Infrastructure

Infrastructure in Uganda can be broken down into the three general areas of transportation, electricity, and water systems. Roads are the most commonly used form of transportation and as such, deserve the most attention as they are necessary for people to have access to work, groceries, and any other resource outside of their home. Unfortunately, the roads in Uganda are highly congested, unpaved, and sometimes difficult to navigate. This makes travel time in Kampala and other areas inefficient and slows development in little ways on a day to day basis. Access to electricity is inconsistent, and some areas lose power for days or weeks at a time without any means of recovering it without a personal generator. Water sanitation in Uganda is in an equally poor condition, and unlike in America, it is unsafe to drink water from any kind of tap or water fountain. This means a heavy emphasis on water bottles as the only safe access to water, which creates a large amount of plastic waste, often left on the side of the road.

By the way this is Quinn, not Kaitlynn, thanks

Culture

On Sunday, May 27th, we had the amazing opportunity to visit the Ndere Centre and throughout the trip, we experienced handmade art, ceramics, jewelry and more. At Ndere, we were able to participate with the performers whether it was dancing or playing an instrument of choice with traditional music. Stephen, the director, stressed the concept of all of us coming together as one and improvising together while allowing the music to take control. The performance throughout the rest of the night encompassed at least four or five different traditional cultural dances. They embraced the music to the fullest, displaying pride in their culture(s). It’s crucial for us to be proud of what we believe in and embrace our culture whether it’s religion, morals, or values. 

Although exhausted from the day, all of us were eager to dance with everyone on the stage at the very end of the performance. To simply dance with people we did not even know yet finding a connection between us felt reviving and welcoming for all of us. We should take into account that welcoming feeling the dancers gave us and share that with others as well. 

Some questions to consider...
What did you find was the most important takeaway from visiting the Ndere Dance Center?
Do you believe people should embrace their own culture more? Why?
What was your most memorable moment when experiencing the culture?

Hello fellow classmates, this is Michaela under Payton's account and I have some thoughts about our time in the Parliment building speaking with the Speaker of the Parliment. Now, it was fairly difficult for me to hear what she spoke about so I will write about a general experience with going through the process and rules of meeting her.

Personally, I did not find it surprising that we had to go through a lot of security, but, I found it odd that there were three steps of security. Especially because they checked us multiple times throughout the building once we were already cleared. A question that popped into my head due to all of the security steps was, did something occur in the building to cause the need for three stages of security? I wonder, what is security stages like in other countries government buildings? I have gone to the German government building and spoke with a member of their government, but we only went through one step of security. So yes, I am interested in why there are three stages of security here.

Another thing that fascinated me about our time in Parliment was how careful the employees seemed to be around us and around the building in general. There seemed to be a secretive and nervous energy around the building and I wonder if it was because we were there or if the energy in the Parliment building is like that always.

While meeting with the Speaker of Parliment I was nervous. Especially because of how the other employees of the government building were acting. One thing that I was intrigued by was that we all were told to stand up when the speaker entered the room. I thought that made her seem more like a Queen than a government worker.

The last thought I want to share is that I wonder why she agreed to meet with our group. I want to know her motivation for meeting with us and part of me wonders is if it was to try and impress us because we are students from America or if she would be willing to meet with a variety of different students.

So, now that I have shared my thoughts about our experience I have some questions for you about your thoughts on our time in Parliment.

1.) What were your feelings and thoughts about the process of security we went through?

2.) Out of all of the government workers we spoke to on our trip, who did you find to be most interesting? How do you feel about the way the Speaker answered questions compared to the two-panel members we spoke to?

3.) Did you feel that there was a secretive energy in the Government building and/or do you feel we were treated differently because we are American students?

Agriculture

During the agricultural visit, we toured farmer John's land to obtain a more in depth understanding of small-scale agriculture in the rural village. John explained the many challenges that accompany small-scale farming such as issues with lack of payment by the government, and loss of crops due to climate change. Along with those issues, small-scale farming is not a field in which many young people take an interest and talked about a few ways in which that could be a benefit to have them learn more. With the population expanding, more small scale farming will help to improve the economy and maybe even production later down the line. What other issues did anyone observe with small-scale farming?

Media in Uganda

Uganda's media has a dark history that is directly centered around the government. There has been many changes, but many things have stayed the same as well. We were bale to hear from an individual representing a radio station, investigative journalists, and an employee of television news reporting. The panel touched on issues in the media, as well as growths. The discussion was mainly focused on the corruption in the government and how it affects the media. 

The media often struggles with media freedom and the ability to have freedom of speech. During the last political election the government shut down all social media. The panel also discussed no job growth- even explaining how many media outlets hire family members or people connected to them rather than educated individuals. This had led to troubles questioning the economy because many journalists don't understand it. 

Questions:

1. What does the media need to change so that progression can be made towards a sustainable and developed economy in Uganda?

2. Should the government continue to have a role in the media? Is it necessary and if so, how much?

Patrick Bitature: Business and Entrepreneurship

Patrick Bitature is the "Bill Gates" of Uganda. He had some very interesting ideas and his story was inspiring. After learning about his different businesses and what he has done for Uganda I found a theme. He mentioned many times how GOALS are what people need to be successful. It is important to map out your goals and have a game plan. Patrick has gone from telephones, to energy, to property and now to the oil industry. He has been an inspiration to many and his work has not gone unnoticed in Uganda. Based on all of the things he has done what do you think has been the most related to Sustainable Development and why? Also Patrick stated many different things related to culture and how you have to adapt yourself to wherever you are. How has the culture here changed the way you have thought and do you think it will be carried back the U.S.?

Tori Meier's Blog Post

On Thursday, May 31st we visited the Anglican Church of Uganda Diocese and Mukono Hospital. Mukono has approximately four physicians and 32 nurses at their facility and sees upwards on 5000 patients. We toured the hospital and saw patient rooms, the labor ward, the laboratory, the maternal and child healthcare department, the dentistry area, operating rooms, and more. The hospital had a gangrene patient there who was waiting with a painful, rotting foot for a specialist to arrive and perform an amputation. Additionally, students were given the opportunity to peek through the window of an OR and watch surgeons perform a hernia repair.
In America, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act: provides privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information) would restrict much of what we were able to do last Thursday- ie. seeing patients without their consent, watching surgery without signing confidentiality forms, etc. Why do you think Uganda doesn't have these regulations? Do you think they do have them and simply aren't enforced much like other laws and policies in Uganda?
Dr. Simon mentioned that the medical profession in Uganda is not attractive to people for various reasons. In your opinion, what factor causes this unattractiveness most and what do you think can be done to address the issue?
Lastly, Mukono doesn't have epidurals for mothers in labor and only uses local anesthesia in surgeries. Do you think this is an injustice for women and patients or do you think it is not a substantial issue considering they are used to their conditions? 

Thank you for your time, consideration, and smiles. Once again- this is TORI, not Jared. I mean Jarrett. Okay bye love you all.

Tourism in Uganda (The Equator, Murchison Falls, The Nile)

Throughout our trip we've visited multiple popular tourist sites here in Uganda, including the Equator, The Nile River, and Murchison Falls National Park. Tourism does play a role in the Ugandan economy and many people benefit from it. When we visited The Equator we noticed many shops that people had set up to sell crafts, clothing and other souvenir items. Many of the people who own those shops use them as their main source of income and rely on tourism to pay their bills. This is interesting to think about because with a job such as this, one can never be sure that their income is guaranteed. Many other companies and businesses thrive off of tourism as well, such as Red Chili Murchison Falls, safari drivers, and the companies that give Nile boat tours such as the one we went on. As we discussed, tourism ties to sustainable development in multiple ways, by contributing money to the economy, providing jobs to many people.


Some questions to consider...
1. Why do you think Uganda isn't commonly thought of as a tourist destination?
2. Where do you think there is room for expansion in the tourist sector of Uganda's economy?
3. Do you think there will come a time when Uganda will have to choose between maintaining the natural balance of its ecosystemsm and promoting tourism? Why or why not?

Foundation for Human Rights Initiative

Payton Clerc:

On Monday the group went to the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative to hear Dr. Livingstone Ssewanyana. He spoke about the different ways in which the organization is working to fight for human rights globally. The information given to us was honest, which was appreciated by the students. As he spoke about corruption, funding, and other issues Uganda is facing during this time, he spoke with a sense of hope that the country will eventually make the improvements necessary to fix the issues he spoke of. Kathleen McCracken stated after the event that it was, "Enlightening, engaging, and incredible". Overall, the event helped the students to understand the problems Uganda is facing currently and how this organization is trying to help gain rights for everyone. It was inspiring to see that there are organizations that are here in Uganda helping everyone to gain the rights they deserve. What did you find most surprising about the problems Uganda is facing? What rights do you see as basic human rights? How did the information you learned relate to sustainable development?

Luzira Maximum Security Men's Prison: American Perspective

This morning we visited Luzira Maximum Security Men's Prison here in Luzira, Kampala, Uganda. At first glance, the prison seems very progressive. Inmates are getting educations, gardening, and learning trades like carpentry and tailoring. This is not exactly false. Inmates do learn trades and earn educations, but the behind the scenes of it all is quite different.

During our visit, we separated into small groups and spoke to inmates about their time in prison. The people I spoke to were all five in for aggravated defilement (sexual intercourse with a child under age 14). We asked them questions about their lives in Luzira, and their responses were upsetting. 

It tends to take at least 4 years to be tried and receive sentencing. Two of the men we spoke to had been in for two and three years without a trial. There is no system for bail (except maybe bribery), so people are stuck in a maximum security institution until the justice system gets to them. Speaking of the justice system, many inmates cannot afford private representation, so they are assigned a representative from the state. This person may require bribes to adequately represent an inmate. 

Further, we inquired about prison living conditions and found out that the food is sometimes inedible, sleeping conditions are tight and overcrowded, and money is what makes life easier. The gardens we saw were not because they were growing vegetables for the entire prison. Rather, the seeds were bought by individuals, and the produce is theirs alone. An inmate with no money and no family support lives drastically differently than someone with money and family near by. Granted, the money earned through working a trade at the prison can make life more comfortable, but it is unclear if the wage is livable for a prison inmate. Not to mention, technically, some of the people in this prison are innocent (innocent until proven guilty) because they haven't received a trial. 

Given our experiences today at the prison, I have a few questions for my classmates from Drake and MUBS.

1. What were you most surprised by during our visit to Luzira Prison?

2. What challenges to sustainable development did you see?

3. Do you think that Luzira Prison is a progressive prison model?

Sure Prospects

Today we visited Sure Prospects Institute, which is an inclusive school that integrates both disabled and abled children. It exists because many public schools do not have the resources to meet the needs of disabled children or because their parents do not want them going to a special needs school where they will only socialize with special needs children. Currently, there are 480 students, 210 of whom are disabled. The Institute often works with the Ministry of Education to make test taking easier for children with disabilities, such as allowing oral exams or braille exams. The Institute is always working to overcome any obstacles the children face in order to improve education for all. Furthermore, the Institute also has several disabled staff that serve as role models to the children. At the Institute, we played with the children and gave them gifts, like candy and stickers. We were also able to visit the classrooms and the dormitories to see what they were like. At the end, the children put on a very special dance performance and we said our goodbyes. The Institute faces many challenges, including space, machines, and transportation. They also face various challenges that are intangible. Many parents give up easily if they do not see their children making progress, or they do not even educate their children in the first place because there is still the belief that the disabled are "mad" or "cursed." Many children, especially those from war zone areas, face serious trauma. Yet, despite these challenges, Sure Prospects Institute stands as a revolutionary model in Uganda for inclusionary education and is making progress in changing current beliefs and systems.

Questions:
1. What comparisons do you see between Uganda and the U.S in terms of special needs education? What can Uganda learn from the U.S? What can the U.S learn from Sure Prospects?

2. What challenges do you think these children will face beyond Prospects? In what ways can Uganda assure that they can continue to be successful after they leave primary school?

3. Considering all of the challenges that Uganda faces, how soon do you think it will be before institutes like Sure Prospects becomes the norm? What will it take for that kind of change to occur?

4. The topic of affirmative action has been a common issue during the trip. The disabled is one minority group that must be represented in Parliament. Do you think this is sufficient for the changes need? Do you think it is a policy that the U.S should adopt?

How Does an Ant Do Its Banking?.......With Microfinance

At the micro-finance presentation yesterday, after speaking with other classmates, we discussed a number of points that we believe bring up valid points for sustainability. This is our discussion mixed with some personal opinion: 1) Mixing an HIV/AIDS initiative may be good for Uganda in the short run, but hard to sustain in the long run with employees that are not primarily focused on finance. Banking needs to evolve and offer services to most people in the public sector in order for the country to thrive with financial equality. 2) Interest rates and collateral expectations are somewhat questionable. From an economic standpoint, micro-finance interest rates of 100%+ are incredibly disastrous to an economy. However, with a developing economy, it is often the only option for people who cannot attain loans through banks. 3) The rule of saving 1,000 UGX per week is good for developing a savings habit. However, this amount may hold expectations too low for those who hope to escape poverty. In reality, poverty is everywhere and sometimes we have to get off of our 23% credit card interest rates to realize just how good we have it.

Fun Facts!

Some cool and interesting facts about Uganda are: bananas are a very famous fruit with many recopies and even wine made from bananas! It is also raked as one of he biggest alcohol consuming nations in the world, despite the poverty. To pair nicely with the wine, is a meal of pan-fried grasshopper, which is considered to be a great treat.

Wild Life

The most abundant animals in the Ugandan Murchison Falls are elephants, buffalos, zebras and hippos. Cheetahs and White Rhinos are very rare. The best time for wildlife viewing is during the dry season which is December-February and June-September. The temperature is usually consistent year around but Kampala has a slightly milder climate because of its proximity to Lake Victoria.

Ecological diversity and Toursim

Uganda is home to a wide range of ecological diversity and serves as an important habitat for a host of species. For example, Uganda is home to 11% of the world's bird population as well as 6.8% of the world's butterfly species. The natural habitats for these animals include the savannahs of Uganda and the Rwenzori Mountains. Another important habitat is the base of Mt. Elgon, where the forests are home to over 300 bird species and 24 mammal species (including elephants, leopards, buffalos, and bush pigs). However, the most famous animals of Uganda are the Mountain Gorillas and chimpanzees. There are only 900 mountain gorillas in existence, and 400 exist in Uganda.

For these reasons eco-tourism, which is visiting areas where the flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions, is very popular in Uganda. We will also be participating in eco-tourism when we visit Murchison Falls National Park. Have you ever participated in eco-tourism? What do you see as the benefits? What do you see as the drawbacks?

Fun facts!

Want to twist your tastebuds?

Fried Grasshoppers are common in Uganda. You may not see it in a typical restaurant but you can definitely buy them on the street! Grasshoppers in Uganda = Hotdogs in America. They are a good source of protein and may or may not taste like chicken. Also, Uganda is supposed to have the most amazing pineapple you've ever eaten. Eat up!


Uganda is a tree-loving nation.
In fact, there is a rule that if you cut one tree, you must plant three more. I think we should have this rule in America!


Uganda is known as the "Pearl of Africa" because of its beauty:). This name originally came from Sur Winston Churchill when visiting the country under British rule.


So, let's eat up, maybe plant some trees and explore the Pearl of Africa

A Taste Unlike Any Other

Known to some as the fruit basket of Africa, Uganda seems to serve a variety of different types of fruit. In my past study abroad experiences, I can say that one of the best ways to become familiar with a country and its culture is by going to the local market and seeing what the vendors have to offer. For example, in Costa Rica, I had the ability to taste something called a Granadilla. This type of fruit looked like an orange from the outside, but had a hollow shell, and a large amount of seeds with goo inside the shell. I would expect Uganda to have something that we are not used to seeing.

The most common types of fruit in Uganda are bananas, pineapple, papaya, watermelon, passion fruit and mangoes. This is pretty interesting because many people associate these with Hawaii or a tropical rainforest environment. It just goes to show you that fertile soil, lots of rain, and a decent amount of sunlight can create perfect conditions for a world of different tastes. The important thing to remember here is to be open to trying new things that you have never seen before. By being open to culture, and stepping outside of your comfort zone, you may just find a new favorite type of food. What dish or fruit are you looking forward to?

Ugandans love to dance!

You may already know this, nevertheless I will repeat it here -Ugandans and perhaps Africans in general love to dance! Ugandans, young and old people hear the sound of an African music note and their body language reflexively lines up in concurrence with the rhythm. I am sharing some videos that show popular African dance moves you might see or even want to learn in preparation for the opportunities to dance that will inevitably arise. This one is a music video of French Montana shot in Uganda, the other one found here shows young people dancing to one of Africa's favorite dance music songs.

Ban on Selling Secondhand Clothes

Before reading this post and answering the questions, please watch the video found HERE.
_______________________________________________________________________________

Given the conversation we had last class about Superbowl t-shirts ending up being sold in Sub-Saharan Africa, I thought a recent ban on secondhand clothes being sold in Uganda would be a great topic of discussion. I have always thought about how these clothes (sometimes donated form the US or UK) hurt local textile factories, but I did not think about two other important factors that are brought up in the video: cheap alternatives to donated goods (imports from China) and the people trying to make a living selling the now banned goods.

Have you ever considered these factors (the disadvantage to local businesses, imports from China, and the needs of those selling secondhand clothes from the US and UK)?

What similarities do you see between this economic situation in Uganda and those in the US?

Do you think these similarities allow for a better connection to and understanding of Uganda? Why?

Ugandan Cuisine

Last summer I volunteered in Thailand for three weeks. I learned many things about Thai culture that I didn't expect and often found myself surprised by what I was experiencing. Something I unexpectedly loved was Thai food- which I've continued to eat fairly often after returning to America.

With so many cultural shocks coming my way when I travel to Uganda, I continue to be extremely intrigued and excited to eat Ugandan food. I've done a bit of research and found that fish is fairly popular, along with meat or chicken stews! Unfortunately, I don't consume meat or dairy but I love being challenged to find meals that I can eat. In my past experiences abroad, I have found that non meat dishes are spiced better than typical meat dishes (I really enjoy spices and spicy foods). Is anyone excited to experience African cuisine, or any certain dish specially? Obviously food isn't a focus on the trip but I believe it's extremely important when experiencing a new culture and environment.

Safari Excitement

About eight years ago I went to South Africa to visit my Uncle and Cousin. One of the many things we did was go on a safari to see all of the different animals Africa has to offer. I remember right at the beginning of the self guided tour there was an Elephant. He was so beautiful and elegant and was standing about 20 feet from our car. That was the moment I realized I loved Africa. That was not the only time I felt a love for Africa while on the safari. I saw many giraffes running in the distance, rhino babies feeding with their mothers, lions way off in the distance during a evening jeep tour and around 75 elephants in a watering hole. I cannot explain my excitement to see these animals and new ones.

My favorite animal is a Cheetah. I have loved them since I was little. One year for my birthday, my Uncle sent me a stuffed animal cheetah that I still have today. It was one of my most favorite stuffed animals and I still have not seen one in the wild. If I had to choose one animal to see on this trip it would be a cheetah. I was wondering what animals everyone is most excited to see during our trip and why?

Pre-travel Monologues of Far Away Places

Preparing to travel to countries that are drastically different from our home country may trigger both emotions of excitement and anxiety. Everything you know prior to travel is based on what you have heard from peers/your instructors, or read about or seen via some video footage. But even then, that knowledge does not quash all your curiosities. I remember going through a similar experience when I was preparing to come the US for my graduate studies from Uganda almost two decades ago. I was excited about the opportunity to obtain the highly sought after American MBA degree, making American and  'international' friends, the potential opportunity to finally vastly travel within the US to all the cities I had head so much about i.e. LA, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Orlando, etc. For a kid who had spent a large part of my life in rural Uganda, what awaited me was unfathomable.

At the same time, I worried about being able to adjust and manage life in this very sophisticated world I had only garnered from films (movies). I had watched films such as Eddie Murphy's "Coming to America" or the Richard Gere and Julia Roberts "Pretty Woman" (some of you are way too young to even recognize these titles!). I had watched and re-watched many of these films and the anxiety of very simple things like being able to use lifts (elevators), or walk on escalators on the right (not left) side with traffic really scared me. Moreover, even though I had spoken English (American) most of my life, I wondered if I would be able to either be understood or to understand others when they spoke. Since I frequently needed to rewind the video cassette whenever I did not quite understand the dialogue in a film, I figured that not having the opportunity to 'rewind' pieces of a conversation would be stressful. I also had now found out that Americans sometimes had peculiar usages of the English language that I was totally unaccustomed to. In the situation I just referred to, saying 'I beg your pardon' was typical English speak I was accustomed. Later, I would find out that Americans sometimes said 'come again' which made no sense to me. I was worried about being understood obviously because I spoke English differently from most I would encounter (I had always assumed that everyone had an English accent depending on where one learned and used the language during their early years of life. So every time someone remarked "you have an accent, where are you from?" My short answer was always Uganda but I was left wondering if I should have added "you too have an accent" in my response). I also worried about being able to talk in terms of pounds, or miles and gallons since I had used the metric system all my previous life. And then there were American sports, a topic I do not even know where to start since to this day this is an area that I have totally failed to fully comprehend. Football (soccer) was going to be a different game for me, and one that was no longer as important as I had known it to be. The teams, their histories, stats, rules of the game, and the amount of information one had to know seemed overwhelming.

These emotions I think are nothing unusual and are simply a mental process that allows us to embrace as best we can the differences we are about to experience in a travel situation. What are those points of excitement or anxiety about this upcoming trip that you can share here? Are there any that you would be curious about what others think or those that need clarification?