Sunday-The first big hot mosquito net delivery!!

I’m writing up my blog sat in Gerry’s Plaza. Innocent is just about to go down to the trading centre to get us a very well deserved Nile Beer!!

It’s pitch black, no light pollution here except for my phone, and there’s the chorus of night time critters all around. Love an African night!

Today was hot hot hot 🥵 and it was the day my ‘new’ transport arrived to help me deliver m mosquito 🦟 nets many of you have sponsored. It’s always difficult to know when you are going to find people at home and as it’s a Sunday many were at church in a morning so we didn’t set off until after noon when the sun was highest in the sky giving little or no shade! The car itself is a 15 year old pickup who was certainly showing its age (like me!) and I apologise now to my hubby Norman as I might be in the habit of slamming car doors really hard when I come home! The pickup had some funny little quirks for getting the windows and doors to work (Charles had to climb over my drivers seat to get out until we worked out how the door opened!) but basically, though rather old with the usual creaks and wonky joints like me, it worked! Today we were giving nets to those children at Brain Trust that missed out last year and newcomers to the school especially the nursery children that are most affected if they get Malaria.

I’m amazed how far out we had to travel to reach some of the homes! Some children, and Charles himself who walks to school and back every day, live a few km away!

The road, better described as a deeply rutted mud track, threw up the usual challenges where many a time I had to steer the wheels along either edge of a deep  crater! Twice we came across massive sugar cane trucks blocking the way, collecting the cane from individual farmers who had foolishly rented their land out to the industry for a measly 1.800,000 (£400) for six years! The Land then has to be left fallow for a time because all its nutrients have been used up by the sugar cane! So many are tempted with the short term gain then find themselves unable to grow crops to feed their families! Of course the government should prevent its people being taken advantage of like this but money talks!

Anyway back to my story! The first of the lorries had been piled so high and precariously, (the workers are paid by the weight) that it had tipped right over completely blocking the track! One of the workers waved me to drive the pickup through an area of uneven grassland which, as Charles warned, could be hiding anything. I knocked on the glass behind me to alert Innocent to jump out and check the area carefully. I cautiously followed his lead and was safely guided through.

The second truck was parked right across the track with men balancing precariously on the top to receive the sugar cane that is passed up to them. When I drove up they just stopped work and stared, probably at the shock of seeing a Mzungu driving a pickup in the middle of nowhere! It took a while for it to register that I wanted to pass and even then that I expected them to actually move their vehicle but with a set of hand gestures, polite ones I promise, and perseverance with said gestures, the truck was slowly moved out of the way. My friends are not surprised anymore of the way I manage what could be awkward situations so let me get on with it most of the time! I don’t speak the language but this is an advantage because I can’t get into noisy slanging matches which is normally what happens in these cases!

As it’s only a two seater Innocent was in the back with the nets and the spare wheel, in fact he found the shape of the spare wheel just right for a seat! I was worried he would melt under the bright orange plastic sheet that covered the area, but he hopped out at each stop looking fresher than Charles or I!

Charles knew where every child lived and their circumstances so would guide me which is good as every track, bush and homestead looked similar to me. I’d hate to get lost here!

We were greeted with excitement by the children and even some of the mothers broke into a smile falling on their knees and offering a handshake as a greeting to each of us. Once we handed over the nets Innocent would go through how to wash them. Nets could last a few years if they allowed themselves only to wash once or twice a year, which is difficult for most Ugandans who love to wash and scrub everything all the time!

There are many fatherless families here and even a bigamist, which is still allowed in Uganda! We went to the wrong wife!

With the awkwardness of getting to each homestead we had still only delivered 30 nets by 5pm but I needed a break from the relentless heat and I had to admit a proper rest! We had been at it four hours and had gone through several litres of water and two hands of tiny sweet bananas but I could feel my wobbly legs coming on! One way I kept a little cooler was by wetting my head at every opportunity and even put my head under the borehole pipe to the amusement of people around. It worked! In fact with the dripping hair and the wet hat (which dried within a few minutes by the way), I was much more comfortable. 

I will forward photos of all donated nets and their recipients directly to those who sponsored them. These are just an example.

 

I’ve walked down to school to see how the roof work was coming on. What a surprise, one classroom is almost complete using all the rescued roof panels and is just being competed by the brick layer. Innocent has gone out to buy the new ones corrugated roof panels and he will be carrying them here by tying them across the back of his bicycle! I’m sat with Charles in the shade watching the five builders, all local men, working hard chatting away amongst themselves. They will stop at 11 (it’s 10.45) for their breakfast which the school cook is making maize porridge. Innocent told they should finish today, a day early! Thanks again Poynton Rotary!

I must apologise for the delay in delivering your kindly donated mosquito nets, except for the first few early last week. Searching out safe reliable transport has been a big problem. I just don’t seem to have much luck with hiring a safe and reliable vehicle, as those of you who have been following me over the years have been witness to! Remember the two last year – the one with the dead bear on the dashboard whose owner was so proud of his car but didn’t inform me it’s ignition didn’t work and various other crucial elements were lacking, and we got stuck in shallow flood water where other vehicles of similar type had coped! We got stranded miles out and there was little shade! Fortunately I had taken plenty of water and emergency rations for us all! I did get the cooling benefit of a paddle with the local cows though!

That car apparently got scrapped as it wasn’t the first time it had let people down!

Then the small black one that arrived to replace it with a flat battery and an even worse ignition problem so I was having to be push started every morning! This car had its spare tyre stolen when it was parked outside my bedroom window one night so we had to go to Kamuli, the nearest town, to buy another and guess what, unknowingly we bought the stolen tyre back!! I did treat the owner to a genuine new car battery though!

This year we have gone through two vehicles already! The same black car, with my financial help, was returned with the promise from its owner that all problems were solved. But oh dear, it was in such a dangerous condition I never even got behind the wheel! I was so annoyed and upset to be taken advantage of like this but honesty is lacking in certain quarters of this society if there is money involved!

The black car was replaced with a big Land Cruiser which, as you read about in a previous blog, was even more dangerous and could have cost me and my young friends their lives!

I suppose part of the problem is my ignorance of cars but also that I trust too easily! I don’t think either will change but there are certain people who are now black listed when it comes to trusting, that’s for certain!

But, I haven’t given up yet and I’m looking forward to driving a small pick-up for the first time!

Today my very good and trustworthy friend Godfrey is bringing his pickup from Jinja for me to borrow for the rest of my stay so tomorrow, Sunday, we can start delivering the nets around Nawanyago.

Then the following weekend Innocent will accompany as I drive the pickup to Kasozi, an outlying village and the home of my Ugandan family, the family of seven brothers some of whom you met on Monday, Mike, Bosco and Paul. Wish us luck!

During the big storms soon after I came to Uganda much of the roof of four of the classrooms at Brain Trust Nursery and Primary School were blown off leaving the children exposed to the scorching sun and rain. I reported this to Poynton Rotary Club who had already been generous with a donation for mosquito nets, hoping they would help out again and was so pleased when they agreed.

As soon as I received the money Innocent my Project Manager went to work searching out the best value materials, in fact the bricks were made and baked by a family in their own garden, just near Innocents home and were just the right amount so he bought them. Innocent always tries to support the local community by sourcing as much as locally. Because most of the children have the day off today only leaving the exam candidates, the building work could commence and I’m told will be completed before lessons on Monday!

Written on Ash Wednesday but posted on Friday!

Pancakes in Uganda!

I always try to introduce my friends to something typically English during my visits varying from scrambled eggs or omelette  with Ryvita on the side(!) to mince pies & custard when I stayed for Christmas! They are amazed by cuppa soup!!

As yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, I had taken a pack of dried pancake mix to Uganda to make up on Shrove Tuesday but there was no cooking oil left so I just told the family I would cook them on Wednesday night instead. They always smile and look at me that warily way wondering what weird food I am going to produce! So far everything has been enjoyed, only complaint there being not enough of it!

Of course with the storm and flood, supper was delayed by several hours, it was getting on for 10 pm, so I didn’t mention the pancakes. The cooking was being done inside rather than outside for obvious reasons, over two charcoal stoves in the room that is the bedroom for Betty & Baby Norman, Mama Judith and fourteen year old Alex. The room also stores my big metal school trunk full of craft materials, a big hand of matoke (savoury banana), sacks of grain, buckets and bowls and various other items.  Innocent sleeps behind a curtain in the living room and Madam Gerry, well she gets a whole room to herself! They wouldn’t have it any other way and, if I’m honest, nor would I! I need my ‘me’ space.

Anyway, back to pancakes! Alex came and told me in his very limited English that the charcoal stove was ready for me. OK so pancakes were expected after all! I’d already made up the mix which I had kept chilled by keeping a wet tea towel over it, the old fashion way! I put my small pan in to heat with a little oil, waited a while and poured in some mixture. Nothing happened. The charcoal was not hot enough. So Alex built up the fire and ten minutes later, to my surprise and all watching, I was producing ten perfect pancakes. And, as tradition demands, every one was tossed and safely caught! This was a miracle in itself because, as many of you know, I have a very dodgy right hand and I am due an operation for carpal tunnel syndrome when I return to UK!

The pancakes were kept warm over the dying coals while we had our meal then with oranges and lemons bought locally, I demonstrated how to eat a pancake! Result – three happy sticky faces with the request for more!! Even baby Norman joined in sat on my knee sucking the juice out of an orange!

Happy 😃 days!!