Trip to East Africa 2007-2008

Stick By Stick Makes a Bundle

2008-08-27T21:10:00.001+03:00

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Stick by Stick Makes a Bundle examines the social implications of limited and unsafe water on rural Ugandan communities heavily impacted by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

This film is a journey into the lives of the most vulnerable members of these communities, in particular women and children, and examines the way in which water scarcity affects their lives.

Stick By Stick Makes a Bundle

2008-08-27T00:00:00.001+03:00

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Welcome Back to Uganda - Project Video

2008-04-03T11:45:00.003+03:00

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Take a tour of the sites and meet the people that you have helped with your generous donations!

(BEST VIEWED AT 1/2 SCREEN)

Please forgive our oversight - We missed crediting the following people for their donations in the video:

SO THANK YOU TO:

MONICA MARTIN

JOE KELLY

BARABARA WASILEWSKI

MICHEL JOHNSON

JULIE LECLERC

MICHELLE SAVARD et MIVILLE LECLERC

MICHELLE LECLERC ET JEAN-PIERRE REY

JEAN-NICOLAS BOUCHER

SYLVIE CARRIER

MARILOU LEVAC GAGNON

IRIS TREMBLAY, MIREILLE AUDET

So here we are, exactly 22 hours from our departure from Uganda. The eight months Denise and I have spent here have been some of the most rewarding yet. This, in large part, is thanks to your support, be it monetary or otherwise. We could not have done it without you, nor could you have done it without us...We got a lot to be proud of!

It was an ambitious idea to begin with, and with the overwhelming support we received, it turned into something BIG. Together, between late November and late February, we raised around 15,000 USD! No small feat. Now what to do with all that money???

In the end, we built 14 rainwater harvesting tanks, held four intensive trainings on tank management as well as hygiene and sanitation and renovated Kanaa's home which was as close as it gets to collapsing (Kaana is the young woman in the fund raising video "Stick by Stick" who at 14, must take care of her blind mother and numerous siblings). We also bought some iron sheets for the house of another orphan, Kuvo (age 12).

The rainwater tanks include four of 20,000 liters in capacity and one of 10,000, built at three primary schools, one high school, and one orphanage learning center. The remaining nine tanks were all of 4,000 liters in capacity and were constructed in two villages. They were built by the 12 villagers, all of whom were subsistence farmers, we trained to become skilled masons. A new skill has been left behind in the communities and womens savings groups established so that in a couple years' time, our masons will have found work, and other households safe water.

If you are interested in seeing the whole process, please view the video above, it is worth it! On the behalf of Denise and myself, and on that of the 1,500 lives you have changed, thanks again.

PROJECT BEGINS!!!!

2008-02-02T14:56:00.000+03:00

Here is a little update from Uganda...

After months of planning, our first project has finally begun and it would be a big lie to pretend we were anything but elated about it!

A couple months ago (after the video was finished), we were forced to abandon the idea of building communally managed rainwater harvesting tanks in the village setting. There are many reasons for this change in plan but most importantly, it is because these types of projects have failed before.

This is because the amount of water supplied in a 10,000 or 20,000 liter tank is simply too small to meet the large demand and causes more problems than it is able to solve (not to mention the difficulties that come with their management).

Also, as large surface areas (roofs) are needed to catch enough water to fill these tanks, most Ugandan homes typically quite small, and few villages possessing institutional roofs large enough to do the trick (school, church, district office, etc), yet more problems arise.

So, after much research and many conversations with various experts in the field (rainwater harvesting) from the UK, Uganda and other parts of the world, we changed our approach to one that has proven successful in our particular setting. We redirected our efforts to the household level.

Our new project includes the training of 10 people from two villages (Kyakabalu & Buyanja) on how to build 4,000 liter tanks, all of them having been selected in community meetings (according to vulnerability and need). Out of the 10, all will learn the skill and five of them will be provided with the necessary materials to have their own tank.

In leaving this skill in the villages, the goal is that they will in turn be hired by their neighbors to build more tanks in the community. Through sensitization and the formation of savings groups (clustered according to income and capacity to work together), we hope to see a few more tanks spring up in the next couple of years which would truly make this project a success!

Because the need for clean water is so great in this particular area, the reduced costs of labor found with the new village ‘masons’, combined with the continued support and monitoring of savings groups which have been formed, will undoubtedly make the dream of clean water an real possibility for many households in the near future.

The two women who are teaching the villagers how to build them arrived last Saturday, which marked the official beginning of the last phase of our project, implementation. After finalizing the purchasing of materials on Sunday, they were brought to the village to begin their 4 week course. Every week, they are moving to a different house (where the necessary materials are waiting) and building one 4,000 liter tank. By the final week, those being trained will be able to construct one without their help. The fifth tank will be built solely by the villagers as the women will have returned to their homes.

Over the past two weeks, the five villagers who will be benefiting not only of the training, but also of the tank have been working hard to contribute what they can in terms of locally available materials.

Each of the five households was able to collect three tons of aggregate (small stones) and one ton of hardcore (big stones) upon which each tank will be constructed. They have also prepared a room for the trainers who will be living with them in the village, while providing them with food and water for the duration of their stay.

It has been unbelievable to see the level of commitment on their parts in achieving the goals we had agreed to some time back. As of Monday, the first tank has been under construction at Violet’s home (a widow of 60 years of age).

The atmosphere on site is truly wonderful and everything is going extremely well. All in all, there are eight women and two men who are participating in the training, and a myriad of family members all eager to participate in any way they can. If only you could see….(but you will, we will have pictures and clips coming your way in the near future)

The second part of the project will officially begin in mid-February when the masons will arrive to begin construction. We have (with your help) raised enough funds to construct three 20,000 liter tanks and one 10,000 liter tank at three schools and one orphanage center respectively. We have already been engaging the various school management committees in terms of commitments to this project.

All schools (and orphanage) have agreed to amass the necessary stones (like the villages, only more), provide unskilled labor for 2 weeks (duration of construction) to help the masons (as well as their food and shelter). Moreover, they will be attending two separate seminars we (an expert) will be offering them, the first concerning sustainable management for the committees, and the second with hygiene and sanitation for the headmasters, science teachers, and selected students from each school (‘water captains’).

Regarding the later, the teachers will in turn, sensitize the school’s students on the various topics discussed in the seminar. The school management committees have also agreed to sensitizing the parents about the on-going project and also collect 2,000 USH ($ 1.2 ) from each household as a contribution (all of these steps are aimed at fostering a sense of ownership within the beneficiaries) to this project.

Over the next two weeks, we will be monitoring the schools to make sure all materials and money has been collected when the masons arrive (the new term begins on Monday). We are confident this will go very well as all parties have assured us not only of their need for water, but complete commitment to this project. Both the village and school projects will end in the beginning of March….

We will keep you posted! Lots of love from Lyantonde, Uganda.

2007-11-30T13:53:00.001+03:00

Thank you to Ms. Gwen Tagtmeier and her Senior Honors English Class at East Leyden High School (Franklin Park, Illinois) for volunteering to help fundraise for this project!

If you have any questions that were not answered by the VIDEO or BROCHURE, please check out the QUESTION & ANSWER section of the blog (below), or contact us directly.

VIDEO: Stick by Stick Makes a Bundle

2007-11-23T15:57:00.001+03:00

Note: This is a flash movie, you will need to install the Flash Plugin to view it.

A 35 minute documentary on the water crisis in southwestern Uganda's Lyantonde District. This film examines the impact of limited and unsafe water on vulnerable communities in a rural district of Uganda. The film focuses on the most vulnerable members of this AIDS afflicted region, especially, women, orphans, child-headed households and people living with HIV/AIDS.

If you enjoy it, send it to your friends (click on the email icon below)

BROCHURE

2007-11-23T15:14:00.000+03:00

Below is a resume of our project with a couple pics. (?!?!? Don't be shy, talk about it, shout about it...distribute it). For a hard copy that is printable, foldable and distributable - please email us We miss you. Love, J-M & D.
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UGANDANS WORKING FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES

In July of 2007, two young Canadians arrived in Uganda (East Africa) after a year of planning. They were to begin work with a local community-based organization called PARDI (Participatory Action for Rural Development Initiative), led by a team of young and passionate Ugandans. PARDI’s primary focus is to improve the lives of the most impoverished and vulnerable members of society, such as those living with HIV/AIDS, widows and orphans.

POVERTY & AIDS IN RURAL UGANDA

As most of you know, the problems are many in our world’s poorest countries. Uganda is no exception. Here, poverty affects every aspect of life from basic needs such as shelter and nutrition, to chances for a brighter future in terms of access to education and health services.

Compounding these challenges are those brought about by disease. Although the devastation caused by HIV/AIDS in Africa is well known, the long term impacts of the virus has received little attention. In Uganda, over 1 million HIV/AIDS related deaths have left behind 2.2 million orphans and vulnerable children now fighting to survive. Their swelling numbers have overwhelmed communities and government, both struggling to provide them with assistance and support.

CHILD-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS

The first AIDS cases in Africa were recorded in the Lyantonde/Rakai Districts, making it one of the areas in the world most severely affected by the pandemic. There are over 40, 000 orphans in this district and 1,000 children live without parents or guardians in child-headed households (CHHs).

Over the past six years, PARDI has provided counseling and psycho-social support to these children, as well as clothes, shelter, food, clean water and education (including vocational training). In a survey conducted by PARDI in 2003, 68% of the orphans interviewed mentioned lack of food and water as their most immediate problems.

WATER IS LIFE

In rural Ugandan families, women and children bear the brunt of fetching water for the family. Depending on the season, this can take anywhere between 1 to 5 hours and span, on average, a distance of 2 to 6 km. Entire families are sometimes forced to relocate to other villages in order to have ready access to water.

For children, these long treks before class time often translate into absenteeism and fatigue. The 2003 Lyantonde District Education report indicates that there is a 35% drop-out rate in primary schools because of water scarcity.

As for mothers, instead of using their energy to work on the shambas (fields) or on income generating activities (eg: raising poultry, weaving), their attention must, like that of their children, be focused on fetching water.

ABUSE OF WOMEN & CHILDREN

The walk in search of water, especially during the dry season (8 months or more of the year), is not without danger. Often passing through remote areas, young girls and women are left at the mercy of assailants. Reports of rape are not uncommon. Children are often advised to travel in large groups to avoid sexual predators. Those guilty of such offenses, if found at all, often settle with the victim’s family through monetary compensation. Here, the profoundly disturbing effects of poverty can be observed.

During the dry season, physical violence is common as those in search of water get into fights over positioning in the line-up at the water source. The women, and especially the children, must sometimes wait for hours before they can return home, not only pushed aside by men collecting water to sell, but also by each other.

DROUGHT & FAMINE IN LYANTONDE DISTRICT

Because this geographical area receives an abnormally small amount of rainfall every year, droughts causing regular food and water shortages are common. During the rainy season, the communities in this region rely on swamps or ‘unprotected-dug wells’ (large holes dug in the ground) to catch rain water.

Many ‘unprotected-dug wells’ are shared with farm animals (cattle, goats, pigs etc) that drink and defecate near the water sources. When it rains, water flows through towns, farms and fields and into the ‘unprotected dug well’, collecting bacteria, garbage, fertilizers and human/animal waste as it goes. Consequently, community members point to the large number of waterborne diseases afflicting them, such as dysentery, cholera and various stomach worms and bacteria.

Another tragic aspect of these ‘wells’ are the number of children that drown each year while trying to retrieve water for their families.

SAFE WATER FOR ORPHANS, WIDOWS & PEOPLE LIVING WITH AIDS

Although the aim of the local government is to reduce the distance between every individual and a water source to 2 km (whether safe or not), their capacity to do so is limited. PARDI is trying to fill this gap by raising funds to construct rain water tanks for the most vulnerable members of the community.

To accomplish this goal, we are asking for your help.

PARDI field staff and its board of directors have, in conjunction with vulnerable schools and communities in the Lyantonde district, agreed on specific areas where the tanks are to be erected. During the past few months, we have worked hard to ensure that the chosen locations, communities, and schools will help the most vulnerable.

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

After meetings with these communities and discussing the project (details below), we asked them how they could help us and were amazed with the response. They offered to participate through small financial contributions, the provision of basic materials (bricks, sand), labor, food and accommodation for skilled workmen, and the establishment of a water committee to ensure the upkeep of the rain water tanks.

Ensuring the communities are willing to contribute to any project is important for two major reasons: Firstly, it provides confirmation that the project addresses an issue considered to be a priority, and secondly, it creates a sense of ownership, vital to the sustainability of the project.

Additionally, seminars on the proper use of water tanks and on the importance of clean water and hygiene will be held at all chosen sites.

While we are also seeking to obtain grants for our project, the assurance that something can be done begins with you.

HARVESTING RAIN WATER

Rain water collection systems consist of installing gutters around a tin roof, thereby directing rain water into one or more large cement tanks. Each tank is covered (to protect the water source and children), and includes a filter and a faucet to access the water. They can each contain 20,000 liters of safe water and alleviate the water crisis by storing water during the rainy season to be used during the dry season. Each tank costs about 2,400 USD.

Our goal is to construct one cement tank at each of the chosen locations. They include six vulnerable communities, and six vulnerable schools. The project’s total cost is approximately 28,800 USD ( 12 tanks, 12 sites). Any donations exceeding this amount will be used to construct additional tanks at selected locations. Our fundraising deadline is December 30th, 2007 (late donations will not be refused. Construction begins in January 2008.

TO DONATE
(Any amount makes a big difference!)

Payment Methods:

 Via INTERNET using PAY PAL: Click on "Make A Donation" (at the top of this page)! This will automatically bring you to the PAY PAL website where you will be able to pay by credit card, or register and create an account. The process is simple & quick.

 PERSONAL CHECKS and CASH: Payable to Ms. Donna Buckley, Ms. Suzanne Leclerc, Mr. Trevor Kennedy, Reverend Graham Kennedy, Mr. Jeff Dalziel, Mr. Emmanuel Resch, Ms. Maia Leclerc, Ms. Lisa Lefebvre, Ms. Natalie Hunter, Mr. Tony Saker, Ms. Sara Kerastas, Mr. Homero Brum, Mr. Eamon Tierney & Mr. Francois Poilly. These are PARDI’s Canadian Fundraising Volunteers, responsible for the collection of Canadian funds.

 If you would like to transfer your donations directly to our Canadian bank accounts, this can also be done online, through your INTERNET BANKING service (Canadian banks can offer e-mail as a means to transfer money from your account to another).

 Otherwise, contact the project managers for our account information! Jean-Michel Kennedy (dr_jmk@hotmail.com) or Denise Brennan (denise.brennan@gmail.com). The money will be wired to Uganda.

Thank you so much,
Jean-Michel Kennedy and Denise Brennan

For additional information about PARDI, please visit http://www.pardiusa.apictureaday.com/ or contact PARDI’s Program Manager, Richard Hagaba at richardhagaba@yahoo.ca

To send this brochure to your friends and family just click on the email icon below.

WATER PROJECT: QUESTIONS & ANSWERS -PART 1

2007-11-23T12:39:00.000+03:00

Does the water that sits in these tanks not become stagnant and dirty? How do you ensure that it remains isolated from the outside environment? That insects don't find their way in? Is there some sort of filter at the point where the water enters the tank? How are these issues handled? How are these tanks cleaned?

The water does not become stagnant because it is continually being used and replenished. There is a filter located at the top of the tank where the water flows in from the pipe that is attached to the gutter. This somewhat filters the water but it still has to be boiled. This water is not 100 % clean but it is still much safer than the alternative sources available.

The tanks are cleaned manually before every rainy season (physically scrubbed from the inside twice a year). The top is covered with concrete but there is a trap door with enough room for someone to enter and clean the tank.

The cement tank is isolated by the outside environment because the only way of accessing the water is by turning the tap or climbing in through the top (which is covered). Most communities will have someone from the water management committee monitoring the tanks. They will also organize certain days when the tank is off limits in order to regulate the usage of the water tanks.
Once the tanks are built, will they be safe? Will warlords/local gangs take them over - does this problem even exist? i.e. will the people for whom these tanks are built benefit from them in a sustained way?

Uganda is a very safe and peaceful country. The only part that is problematic is the north, due to the civil war which most believe is near its end (the parties are currently engaged in peace talks). The areas that we are working in are very rural and far away from any conflicts. So there is absolutely no risk of gangs or warlords taking over the tanks.
What is the lifespan of one of these tanks?

- If the tanks are well maintained they can last up to 100 years. In order to ensure that they are maintained communities and schools have formed water management committees that are responsible for monitoring the usage (ensuring that they are used fairly and not over-used) and upkeep of the tanks (this includes cleaning the tanks before every rainy season and ensuring that the tanks are in good working condition) .

The communities have decided to donate 1000 Ush ($ 0.60) per household to the water management committee, to ensure that if there is a problem the committee will have the necessary funds to implement any needed repairs immediately. In addition, the community will donate 500 Ush ($0.30) quarterly, per household to the water management committee as a maintenance fee.

PARDI will also be monitoring the tanks. A staff member will visit the tank and meet with the water management committee once a month for the first three months and then once every three months thereafter to provide support in overcoming any obstacles.

Finally, prior to the construction of the tanks, the water management committees will attend a workshop on the importance of clean water and hygene. They will also be sensitized on how to maintain the tanks properly (cleaning, monitoring etc.).
Who is going to get the money? Will you two ensure that whoever gets the money will do what they're supposed to with it?

The money will go directly to the water project managers (Jean-Michel and Denise) who will handle the disbursement of all funds. In fact, we have spent the past two months meeting with contractors (we've met with several in order to get a number of estimates) and tradespeople in order to compile a bill of quantities (detailing how much each material will cost). We will be monitoring every aspect of this project including supervising the project sites during construction. Further, we will not leave Lyantonde until the project has been completed.

WATER TANK SUSTAINABILITY - QUESTIONS & ANSWERS -PART 2

2007-11-22T13:00:00.000+03:00

Preliminary activities (e.g. technical studies, financial contributions)

We have carried out a number of preliminary activities in the planning of the proposed project. We have assessed local needs via consultations with PARDI (six years of past research and field experience), direct consultations with the communities and schools in question, as well as face to face meetings with their numerous representatives including headmasters, teachers, LC1, LC3 and LC5 chairpersons and relevant NGOs and District Officials.

Town meetings have yielded a willingness by would be recipients to contribute not only labor, food, water and money to this project, but also long-term participation in the form of water management committees.

Lastly, we have consulted several contractors, focusing on experience, professionalism, quality and cost. To date, all implied costs mentioned above have been covered by us.

Details of the proposed project: activities and inputs

Consultations and contractual negotiations are to be finalized with the chosen contractor to allow for organization and efficiency during project implementation (construction). We must also mobilize relevant communities and educational institutions for upcoming meetings where water sensitization is to be discussed and where the finalizing of community participation and water committee establishment is to take place.

Water sensitization is to include topics such as hygiene, the benefits of clean water and tank management (its sustainable use and upkeep). Community participation will be reviewed, agreed to and planned to compliment the arrival of the contractor and building crew, and water management committees elected.

After these tasks are completed, construction will begin, as will continued sensitization, community and school meetings, and follow ups with water committees to overcome initial management or technical obstacles. We will conduct these tasks, with the help of PARDI staff, in tandem with the building schedule, to ensure each community is sufficiently knowledgeable, prepared and organized to ensure a proper transition in rain water tank proprietorship.

Action plan during project implementation and 3 years after project completion

During its implementation, the proposed project includes eight “phases” for each village and seven for each school. Before construction begins in each village, we will mobilize the local community (or school board) (phase 1), with help of the LC1 chairperson (or headmaster), to participate in a community meeting the following week (phase 2). This meeting will include our sensitization workshop, as well as finalizing community contributions, and the election of a water management committee.

The following week, a meeting with the water management committee will be held to ensure that financial contributions are being collected, that the organization of labor for help in construction is planned, and to discuss ideas for water management and tank upkeep (phase 3). Phase three is deemed unnecessary for schools as water management logistics are straightforward. Construction will, under community and PARDI supervision, begin the following week and end two weeks after that upon which time, a small opening ceremony will be held (phases 4 & 5).

Once a month for three months, following the completion of the tanks, PARDI will meet with the water management committees to overcome any obstacles encountered (phases 6,7 & 8).

Finally, for the next three years, quarterly meetings with the villages’ water management committees and local representatives will be convened to ensure the project’s sustainability and measure its outcomes and achievements.

Quarterly meetings with the school water management committees (as well as any impromptu meetings demanded be beneficiaries) will be held for the following three years.

Expected risk factors which may disturb or interrupt project implementation and strategies to overcome them

There are three risk factors that may disturb the project: The first has to do with the communal ownership of a finite resource and its possible abuse or mismanagement. This major problem has been minimized by alleviating a need the community itself has identified as a priority, and also through its willing participation (material, labor and management), giving members a sense of ownership over the tank.

Some of the communities have suggested that the water management committee identify certain days a week (depending on the season and water levels) where villagers are permitted to access water from the tanks. They have also suggested setting a limit on the number of “jerry cans” permitted per household in order to ensure the fair distribution of the water.

Furthermore, regular visits with management committees, communities and continued sensitization will provide sufficient support to ensure the proposed project’s success.

The second risk factor is environmental. Rains can sometimes limit road accessibility and slow construction. Although unpredictable, construction is set to begin at the end of the rainy season, limiting its potential impact on the project. The contractor will also employ tarps and other methods learned through experience in order to minimize the rain’s impact.

The third risk factor is sudden price fluctuations in fuel and materials costs. These have been dealt with as the prices indicated in the provided bill of quantities have been guaranteed by the contractor to remain the same for a six month period.

How do you ensure that planned activities to produce expected outputs of the project continue?

Once we leave Uganda, PARDI will be managing the projects through quarterly visits to the proposed sites. These visits will be specifically aimed at consultations with the water management committees, the communities, as well as the LC1 Chairpersons, in order to ensure that all obstacles and challenges are discussed and overcome. Reminders to communities about the benefits of safe water and tank upkeep will also be included in these exchanges.

During their regular operations in PARDI’s area of coverage, field staff will also have numerous opportunities to monitor the project’s achievements, outcomes and challenges. If, for any reason, their assistance is needed, PARDI volunteers will be sent to these locations promptly. Good communication links already exist between the organizations and relevant members of the community, assuring that any needs and problems can be communicated using mobile telephones.

How will the operational and running costs of the constructed structure be covered? (e.g. salary, additional staff, up-keeping costs, utilities, additional equipment and materials, etc.)?

Community participation and organization is the key to the success of the proposed project. In some communities, each household has volunteered to contribute an initial financial contribution of 1000 USH. This money is to be placed in a communal fund to ensure that tanks can be readily fixed and maintained if and when necessary.

Additionally, to safeguard the project’s long term sustainability, communities have also proposed to pay a sum of 500 USH quarterly, also payable to the fund mentioned above, handled by the water management committee. The committee will also be charged with the tanks’ bi-annual cleaning (before the rainy seasons).

To illustrate, in a community with 100 households, this would mean an initial deposit of 100,000($60 USD) USH into the management fund, as well an extra 200,000 USH ($120 USD) on a yearly basis. Of course, each community’s financial contributions will differ according to what they can afford (a sum agreed upon during initial phases).

All costs after the funded period associated with visits to monitor the tanks and meet with the communities will be borne by the organization through its annual budget.

2007-11-11T15:49:00.000+03:00

Hello everyone!!!

We are nearly ready to launch our fundraising campain!!! Denise is finishing up the promotional video within the next few days, and the brochure will also be ready at this time. We are planning to put the video on YouTube so you can send the link to all those you beleive to be interested in helping us out personnally, or simply wanting to make a kind gesture. No pressure...But we are counting on you, lol!!! You should hear from us within the next week, at which point we have made it a goal to track each and everyone of you down before the end of December! Please, if you haven't done so, read the previous posting to get a clear picture of our project and our aims. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions on either the water project, or how to go about reaching our goal, do not hesitate to contact us!

As we are devoting much time and energy to this project, unrelated news is meager. Most of you will be releived to know we had a snickers bar on Halloween and that my turtle dance is a success in Lyantonde (it will explode when I get back home).

We are in the process of organizing community meetings and school meetings with some of the water project' s targetted communities to ask them what they are willing to contribute materially, financially and in terms of time and labor. The goal is obtaining the assurance we are addressing their most pressing need, and of equal importance, that we establish a sustainable plan for the water tank's future maintnance and management. We are convinced the outcome will be overwhelmingly positive. In doing so, the communities' sense of ownership will be established, thereby ensuring the water tanks will make a lasting impact, while empowering the community.

Other than that, we miss you all greatly. Thank you for your contiunued interest and support, sorry for the lack of pics. Love, JM & D.

Home

2007-10-16T14:03:00.000+03:00

Hi everyone!
This update has been a long time comin’, we know.
Our arrival in Lyantonde, a town in S-O Uganda we would later call home, was preceded
by a 2 week stay in the eastern part of the country.

There is culture shock for you, a tiny little village of about 500 scattered people who, for the most part, practice subsistence agriculture. We were quickly introduced to the food staples we would learn to love: rice, matoke (steamed and crushed bananas), posho (maiz based, mashed potato texture), cassava, sweet potatos and beans. To sum this up, it usually sounds like this: rice & beans, beans and cassava, matoke and beans, and so on….the fresh fruits make up for it.

Food aside, there were a few other things to get used to. Women kneeling to greet men (a custom Denise did not pick-up?!?), living with farm animals, bats and various creatures, as well as always, sticking out like a sore thumb. Everywhere you go, various stares & greetings are in store. There is the “what is that?” stare, the “what is this white person doing here?” stare, the “what are you going to give (bring) me (us)?” stare or question, the “Bye Muzungu!!!! (foreigner, white person)” shouted by every child you cross and the attached assortment of “how are you’s?”, a question repeated until you disappear from their sight…

We have also made many children cry.

There we spent most of our time giving HIV/AIDS seminars to various groups in the community including widows, students, and people living with HIV. In between these, we taught a couple days at the PARDI sponsored St-Andrews primary school and orphanage. The bulk of our time was spent assessing this project and the needs of the community involved (mainly widows and orphans). Because access to health care was one of the most common complaints, we also went to the nearest facilities to see the situation for ourselves (we have a report on all this for those interested on reading it).

Every house we visited, we were given bags of peanuts, eggs, papaya, jackfruit, sugarcane and corn. The hospitality was incredible. The eastern region is green, lush and beautiful. Houses and huts are well groomed, adorned with flours and neatly swept paths. The effect of AIDS however, has left its mark. A great number of grand-parents with numbered years are trying to care for their orphaned grand-children, widows vying to raise families of 8 alone, are examples of the various strains on these communities. What will become of all these children is the most common question their guardians would ask.
I hate to be gloomy, but from what we have seen, it is a great question indeed.

Back to civilization, Denise & I spent about a week in Jinja, a city on the shores of lake Victoria just an hour and a half east of the capital, Kampala. We had planned on white water rafting but I got malaria instead. It ain’t as bad as it sounds, but I would not wish it on anybody either! Needless to say, I was down and out. D was great.

We’ve been living in Lyantonde for 3 months now and have learned to call this trucker town home. Lyantonde is a small town. There are about 3 restaurants that we eat at and no internet. We have a sweet little apartment and some great neighbors. Actually that’s probably the best part of our living here – the Ugandans that we have become friends with. Kassim lives across the court yard. He works at the main bank here (which is a nice hook-up) and has a ton of movies, satellite TV and is obsessed with Monopoly (it’s the South African version! No boardwalk!) We spend our weekends with him watching Premiership Soccer ! GO ARSENAL! And we’ve become pretty obsessed with it. And playing monopoly. He’s really great. Then we have Kenneth – he’s our other awesome neighbor. He works at an NGO in town. He’s MR. fix it and MR. Resourceful. He’s helped us out countless times and he’s hilarious.

JM and I play soccer every Sunday with PARDI staff, some of the other volunteers, and whoever else happens to come along. It’s a lot of fun. We’ve both accumulated a few bruises. During the work week we are super busy. When we first got here, JM spent a couple of weeks building furniture for our home. After that he spent a month giving HIV/AIDS seminars to villages and schools in the area.

We then began work on the well project, which meant a month in the field determing whether there was a community need for water. It became clear very quickly that there was an immediate need for water (safe or unsafe) in this area. We visited a lot of people to get their views on how best to proceed, in terms of what type of well would be suitable for this area, where to put the wells, what members of the community where most in need etc. After meeting with government officials, community develppment workers, field counselors, widows, orphans, primary schools, child headed households, we came to the conclusion that cement rain harvesting tanks that bring water closer to orphans, widows and CHHs were the priority.

To get to these tiny villages in the surrounding hills and valleys, Denise & I rent motorbikes and scoot around from place to place with a PARDI staff to help with obvious communication issues. I got to admit, we look pretty good on those bikes. Most of it is closer to dirt biking because of all the hills, rocks & mud! You should see Denise with her army pants, tang-top, sun galsses and red bandana....She's loving it. Despite the many unheard tragedies in the region, the scenery is beautiful, and people always ready for a laugh. Back to water...

So we came up with the idea that while we were investigating the water situation we would film our experience and document the process. We’ve definitely stretched the capabailities of our digital camera and come up with a lot of material that we are in the process of editing so that we can make a fundraising video. We’ve never done anything like this before so it’s going to be challenging, especially with our limited technological resources. But we’re excited about sharing it with all of you.

In three weeks, we will be posting the video online in the hope of fundraising as much money as possible by late December, early January. By then we hope to have raised enough money to start building. The 'ferro cement tanks' only take 2 weeks to complete and the impact of clean, safe water is immediate. We’ve set up a pay pal account for donations and we’ve designed a brochure with additional info (it should be out in 2 weeks). My mom, Donna Buckley, is PARDI Canadian fundraising coordinator and she can forward any cash or check donations to us (personal checks made payable to me, JM will be deposited into our accounts by her and then wired to PARDI Uganda).

There have been a few 'bacterial setbacks' if you know what I mean. Our howlin' stomachs are finally returning back to normal....

2007-09-16T17:33:00.000+03:00

Hi everyone! Denise and I have been very buisy for the last weeks and although this trend will continue, we will be in a better position to update you in a couple more! We have not foresaken this web-page by anymeans!!! Keep informing us on what is going-on in your respective lives. News from home is always welcome. Much love, JM & D.

TIA

2007-07-30T18:13:00.000+03:00

Our time in Uganda so far has been memorable to say the least...It began by a brief visit to a small town we will call home for the next 6 months or so located in south-western Uganda (Lyantonde). There, we met the PARDI (Participatory Action for Rural Development Initiative) executive committee and found a group of vibrant young Ugandans giving most of their time and resources in offering help to the victims of HIV/AIDS. They are working closely with the widows and orphans, the groups most affected by the epidemic, with their most pressing needs (food, clothes, shelter) as well as long term sustainable objectives such as providing them with free primary education and vocational training centers for those unable to pay for secondary education (overwhelming majority). The centers offer disciplines ranging from mechanics to carpentry and tailoring to name but a few. Their main objective is to help the most neglected by offering them the means to help themselves by acquiring the necessary skills to overcome the poverty cycle created by AIDS. Their innovativeness and dedication are inspirational....especially considering the fact they must also work other jobs to provide for themselves and their loved ones. In this town, we also found a little two room apartment to call our own in which we will be moving in shortly.

The past two weeks, however, were spent in eastern Uganda working closely with PARDI's eastern branch in the Iganga district. If culture shock is part of such a journey we certainly found it here! Woman kneeling to greet you (form of respect), children walking long distances to and from wells with gallons of water that I would struggle to carry, and the thousands of greetings, hellos, how are yous...CRAZY. My skin made children cry! Every short walk takes hours as everyone wants to chat and ask questions and visit family, ect. Not to mention the lack of electricity, living with bats, bathing by hand, wiping with the left, and the beans with rice, beans with banana, beans with sweet potato or beans with casava selection.
Our main objective in Nakabale (the village), was to evaluate the needs of the community on the ground, as PARDI is helping to subsidize (logistically, materially and financially) a primary school for the local orphans. We spent many days going from house to house and listening to the tragic stories' of the orphans' guardians and finding out their most urgent needs. We also interviewed local council members, sub county chiefs and various medical establishments to get the "bigger picture".

What we found was a blatant lack of access to health services. Those in the area are ill-equipped and ill-supplied to deal with the more complex afflictions such as HIV, unable to offer antibiotics to treat the most mundane infections (systemic shortages), and sometimes leave patients waiting for hours until the clinics 'decide' to open, leaving many who must work to leave and return to their fields sick, either because they haven't seen anyone, cannot afford medication from shops, or out of sheer frustration, only to repeat the process the next day. Worse still, are the accusations of abusive treatment towards HIV infected patients and the occasional demands of payment for services meant to be free (such as HIV testing). Furthermore, for any treatment or drug (ex: Anti Retrovirals) that is more serious, the costs of transportation to the nearest small cities are beyond the means of the large majority...the cost between life and death is often nothing more than a few dollars (literally!).

The second and third areas of concern were access to education (at the secondary level students are expected to pay much higher fees) and agricultural education. As the locals are mostly peasants struggling to survive on subsistence agriculture, being poor takes on a very different meaning than the one we know. Most cannot afford to eat meat more than once a year, nor do they make, in some instances, ANY money at all. If it wasn't for St-Andrews school for orphans, their children would have no access to education at all since "public schools" do not provide any materials, uniforms or meals, rendering them inaccessible to such communities. However, as St.Andrews is only a primary school (up to P7 or Grade 8), upon graduation the children have no means to pay for secondary education or the necessary materials, leaving them with no option but to return to their homes and repeat the cycle of poverty. Hence, the community and PARDI have a plan to build a vocational training center in the area, as well as a health clinic. However, when the resources to begin such projects will arrive, no one knows for sure. Concerning agriculture, there are a few simple solutions that could help families avoid malnutrition and even generate income to assist buying cheap drugs and paying for education, but the knowledge is not there....new diseases are ruining the crops and the elders taking care of the orphans have little energy left to invest (we saw many grand-mothers having to raise the children of their deceased daughters or sons).

Although the situation is quite bad, there are also many great steps being taken within the community to fight these conditions. Community based HIV groups and widows groups have been formed and are growing and giving what they can to sustain community projects like the St-Andrews school (with food donations and ideas). There are also aims to strengthen them by joining with similar groups in neighboring villages to make their voices heard in larger numbers. PARDI's eastern leaders are incredibly knowledgeable of their environment, its people and culture and have simple and effective solutions for many of its problems. While making important headway, the pace is slow as government support is nowhere to be found and those with so little are finding the precious time, resources and energy to make something out of nothing.

Aside from the journalistic type work (which we hope to publish), we gave 6 HIV/AIDS seminars to groups like those mentioned above which was a riot. A muzungu (white/European) couple talking about intercourse, oral sex and making condom demonstrations to these villagers could prove quite difficult...especially with elders, or when relatives were present. Embarrassment, shyness, uncomfortable laughter, uncontrollable laughter, and downright anger were all a part of the show! Some of these cultural barriers had to be made flexible, but we succeeded quite well. Also, Denise became a beloved primary teacher in the orphans school where we taught a couple of days. She was definitely better fit for the job and the kids were a lot of fun...So much potential.

The looks on peoples' faces upon seeing us in the villages was priceless....Jaws dropped in stupefication! We were swarmed by 500 students while walking by a local school, greeted with chanting and dancing momas elsewhere, and given piles of papayas, peanuts, eggs, sugarcane and jackfruit by the villagers...Truly wonderful people.

So we are now in Jinja (small city in the next district), on our way back to Kampala to write our report and move into our new place. Unfortunately, we got stuck here a few days as I got malaria the night we arrived and D had been dragging a cough. We are both doing much better now and should be getting out of here soon. When we finish the report we'll make it available to those of you who want to read it. Thanks for reading, love, jm & d.

2007-07-08T18:57:00.000+03:00

We left Mombasa's bustling city life after a couple days spent walking through the "old city", viewing its colonial architecture, narrow streets, and ocean view. The rest of our time was spent in the center of the city roaming around and doing a little shopping (Africanizing if you will), albeit, some more than others.

Back in Nairobi, we left the next day, joining 2 other muzungu (Europeans, or white people) from Denmark on a safari to the Masai Mara national park. Aside from sitting in a car for most of three days, it was jaw-dropping...not that you would really want to hang in the "WILD" as Denise put it, for too long. The park is a dry and vast expanse of land (in the great Rift Valley) parcelled with trees and bushes, with tall savana grass rolling all the way to the distant hills. The sky a radiant blue by day, and shinning bright by nightfall with the full moon and stars. Very lion king (especially with D humming Hakunna Matata in the background a few times a day).

Needless to say, observing the incredible diversity of wild life concentrated in this area, in its natural habitat (aside from a number of white vans Creepin' on the animals), is estounding. We saw giraffes, lions, elephants, hippos, corocs, zebras, buffalo, ostriches, baboons, and the list goes on...Most of these at a an arm's length. What made our time in "the bush" even more special were the evenings when we would gather round the fire place outside some tents with a couple Masai men. We would exchange stories and questions, do some singing and dancing, and mostly laugh a lot. The Masai are a pastoralist tribe living throughout southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are said to be one of the few remaining who still live as they always have (in Kenya, and obviously with some encountering tourists and using cell phones, kind of). Cattle is their most prised possession, used as food (milk, blood, and meat), as well as a signifier of status and wealth (in numbers), and money used to purchase one or many wives.

Our journey from Masai Mara to Uganda included yet another 3 days on buses or its various smaller counterparts. Moving westward, the land became lush and green, the soil richer and the people darker. Kampala, Uganda's capital, has won both of us over. It is nestled between and over a dozen hills. Here, its friendly inhabitants are eager to ask questions, engage in conversation, and hold your hand for great lengths of time! Though their smiles and laughter are infectious, they do not betray the extremely difficult conditions each of them face. In fact, they seem to me the outcome of solidarity and compassion for a shared story: limited educational opportunities, premature burden of responsabilities (due to early parental death, disease or poverty) and total lack of employmen. It is not unusual to hear someone respond to 'how are things' with the reply 'struggling you know'. It is survival.

Denise and I have just met with the members of PARDI, the community organisation we will be working with, and have familiarised ourselves with the surroundings of our little town. We are excited, overwhelmed, and bubbling with ideas and plans...all stuff well share later.

Blue Waters Please.

2007-06-28T17:19:00.000+03:00

Being late to catch the morning bus aint what it used to be! Leaving Lamu running to the docs to catch the 10am bus (holding pre-purchased tickets) could be stressful, but thankfully, here things dont leave till theyre full! You wait on the "ferry" till every last person cramps on with their things (bags, chickens, whatever), wait till all their family and friends bring them whatever they need shipped off to the mainland, and leave an hour after the bus is said to have left on the other side...and so it is, no worries, Hakunna Matata (the words actually exist!). When the "ferry" bifurcates in the wrong direction heading towards another ship however...you think of Matata, just matata.

Nearly doubling a "ferry's" capacity with people and things, in mid-water is one experience difficult to forget as all going in our direction scramble to jump aboard all at once. I got worried, D's face was worth a million bucks. The old putter made it however, and we safely left in direction of a coastal town 5 hours south called Watamu.

Watamu is a very small town anxiously awaiting the floods of tourists to come within the next couple months. Good for barganing, bad cause everyone desperately wants, and needs, your money. D and I quickly made friends with a few of the locals our age and we had a great time. We went out to a beach party the 1st night where locals were celebrating the safe-keeping of the public beach from privatization by rich Italians...The rest of the time was spent relaxing on the beach....the BLUE, BLUE beach. Denise was overjoyed. Finally relaxing, making food with friends and decompressing. If it werent for the insane amount of mosquitos in our room, and the bed-bugs, it would have been perfect!!!!

On the last day we visited the Gedi ruins, an ancient booming coastal village between the 14th and 17th century deep in the forests with monkeys and....ants. Its old mosques and walls are covered in lush vegitation and huge tree roots. It was more modern in many repects than some of today's Swahili houses.

That day, we headed for Mombasa, Kenya's second largest city, an important port throughout history connecting East Africa with the Middle East, South Asia and the Orient. Mombasa is a nice city where colonial architecture rubs-up against mosques, all kinds of markets, people and traffic. Today was shopping, tomorrow we visit the old town.
I swear, I wont always write this much.Bye xxx.

The Journey to the Coast of Kenya

2007-06-20T13:44:00.000+03:00

We've been in Lamu for 5 days now and we are not sure when we are leaving :0). It's so relaxing here and a huge contrast to Nairobi. We had spent two days in Nairobi and we were looking forward to getting out of the city and breathing some fresh coastal air.

The bus ride from Nairobi to Mombassa takes 7 hours - Ours took 13! About 30 mins outside Nairobi the bus broke down. JM and I took the opportunity to chit chat with the other traveller's - And as it turns out we had plenty of time to chat because the bus driver had to wait for a new tire to come from Nairobi (the traffic is insane!). 6 hours later we were up and running!! :0) By the time we got to Mombassa it was 3 am and we decided that instead of paying for a hotel we would sleep in the bus. 4 hours later we jumped on another bus for Lamu.

The bus ride was bumpy to say the least ( I bruised a rib on the way down!). But we met some really nice people and the scenary was really beautiful. I was especially taken by the Somalian women on the side of the road - they sell mangoes, peanuts, chickens etc. to the people passing by bus. Times are tough in Somalia right now and there are a lot of refugees near the Kenya-Somalia border (close to Lamu). These women are so beautiful with their dark, fine features and bright kangas (wraps).

Lamu is an interesting place to say the least. The streets are about 4 feet across with no cars only donkeys (and dung!). The architecture in Lamu is very impressive (lots of large hand-carved wooden doors and mosques ). 5 times a day you can hear the call to prayer throughout the town.

Lamu was built in the 13th century but people have lived here for much longer than that! The Arab, African, Portuguese influence results in an interesting culture (and food!). In Lamu you will see women wearing bwibwi's and ninjas (better known to us in the West as Burkas with only the eyes showing). Yet the town is coastal and very relaxed or in Swahili polepole (slowly slowly).

The Swahili people are descendants of Africans and Arabs and their language - Swahili- derives from Bantu rather than Arabic. It is spoken along the coast of East Africa - where the Swahili people predominantly live (there are also some Africans from other tribes that have travelled to the coast for work ). The people here are very kind and welcoming - and as it is a very small town of mostly practicing Muslims the streets are very safe to walk at night.

JM and I lucked out and after some hard bargaining we got an amazing room (basically the whole top floor ) in a traditional Swahili house (thatched palm tree rooves ). We also met a really cool guy named James from Texas (who totally reminded us of another amazing Southerner - our good friend Eamon).

Lamu was a hard place to leave but after 6 days we headed back down the coast in search of beaches and crystal blue water. On to Watamu!

"It's not the British Way! "

2007-06-20T13:03:00.000+03:00

We spent four glorious days in London, England. We were fortunate enough to have a place to stay (with my friend Samantha) in East Croydon - a 1/2 hour or so from London. Sam was great she took us around to see the sights and even drove us out of London to go and see Stonehenge and the coast of England.

London is a beautiful city and true to its reputation - extremley expensive for the budget traveler (or any traveler for that matter!). The architecture is incredible and and it is really green with lots of parks intertwined throughout the city.

We spent most of our time , walking around, taking pics and sampling local beers. The 5-7 in London is nuts - every pub is bursting with 9-5ers- the British hold true to their reputation as avid drinkers! We visited Camden market - wow what a place! If I had money to spend I would have been broke. The best part of the market is the FOOD ! They serve food from all over the world.

Probably our funniest experience so far involved trying to have breakfast in East Croydon. A lot of the pubs advertise that they serve British breakfast (eggs, bacon, saussage and beans). We walked into this one pub at about 10 am for breaky. I went over the barman and ordered 2 breakfasts with coffee - The guy behind the bar stared at me for a minute and then said - "Coffee? We don't serve coffee!" and I said "Okay, can we have orange juice?" And he just looked at me with disdain and said in his heavy British accent."humph, well it's NOT THE BRITISH WAY!" Apparently, the British way is to have two pints of beer with your breakfast!

JM and I pride ourselves on being pretty relaxed travelers' -But like most people we aim to show up at the airport 2 hours ahead of time. On the day of our departure, Sam had made a delicious dinner of Jerk chicken and rice and peas. According to JM our flight was leaving at 7:50pm. At 5:15 we left SAm's place - which is quite late because it takes at least 45 min to get to the airport from there. We were driving along and close to the airport when I decided to look at the ticket to see what gate we should be heading to.

As it turns out, our flight was leaving at 7:15 not 7:50pm! At this point we were quite worried but trying to stay calm. Sam speeds the rest of the way the airport - with the plan that I will jump out of the car, run to the desk and start begging (the gate usually closes 45 mins before the flight leaves..6:30pm) - while JM follows with our luggage.

I cannot tell you how close we came to missing that flight - We were the last people on the plane and luckily our luggage made it on as well!! 8 hours later we landed in Nairobi!

Keep in touch!!!

2007-06-06T22:58:00.000+03:00

our e-mail addresses are:
dr_jmk@hotmail.com
denise.brennan@gmail.com

DONATIONS: Denise & I have been asked by PARDI (the community-based organization with whom we will be working in Uganda) to raise funds in order to alleviate many of the ailments linked to HIV/AIDS in the Rakai district. There is no amount too big or small...Every penny counts. Attached below is a letter sent by Richard Hagaba (PARDI) describing the present conditions in this district. If you choose to make a donation, you can do so on their website: http://www.pardiusa.apictureaday.com/

Monetary donations are made using PAYPAL (click ont the donation link on the left-hand side of the main page). If you do not have such an account or dont want to create one, there is another link on the later page making it easy to e-mail PARDI and find out the best way to do so. Alternatively, please contact Denise or myself so we can make other arrangements.

DONATION MADE ON THE WEBSITE ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE!!!

ALSO: PARDI's website is a great place to find out about the organization, the work it does and the work that needs to be done. It is also a great way to learn more about what Denise and I will be doing in Uganda (the Field Report is great!!!). CHECK IT OUT!!!

Here is part of a letter sent to us by PARDI:

While before you come to Uganda and while in Canada it is our humble >request>that you help look for some one who may help donate a second hand/used>rechargeable Laptop Computer to our organsation and come along with it,>otherwise at the moment we are going through a very difficult time most>especially in the field without a laptop computer and if you happen to find>one, it will be a great boost to our organizational field work and every>thing will be made easy for us.

More so, At the moment our orphans are>facing an acute food shortage and most of them are going without food for>many days in a week, this has increased death rates most especially among>the young kids leaving in the child headed households or families as you>will observe, this follows a heavy rain down power which left many food>gardens destroyed and many children shelters destroyed and flattened>respectively. Leaving them without food and shelter

So incase its is only>possible with you, it is our prayer that you approach your friends,>relatives and colleagues and any well-wishers, organizations or churches,>that may be willing to donate to us any amount be it one Dollar, it will be>able create a remarkable change among these vulnerable orphans to save >their>innocent lives and it will also make them regain their lost hope. Clothes,>blankets and bed sheets and shoes are also greatly needed by these kids. Is>it also possible for you to find some one who may donate a simple small>used/second hand DVD Player to our organization, this will help us to>strengthen our video shows among the community, aimed at educating and>making them aware of the HIV and AIDS disaster and how best we can control>and reduce its prevalence among our community. Used mobile telephones, and>Cameras, one or two are also kindly needed, to make our communication with>remotely located field workers easy and improving our image records>respectively. We are very sorry for any inconviniences in this but incase>you are able to help our organization in any of the above challenges, it>will be a blessing to us most especially the orphans.

>>We pray to hear from you as soon as possible and thank you very much Denise>for choosing to volunteer with us.>>Best Regards>Richard Hagaba>Fields program Manager-PARDI

2 Days to Go !

2007-06-06T03:26:00.000+03:00

JM has just arrived in Mississauga. Very Exciting! And we've just created a blog . So please visit this site for updates on our experience and to check out our photos!

Lots of Love