Trip to Arua

So despite warning from both Ugandans and the Canadian government about areas that border the Congo and Sudan I was in Arua. It is as safe, if not safer than Kampala. I appreciate the potential for violence on a large scale is bigger but truly the warnings seem excessive.

The people I travelled up with told me to tell everyone – “I was shot at only twice, but it’s okay, because they missed both times!”

Even with the peace Arua has been, and in some cases still is, looked at as a violent place, which should be avoided. Assumptions are made that the Lord’s Resistance Army, which exists in some parts of northern Uganda, must also operate in Arua.

The LRA has never operated in Arua or anywhere in West Nile. However, in 1999, they began harassing travellers on the road between Karuma falls and the town of Pakwatch, hijacking cars, abducting people, and setting fire to what they couldn’t take. This campaign came to an end in 2002, and government soldiers have been posted at both of these Nile crossing sites.

Karuma Falls

So aside from chunks of road that are entirely made up of potholes, the drive is fine. A little long, at 8 hours, but beautiful as the newly fixed section of road winds through Murchison Falls park.

Why We Love Uganda

I woke up this morning when someone text me about the amazing article in the paper... despite the positive feedback it is one of my least favourite... but usually that's how is works. I leave it here for you to decide.

Falling in love with Uganda
Thursday, 14th February, 2008
By Angela Hill

TO understand why expatriates love Uganda so much, you have to see the country through our eyes. I arrived four months ago on a plane from Amsterdam crammed full of people. I was surprised to see there were more white faces on the plane then black — holidaying families, sports teams, groups of aid workers and UN representatives. Many of these people were returning to Uganda

I had heard that an addiction to the country comes after living here for only six months, but in the beginning, I did not think much about it. I was not going to be here that long and my main concern was surviving in an East African city.

See, I had also heard about crime, potholes and something called CHOGM.
However, the people who mentioned the bad, did not mention all the good of the country.

I, like most people in Kampala, survived CHOGM without too many problems and fortunately, I have yet to even be pick-pocketed. Every time I hit potholes, I am packed into a vehicle with at least 15 other smiling people; even though the sign on the outside of the taxi says it can carry only 14 people.

Now, I have changed the departure date for my plane ticket so many times, I am on a first-name basis with the KLM staff. I will definitely be here for longer than six months, but it is too late for me, I am already addicted to Uganda.

My love affair with Uganda started shortly after I arrived. It started around the same time that I learned how to cross the road without being knocked by a taxi, hang on to a boda boda and bargain with vendors.

I went from clinging to the poor boda boda driver, scared to death, to being so comfortable I am able to SMS friends while weaving in and out of traffic.

Even though I have been here for four months, I have not ventured very far out of the city, with the exception of Christmas in Kamuli district, but I have not felt the urge to leave either.

As a city girl, I know what makes a good city and Kampala has what it takes — just with more mud. Walking down Kampala Road in smart clothes and heeled shoes, I could be in any Western city.

There are skyscrapers, banks, shopping centres and well-dressed business men and women. Sure there are also ridiculous amounts garbage and the occasional pothole that a car could disappear into, but the good far outweighs the crazy taxi drivers.

People go out of their way to talk to you. There is so much colour, the night life is fantastic, the weather is usually great (although lately it has been a little cold) and here, I feel free.

A sense of belonging is the base of the expatriates’ addiction to Uganda. But, it is the people that make it impossible for Uganda to leave our hearts. The hospitality many of us have experienced here is second to none.

A friend of mine told me she loves the people here, because “everyone here walks around with a smile on their face regardless what they are doing.”

Other people mention that in their interactions with Ugandans, the people are willing to learn and their “positive attitudes make it a joy to share ideas and explore ways to help.”

Right after the Ugandan people, we love the beauty of the country. One friend said: “Uganda really lives up to its reputation of the Pearl of Africa.”

One of the best parts is the love Ugandans have for their own country. Ugandans smile as they work, laugh off the daily obstacles and care for each other.

A text I received says it best: “May God guard you like Daniel, favour you like Joseph, spare you like Noah, may his love for you flow like floods in eastern Uganda. May your worries and sorrows disappear like UMEME power, enemies be confused like the MPs, be as popular as CHOGM and above all be loved like Mabira.”

Uganda rocks, pre-CHOGM and post-CHOGM and I recommend it for anyone looking to find a place to love.

Women Demand their Rights

This ran in the New Vision, on Valentine's Day

HIV-positive women need their rights
Wednesday, 13th February, 2008

Katabaire encourages HIV-positive women

By Angela Hill

When Fausta Katabaire, 54, worked to found the Mulago Positive Women’s Network (MPWN) in 2004, she wanted to help HIV-positive women realise their lives were not yet over.

Now, as the treasurer of the organisation, Katabaire encourages HIV-positive women to train and get skills, work and fight for their rights.

Women are at a greater risk of contracting HIV than men because of social, cultural and biological factors like child marriages, polygamy, rape, defilement, wife inheritance, poverty, exploitation and ignorance.

Katabaire lost her husband to AIDS in 1997 and struggled to keep her children in school. She was lucky that after her husband’s death, his family did not try to take away her children or property, as is often the case in some areas in Uganda.

The Uganda Women Lawyers Association (FIDA), deals with so many issues surrounding unfair treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS and they have a project dedicated to addressing the rights of these people.

Barbara Babweteera is a lawyer working on the Legal Rights for People Affected by HIV/AIDS project and is based in Kamuli.

Babweteera says as long as a couple was legally married, when the man dies, the woman can be protected because the property belongs to both the husband and wife.

“In cases where the relationship is not recognised by the legal system, the assets go to the children. It is harder to protect the women in these cases.”

Babweteera says a major concern in her area is the practice of wife inheritance. When a man dies, his wife can be inherited by his brother, which when combined with polygamy, can lead to a greater spread of HIV.

The issues are not just surrounding the death of a spouse. When a woman is discovered to be HIV-positive she can also encounter conflict.

“Many women are sent away and their property is taken by the relatives. Some even had their children taken,” said Katabaire, about some of the women in her group.

FIDA tries to provide an avenue for these women to fight. They try to mediate between the couple to avoid using the legal system. Often times, says Babweteera, with counselling the issues can be resolved.

However, Katabaire says many women do not know where to go for help. It is these women the MPWN aims to help.

The organisation has mobilisation teams that target women who have gone to Mulago Hospital for treatment, those that have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and those who have been neglected at home.

The teams visit the women’s communities and meet their families to encourage positive living of those with HIV/AIDS, especially those who are facing stigma and hostility. A big part of their work relies on peer counselling, women sharing their stories and training.

The organisation offers information to women on topics such as adherence, nutrition for patients and their families, hygiene and trains them in small business book keeping.

“We encourage women living with HIV/AIDS to be active for as long as they are still strong,” Katabaire says.

MPWN is creating a training centre on Gayaza Road, seven miles from Kampala. When completed, the members plan to start mushroom growing, piggery, poultry keeping and fish farming. They will also be taught about beading, jewellery making and sewing.

The association encourages its members to plant fruits and vegetables in order to provide balanced nutrition to their families. To facilitate this, MPWN hands out seedlings.

Dodging Police

This morning after dashing out of my house and hoping on the first taxi that says he is heading to the new taxi park, I got a surprise.
We ran into a small detour. While trying to avoid waiting in line at the light, the taxi driver decided to cross the centre line and drive down the middle of the road. Unfortunately for him, and ultimately us, police were coming up that side. So he did what any slightly criminal (read all) taxi driver would do - made the first turn off.
We drove down a narrow gravel lane and into a market area, where the driver flipped off the engine and left. The conductor (money collector) joined him, and the two of the melted into the crowd as the police followed us in.
I was trying not to show my concern as everyone in the taxi chatted about the turn of events in Luganda. No one was getting out, so I figured saying put was the best option. That and I was so far in the back, I couldn't have gotten out if I wanted to.
We sat and waited as the police arrested another driver, who was following us in his private car. Apparently this driver was a local politician - I could feel the police rubbing their hands in glee - the bribe they would likely receive from him would be huge.
Eventually the police left. The driver and conductor materialized and we continued on our way.
The worst part is we were still charged the full rate.

All of this was before 10 am - it is going to be a long day.

Mengo Hospital Overhaul

I think the people at Mengo hospital are trying to drive me completely mad. On Monday Feb 4^th, the hospital received a visit from the German First Lady, Mrs. Eve Kohler.

Yes, the hospital receives a lot of money from the German government. Yes, the visit is a big deal, and yes, there are several Germans working at the hospital. However, the complete overhaul of the hospital was a little excessive.

Every building was repainted, including the roofs, which would be great if they didn’t paint over the problem. Rotten boards, holes, and broken bricks were given a fresh coat of paint. The potholes in the roads were filled in, but not too well, the first rain turned them back into puddles. The sidewalk borders were painted, flowers were planted in empty flower beds, and all the garbage was finally picked up.

The depressing part is it will all return to its initial state too soon. I also wonder where the money came from… rumour has it there was a ‘sinking fund’ (or something to that effect). I wonder why the basic maintenance was not paid for to eliminate a week long painting blitz that left most people with paint on at least one pair of shoes and their fingers.

Mengo Hospital was CHOGM’d.

The water and electricity was back off before the First Lady even left the grounds.

Defilement or Rape?

There have been more cases of defilement in the papers over the past few weeks then I have seen since I arrived. So I think it is worth addressing the interesting facts surrounding ‘youth’ and sexuality in the country of Uganda.

Defilement is defined by the law here as a man who has engaged in sexual relations with a women under the age of 18. If this happens she has been defiled. Doesn’t matter if it was consensual sex between a girl and her boyfriend, both of age 17, she has been defiled and he can face up to 40 years in prison. Often times in an effort to protect the boyfriend the girl explains that she wanted the sexual relationship, it simply makes it worse, she has confessed to being defiled.

This defilement law is an interesting concept considering the customary marriage law recognizes brides of 16 years old as long as they have their parents consent. So if a father wants to marry off his girl-child because he needs the money or a cow that is acceptable. But, should the new husband sleep with his new wife that is illegal – although rarely prosecuted, because the girl has no one to tell. Her parents won’t listen and she is now the property of her husband.

Another twist is when they use the word defiled when a young girl-child (say 8 or 9-years-old) has had sex with their teacher. This is where the language seems too soft. If there is a huge age gap, and there is clearly no actual consent given then it should be referred to as what it is – rape.

The government should not be lecturing parents on teaching their children good morals. They should be sending out the simple message that if the woman, girl, child, whatever, does not say yes, it is rape. If the person is too young to understand what is occurring, it is rape.

Men here definitely still have the idea that sex is their right and the woman wearing whatever it is wants it. This idea is furthered by many women who believe women are inherently wicked (just look what Eve did to Adam) and seduce men with how they dress, act, walk and talk. Somehow the men can’t be held responsible to control themselves. As a woman from the West, I find this concept ridiculous and have started writing articles on women and their rights for the New Vision.

Defilement laws need to be changed also, if an 18-year-old girl makes a decision to be sexually active, she should not be labeled as dirty or deflowered. These old ideas lead to women being kept as second class citizens, where they need to constant protection and acceptance of men.

UPE

There is Universal Primary Education (UPE) in Uganda, well in theory. UPE is the concept that makes primary school free and therefore accessible to all children. Often the programs focus on the girl-child because when there isn’t enough money for parents to send all their children to school, the girls loose out.

While UPE is technically free, like in Canada there are fees associated with these public schools. The more fees you pay, the better the school. Most parents would rather not send their children to school then send them to one that is completely free. They see these government schools as a waste of time and useless. However, a school worth 20,000 USH ($11 CAN) will have classes sizes of over 50 students. A school that costs 50,000 USH will have significantly smaller class sizes and much better teachers.

Primary Education ends at P7, or when children turn 13. After that education becomes more expensive; there are no free secondary schools. Most of the youth in the city of Kampala have parents that can afford to send them, however as soon as you reach the suburbs most of the adults you meet have P7 education, especially women.

Another interesting aspect to schools in Uganda is the boarding aspect. Another lingering effect of colonial rule is the boarding school. Children as young as 4 or 5 are packed up and shipped off to school across the city (or the country). Parents can only visit occasionally; once a month for young kids and once a semester for senior students.

I dropped off one of the girls I have been living with at her school on Sunday. It is a pretty basic set up. She shares a small room with five other girls in a dorm building. Across the small grassy compound are the classrooms, there are no glass in any of the windows and no doors. But this is a good school for the money, she learns lots, and as we left her, she was very happy about being back with her friends.

Introduction

A while back, I had the opportunity to attend an Introduction. Not only did I attend the event, at the last minute I was given the chance to be in it. But I am getting ahead of my self.

An Introduction is Uganda’s answer to an engagement party, but they are more important than the wedding. Historically, these were the wedding. The man’s extended family would be welcomed to the bride’s family’s house. The couple would be introduced and a price would be decided on.

Now, the couple often has known each other for a long time before the “Introduction” but much of the tradition is still followed – just more lavish and beautiful.

The bride’s family hosted the groom’s family (the bako) on January 31^st. I was part of the welcoming party, I was to wear a kiyoki and greet the bako.

Now, let me explain the kiyoki – it is a blanket. When I received it, I looked at the bride horrified.

“That’s it?”
“No you wear it with that gold ribbon,” she told me laughing.
“But how am I going to put it on?”
“You will find someone to help you.”

So on the day of the Introduction I am waiting, dressed in Western clothes – the Kiyoki in a bag, for my ride. She is running really late, so the group I am travelling with and I are waiting in the sun when they notice the bag I am holding. I explain it is my outfit and I have no idea how to wear it. Naomi, one of the people who works in counselling, pulls me behind the nearest building. It happens to be a snack shop near the Outpatient department.

Off comes my shirt, bra straps are tucked out of the way, the purple blanket is wrapped around me twice, tightly. One safety pin, a well hidden belt and the gold ribbon later, I am afraid to breath, for fear of loosing the dress, but I am ready to go.

I am pretty convinced I looked like a sausage; however everyone else disagreed with my opinion. I have never had so many catcalls, compliments, and comments in my life.

That aside I preformed my role at the Introduction, smiling as per instructions, and without loosing the dress, as per my fears and was amazed at the entire event.

The price of the bride was paid and included, but was not limited to: a refrigerator, two goats, more boxes of splash juice then I could count, a chicken, half a cow (don’t ask), pineapples, blue brand, bread, vegetables, matoke, fruit, salt, sugar, the list goes on. It took nearly 30 minutes to bring in all the gifts.

All and all it was a very impressive event and I was so grateful for the opportunity to attend. And fortunately I am here for the wedding also…