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