One purpose of the African Promise Foundation trip is to expose participants to the history, culture and challenges of Uganda. Another is to give back and serve in some ways. We got to participate in many cool projects, most of which were memorable learning experiences for us. (Some of this text is courtesy Hold B, an old college friend who joined me on the trip.)
We distributed a lot of reusable female hygiene kits in conjunction with Days for Girls.
Days for Girls is an amazing organization with the goal to keep girls in school by providing them with cloth menstrual kits that they can wash and re-use. While this may seem unappealing to those of used to the convenience and privilege of disposable feminine hygiene products, it is a wonderful alternative to rags, sticks and rocks, or to being home-bound during menstruation. Check out the Days for Girls website and learn how to sew and assemble the kits. It's a wonderful service project for girls' and women's groups!
Days for Girls is an amazing organization with the goal to keep girls in school by providing them with cloth menstrual kits that they can wash and re-use. While this may seem unappealing to those of used to the convenience and privilege of disposable feminine hygiene products, it is a wonderful alternative to rags, sticks and rocks, or to being home-bound during menstruation. Check out the Days for Girls website and learn how to sew and assemble the kits. It's a wonderful service project for girls' and women's groups!
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| One set of kits was from a group of Mormon teenage girls, and they included a card and a picture of themselves. |
We took children swimming.
We reserved a swimming pool at a hotel in Gulu and gave orphaned and disabled children from St. Jude's Children's Home the opportunity to swim: for many it was the first time they had ever been in the water! Thanks to several generous APF donors, we had new swimsuits waiting for the kids to wear, and after swim time, each child received a warm meal and a new outfit to wear home.
Even though we could not permanently improve the condition of each of these child's lives, we were able to provide them with a memorable experience that was a happy respite from their daily routine. I think that providing experiences is an interesting variation to international work that is different from donating tangibles goods.
Even though we could not permanently improve the condition of each of these child's lives, we were able to provide them with a memorable experience that was a happy respite from their daily routine. I think that providing experiences is an interesting variation to international work that is different from donating tangibles goods.
We went with a Aid Africa to learn about and distribute rocket stoves.
For Ugandan women who live in huts and cook over wood-burning stoves, smoke is one of their worst dangers: in addition to fire risk, it causes asthma and blindness in children. Aid Africa developed these innovate stoves that are cost effective and fuel efficient which results in dramatically reduced rates of smoke emission.
We went with Aid Africa to learn how to drill a well.
Eighty percent of preventable illness in Uganda originate from contaminated water. Streams in the villages are often polluted by grazing livestock, which was the case in the village we were scheduled to help today. Before locating a new well site, we visited the existing draw point: plenty of hoofprints and a conspicuous gray hue to the water. We joined volunteers and staff from Aid Africa in setting up a drill stand, complete with pulley and a rope for human power. Our women got right in there with the men, getting muddy as they guided the heavy metal bore down the well shaft.
Eighty percent of preventable illness in Uganda originate from contaminated water. Streams in the villages are often polluted by grazing livestock, which was the case in the village we were scheduled to help today. Before locating a new well site, we visited the existing draw point: plenty of hoofprints and a conspicuous gray hue to the water. We joined volunteers and staff from Aid Africa in setting up a drill stand, complete with pulley and a rope for human power. Our women got right in there with the men, getting muddy as they guided the heavy metal bore down the well shaft.
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| This is how they collected water before getting a well. |
We were the guests of honor at a prison.
Across the street from our lodging at St. Monica's School, Gulu Prison houses about 1000 prisoners. Only a third have actually been convicted; the rest are still awaiting trial, some longer than two years. APF donated mattresses and other supplies last year, and was invited back again this year to visit (thanks to some help from Sister Asunta). We expected to deliver soap to the men, and kits and toiletries for the women. But what a surprise was in store for us!
Nearly all the prisoners were assembled in the yard in the afternoon sun, while we sat under the veranda as honored guests. The prisoners treated us to music using handmade instruments, theatre dramas, and games. The second band performed a rousing piece with a Caribbean feel, and we simply couldn't stay in our seats! Later we had the chance to purchase some of the handicrafts made on site. Frederick told us later that the prisoners wanted us to know that they appreciated being approached as fellow brothers and sisters. Gulu prison rarely receives visitors at all...we were so privileged to be treated to such a performance.
We met our beaders.
We traveled northwest out of Gulu to a village in Awer (pronounced "away") to purchase beads from a goup of women there. They greeted us with traditional dancing and drumming before we all settled under the mango trees for introductions and viewing their beadwork. They had also prepared a traditional meal for us. We all left with several pieces of jewelry and full stomachs.
Finally, we visited Tribe, another beaders group. We were stunned at the amount of beadwork available by this group of about 20 women. After emptying our wallets, we were saying our goodbyes when the women honored Suzy by singing a song thanking her for hard work for Africa, and each woman placed a necklace around her neck.
Something that I struggled with writing this post and with this trip in general was my fear of falling into the White Savior complex. This complex is the patronizing attitude of "Oh, look at you poor suffering people who don't know how to take care of yourselves. I am so generous and wonderful that I will teach you my ways and make your life better. Let me be your White hero, and then I can go home and tell the other White people how wonderful I am."
The White Savior complex is common in films that have a White hero who rescues people of color. (Some examples include The Blind Side, The Help, Avatar, Blood Diamond, Dances with Wolves, Dangerous Minds, Glory Road, Freedom Riders.) This is a great piece written by an African man in The Atlantic about the White Savior complex after the film Kony 2012 was released.
I tried to keep this attitude in check, and I saw my visit to Uganda primarily as a cultural learning experience, but I don't claim to be beyond fault in this area. I know that I am guilty of it. At the same time, I don't think that fear of the White Savior complex is justification for inaction. International development work is so nuanced and complicated. Sigh.
