Stress Free Living

September 5 – September 15

View of Pasture

Two weeks of absolutely no stress or contact with the outside world - I wish this for everyone. It is peaceful and solitary. Some days I have many hours to fill but I am not bored. With no internet I can only be on my computer as long as the battery lasts. Reading or journaling outside near the pasture or on my bed looking out the window at the banana trees and cows has become a favorite pastime. I pay more attention to my surroundings, soaking in the beauty of this place and attempting to experience what it is like to live off the land. Embracing the energy of the people, I detect that they innately understand that feeling unhappy or negative does absolutely no good and changes nothing. I will return to the memory of this place when I get caught up in the complications and frenzy of western life.

Life could not be simpler here… yet life is tougher than anything we know. It is difficult in a way that might be reminiscent of pioneer days in the US. The hard and laborious daily chores never seem to end. Everyone goes about their day working hard but also laughing and joking with one another. Only the most basic of needs really matter. No one cares about aesthetics. It is all about practicality and usefulness. Our 2 biggest luxuries include a generator that runs 3 hours each night, and a black & white TV with a 12 inch screen and a fuzzy picture.

Ronald & Paul
Chopping Onions & Tomatoes

The crowing roosters and the clanking of dishes being washed often wake me between 5 and 6 in the morning. Gloria and Carmy wash the previous night’s dishes before leaving for school around 7:00 am. Anita and Betty are up sweeping and wiping down the floors. Everyone works from the crack of dawn until dark and the women don’t stop until bedtime, usually around 10 when the generator is turned off. The children do chores before and after school. No one complains; the workload is shared; and, from all appearances, everyone gets along very well.

My day begins with an hour walk/run. It took several days to find a route that allowed me some peace of mind. One day I caused quite a ruckus as I came upon a primary school. The children had just been dismissed and were scampering out to the road. As soon as I was spotted shouts of “mzungu” could be heard from many directions. Students joined me on my run despite wearing no shoes. The bolder children kept pace with me; the shyer ones held back only to squeal and run away when I turned back to try and involve them. My feelings vacillated between that of the Pied Piper and a celebrity being hounded by paparazzi.

Another morning I passed a school that was in session and some of the kids yelled from the windows. I was worried that they would be hit for being disruptive. I finally found a great side road for running with no schools for me to disrupt; just families going about their daily chores, shouting out greetings and encouragement.

“Good Morning, Sir” is a common greeting. Most of the locals have minimal English skills. Because the language has no personal pronouns it is difficult to differentiate “he” and “she”. Greetings often include “Sir” or “Madam” and I have been greeted with “Good Morning, Sir” as many times as with “Madam”. The cows and goats are even friendly, meandering across the road looking for the greener grass. I always give them the right of way because they are bigger than me and some of the bulls have huge intimidating horns.

Running on my last day I added “Goodbye” to my regular greeting. They will realize in a few days that I am gone. I hope they will remember the friendly muzungu if I am able to return in a few years and run on the same roads.

When I return from running, Anita has a bucket of hot water ready for me to shower with. Breakfast follows my shower, usually including tea, bread and fruit. I have acquired a taste for tea with milk. The tea is made with freshly picked leaves boiled in water. I like dipping my bread in the tea and one morning shared a dipped piece with Vina, the 13 month old. She loved it and circled the table each time returning for another piece. We now have a morning ritual. Whenever I sit down for breakfast Vina is by my side to see what I will share.

Some days I am able to catch a nap. One of my first days at the House/Farm I thought it had rained but discovered that the wind blowing thru the banana trees sounds like a soft rain. I would like to capture this on tape and use it for a sleep aid. When it does rain, the pounding of the rain on the metal roof drowns out all other noises. I find its constancy to be very soothing.

The farmers are concerned about their yields for this year due to the lack of rain. The planting of seeds and crops occur during the rainy season. I have participated in some of the planting. The physical activity and sore muscles feel great. Locals stop just to watch a mzungu work and a few have asked if I might also come help on their farms!

Cutting Cassava Branches
 for Planting

I planted cassava, a root vegetable which, whether eaten raw or cooked, tastes like our baking potatoes. The process of planting cassava involves cutting the tree branches and chopping them in 10-12 inch pieces. One piece is laid sideways in a hole and covered with dirt. It rained for a short while during planting but nothing stops because of rain. The leaves from the cut branches are then gathered and fed to the pigs.

Digging the Hole

Planting the Branch

We have also planted corn. First dried for about a week, the kernels are then plucked off the cob by hand. It was harder than I expected and my fingers got quite the workout. Most vegetables are planted among the banana trees which mean more of the land can be used. Not being a shade tree, the banana trees allow plenty of sunshine for other crops to grow.

Me Planting Peanuts

Betty Planting Peanuts

Betty and I spent a large part of one day planting peanuts. Tedious and monotonous work, we used a hoe to make a hole then dropped the seed and covered the hole. This process was repeated for two hours before we took a break around 10 am for breakfast. We returned to our planting after breakfast for another two hours and finished before the rains came. Doing this on a daily basis is hard to imagine.

Ground Nuts

Many varieties of nuts grow in Uganda but I am only familiar with the peanuts. I peeled nuts from a shell that looked like a flattened quarter-size pea. For lunch we boiled and chopped the nuts mixing them into a sauce to be added to cooked greens. A mixture of pineapple, tea leaves and ginger was brewed over a wood fire for our drink. Both were delicious.

Maria Mashing Nuts

Peeling Ground Nuts

Anita, Betty and I peel bananas and cassava most days. We also cut up pumpkin which is steamed and quite good. I told Betty and Anita about pumpkin pie. Betty asked if someone helped me with cooking at home. She was also curious if anyone did my laundry. I explained about washing machines. I later shared our conversation with Mami who revealed that she had only ever seen pictures of a washing machine. I then described a dishwasher but added that when living by myself I rarely used it. I feel embarrassed talking about the machinery and technology we have that does our work for us when it may never be something these people experience.

Mama with newborn Piglets

Both the women and men are involved in planting. However, it is the men who take care of the animals. One evening Adrian from the Go Farm called with news that one of the pigs was giving birth. After dinner Uncle Peter drove Mami and me over on his motorcycle. Arriving, we found that mama pig had delivered 7 piglets, one was stillborn. Of course, they were all adorable. They were walking and falling over each other in their attempts to breastfeed. We stayed over an hour and when it looked like mama was starting to deliver the placenta we decided to head home. We got to the road when we were called back. Mama was delivering another piglet. Sadly it was another stillborn birth.

A couple nights we ate dinner in the dark because the generator was acting up. Gloria and I worked on her homework using the flashlight on my cell phone. She wrote a composition about how she spent her recent school break and included a part on my visit and the games we made. It had to be at least 100 words and we were the last ones to bed. Another part of my daily routine is to help Gloria with her homework. She appears to be a pretty smart child and often receives a “Good” on her assignments.

I feel a special closeness to Gloria and when I told her that I would be leaving she said she was sad and might cry. I told her I would miss her but would stay in touch thru Peter and Mami. I asked the date of her birthday but she did not know. I told her how we celebrated in the US and that we would find out her birthdate so I could send her a card.

As in Tanzania, the Uganda culture is very respectful of those who are older. The traditions in Uganda are very different than Tanzania in that people will kneel on bended knee or bow. The first time I observed this, a woman selling ground nuts lowered herself to the ground as Peter approached to purchase the nuts. My initial reaction was shock as it seemed like an act of submission. At the House/Farm the children, both boys and girls, bow to their knee when addressing an adult. Maria and Vina (3 yo & 13 mos)are also learning and bow to Mami. I had a very enlightening conversation with Mami who clarified that the tradition has nothing to do with submission, explaining that bowing or kneeling is a gesture of respect. Adults will also greet each other this way regardless of age. I must admit that the respect shown by the children is refreshing. I doubt they ever think about talking back or refusing to do something asked of them.

Also similar to Tanzania is the importance of music in the Uganda culture. One evening, several children gathered to sing and dance for me. Betty joined in singing and drumming on a plastic jug. I tried to videotape them but it was dark so the quality was poor. The kids still enjoyed watching and listening to themselves when I replayed the video.

Drummers

The tailoring women have started their own drumming and dancing group. The performers include the tailoring women, some of their children, and other local youth. Watching them perform, an energy of joy fills the room. The pride in their traditions and country is expressed so jubilantly thru their music. Here is a video of a few segments (less than one minute) 
http://youtu.be/6fjiRuq2MVM

Timothy with Jackfruit

Religion also plays a significant role in the daily lives of the Ugandan people. Most of the villagers are Catholic including Peter and the others at the House/Farm. Both children and adults commonly wear rosaries as necklaces. Because people farm, Sunday is still a work day. However, a large meal is prepared for lunch. My first Sunday at the House/Farm was a meal of firsts. We ate chicken and chapati plus jackfruit which may be my new favorite food.

Cooking Chicken

Chapati

 As my time in Uganda draws to a close I find that I need to lighten my load again. I gave away clothing, a flashlight and a rain poncho to Anita, Betty, Gloria, Paul, Ronald and Uncle Peter. Betty and Anita modeled their new skirts and the kids were excited to each have a new shirt. I apologized to Mami because I had nothing left to give her. She replied that her gift is seeing others receive.

Bingo, the kitten Mami brought from Kampala, is missing. She was last seen a few days ago before a thunderstorm and no one has seen her since. Bingo is the 2^nd cat that has been brought to the farm. The first one also disappeared. I suggested that maybe the 3^rd try would be the charm and they could name the cat “Charm” for good luck!

Mami and I were driven back to Peter’s house in Kampala on the 15^th. I would fly to Ireland on the 18^th.  The Ireland trip will help my transition back to the “ways of the western world”. I am not going to dwell on “how hard it might be to readjust” when I return to the states. I have been adjusting to so many changes in the last 7 months, my return to the US will be one more. I have also adopted the attitude that everything I do is temporary. This always gives me something new to look forward to!

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. Everyone has been so kind. Mami is obviously loved and respected by everyone at both farms. She is a very kind soul and made my stay comfortable and relaxing. She reminds me of Nie, in that being around her brings out the best in a person. Spending time with people who are so genuine and kind cannot help but make one a better person. We can all learn from their simplistic and practical way of living. The difficult side of this lifestyle is, of course, the poverty. The work ethic is beyond comparison. When they work they work hard and when they have free time it is filled with stories, music and laughter. In their simple world, they make the most of life.

Me & Uganda Family

One of My Favorite Pics

Pasture

Uganda - The House/Farm

Sept 2- Sept 4

Sunday, Sept 2

Peter returned to Kampala today. What should have been a 3 hour drive took him more than 6 hours because the traffic was so bad; and this is Sunday.

Mami is loved and respected by those who work and visit the House/Farm. She is a kind and good-hearted soul who treats everyone in a very loving manner. Two single moms and their children live at the House/Farm doing cooking, cleaning, laundry and other farm chores. Betty, who is 23, has been at the House/Farm for 2 years and has 2 daughters, Maria age 3 and Hilaria age 8 months. Anita is 18 with a 13 month old, Vina. She works when there are volunteers or extra work. A group of about 7 men work the farming chores during the day, two of them live here.  Mami oversees everyone and this place runs very efficiently. Depending on whether school is in session or not, various area children stay here at different times. Gloria, Anita’s sister and Carmy, another young girl currently reside at the House/Farm. Ronald and Paul, both 9 years old, stay when school is out but visit regularly.

My Room

Roof in my Room

Each day I feel more immersed in the culture. The House/Farm consists of several adjoining building and is referred to as a compound. Mami and I stay in the front building. My room has 2 single beds with mosquito net plus a small table. The mattresses are cut foam pieces as are the pillows. I use one bed to make piles of all I need for the next 2 weeks. The floors and walls are cement; two mismatched pieces of plastic cover the floor. I can see the roof which is metal with multiple holes that appear like stars in my room at night. I am waiting to see what happens when it rains, covering my computer with a pillow just in case. I should be tested soon since it is rainy season.

Eating Area

Kitchen w Wood Stoves

Dish Storage & Washing Area

Anita and Betty’s rooms are in another section of the compound on either side of the cooking room. There is an open area, partially covered, where we eat. Opposite the front building are the toilets and bathing area. A door separates this area from the rest of the buildings. Inside is an open area containing a sink and small water tank with spigot. 3 small rooms measuring about 3.5 x 5 feet each contain a squatty potty, a make-shift toilet and a room for bathing. I must confess that I prefer using the squatty potty. An interesting method is used to keep the toilets smelling “fresh” and it is totally effective. Banana leaves are dried, put in a metal can and then lit. A wire attaches the can at the bottom and a wood pole at the top. The can is lowered into the hole by the pole which lies across the floor to keep the can secure. The hole is covered so the smoke penetrates thru the area below.

Bathroom Sink

Squatty Potty & Toilet

Toilet Freshener

Clothes Washing Area

There is no water or electricity in the village. Some farms have wells. Villagers obtain their water from these wells in exchange for work or food. Our water source is a large tank which is filled with well water carried in buckets from the Go Farm. Rain water is also collected for various uses. Solar lamps are charged during the day and used at night. A generator runs from 7:30-10pm providing light for eating and recharging phones and other electronics. I use my computer during the day until the battery dies then I charge it every night.

Shower

Taking a shower is quite the experience. 2 buckets with lids contain cold and hot water (heated on the wood stove). A plastic tub is used to mix the water to the desired temperature and a cup is provided for pouring the water. Once wet, you soap up. I like to dump what is left in the tub as it feels great to have a dousing of hot water. The room has a drain and a squeegee which is used to move the excess water to the drain.

Everything is kept immaculately clean. People are always sweeping the dust; cement floors are mopped down with rags at least once a day. I have seen no bugs or ants!

We had a very heavy rain late today and much to my surprise my room does not leak. The rains bring a damp coolness that is quite chilly. I wear a sweater in the evening and sometimes my down vest. I would guess the temperatures range from low 60’s into the 70’s.

Ronald & Paul Making Puzzles

I spent much of my day with Gloria, Ronald and Paul. I taught them Bingo and Stick Man (my name for Hang Man which is an unnecessarily violent name for a children’s game). We also made puzzles out of cardboard using pictures from old newspapers. The kids taught me a few of their favorite games and the day passed quickly. It was also decided that “Bingo” would make a great name for the kitten.

The kids return to school tomorrow. Paul is in Primary 3 and had an exercise book he was to complete during his break. Most of it was completed and we spent time going thru the questions. I had trouble understanding some of the questions because the grammar was so poor that the questions made no sense. Other questions required drawings. We did not have a pencil and Paul explained that if drawings must always be in pencil or he would be hit with a stick. He also said the stick is used if students do not complete assignments or are late to school. I jumped on this teaching moment and we discussed school discipline. I told him about the US laws against corporal punishment. Another question I found paradoxical and raised my ire was, “What weapons are used to keep peace and security?” Answers Paul gave included guns, sticks, bombs and tear gas.

Monday, Sept 3

View on Morning Run

Banana Vendor on Way to Market
Too Steep to Ride

I went on my first run since the half marathon today. The dirt roads, although uneven, bumpy and rocky are better than the running at Memorial field in Soweto. The roads are also hilly with gradual ups and downs which I like. Another bonus is the lack of dust since it is the rainy season. As expected, I am constantly greeted with shouts of “muzungu” from the local children. The moms also call their children to come look and everyone always has a good laugh. I am guessing they wonder why we exercise when their whole existence as farmers is so physical. Everyone walks, bicycles or rides a motorcycle. An occasional truck will be seen hauling people or supplies; there are no cars.

Greens w Nut Sauce, Ugali, Pumpkin

We had Cassava for lunch today. I knew it was a popular traditional dish in Tz but had not tried it. It was cooked with tomatoes and is similar in taste to a baked potato. We also had greens which I love. The food here is excellent. One thing I definitely appreciate is that they boil or steam most of their food and use very little oil, unlike in Tanzania. I have noticed some positive differences in how good I feel. Except for grains, everything we eat is organically grown here.Traditional to Uganda is Matoke, which are green bananas, steamed in banana leaves. Other vegetable like Cassava or sweet potatoes are also steamed in banana leaves. Matoke, Cassava or Ugali is served at all lunch and dinner meals. Greens are picked fresh daily and cooked in a small amount of water. Ground nuts are another favorite of mine. Several varieties exist and they are roasted or made into a sauce for greens or Matoke. Chapati is another traditional food but because it is made with flour we do not have it very often. Popcorn is popular and we have it several times. They also have little fish like in Tz. I politely declined and am now warned when it is part of our meal. It is probably the only food I haven’t liked.

As seems typical in East African countries, lunch and dinner are served late. Meals here are even later than in Tz. I am guessing that this is because of all the farm work that needs to be done. Although the day starts between 5:30 and 6:00am, the workers do not eat breakfast until 10, lunch is served around 2, and dinner is anytime between 8 and 9:30pm.

Mami at Knitting Machine

Ime at Knitting Machine

In February of this year, two knitting machines were donated. Mami and Ime, one of the tailoring teachers, were trained and can make a sweater in one day. Mami and I had purchased yarn when in town on Saturday so today they made me a sweater.

I am not sure why, but neither Gloria nor Paul went to school today. The three of us spent a good part of the afternoon on a mat outside finishing Paul’s exercise book. One question asking for 3 examples of child abuse prompted further discussion about hitting. Paul had written “denying children food” and “giving children alcohol”. He needed one more example. I referred him back to our first conversation on using a stick on children and told him examples of child abuse. He agreed that hitting a child is abuse and wrote it as his 3^rd answer. I was a bit nervous about the teacher’s reaction to this but it did not become an issue. In another section, the assignment was to take two sentences, and use the word “because” to form one sentence. The sentences: “He was slapped. He didn’t wash the cups.” led me to share one of my favorite sayings, “Hands are for holding, not for hitting”.

Tuesday, Sept 4

The day started out very noisily around 5:30am with roosters crowing, pigs squealing for food, cows mooing. One of the small children cried non-stop for what seemed like several hours. The 3 little ones are usually very well-behaved. Parenting is shared by all. Mats are laid out for the children and they accompany Anita or Gloria many times as they are working outside. Both moms openly breastfeed their young ones.  Maria (the 3 year old) is involved in many of the chores, from clearing dishes to digging with a hoe.

The kids have coughs and runny noses. Mami will buy some medicine when she goes to town today.  I feel badly that I do not hold them. I am just not interested in any more illnesses. In addition, diapers are not used on the two younger children. If they soil their clothes the children are washed off, clothes changed and the area wiped clean. I think I know what would happen the first time I had one of them on my lap!

I helped Anita and Betty prepare green bananas for Matoke.  We first cut down a banana tree and chopped off the bunch of bananas. The tree is later cut up and used as feed for the cows. The leaves are cut off and have multiple uses. We placed leaves across our laps before peeling the bananas because the bananas ooze a sticky sap that is close to impossible to get out of clothing. (We have to use oil, steel wool and soap to get it off our hands.) A large basket is lined with banana leaves and the peeled bananas placed on top. When we have enough bananas, more leaves are placed on top and tucked into the basket. The bundle is then tightly tied with dried banana leaves.  The bundle is carried to the kitchen where a large pot is lined with stalks from the banana leaves. Water is added and then the bundle is steamed for about an hour. The stove is brick and fed by wood. After cooking, the bananas are mashed and served with their leaves as a cover.

Anita & Betty
Cutting down Banana Tree

Peeling Bananas w Anita
(Wearing My New Sweater)

All Peeled

Bananas Peeled and Wrapped in Banana Leaves
Ready for Cooking

The kids all went to school today. Gloria is 11 and in Primary 5. She is excited that I offered to help her in the evenings with homework. She commented to me that she told her teacher that I said hitting was not ok. The teacher responded that as long as the kids followed the rules they would not be hit. I was nervous that the teacher may have responded differently but I am sure Gloria was respectful. I was also very proud of her for being assertive. After I returned to Kampala I saw a news story about a group advocating for the elimination of caning in schools and the addition of counseling. The nightly news includes a question for viewers’ responses on a timely topic. One evening the question had to do with how many years a person charged with child abuse should spend in prison. Progress can be a beautiful thing, especially when it comes to human rights.

Carmy, Hilaria, Maria, Vina, Gloria & Me

Me, Gloria & Paul

Uganda - The Farm Projects

Aug 29 – Sept 1

While in Tanzania, staff from Groundwork Opportunities (http://www.groundworkopportunities.org) stayed at Ibrah’s for a few days.  They were going to Uganda to visit a project they support - an organic farm in a rural, remote village in the southeast part of the country. David, the volunteer from New Zealand, initially piqued my interest as he was to volunteer on the farm after being in Tanzania. I had a 3 week window of time to fill and arranged with Groundwork to spend it in Uganda. So here I am.

There are two farms. I will refer to the farm supported by Groundwork Opportunities (GO) as the GO Farm. It is approximately 40 acres with housing for 8 men who work the farm. About a mile from the Go Farm is the main house which is also a farm. I will call this the House/Farm. Hopefully this will be clear. Most of my time will be spent at the House/Farm.

Wednesday, Aug 29

I arrived at Entebbe Airport in Uganda and was warmly welcomed by Peter, founder of the Go Farm Program. I immediately felt good about the decision I made. I could see Lake Victoria as the plane landed and again on our drive form the airport. Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake by area (26,600 sq miles) and the world’s 2^nd largest freshwater lake (Lake Superior is 1^st).

Peter resides about an hour and a half from Entebbe on the outskirts of Kampala, the capital city (population: 1.6 million). The driving and congestion gets worse with each large city I visit. I thought Nairobi was insane. It is obvious that the expansion and maintenance of roads has not kept up with the population growth in Kampala. The motorcycle drivers are totally fearless and make the ones in Moshi appear safe. Our travel time was more a result of traffic than actual distance.

Front Yard

Peter and his family live in a lovely, spacious home. The lot is quite large with one section grassed and landscaped. Other areas contain raised gardens and chicken coops. Dinner was waiting when we arrived and I was introduced to the family. Peter’s wife, Cici, is a bank regional manager. They have 2 very sociable and well-behaved children, Daniella (age 3 ½) and Gabriella (2yo in October). As is typical of Africans, other people live in the house and many come and go. Peter also sponsors 8 area children whose families are very poor. The kids help out at the house and Peter provides meals for them and pays their school fees. The kids also come to the house for homework help and tutoring when needed. 

Peter, Gabby & Me

Thursday, Aug 30

Peter left early this morning to pick up Meschak from the bus stand. Meschak runs a GO-sponsored farm project in Rwanda and is interested in adding a pig project similar to Peter’s. Since Meschak is only here through the weekend, we will leave tomorrow (Friday) for the Go Farm. Meschak will return to Rwanda on Saturday. Peter leaves for the US on the 6th so will return to Kampala on Sunday to prepare for the trip. He is presenting at a conference at a pure foods conference in California and meeting with GO staff. Last year’s conference and expo brought in 10,000 people http://www.theheirloomexpo.com/. 

I spent the morning drawing pictures with Daniella. My drawing skills are pretty much on par with a 3 year old so we got along just fine. Peter and Meschak returned before lunch. Meschak’s English is pretty rough but he speaks Swahili. There were actually a few times when he didn’t understand an English word and I translated for him in Swahili! We ate lunch then headed to Kampala to see the city, run errands and prepare for the trip tomorrow. Traffic was bumper-to-bumper no matter the time of day or road we were on. Our errands took the better part of the afternoon so we picked up Cici from work and headed home. I have yet to decide whose driving is worse, Nairobi or Kampala drivers.

Since we are close to Lake Victoria, fish is abundant. We ate Tilapia for dinner and I was reminded how much I miss good fish.

Friday, Aug 31

Both farms are located in Kaliviso village just outside Masaka, about a 3-4 hour drive from Kampala. Peter and I picked up Mami (Peter’s aunt) and more supplies. Mami runs the House/Farm where we will stay. As her things were being loaded in the jeep, I was asked if I was allergic to cats. I said no which was the right answer because a box with a 3 month old kitten traveled with us. Mami said we would need to come up with a name for her.

For lunch we stopped by the roadside at a food vendor market. I tried roasted sweet bananas. It is a type of green banana (plantain) but with a mildly sweet taste. There are so many varieties of bananas here. The green bananas are a vegetable similar to potatoes. The yellow ones are fruits and sweet like ours. My favorite is the very small yellow sweet bananas which I wish we had in the US. The others ate roasted chicken on a stick. We also stopped along the road and bought a large smoked fish which would be our dinner. We had to be careful where we placed it in the jeep because the kitten had already escaped her box several times.

Peter & Adrian in Crop Field

We first stopped at the House/Farm to unload everything before heading over to the GO Farm about a mile away. Both farms are comprised of grazing land for the animals which include cows, goats and pigs. Much of the land is covered with beautiful lush green forests of banana trees, and bountiful fruits and vegetables, some I have never heard of or tasted before. Rolling hills in the distance add to the natural splendor and beauty of this area. If there was a Garden of Eden this is surely what it would have looked like.

Peter bought the land for the Go Farm in 2005 and started the first project in 2007. What he has accomplished in so few years is mind-boggling. His goal to create a model farm using sustainable methodologies of farming is a true work of genius.

Goats Grazing

Peter started his first project in 2007 with 150 goats. By 2009 he had 580 goats. Over 500 farmers each received one pregnant goat. Criteria to receive a goat included mandatory training, construction of a goat house, and planting enough feed for the animals. A pregnant goat will typically give birth to 2-3 kids. After the goats gave birth, each farmer returned one baby/kid to the Go Farm. This project has been very successful and Peter designed a Pig Project in the same way. There are currently 15 pregnant pigs, 2 males and 84 babies.

Mama & Piglets

Pig barns on Left,
Cow barns on Right

I got very carried away taking pig pictures

The Pig Pens are raised for cleanliness

The training that is required for eligibility in these projects is quite interesting. Not only does it include business and farming skills but also education on HIV/AIDS and human rights issues such as domestic violence. Apparently the first AIDS case discovered in Uganda was in the district where the farms are located. Peter feels strongly that people must be healthy in body and mind to be successful. The farmers and their families must know how to prevent or care for themselves if they are HIV positive. Their families also need to work together and be supportive of each other.

Peter received funding from GO in 2010 to add 2 milling machines. They are available for use by area farmers who bring their wheat, corn, millet, cassava and other grains.

A separate building houses a tailoring project for single mothers and widows. In February, Mami and Ime, one of the teachers, learned how to knit sweaters. Two knitting machines were donated and are housed at the House/Farm. In addition, the tailoring women also have a dance and drumming group.

Bee Hives

A Bee Project was launched this year. There is a large area set up with many hives. Peter provides training to farmers about beekeeping so they can start their own projects. Eventually the GO Farm will process the honey for sale.

Bio Gas Line to Cook Stove

Nothing goes to waste here. In addition to the projects, the farm supports composting and has built a well and irrigation system. I know nothing about Bio-Gas but Peter has started a project using cow and pig manure to make fuel. This will eventually be used for lighting and cooking as well as fertilizer. We had a demonstration of its use with a small cook stove. 

Area Children Collecting Water
for their families from the Well.

Future plans include a Seed Bank Project. For example, 5kg of bean seeds would be given to a farmer. After harvesting the beans, 10kgs of seeds would be returned to the GO Farm. Peter explained that 300-500kgs of beans would be a typical yield from the initial 5kg of seeds.

This is how the water is hauled home.
The bike is bigger than the child and the water
 jugs probably weigh more than he does

The most impressive undertaking of the Seed Bank Project involves the planting of mango (2010) and orange (2011) orchards. 10,000 families will receive 10 seedlings each as soon as the trees reach maturity. Peter is a passionate man whose goal in this project is to positively impact the environment by combatting climate change through planting and increasing the number of trees. In all that he does, Peter’s focus is on the environment and income generation. I have no doubt that he will be successful in all his endeavors. I only wish I had more time to learn from him which just gives me another reason to return!

Here is a link to GO with a video of Peter talking about some of his projects: http://www.groundworkopportunities.org/ideas/pig-farms/

We ended our day at the House/Farm with a dinner of the smoked fish and vegetables. The fish was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. People and kids were in and out. There was a lot of conversation and laughter. Unfortunately, I understood nothing that was being said. Peter and Mami’s English is very good and sometimes Peter would explain what was being said. Mostly, I was content to just sit and observe knowing I was going to love it here.

Saturday, Sept 1

Peter, Mami, Meschak and I left for a day in Masaka. We dropped Meschak at the bus stand and said our goodbyes. He invited me to Rwanda when I return to Africa. My priority for the day was to go to a clinic. Peter took me to Byansi Clinic. He knew one of the nurses so I was left in good hands as he had many errands to run and clinic visits typically take an hour or two. 

E. Hystolytica - If I had known they
were this cute I would have named them.

I immediately liked Solomon, the doctor. He was quite humorous and began our visit with a Google search to show me a picture of my parasites, pointing out how each one looked like the face of an old man. He also was curious as to why I chose to come to Africa and my impressions of the people. He expressed his displeasure at the number of antibiotics I had been taking. My test for parasites was negative. He suggested that my current symptoms were probably more a result of the meds than anything else. He gave me Vitamin A capsules and a powder to mix with water which would keep me hydrated. Needless to say, I was relieved. Total cost – $5.36 plus $.60 for a 1.5 liter bottle of water I bought at the market across the street.

After meeting up with Peter and Mami, we stopped for lunch at a local restaurant. I had tilapia, steamed pumpkin and rice. Besides being delicious with large portions, the total cost for all three meals and drinks was $7.00. I am going to have a difficult time returning to restaurants in the US where I will be lucky to get one meal for $7.00!

Peter and I spent some time in the evening talking about the GO Farm and his interest in a micro-loan project. He is looking into funding and would like a business plan written. I will work on this while I am here using the plan that we have for TAFCOM.

Peter shared some of his background, explaining that farming is in his blood. Raised in rural Masaka, his parents were farmers. He was fortunate in that his family always had food. When there was a famine in 1985, food was scarce but they still ate each day. According to Peter, his father was an outspoken advocate for justice. In 1998 he was murdered as a result of his political views. Peter was raised and is still a strong Catholic. He considered being a priest but felt a stronger draw to focus on helping people as his priority mission. He was not sure he could realize his dreams through the priesthood.

View from Road in Front of House

Fortunately we all go to bed early, which I appreciate, because the roosters start their noise making before dawn and as always, they are not far from my window!