs. The grandmother died and they moved again. When her mother died, none of the relatives from her home town came to her (it is custom for the eldest child to care for a deceased sibling's children).
In a country with the second highest number of orphans in the world, this story is not uncommon.
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| Becka with 'Poddy' (my childhood bear; still have it) |
