A room is founded

I am so, so happy that my fundraising for a bedroom for the boys at VCM reached the target in time. That way, I could send the money in the beginning of March and they could start building the room this week.

I have been getting daily updates on the process and it’s as if a happy child is making little leaps inside of me when I see it. The progress is remarkable and I want to share this with everyone, especially the ones who donated. Your help is very appreciated and here is the receipt so far.

Day 1. The material has arrived and the kids are gathering for a group picture in front of it.

Day 2. Monday March 10. The building begins.

Day 2 continued.

Day 3. It’s really happening.

Day 4. That’s almost a complete wall.

Day 4. The corner.

 

A bedroom for orphans

Already on my first day at Victorious Children’s Ministries, I started wondering about the space at the orphanage. The house didn’t seem that big, where did all the kids sleep? I soon learned the facts.

First of all, this is a family run orphanage. The ground on which the house stands has been in the family for years and the orphanage has only existed since 2009. Extra houses have been built to house an office and a teaching room for the kids. However, the main house is not very big and 20 children are sleeping there.

So, the biggest bedroom is approximately nine (9) square metres. In this space, 15 boys are supposed to sleep in two bulk beds and two other beds. Naturally, despite sharing beds, they don’t all fit. Some sleep on the floor in the room and some of them outside the room.

Sleeping on the floor.

Clothes and beds in the boys’ room.

Personal pictures above one of the beds.

 

The 5 girls are sleeping on the floor in the same room as the mother of the founder. Needless to say, this is quite crowded as well. One effect of the sleeping conditions is that it’s not possible to put mosquito nets up for all the children. As this is a malaria area, mosquito nets are important.

Storage in the girls’ room.

The girls’ room.

Now, there is some space in the backyard that is currently not used and the plan is to build a bigger room there for the boys and let the girls get the boys’ room. That way, all the kids would be able to sleep in beds and have mosquito nets.

The backyard, where the new room would be.

There is just one thing missing. Money. As always. So what does it cost to build that room? 1300 USD. That’s right. In Sweden, that would barely be enough to have a room painted. Differences. I immediately knew that I would make it my mission to raise money for this room. On February 1, I started the fundraise. Today, we have reached more than 900 USD. Friday is the last day. Can we raise another 400 USD until then? I believe so.

To help, go here: http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/a-bedroom-for-orphans/133388

The countdown starts now…

Mosquito nets

I have previously been raising money for mosquito nets with the campaign “Nothing but Nets” through JCI and the UN. Making malaria extinct is one of the millennium goals and mosquito nets are an efficient way to limit this fatal disease.

When I learned that the children at the orphanage were sleeping without mosquito nets and that they occasionally are infected by malaria, it was an obvious decision to buy them nets.

Through Nothing but Nets, one net costs USD 10 including transportation and education on how to use the nets. I figured that I would be able to get the nets cheaper when I was already in Uganda and that I could do the teaching myself.

The boys’ bedroom. One bed has an old mosquito net.

Robert thought it was an excellent idea so we went to a market in Kampala to find some nets. It was not that easy, actually. The first store only had the kind of nets used for bulk beds and not the round ones that we needed for most of the beds. I bought two for the two bulk beds they have. And the search continued. I wouldn’t accept any compromise regarding quality so many of the options offered were disregarded. Someone even came with nets in pink and purple with the text “Dream home” or something like that, claiming they were treated. Not likely. If it doesn’t say on the package that they are treated, they are probably not.

After some discussions and going between different vendors, we finally had the mosquito nets we needed. And I had paid USD 4-7 each. Perfect!

 

While at it, I asked if they needed something else. Of course they did. So while we were at it, we bought some new plates and cups as well. It was a bit tricky to squeeze ourselves and all the things into one of the minibuses but it was so worth it.

When we were back in Kawanda, Ritah told the children about the purchases and they got incredibly happy. I sometimes have difficulties handling all the gratefulness and this was one of these times. Around 20 children kneeling and taking my hands while I just feel that I’ve done the natural thing to do.

As the nets shouldn’t be used within the first 24 hours after opening the packages we had to wait before we could put them up. Once it was time, we had a great teamwork of three. And the feeling when the nets were up was extremely satisfying. All the kids came into the bedroom and had a look and thanked me again.

“No mosquitos are gonna bite our kids again!” said Ritah. And I sure hope so.

Christmas at the orphanage

The market in Kampala is crowded. It seems like everybody is out on the streets and maybe they are. It’s December 24th and tomorrow is Christmas Day, which requires preparations. Robert and I are looking for decorations. We want this Christmas to be special, a day full of joy for the children, a day to remember.

One of many marketplaces in Kampala.

We’re going between the vendors. Bargaining. Buying glitter. Christmas balls for all the kids. We’ve also picked up a package from the post office and I’ve bought a world map. When we’re done, we take the minibus taxi (like the one seen in the picture) back to Kawanda.

The next day is Christmas Day. Before the celebration with the kids, I join Robert to church, which will be a blog post of its own. When we get back, Ritah has done some wonderfully creative decorations using piecces of fabric. So we start complementing her things with what we’ve bought. Glitter in the temporary Christmas tree and lots of baloons.

And then the party starts. The kids are wearing their best clothes and there is singing and dancing. “Maama”, Robert’s mother, dresses me up in the gomesi, the traditional Ugandan dress. The kids have also prepared a Christmas play which I get to watch. It has everything! From baby Jesus to sheep.

Then there is cake, more dancing and so many smiles that I think all our batteries are charged with positive energy to last for weeks.

 

We are enjoying so much, that a lot of other people gather at the gate, watching. I don’t know what fascinates them the most, if it’s the decorations, how many we are or if it’s the dancing muzungu (that would be me – felt rather exotic for a while).

Later, I went out to a club with Ritah, Lydia and Richard (Robert’s siblings) and got some attention but that is definitely another story.

 

Christmas 2013 is one I will always remember. I might not have felt much of the ordinary Christmas feeling that I get at home, in a cold and dark Sweden, but it had some extraordinary feeling to it.

 

Delivering gifts

As I wrote in my first post, I had quite a lot of gifts for the orphanage. First, I had been doubting some of the gifts. Would they really want used pencils? Used sheets?

There was no need to doubt. When I handed over the things, Robert was all smiles. Every single thing was welcome. Everything could be of use. There are now enough pencils for all the children to use one each at the same time. Enough crayons to last for making hundreds of drawings. Story books to read. Paper to express creativity in text and in picture. More toys to play with. Balls (but more can still be of use). Things that relatively spoiled Nordic kids wouldn’t give a dime for become treasures for these children.

So, again, thank you all who contributed with things to fill my bag. You have sent pieces of joy to a place where they are really appreciated.

Handing over some gifts.

Some of the gifts used to create thank you messages for sponsors and friends.

Toys are fun for grownups too.

 

Meeting the orphans

The road is somewhat bumpy and I don’t know how far we are going. It’s December 22nd and I’m in the backseat, looking out of the window, trying to prepare myself for this meeting. We are on our way to the orphanage where I will be a volunteer for three weeks. I don’t know much about it. Not where it’s situated, not how many children there are, not the ages of the children, nothing really. So I don’t know what to expect or what my exact tasks will be. What do they need? Can I really bring value?

Lots of thoughts go through my mind as we drive. About 1,5 – 2 hours I believe it takes from Mukono to Kawanda, in Wakiso district. When I’m told that we’re almost there I can feel some nerves. And when the car stops and I can see all the children waiting at the gate, I get seriously nervous. Slowly, I step out of the car. Around 40 eyes are watching me, full of expectations. I’m stalling. What am I doing here? I take my bag out of the trunk and approach the gate. The 40 eyes follow me. I stop in front of them and smile. Around 20 children’s voices say: “You are mostly welcome!” simultaneously. “Thank you!” I respond, already overwhelmed, and continue to ask how they are. “Fine!” They all smile as they answer just as simultaneously as before.

Robert, the founder, introduces himself and takes my bag. I am led to a building where all the children sit down on the floor and I am placed in front of them. What now? I smile at them and look at all their faces. All eyes on me. I kneel down in front of them and decide to introduce myself to every single one of them and hear their names. Maybe I’ll manage to learn at least a few right away. Right. I’m good with faces but not as good when it comes to names, especially not when all names are new to me. At least I get a connection with them this way. They all have sparks in their eyes and you can tell right away who is shy and who is confident.

A little bit later I’m sitting with the kids outside, talking. They ask questions about a little bit of everyting. Where I’m from, what my favourite food is etc, and I ask them similar questions. What they want to be when they grow up, what they like to do… Then one of the older boys asks “What can you teach us?” and I have to think. What can I teach them? Can I really teach them anything? I’m doubting myself again. Who am I to come there and think that I can teach them anything? I don’t remember what I answered. At that point, it felt more like they would be the ones teaching me.

Now, I didn’t think that I would change the world with this. I just want to do whatever I can do to maybe make a small improvement for at least some others. And I believe that if we all do that, we’re on the right track. So I come to the conclusion that this is an exchange. I will try to teach them whatever might be needed, and I will learn from them. I can give them a piece of myself. Give love. I’m already getting sentimental and I have three weeks to go.

The rest of the evening is spent playing games, talking and letting the kids take pictures with my camera. Some of the results of the latter can be seen below.

Playing “Statues”. The gate is the goal.

Before my camera got in the hands of the kids. Joel, Joel, Lorda, Nicholas and Kakembo posing.

And here some shots by our young photography geniuses:

One third

A bit more than one week, i.e. one third of my time in Uganda, has passed and I’m a bit emotional. As I spent the weekend away from the children, I started missing them. I really had a great time sightseeing and doing the tourist thing, but was excited to go back.

And what a welcome I got! They all came running to me, arms open. There were hugs and smiles, both by kids and grown-ups and it became obvious that I will miss every single one of them.

In general, my experience about the Ugandans so far is that they are very warm and welcoming. Someone mentioned the “Ugandan bug” that would bite and make you come back. Yup, I think there is something to it.

As I’m writing, it is almost midnight and there is music playing from a local pub in the village. The kind of music that will make you dance while sitting down. This is mixed with another source of music, just as catchy. People are talking, a boda-boda (moped) comes by every once in a while and you can feel that there is life.

Just now, dogs started howling and I started yawning. Time to sleep.

Happy New Year!