Another week has flown past, kicked off by an amazing Church service, which really set the tone for the week. It was Miracle Offering week for all of the Watoto churches. People were encouraged to give over and above their usual offerings, for the upkeep and development of all the churches across Uganda. Each church has its own needs and projects - a toilet block, an entrance road, a children's church facility and so on. The challenge was to give extravagantly, trusting that God provides seed to the sower and rewards our giving with abundance. The church service was a riot of sound, colour, music and dance - all done with so much joy and celebration that I was moved to tears and thoroughly humbled. What a privilege to witness such joyful, grateful and lavish giving-back, to the source of all provision.
As my time at Suubi draws to a close, I have been taking every opportunity to continue my work here and spend time with the children and nannies. The sense of family has been wonderful as these relationships have continued to flourish beyond my expectation. It's going to be heart wrenching to say goodbye to all 'my' babies.In the spirit of giving, I went round each unit yesterday with my newly established ministry in chocolate! I gifted a sing-along songbook, with cd, to each babies unit - to support their efforts to engage positively with the children; I also shared my appreciation and encouragement to all of the nannies through words and chocolate. The nannies were delighted to receive a small treat for all their hard work. They were also really grateful to have their commitment and devotion recognized and acknowledged in some way.
I was surprised, moved and really humbled to be gifted a book of thanksgiving, which each nanny (and some others) from the current shift had written in, sharing their feedback and appreciation towards me. It's something I will treasure for all of my days - more so because I am the only volunteer to have received something like this, that I know of. It's a relief to know I have had some positive impact in the lives of the nannies and the children. I will be spending my last few days with the next shift of nannies and with the children, in a similar vein...as long as i can restrain myself from sampling the chocolate. Actually, the chocolate is pretty safe, but thanks to my fellow roomies, I seem to have developed a rather nasty Pringles addiction!
This week I felt moved to invest in some more teaching aids, for the remedial reading unit at the primary school here. Many children are still struggling with the basics, given their limited grasp of the English language, which is the medium of instruction here. I bought a set of 50 books, which teach phonics and literacy at 4 different reading levels. This unit is not resourced or supported all that well, so Jean (the sole teacher there) was really excited to receive them. I have also been led, in careful consideration, to contribute a sum of money to a recent Watoto graduate who feels called to establish a ministry in evangelistic media here. The money will go towards the equipment and supplies required to get his business up and running. He is one of the first generation of children, that started out in the babies homes as abandoned orphans, to leave Watoto villages and establish themselves as contributing members of society. Many of these young adults are stepping into professions as doctors, lawyers, teachers, managers, engineers and the like. Amazing, given their humble beginnings and a real testament to what Watoto achieves here. I believe he will do very well as he is a hard working, zealous and disciplined young man.
I will make my way back to Kampala, for our monthly volunteer's meeting, on Wednesday. From there it will be an overnight stay and an early start for the long trip to Gulu, on Thursday. I will then be working hard to establish new relationships with a whole new set of nannies and children, many of whom have experienced a lot of trauma through war. I will also have to acquaint myself with new routines and find my way around the village...by boda boda (motorbike taxi) this time! I also remain hopeful that my good run of health will continue in Gulu as it is far more remote and the services far more basic there. It's going to be a busy week!
Friday, 25 October 2013
Friday, 18 October 2013
Challenges and Breakthroughs
It's been a week of challenges and breakthroughs. I've been working hard to try and achieve my brief - to organize activities for the children in the unit I have been working in, while here in Suubi. The girls in the other units have had some really good results. I think this is partly because there was more scope for improvement in their rooms. The children are older and were acting up more. The nannies seem to have realized that splitting the children into smaller groups and giving them something constructive to do, makes their lives a little more bearable. They have, therefore, been more receptive to the ideas of the volunteers. Not so in my unit. The babies unit is a different kettle of fish, admittedly, because of the relative mobility and development of the children. The nannies tend to spend the majority of their day camped in the centre of the room amid a writhing sea of babies. I guess they enjoy the social aspect of this grouping and it is possibly easier not to have to move around with 5 babies in tow. It has, therefore, been more difficult to convince these nannies that their babies would benefit from different learning experiences in varying locations.
Another challenge I have faced is working collaboratively with the unit head in the room. I have had to try and 'encourage' her to support my initiatives, without threatening her tight hold on the leadership of that room. I have struggled with a lot of her priorities and decisions for the children and nannies. I've had to quietly challenge incidences of blatant favoritism and hypocrisy, without stirring up wrath. This has proved at times to be very frustrating and discouraging. In terms of self-confidence, I have always been easily toppled, so it has been hard sometimes to find the will to face a new day in the unit, in the wake of the previous day's defeats. I have constantly had to remind myself that the battle is not mine to win, I'm just required to keep showing up and being of service.
Having said that, I feel some minor victories have been won this week. My approach in the unit has been to try and be as humble, helpful and supportive as possible. Some of the nannies have been ill during the week, so I have tried to help them more with their babies and provide the odd painkiller, or word of encouragement. With the unit head I have basically bowed and scraped and attended to the lowly tasks, spending long hours at the kitchen sink doing dishes, folding washing, cleaning floors, changing soiled nappies etc. During this time I have tried to act on opportunities for introducing activities, by asking her "would you like me to get some... or... for the children to play with? Would you like that inside, or on the grass outside? Can I polish your shoes for you at the same time?" And so on...
After a particularly difficult afternoon of resistance from the unit head and the nannies, I was invited the following morning to join one of their impromptu team meeting/pep talks. I was amazed to hear the unit head using all of the words I had been saying to her over the previous weeks, grilling the nannies about splitting into smaller groups in different areas, spending one on one time with their babies, engaging in different activities to help their development, talking with their babies etc. She then had an interactive session where she asked all of the nannies what their best and worst experiences were with Watoto, what they appreciated about their colleagues and work and what they would like to change. I was also invited to share my responses to these questions.
During this time of sharing, I was complimented on my commitment to the unit, my hard work, my loving approach to the babies and also for the way I introduced activities and helped out without telling everyone what to do. ??? Well blow me down with a feather! I'd never have guessed it. Did I mention my discovery that the word Suubi means 'hope'?... I was able to then turn around to every woman in that room and compliment and thank them individually for their unique strengths and abilities - providing very specific, positive feedback to each of the nannies. I also told the unit head that I thought she was a strong leader and that I could see God was at the forefront of everything she did. I really choked on those words and struggled to get them out, given my experiences and feelings towards her..but I managed to convey these thoughts sincerely and with a positive focus. I could see that all of them were very surprised by my words, surprised that I had noticed their efforts and talents individually.
From that moment on, my relationships with everyone in the unit have taken on a new life. I feel that the unit head and I have silently acknowledged each other's authority and implicitly agreed on a way of working more together. I am still acquiescent, but she is a whole lot more welcoming of my input and now asks me to provide the activities etc. As long as she is the one making the decisions, she is happy to make them, taking my ideas into account. Phew! Thank God for that! It's just a shame that it's taken so long to reach this point. I only have 2 more weeks here in Suubi. That very day of breakthrough, I received word that my posting for the final month of my stay will be in Gulu - a large town situated in the north of Uganda, about 7 hours drive from here.
It is now malaria season proper and Gulu is apparently hotter and more primitive; a rural, village setting with mud huts, thatched rooves and frequent and enduring power outages. Having said that, all of the volunteers I have spoken with are agreed that Gulu has been their favorite Watoto home. I'm pleased to be able to work in Gulu and see more of Uganda, before I head briefly to Kenya and then fly home. Time is flying past. By the time I leave Suubi, I'll be at the half way point in my journey. Progress has been made, however slow in coming, but there is so much more work to be done...enough for a lifetime, I think.
Another challenge I have faced is working collaboratively with the unit head in the room. I have had to try and 'encourage' her to support my initiatives, without threatening her tight hold on the leadership of that room. I have struggled with a lot of her priorities and decisions for the children and nannies. I've had to quietly challenge incidences of blatant favoritism and hypocrisy, without stirring up wrath. This has proved at times to be very frustrating and discouraging. In terms of self-confidence, I have always been easily toppled, so it has been hard sometimes to find the will to face a new day in the unit, in the wake of the previous day's defeats. I have constantly had to remind myself that the battle is not mine to win, I'm just required to keep showing up and being of service.
Having said that, I feel some minor victories have been won this week. My approach in the unit has been to try and be as humble, helpful and supportive as possible. Some of the nannies have been ill during the week, so I have tried to help them more with their babies and provide the odd painkiller, or word of encouragement. With the unit head I have basically bowed and scraped and attended to the lowly tasks, spending long hours at the kitchen sink doing dishes, folding washing, cleaning floors, changing soiled nappies etc. During this time I have tried to act on opportunities for introducing activities, by asking her "would you like me to get some... or... for the children to play with? Would you like that inside, or on the grass outside? Can I polish your shoes for you at the same time?" And so on...
After a particularly difficult afternoon of resistance from the unit head and the nannies, I was invited the following morning to join one of their impromptu team meeting/pep talks. I was amazed to hear the unit head using all of the words I had been saying to her over the previous weeks, grilling the nannies about splitting into smaller groups in different areas, spending one on one time with their babies, engaging in different activities to help their development, talking with their babies etc. She then had an interactive session where she asked all of the nannies what their best and worst experiences were with Watoto, what they appreciated about their colleagues and work and what they would like to change. I was also invited to share my responses to these questions.
During this time of sharing, I was complimented on my commitment to the unit, my hard work, my loving approach to the babies and also for the way I introduced activities and helped out without telling everyone what to do. ??? Well blow me down with a feather! I'd never have guessed it. Did I mention my discovery that the word Suubi means 'hope'?... I was able to then turn around to every woman in that room and compliment and thank them individually for their unique strengths and abilities - providing very specific, positive feedback to each of the nannies. I also told the unit head that I thought she was a strong leader and that I could see God was at the forefront of everything she did. I really choked on those words and struggled to get them out, given my experiences and feelings towards her..but I managed to convey these thoughts sincerely and with a positive focus. I could see that all of them were very surprised by my words, surprised that I had noticed their efforts and talents individually.
From that moment on, my relationships with everyone in the unit have taken on a new life. I feel that the unit head and I have silently acknowledged each other's authority and implicitly agreed on a way of working more together. I am still acquiescent, but she is a whole lot more welcoming of my input and now asks me to provide the activities etc. As long as she is the one making the decisions, she is happy to make them, taking my ideas into account. Phew! Thank God for that! It's just a shame that it's taken so long to reach this point. I only have 2 more weeks here in Suubi. That very day of breakthrough, I received word that my posting for the final month of my stay will be in Gulu - a large town situated in the north of Uganda, about 7 hours drive from here.
It is now malaria season proper and Gulu is apparently hotter and more primitive; a rural, village setting with mud huts, thatched rooves and frequent and enduring power outages. Having said that, all of the volunteers I have spoken with are agreed that Gulu has been their favorite Watoto home. I'm pleased to be able to work in Gulu and see more of Uganda, before I head briefly to Kenya and then fly home. Time is flying past. By the time I leave Suubi, I'll be at the half way point in my journey. Progress has been made, however slow in coming, but there is so much more work to be done...enough for a lifetime, I think.
Sunday, 13 October 2013
For Whom the Pig Squeals...
This morning I chose to take Jonah up the hill to church. The supervisor was both surprised and pleased with my choice. She told me that no she one had ever shown an interest in taking Jonah before. In his 1+ year of life had never left the Babies Homes or been to church and she was sure he would love it. Jonah is a cool wee guy. During the week when I set up a number of different music activities, Jonah was so enthusiastic about them that he refused to let go of his instruments. The nannies were forced to put him to bed with them and wait until he was asleep to retrieve them.
During the music sessions, Jonah showed a real interest in percussion and would nod his head and groove along to the beat. When he noticed me watching him play, he would raise his eyebrow, his mouth would turn up at one end in a wise old smile, then he would jerk his head up and give me the 'what's up homie' nod. We shared a lot of these moments during the week, so I wanted him to see all the instruments and see people singing and dancing in praise and worship, at the church - because here in Uganda, they really know how to groove! I am quite certain that Jonah will be on a worship team one day.
He was a little apprehensive about leaving everything he knew, to head up the hill with someone he barely knows, but Jonah went along with it. I made sure I arrived just as the youth service had finished, to minimise the chaos for Jonah and give him a chance to settle in and see all the instruments before church started. I also wanted to enter at a time with less people so that Jonah wouldn't feel conspicuous and have people gawking at him. Jonah was born with no legs. I carried him in a sling as we would any baby, to try and take the focus off that fact.
When the music started, I held Jonah facing forward, so that he could see everyone and so he was as free to move as he could be. Jonah watched everyone very carefully and then decided to join in with the praise and worship. It was a really magical moment to see the little guy nodding his head and moving his body in time to the music. He also held one hand up towards the heavens and pumped it, as we claimed the promises of God through song. Such a special moment for me to share with him. He soon wore himself out though and it was time to make our way back home, so he could rest and be in familiar surroundings again.
My working day was done not long after that, so I had my first hearty meal in a few days (my appetite has been non-existent for the last 3 days which, as you all know, is not like me at all!). We were sitting back relaxing and watching a movie in the apartment when I heard a hideous screaming sound. I ran out onto the balcony in time to see a poor sow being dragged by a rope, tied to her foot, and being hit on all sides by 3 men. :( She was overheating, tired and stressed to the point that she was gasping for breath, head drooping, drool coming out of her mouth and sides heaving. I couldn't bear to see her treated that way so this crazy Mzungu went running down to intervene.
The men let the rope go and sat back laughing to watch me. I had a cut up apple in my hand, which has always been enough to lure any pig I've ever known, but she was in such a distressed state she wasn't interested in eating. Instead she slumped against a wall in the hot sun, tried to dig into mud and hide, still gasping for breath. The men tipped water on her and I stood in such a way as to provide her with shade. They let her have a few minutes before coming back to whip her ears until she felt so tormented she got up. We all herded her over the road and up the bank, where she is now tied in the shade of a tree, enjoying a nice apple.
The nannies, security guards, men and children were all laughing at me. I can only imagine what they were thinking, but rather than beating a hasty retreat, I decided to wallow in my shame and talk with a couple of the nannies - explaining that I used to have a couple of pet pigs and a cow which always succumbed to the lure of an apple. They became a lot more friendly when they heard this and even more when they asked what happened to the animals and heard my reply. They laughed really hard when I casually replied: "oh...we ate them..."
This led to a large comparative discussion about farming practices in our respective countries...to our respective cultures...to our respective lives and families...to matters of the world and the spirit. One of the security guards was not Christian, according to the two nannies I spoke with, who were. He sat on the sideline listening to our conversation, with interest. Even more interest when I showed him photos of my beautiful daughter! Our discussion about different religions and beliefs covered a lot of ground and also gave us the opportunity to share our own beliefs and experiences.
I only ran down to save a pig, but I pray that I was also able to sow a seed or two that will produce a good crop in a future season. At the very least, it has allowed me to share time with two nannies that I will be working with in coming weeks, whom I had previously not had a chance to build a relationship with. All in all, a blessed day.
During the music sessions, Jonah showed a real interest in percussion and would nod his head and groove along to the beat. When he noticed me watching him play, he would raise his eyebrow, his mouth would turn up at one end in a wise old smile, then he would jerk his head up and give me the 'what's up homie' nod. We shared a lot of these moments during the week, so I wanted him to see all the instruments and see people singing and dancing in praise and worship, at the church - because here in Uganda, they really know how to groove! I am quite certain that Jonah will be on a worship team one day.
He was a little apprehensive about leaving everything he knew, to head up the hill with someone he barely knows, but Jonah went along with it. I made sure I arrived just as the youth service had finished, to minimise the chaos for Jonah and give him a chance to settle in and see all the instruments before church started. I also wanted to enter at a time with less people so that Jonah wouldn't feel conspicuous and have people gawking at him. Jonah was born with no legs. I carried him in a sling as we would any baby, to try and take the focus off that fact.
When the music started, I held Jonah facing forward, so that he could see everyone and so he was as free to move as he could be. Jonah watched everyone very carefully and then decided to join in with the praise and worship. It was a really magical moment to see the little guy nodding his head and moving his body in time to the music. He also held one hand up towards the heavens and pumped it, as we claimed the promises of God through song. Such a special moment for me to share with him. He soon wore himself out though and it was time to make our way back home, so he could rest and be in familiar surroundings again.
My working day was done not long after that, so I had my first hearty meal in a few days (my appetite has been non-existent for the last 3 days which, as you all know, is not like me at all!). We were sitting back relaxing and watching a movie in the apartment when I heard a hideous screaming sound. I ran out onto the balcony in time to see a poor sow being dragged by a rope, tied to her foot, and being hit on all sides by 3 men. :( She was overheating, tired and stressed to the point that she was gasping for breath, head drooping, drool coming out of her mouth and sides heaving. I couldn't bear to see her treated that way so this crazy Mzungu went running down to intervene.
The men let the rope go and sat back laughing to watch me. I had a cut up apple in my hand, which has always been enough to lure any pig I've ever known, but she was in such a distressed state she wasn't interested in eating. Instead she slumped against a wall in the hot sun, tried to dig into mud and hide, still gasping for breath. The men tipped water on her and I stood in such a way as to provide her with shade. They let her have a few minutes before coming back to whip her ears until she felt so tormented she got up. We all herded her over the road and up the bank, where she is now tied in the shade of a tree, enjoying a nice apple.
The nannies, security guards, men and children were all laughing at me. I can only imagine what they were thinking, but rather than beating a hasty retreat, I decided to wallow in my shame and talk with a couple of the nannies - explaining that I used to have a couple of pet pigs and a cow which always succumbed to the lure of an apple. They became a lot more friendly when they heard this and even more when they asked what happened to the animals and heard my reply. They laughed really hard when I casually replied: "oh...we ate them..."
This led to a large comparative discussion about farming practices in our respective countries...to our respective cultures...to our respective lives and families...to matters of the world and the spirit. One of the security guards was not Christian, according to the two nannies I spoke with, who were. He sat on the sideline listening to our conversation, with interest. Even more interest when I showed him photos of my beautiful daughter! Our discussion about different religions and beliefs covered a lot of ground and also gave us the opportunity to share our own beliefs and experiences.
I only ran down to save a pig, but I pray that I was also able to sow a seed or two that will produce a good crop in a future season. At the very least, it has allowed me to share time with two nannies that I will be working with in coming weeks, whom I had previously not had a chance to build a relationship with. All in all, a blessed day.
Friday, 11 October 2013
A Fruitful Week.
We had an enjoyable trip into town today. Another early start, but at least with a private taxi, we were picked up at 7am as planned. Traffic wasn't too bad and we were in town in time for breakfast at Cafe Java, where I decided to experience the joys of a chocolate croissant. This was accompanied by an iced chocolate/mocha...so basically, sugar, caffeine and more sugar - my first since leaving home. It had a similar effect in my system as one would expect of an amphetamine. I was bursting with energy, not hungry all day and very convivial!
After breakfast we took care of the usual chores, changing money, getting call time and internet data, window shopping etc... My $7.50 Warehouse jandals decided to clap out at the entrance to Garden City mall, so I had to walk round looking like a vagrant for a while, until I found some equally cheap sandals - which are surprisingly comfortable, but not very attractive. We then made our way to the craft market, which is located close to the Watoto Central church, a short taxi ride away. Some neat stuff there. We were welcomed vigorously into every stall and I kept remembering people I know along the way, to purchase for. I scored some nice pressies for Donnell and Shahanan (2 of my favorite flatmates back home) and accidentally found a nice wrap skirt and t-shirt for myself. Thank goodness I'm not very popular. I think I could easily spend a small fortune otherwise. I plan to return just before I leave Uganda, to fill up any empty corners of my pack with goodies. It will nearly be Christmas by the time I return so that's a good enough excuse in my book.
After the craft market, it was back to the two malls for lunch, at which point we met up with the volunteers coordinator, Fred, who had a new Dutch volunteer in tow. We helped her to 'do the chores' and then all went for our weekly supply run at the supermarket.. With extra people we took longer than intended. We had hoped to vacate the city at about 2pm, but managed a respectable 4pm departure just managing to dodge rush hour and arriving back home in Suubi by 5pm. During the afternoon we received texts asking where we would like to be posted for the following month. Evidence of my progress here is that I was happily able to respond with "surprise me". I figure that way I'll end up where I'm meant to be, instead of relying on my own biased inclinations.
We enjoyed some nice pockets of conversation today - a chance to learn more about each other and bond more. I also found out from Annemieke that Ivan - the poor young man we transfered to hospital in the village van last week and whom I had asked the church back home to pray for - has greatly improved over the week. Apparently he is still in a lot of pain, but has his appetite back and is on the way to recovery. Praise God! Anne and I did a quick trip up to the top of Suubi hill, to deliver some goods requested by Jean and Morris, the British teachers... such a delicious hour of the evening, cool and shady, with grand 360 views to drink in...and just before the less delightful hour of mosquito o'clock.
As it happens, we seem to have some agile mosquitos in our midst. They appear to have mastered the art of getting inside my net at night and feasting on my rich Mzungu blood. They also seem to savour the taste of repellent. So... I have stepped up my arsenal for this evening, against the war on mosquito terror. Praise God for Mortein! I'm now kicking back looking forward to 24 hours of down time, before my final shift for the week -which is a short morning shift that encompasses a trip to church, with a child of my choice. I have learnt from last week to choose one that is big enough to walk up the hill unaided, or one that is small enough to carry without having a heart attack!
All in all its been a good week. I've been working morning shifts in the younger children's unit and have formed good relationships with all of the children and a good number of the nannies. It has been a real challenge to 'encourage' some of the latter to take a more proactive approach to curriculum, but all of the activities I introduced during the week we're a hit with nannies and children alike. I think they were surprised at how simple and effortless it was to create stimulating learning experiences for the children. I deliberately chose very accessible activity options which will be easy to replicate and are, therefore, more sustainable in the longer term.
I also won a minor battle, by convincing unit heads and management that resources need to be situated in each unit, instead of being kept under lock and key upstairs. The answer lies in educating nannies and children how to use and take care of resources (and in the development of systems of accountability to promote the same). These ideas still require some reinforcement over the coming weeks, however. Change takes time, especially where cultural values and practices have been ingrained and unquestioned for a long period of time. There are good days and bad, but I think the answer also lies in always having hope, being prepared to believe the best of people and acknowledging the many ways, rather than asserting the standard Euro centric, top-down model which we in the West like to call progress.
After breakfast we took care of the usual chores, changing money, getting call time and internet data, window shopping etc... My $7.50 Warehouse jandals decided to clap out at the entrance to Garden City mall, so I had to walk round looking like a vagrant for a while, until I found some equally cheap sandals - which are surprisingly comfortable, but not very attractive. We then made our way to the craft market, which is located close to the Watoto Central church, a short taxi ride away. Some neat stuff there. We were welcomed vigorously into every stall and I kept remembering people I know along the way, to purchase for. I scored some nice pressies for Donnell and Shahanan (2 of my favorite flatmates back home) and accidentally found a nice wrap skirt and t-shirt for myself. Thank goodness I'm not very popular. I think I could easily spend a small fortune otherwise. I plan to return just before I leave Uganda, to fill up any empty corners of my pack with goodies. It will nearly be Christmas by the time I return so that's a good enough excuse in my book.
After the craft market, it was back to the two malls for lunch, at which point we met up with the volunteers coordinator, Fred, who had a new Dutch volunteer in tow. We helped her to 'do the chores' and then all went for our weekly supply run at the supermarket.. With extra people we took longer than intended. We had hoped to vacate the city at about 2pm, but managed a respectable 4pm departure just managing to dodge rush hour and arriving back home in Suubi by 5pm. During the afternoon we received texts asking where we would like to be posted for the following month. Evidence of my progress here is that I was happily able to respond with "surprise me". I figure that way I'll end up where I'm meant to be, instead of relying on my own biased inclinations.
We enjoyed some nice pockets of conversation today - a chance to learn more about each other and bond more. I also found out from Annemieke that Ivan - the poor young man we transfered to hospital in the village van last week and whom I had asked the church back home to pray for - has greatly improved over the week. Apparently he is still in a lot of pain, but has his appetite back and is on the way to recovery. Praise God! Anne and I did a quick trip up to the top of Suubi hill, to deliver some goods requested by Jean and Morris, the British teachers... such a delicious hour of the evening, cool and shady, with grand 360 views to drink in...and just before the less delightful hour of mosquito o'clock.
As it happens, we seem to have some agile mosquitos in our midst. They appear to have mastered the art of getting inside my net at night and feasting on my rich Mzungu blood. They also seem to savour the taste of repellent. So... I have stepped up my arsenal for this evening, against the war on mosquito terror. Praise God for Mortein! I'm now kicking back looking forward to 24 hours of down time, before my final shift for the week -which is a short morning shift that encompasses a trip to church, with a child of my choice. I have learnt from last week to choose one that is big enough to walk up the hill unaided, or one that is small enough to carry without having a heart attack!
All in all its been a good week. I've been working morning shifts in the younger children's unit and have formed good relationships with all of the children and a good number of the nannies. It has been a real challenge to 'encourage' some of the latter to take a more proactive approach to curriculum, but all of the activities I introduced during the week we're a hit with nannies and children alike. I think they were surprised at how simple and effortless it was to create stimulating learning experiences for the children. I deliberately chose very accessible activity options which will be easy to replicate and are, therefore, more sustainable in the longer term.
I also won a minor battle, by convincing unit heads and management that resources need to be situated in each unit, instead of being kept under lock and key upstairs. The answer lies in educating nannies and children how to use and take care of resources (and in the development of systems of accountability to promote the same). These ideas still require some reinforcement over the coming weeks, however. Change takes time, especially where cultural values and practices have been ingrained and unquestioned for a long period of time. There are good days and bad, but I think the answer also lies in always having hope, being prepared to believe the best of people and acknowledging the many ways, rather than asserting the standard Euro centric, top-down model which we in the West like to call progress.
Saturday, 5 October 2013
A Nice Relaxing Day Off...
Leapt out of bed bright and early this morning at 6am. One of the girls (Jvon)had arranged for us to catch the village van in to Kampala which we were told would leave at "7 sharp". My food supply had almost run out, so I needed to stock up for the coming week, being my last day off until next Friday. We made sure we were out the front of the Baby's Home, ready to go before 7am... At 7.10 Jvon gave the driver a call and was told that he wouldn't be coming until 9am, because there had been an emergency call out during the night.
So we trudged back inside and loitered until 10 minutes to 9, at which point we made our way back out the front to wait again. At 9.30, Jvo gave the driver another call and was informed that he was on his way. He arrived after a while, the van filled with people and we had one more pick up to make before setting off for Kampala. We stopped outside the medical clinic and waited for a poor young man to have his drip removed and stagger to the van with the assistance of two others. Once he was loaded in, we set off, about 10.45am, with him moaning in agony at every little bump, of which there were many, all the way into town, through thick traffic, where we dropped him off at the hospital.
Once all the other passengers were dropped off, we were dropped at Oasis mall. By that stage it was lunch time so we went to Ban Cafe, had lunch and made use of the free wifi. Jvon went off to meet up with friends so Annemieke and I decided to head to the main Baby's Home so she could have a look around. I should mention at this point that it was a stinking hot day and we had hours to kill as Jvon had decided that we should avoid a taxi fare of about 30 bucks NZ, split 3 ways, and just head back with the village van, which was leaving the Central Watoto church at...you guessed it... "7pm sharp"!
So we looked around the Home and sat under a nice shady tree to kill a few hours, then headed back to the mall around 4, to stock up on call time, Internet credit and food. We then got a taxi back to the church, arriving about half past 5...me with my carry bag and 5 bags of groceries. We hung round for the service, which finished about half 6, gathered up our goods and waited out the front for the van...which arrived about 8. At this point it was dark and there was a large group of people waiting to get in...19 people to be exact. So there were 4 rows of 4 people stacked in the back (and 3 in the front sitting pretty, one of whom was Jvon) me sitting on one half of my buttocks, on the edge of a seat squeezed between Anemeike with all her groceries, a sleeping boy who claimed more and more of the seat as the journey progressed and a boy with a freshly plaster-casted broken leg, with my 6 bags piled on top of me.
Traffic was very heavy so our driver decided a shortcut or two was in order...over a packed mud, roller coaster of a road, at snail speed (so as not to get stuck in a pot hole) through the slums! We rode alongside some sort of drainage ditch, past massive bonfires, which had some very colorful characters camped around them - including half dressed children. The heat was really intense as we went past, with very little room either side to get through. I was also aware of how easily the van door could have been breached and quietly locked the door. Saturday night slums negotiated, it was back onto the packed highway to play dodgems in the dark for an hour or so, with cars, bikes and trucks going in all directions. By this stage I couldn't feel anything below the neck, with my precarious setting arrangement and dwindling circulation from my shopping bag landslide...
I decided a trip to my happy place was in order, so did my best to send my mind elsewhere for the remainder of the drive home. We rolled into the village at Suubi, with me having to get in and out with all my bags to let villagers off, finally pulling up outside the Baby's Home and managing to walk through the door at the stroke of 10pm...what a wonderfully relaxing day off. I now feel entirely ready for another hectic week :) Earlier this week, I learnt a valuable lesson: never walk up from the market carrying a pineapple and a bunch of bananas in one bag (unless you're a fan of pineapple flavored mashed bananas). Today I have learnt another valuable lesson: never go along with someone else's plan! Next week I will be making the journey by private taxi and willingly coughing up what I consider to be a meager fare in exchange for a half a day of free time.
I am grateful to be home in one piece, after a very long day. Happy that I am not one of the unfortunate souls suffering in an overcrowded hospital somewhere, or battling for the basics in a dodgy slum. And now for the sweet sanctuary of a mosquito free, comfortable bed...
So we trudged back inside and loitered until 10 minutes to 9, at which point we made our way back out the front to wait again. At 9.30, Jvo gave the driver another call and was informed that he was on his way. He arrived after a while, the van filled with people and we had one more pick up to make before setting off for Kampala. We stopped outside the medical clinic and waited for a poor young man to have his drip removed and stagger to the van with the assistance of two others. Once he was loaded in, we set off, about 10.45am, with him moaning in agony at every little bump, of which there were many, all the way into town, through thick traffic, where we dropped him off at the hospital.
Once all the other passengers were dropped off, we were dropped at Oasis mall. By that stage it was lunch time so we went to Ban Cafe, had lunch and made use of the free wifi. Jvon went off to meet up with friends so Annemieke and I decided to head to the main Baby's Home so she could have a look around. I should mention at this point that it was a stinking hot day and we had hours to kill as Jvon had decided that we should avoid a taxi fare of about 30 bucks NZ, split 3 ways, and just head back with the village van, which was leaving the Central Watoto church at...you guessed it... "7pm sharp"!
So we looked around the Home and sat under a nice shady tree to kill a few hours, then headed back to the mall around 4, to stock up on call time, Internet credit and food. We then got a taxi back to the church, arriving about half past 5...me with my carry bag and 5 bags of groceries. We hung round for the service, which finished about half 6, gathered up our goods and waited out the front for the van...which arrived about 8. At this point it was dark and there was a large group of people waiting to get in...19 people to be exact. So there were 4 rows of 4 people stacked in the back (and 3 in the front sitting pretty, one of whom was Jvon) me sitting on one half of my buttocks, on the edge of a seat squeezed between Anemeike with all her groceries, a sleeping boy who claimed more and more of the seat as the journey progressed and a boy with a freshly plaster-casted broken leg, with my 6 bags piled on top of me.
Traffic was very heavy so our driver decided a shortcut or two was in order...over a packed mud, roller coaster of a road, at snail speed (so as not to get stuck in a pot hole) through the slums! We rode alongside some sort of drainage ditch, past massive bonfires, which had some very colorful characters camped around them - including half dressed children. The heat was really intense as we went past, with very little room either side to get through. I was also aware of how easily the van door could have been breached and quietly locked the door. Saturday night slums negotiated, it was back onto the packed highway to play dodgems in the dark for an hour or so, with cars, bikes and trucks going in all directions. By this stage I couldn't feel anything below the neck, with my precarious setting arrangement and dwindling circulation from my shopping bag landslide...
I decided a trip to my happy place was in order, so did my best to send my mind elsewhere for the remainder of the drive home. We rolled into the village at Suubi, with me having to get in and out with all my bags to let villagers off, finally pulling up outside the Baby's Home and managing to walk through the door at the stroke of 10pm...what a wonderfully relaxing day off. I now feel entirely ready for another hectic week :) Earlier this week, I learnt a valuable lesson: never walk up from the market carrying a pineapple and a bunch of bananas in one bag (unless you're a fan of pineapple flavored mashed bananas). Today I have learnt another valuable lesson: never go along with someone else's plan! Next week I will be making the journey by private taxi and willingly coughing up what I consider to be a meager fare in exchange for a half a day of free time.
I am grateful to be home in one piece, after a very long day. Happy that I am not one of the unfortunate souls suffering in an overcrowded hospital somewhere, or battling for the basics in a dodgy slum. And now for the sweet sanctuary of a mosquito free, comfortable bed...
Thursday, 3 October 2013
Gearing Up for Change
Ahhh... it's tipping down outside, it's 7.30am and I'm still comfortably tucked up in bed. Friday is one of my days off. I'm betting that by 9.30am I'll be bored out of my tree and wanting to spend time with the children. Alternatively, there is still quite a bit of work to be done, in order to be ready for a roll out on Monday. So I might spend some time doing that, or I could leave all the curriculum stuff for my short shift on Sunday afternoon.
Our presentationto staff yesterday went better than I expected. At first, we thought it all might go to hell in a hand basket because, in true African fashion, although the meeting was due to start at 2pm, for some reason the lunch was late, so by meeting time, no one had eaten! Consequently, we presented to a room full of hungry ladies and gentlemen. Thankfully, despite that fact, their attention and participation were still high. I drew the short straw and ended up being the main speaker, while the other three volunteers led all the activities (the fun stuff) and demonstrated various examples.
We asked the staff to split into groups and identify the strengths and challenges in their respective units. This has provided us with a good set of information to start with. It has created some consensus from the staff about what their main issues are. It also means that they have identified them, rather than having us storm in and tell them what they are doing wrong. Now that they have ownership of the problems, we can come alongside a them and support each unit to find solutions.
We provided staff with feedback about all the great things we had seen over the week - noting that when staff stick to their small family groups - ie one mum to 5 babies - and actively engaged them in structured, age appropriate activities, in different locations, with ample resources for all 5 babies, things run really smoothly. Conversely, we noted that when children are joined together as one big group, in one location, with minimal resources and nothing to do, the resulting carnage is demoralising for all concerned.
It was interesting to see the staff's reactions to us, following the meeting. Where we had often been met with smiles, conversations and playfulness by some nannies, now all nannies seemed a little cooler and more reserved with us. It's the first time the tables have been turned so that volunteers are in a position where they can mentor nannies and 'encourage' them to be more proactive with their programme. Usually the nannies have charge of the volunteers and can instruct them on how things are done here. So we are a little less popular around here, where it was already a challenge to win the trust and respect of the nannies.
However (and mercifully), because I have been working mostly in the one unit since I arrived - with the smaller babies - the relationships I have been establishing haven't suffered too much. I kept a low profile in the unit for the remainder of the day - taking care of the dishes and grunt work - supporting nannies to be with their children with greater ease. I also chatted with nannies about the joys and trials of daily life, just to reassure them that I am no threat to them and am no more elevated in rank than the least of them. I also had a quiet chat to the unit heads about what I have been asked to do over the coming weeks. They seem very receptive and also made some requests about areas they'd like to see change, or receive some support with. Great. That's just what we want...collaboration.
Today, I will chat with the chiefs and see if I can spend the next week in the babies unit, consolidating on the working relationships I have established so far. In my opinion the babies unit is the one with the least number of issues to resolve. If I can spend a week there, then I would feel comfortable to rotate with my fellow volunteers and move on to the other units. Then it will be a case of establishing relationships in each of the other units and tackling the issues together. This may take longer than the 4 weeks I have here. Although I would really like to see Gulu village, it may be wiser to request to stay here and make sure that they are in a really good place by the time I leave for home.
Our presentationto staff yesterday went better than I expected. At first, we thought it all might go to hell in a hand basket because, in true African fashion, although the meeting was due to start at 2pm, for some reason the lunch was late, so by meeting time, no one had eaten! Consequently, we presented to a room full of hungry ladies and gentlemen. Thankfully, despite that fact, their attention and participation were still high. I drew the short straw and ended up being the main speaker, while the other three volunteers led all the activities (the fun stuff) and demonstrated various examples.
We asked the staff to split into groups and identify the strengths and challenges in their respective units. This has provided us with a good set of information to start with. It has created some consensus from the staff about what their main issues are. It also means that they have identified them, rather than having us storm in and tell them what they are doing wrong. Now that they have ownership of the problems, we can come alongside a them and support each unit to find solutions.
We provided staff with feedback about all the great things we had seen over the week - noting that when staff stick to their small family groups - ie one mum to 5 babies - and actively engaged them in structured, age appropriate activities, in different locations, with ample resources for all 5 babies, things run really smoothly. Conversely, we noted that when children are joined together as one big group, in one location, with minimal resources and nothing to do, the resulting carnage is demoralising for all concerned.
It was interesting to see the staff's reactions to us, following the meeting. Where we had often been met with smiles, conversations and playfulness by some nannies, now all nannies seemed a little cooler and more reserved with us. It's the first time the tables have been turned so that volunteers are in a position where they can mentor nannies and 'encourage' them to be more proactive with their programme. Usually the nannies have charge of the volunteers and can instruct them on how things are done here. So we are a little less popular around here, where it was already a challenge to win the trust and respect of the nannies.
However (and mercifully), because I have been working mostly in the one unit since I arrived - with the smaller babies - the relationships I have been establishing haven't suffered too much. I kept a low profile in the unit for the remainder of the day - taking care of the dishes and grunt work - supporting nannies to be with their children with greater ease. I also chatted with nannies about the joys and trials of daily life, just to reassure them that I am no threat to them and am no more elevated in rank than the least of them. I also had a quiet chat to the unit heads about what I have been asked to do over the coming weeks. They seem very receptive and also made some requests about areas they'd like to see change, or receive some support with. Great. That's just what we want...collaboration.
Today, I will chat with the chiefs and see if I can spend the next week in the babies unit, consolidating on the working relationships I have established so far. In my opinion the babies unit is the one with the least number of issues to resolve. If I can spend a week there, then I would feel comfortable to rotate with my fellow volunteers and move on to the other units. Then it will be a case of establishing relationships in each of the other units and tackling the issues together. This may take longer than the 4 weeks I have here. Although I would really like to see Gulu village, it may be wiser to request to stay here and make sure that they are in a really good place by the time I leave for home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)