Uganda - Day 3
Day 3 -
It is currently 4:25pm Ugandan time, I'm sat in a rickety jeep in what is, I kid you not, a scene from Lost! This is one of the greatest misconceptions of Africa. It is beautiful. If it's just me being ignorant I apologise, but I expected miles and miles of desert with African huts clustered together trying to find water. But this isn't like those films of the Ethiopian famine that we've all seen. Uganda is a central African country which has two 'great lakes' the sizes of oceans - but with fresh water so having access to water isn't the issue (it's the money to distribute it). The country is top to toe green. The most lush countryside with sugar cane plants taller than we are, it also has breathtaking mountains that makes the rain worse for this country.
In front of me is a square hut (reminiscent of Lost's Jacob's house - both Chris and I said it together when we saw it!), there are huge mango and banana trees all around surrounded by high grass. Behind me are two houses, one circular hut made out of mud with straw for a roof, and a second house also made of mud but with corrugated iron for a roof.
Chris is inside talking to it's owner who works as a local health officer. If anyone from the cluster of houses near here falls ill then they travel to him for a diagnosis. He then determines whether it's worth the many many mile's walk to Hoima (the nearest town) either by foot or bike to see a doctor and perhaps a hospital.
The other thing Lost-like was the rain. As I was filming a little video for back home of me with some new friends I made (couldn't speak English except "Hello" and "Bye!" - but they were all transfixed by the new Lady GaGa video on my phone) someone shouted "look" at a dark cloud approaching and we all legged it for our vehicles while the sound of torrential rain closed in like the wall from 'Hole In The Wall'. I made it to the car on my own while the others legged it to the man's house. The poor man had all six of his children, his wife, friends, Chris, someone from Comic Relief and a camera crew in his living room!
That is why I'm sat here writing this blog, waiting for the heavens to close up and Chris is in the man's house trying to convince him that his Manchester Utd clock is wrong and that he should really swap to Leeds!
We're not even half way through the day and it's a struggle to balance the poverty that we're witnessing in the villages with the relative comfort of the cities and towns. That's even before you start relating things to your life back home in the UK!
The strange thing, and one that I doubt I'll be able to convey accurately home is that there isn't a sense of morbidity or sadness among the people you're with. It's hard to be upset as you would if you were sat at home watching the appeal through your tv because all around you is laughter. Maybe it's because we're funny looking white people with funny looking clothes and music videos or photos on their phones, or maybe this is their life, this is all they've known and they have ups as well as the downs just like the rest of us.
The sadness comes for them and us when you talk of disease and death and for Chris and myself we've yet to see the worst examples of this. Tomorrow we're going to a school to meet some kids who have inevitably lost their classmates to Malaria and Thursday we're visiting a hospital. Kimberley went to a hospital on Monday and spoke about how hard it was, but she was actually angry with herself for crying. As she put it, when you walk in and see a room with children all lying on the floor with malaria fighting for their lives with simple drips attached to their arms the last thing they or they parents want are people coming in and crying at the sight of them.
Aled
Comment number 1.
At 1st Dec 2009, milomix wrote:Hi Aled, thank you for your reports from Uganda. It actually is very touching to read from your experiences down there, see the peoples reacions and see what a difference the climb has made to the locals. I have lived in Africa myself and seen lots of poverty and diseases but still happy and smiling people. The people I have met were very warm and friendly and some I have never forgotten about. Your reports reminded me how thankful we should be for everything we have and that - over here - we actually have very little to worry about. I also was a bit shocked whilst reading because you easily forget about your experiences in another world when getting back to your every day life at home. There came this little girl into my mind I met few years ago in a Township in South Africa; she was HIV positive and had already lost her parents from HIV (as so many children). Seeing Gary playing with the kids made me wonder how she is doing today. I hope you see many more smiling faces in the coming days. Thank you for keeping us posted!
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 1st Dec 2009, nick wrote:Aled, love reading all the news from beautiful Uganda - we run a small charity in the UK that supports a girls' orphanage in eastern Uganda near Iganga. All the dormitories are large with bunk beds for the girls - if you have the opportunity for find out how you can rig up mossie nets in large dormitories with bunk beds that would be great - perhaps filming it for You Tube or putting it in a blog - The girls are really vulnerable and we are not aware of mossie nets suitable for this type of bedding ! -
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 2nd Dec 2009, Andrew Kluckow wrote:Hi Aled, I have been following your trip to Uganda on Radio One and I am pleased you are making people here in the UK aware of the fact that Africa is the most fantastic continent on Earth. I am Zimbabwean, currently living in the UK but spend around six months of the year in Africa providing safe drinking water. The job you guys are doing delivering mosquito nets is extremly commendable and required, BUT are you aware that there is an even bigger killer in Africa than both HIV/Aids and Malaria combined. It is water borne diseases, such as diarrhoea, Cholera, Dysentery and Typhoid thus making safe drinking water the most valuable requirement for the health of a community. Fact - 5000 children under the age of five years, die every day from water borne disease in the developing world.
I read with interest your comment regarding the abundance of 'fresh water' - yes I agree, but is it safe to drink. The work Meckow International has carried out in various parts of Africa has highlighted that the majority of this water is not fit for human consumption due to contamination by e-coli, salmonella, Cryptosperidium and heavy metals. Safe drinking water is an area which requires greater attention from Governments, NGO's and Charities working in Africa. Most are drilling boreholes and ignoring surface water, which is in abundance. Again I ask, is the borehole water safe to drink?
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
At 2nd Dec 2009, S Carless wrote:Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
At 2nd Dec 2009, S Carless wrote:Hi Aled,
Your comments are spot on!
Well done for making people aware of the difficulties in africa but also the fact that they enjoy life despite all their problems.
They have a good sense of humour and they make you feel very welcome.
Like me no doult you will return to the U.K. a humbler and wiser person.
Simon (Atrican Village Support Charity- Muyembe, Sironko District )
Complain about this comment (Comment number 5)
Comment number 6.
At 18th Dec 2009, wuwei wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 6)
Comment number 7.
At 23rd Dec 2009, guoguo wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 7)
Comment number 8.
At 28th Dec 2009, gucci2sale wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 8)
Comment number 9.
At 18th Jan 2010, gucci2sale wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 9)
Comment number 10.
At 30th Jan 2010, guccishoes123 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 10)
Comment number 11.
At 8th Feb 2010, hanlyone wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 11)