VOLSET Update & Volunteering Information

19 April

Festus emailed that Deborah began her studies at university on 1 April! He was able to gather a portion of her school fees for the first term so the school enrolled her. I'm hopeful he'll be able to find a sponsor who will commit to at least one year of fees if not all 4 years so she can stay in the program. Festus is also hoping he can find a sponsor for Gloria, to pay for her medical expenses and ensure she gets the correct nutrition and care. And then there will be school fees for her as well. I'm glad he doesn't seem to get overwhelmed by the responsibilities, I think I would.

The global economic downturn has had a real impact on the work of VOLSET and other small NGO's (non governmental organizations) who rely on volunteers. Quite simply people are not signing up to volunteer- not only does this mean the organizations lose out on human resources, they also lose out on a very important source of income. A portion of the fees volunteers pay goes directly to the program where they are placed.

I know my donation paid for the community outreach HIV/AIDs testing and counseling session we did in early March. With more volunteers VOLSET could do more of these outreach sessions, pay school fees for other students, fund a program to provide egg laying chickens to poor families, embark on more home visits to the sick and infirm, begin to set up the sewing and woodworking vocational classes and the list goes on.

For those interested in learning more about the work of VOLSET please contact Festus
volset2008@gmail.com
VOLSET also has a website but Festus will be able to give you more information about their current programs than the website. volsetuganda.tripod.com/
And they are on Facebook! www.facebook.com/people/Volset_Uganda/1171667344

If you are interested in the world wide volunteer opportunities through the Global Volunteer Network their website is www.volunteer.org.nz/

Saying Goodbye... and Thank You

27 March
The rains finally came- last night it poured for a long time and this morning it is cooler. Instead of fetching water from the spring, Mary had the girls pull water from the cistern and pour through a cloth filter into the barrel. Normally this job is done by the one boy who lives here who does it each evening when he is home from school. Millie wasn’t able to haul the jerry can up (the cistern is deep and not that full even after the rains) so I took a break from my laundry to help. It was heavy but doable and it took 7 jerry cans to fill the barrel. I brought out my camera and Deborah was very excited to take some photos. Here are the first pictures of me in Uganda. I think I still look the same.

Technically running is not playing… but I couldn’t help but include the photo taken from my window of a three year old running down the lane with a large knife in hand.
I’m not sure if I’ll be able to update this blog again before leaving. I’ll include safari pictures and photos from the big party at Future Diplomats Education Centre later this week if I can or once I return. I’ve been thinking about what I’ll miss, and not miss, about Uganda- here are a few thoughts:

What I won’t miss-

1.Covering my mouth with my skirt in the latrine so I don’t inadvertently inhale a fly
2.Breakfast, or really the lack thereof
3.The red dust… in my mouth, my nose, my hair, my eyes and stuck to my skin

What I will miss-
1.The night sky
2.The amazing fruit
3.A Ugandan smile which transforms even the most sour or angry appearing face
4.My evening walk to the view of Lake Victoria and the calls of Naaaluuunnnggaaa along the way
5.Snuggling with Gloria at dusk as we wait, and wait and wait for dinner.

This trip has been an incredible learning experience and adventure for me and I wouldn’t be here without the support and love of some important people. My grandparents Walter and Patricia Sowecke unknowingly made it possible for me to come to Africa. I thank them for their generosity and I thank Walter for instilling his dreams of travel and adventure in me. I also thank the best boss in the world, Susan Loucks, for not just making it possible for me to leave work for such an extended time, but for encouraging me to go when I was getting cold feet. I also thank Nancy, Gary and Alexei for giving Hintza a special place by the woodstove while I was gone and David busy. Finally I thank my best friend and partner, David. Your encouragement, excitement and faith in my ability to set out on my own were the greatest supports before and during this journey. The next adventure is one we’ll take together.