Occasionally I’m asked where I stay when I’m in Uganda followed by what are the facilities like? Well one word covers that answer, mostly basic, very basic!
My first night in Uganda I stay in Entebbe at a place called Banana Village which does have a flush toilet and running, slowly, water.
When I’m with my friends Godfrey, Miriam and Abi then it’s a modern comfortable house not far from Jinja.
Other than those two, the majority of my time in Uganda is spent at two homes with very basic facilities. Innocent has solar power for lights and electric power is laid in the house but I pay for it to be turned on during my stay though the power in the area often fails anyway especially now with the almost daily thunderstorms. Water has recently been piped to the house too but again it takes money to take advantage of it so I have it turned on during my stay though again this week there’s been a problem at the pumping station so the family are back to collecting from the borehole. As for toilets, there is a block that stands behind the house with two squatting latrines and a bathing cubicle but I’ve got luxury in my room, an en-suite!? 🤣
I used to manage to use the latrines but I think now if I did manage to squat down I’d probably fall over!! So I have my Gerry-designed loo! A nurse once gave me a folding commode frame which I brought out to Uganda when my knees first started playing up. I buy rolls of biodegradable bags that I stretch over the seat and that becomes my loo! After using a couple of times, depending on quantity 🤣, I tie a knot in the bag and drop it in the bucket underneath. The lid of the bucket acts as the lid of the loo. Then once a day or more, I carry it to the latrine. Dead easy, and I’m sitting comfortably! Mind you at both village homes I stay in I’ve had to explaine this strange procedure to the people I live with as I’m sure they did wonder what on earth was going on! Now I even get offers to help carry my bucket! 😆
When I was moving from Nawanyago to Kasozi for the weekend, Norman and Gerry enjoyed helping me pack as you can see! Norman was ‘driving’ my toilet and Gerry was trying to unscrew it! 🤣
When I want to bathe I have a bucket of water and a jug. I stand in a baby bath (yes seriously it was a gift from an Ugandan friend!), and pour cold water over myself. The first jug full I pour slowly as it is freezing because my body is so hot but then it becomes refreshing!
In Kasozi facilitates were even less! The only lights they have are the ones that shine over the ‘shade’, the power from solar. Otherwise no power and no water. As you might have read previously, I bathe outside under the stars when I’m there!

Must admit the two things I look forward to having when I get home is a slice of toast and a shower! A big hug from my lovely hubby is good too! 🤗