3rd Week Syndrome

Jay Says: Ok so we’ve now been down at our project for a couple of weeks – and its been a mixture of highs and lows to be honest. As we were warned would happen before we left the initial excitement and novelty of Uganda has now warn off and the reality of life here is kicking in.

As Charlotte explained last time the orphanage is far less built than we imagined – and there is no-one living there at the moment (ourselves included). We currently have 10 children who are registered and waiting to move in – but we will have space for at least another 30 children to come during the day – for lessons and food etc. Therefore our first week of work was spent visiting all the families in the surrounding area with the other worker at the orphanage - Sseguya and a teacher at the local school – Samwelll - who was our translator (and is now giving us lessons in the local language everyday). We interviewed around 35 families to identify those most in need of the orphanage’s help. This was something we feel very lucky to have done – it must be something very few westerners experience – going into the homes of some of the poorest families to meet with them face to face and discuss and see their living condition first hand. While the poverty was shocking – we met one lady, Jane, (in her 60s) who was looking after her 7 children but also caring for another 7 children who were either orphans or whose parents had left. So many families were living off such small amounts of money and every single family (bar one) laughed when we asked if their children wore shoes to school! This humour, happiness and human spirit is the greatest thing about Uganda. Many people are really struggling but you would never know, they don’t complain or get depressed they just enjoy what they have and get on with life a lesson for us all.

We are currently writing up the report on this exercise and hopefully will shortly go back to some of the families with good news – but only to such a small minority! However since then our work has been much harder and less inspiring. As Charlotte mentioned a lack of money is holding building works up and so the last two weeks have been really tough. Everyday we have been doing manual labour. Digging the land, shoveling, hoeing and slashing (basically cutting the grass with a blunt metal cane – the most mundane job ever!). While neither of us are scared of a bit of hard work but the problem has been we haven’t felt like we have achieved anything – as all the work has just been cosmetic, and none of it towards finishing the buildings! Added to this neither of us are used to manual labour everyday in the African sun (not to be sexist but this really isn’t a lady’s work!) we have therefore been quite tired and disheartened. Also my baby soft beautiful hands are now completely covered in blisters!

While I’m being negative I feel like listing all the other things that are hard at the moment (exaggerated because we are tired). Being an outsider! The novelty of being stared at, laughed at and shouted at just for being white has defiantly worn off. Living with the family has been great -the children are brilliant, a couple of them in particular are really fun and have looked after us - but sticking to someone else’s timetable is hard – especially when we often don’t eat until 10:30 at night (and then have to get up at 7 for hard labouring).

But that’s more than enough negativity for one blog! After our last blog about the lack of money we emailed a company that helped us out before (and has offered to help us out again) – Micro Drainage – Within hours of the email being sent a phone call was made and a very large donation was offered to get the orphanage off the ground! So THANK-YOU THANK-YOU THANK-YOU.
Once this money clears it will really allow things to get moving – buying the windows, doors and roofs that are needed so we – and more importantly the children – can move in!

Tomorrow should see the instillation of solar panels onto the orphanage roof (Note from Char: Hope all at the SBP are reading this!) This will be really exciting and the first signs of real progress being made! Today we have also been helping to build a classroom. Again while this is hard work, it is actually good progress so we feel good!

I’ve been going on a bit now so I’ll finish soon! But just to say as we’ve been having a hard time of it we’ve made sure our weekends have been good! The first weekend down here we went up to the nearest city to meet up with the other volunteers in the area – one of them had a hotel room so we all took it in turns to use a real loo and have our first real shower – followed by our first western food!

This weekend saw all the ICYE volunteers meet up to go to the Ssese Islands for a relaxing break and more western food and real toilets. It was really good but did take us 8 hours to travel about 70 miles (not to mention the dodgiest ferry ever!).

Anyway that’s enough for now. We both know that as the money comes through and things with the project progress we’ll be much happier and the textbook third week dip will go! So onwards and upwards – at least we haven’t got Malaria (unlike one of our volunteers who is living in the same village as us) – Mum & Dad don’t worry – he was being stupid and wasn’t sleeping with a net etc etc – we’ll be fine.

Lots of love to all xxx

p.s. since first writing this the solar power has now been installed and we have just found a shop in our nearest city (45mins away) that sells mars bars!!!! Yay!! We have also learnt the phrase ‘Hello my name is Jonathan, please call me Jonathan not mzungu’ which is working a treat – half of the village is converted. Just the other half to work on! Feeling much happier!