Simply Stated

Okay, I realize my last post was a downer. Those experiences were building, and I felt like corruption was an issue that needed to be addressed as something that affected our work and experiences frequently.

So now I am home, resting visiting friends and family, and sleeping... a lot. I want to conclude this blog appropriately, summarize what this summer has meant to me, what I have learned; but how can I do that simply for a summer that has been enlightening, challenging, exciting, tiring, busy, slow, confusing and ... a lot of other things.

Once upon a time... A long long time ago... Far far away... Well you see there was this angry momma baboon...

Nothing quite starts it off right. During this brief time of R&R before I return to IU next week and start ICore, I have needed some serious time for Reflection and Remembering. Albert Einstein said "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." I feel like that was how a lot of my summer program went. I also feel that the uncertainty, could be seen in our work and especially in my grant proposal. After a week of telling stories, I realize there are three highlights I would like to share:

1. By the end of our Pilot Brand Development Project, I feel like the women of Marusacco understood what their current brand reputation is in the community, and sincerely wanted to help improve that image. Also I was pleasantly surprised how using reputation interchangeably with branding, clarified our message and goals. Women of small communities absolutely understand the positive and negative effects a reputation can have on any entity. The challenges of working in a developing country were great. If I were to do it all again, I absolutely would, and I think I would do a lot differently.

2. I loved and will miss rafting on, swimming in, partially drowning in, walking by, and seeing the Nile Victoria River. It was an amazing reminder daily of where I was in the world.

3. The biggest highlight of summer was probably hanging out with this guy! Baby Solomon and I shared many ups and downs, literally, as he learned how to walk as well as had many other adventures typical for a one year old. Having a host family greatly (and positively) affected my experience and their welcome definitely eased my transition to becoming Ugandan - which will always be a part of me.

Thanks for reading. Nice time everyone,

Nabyrre Laura

Mixed Feelings

Have you ever felt like you succeeded and failed at the same time?

Mariah: How was your program?
Me: It went sooooo well!
Mariah: Oh really? Did a lot of members come?

Me: No, maybe 25% of them.
Mariah: Ok did it go on time?
Me: No it started like two hours late... and ran there hours over..
Mariah: Ok.

Me: And then it rained... Oh I guess it didn't go so well...

Yet somehow I still feel good about our seminar. We have been working on a brand development program for the Sacco and some select pilot program VSLG groups. We found branding to be applicable in building a tangible legitimized entity for the Sacco in the community, and a means to relate branding to reputation building - which is applicable to the Sacco, and the members in their individual businesses. There has been skepticism that Marusacco is a real thing and a long term cooperative, haunted by a cooperative that previously existed at their location. The reputation building was directed to empower members in their ownership in the co-op and their responsibility to fulfil their roles and responsibilities (like repaying loans on time - which has been atrocious!)

Overall there were program delays and challenges, but lots of discussion of the next steps. I am proud of the management and members who have really embraced this idea of branding and identity, I hope their enthusiasm will spread the support to all 250+ members. A training is being organized just for management about their roles and responsibilities. Also many members (jealous of the pilot shirts) are eager to join the branding program and come to represent Marusacco. It will take time though. We have set requirements to join the brand program, which include improving loan repayment rates over time. Some of the requirements may be strict, but Marusacco has a reputation to uphold now!

Presenting Products at the Marusacco Market last Saturday

Welcoming members and other Secretary Managers to our Seminar

Ojambo Justine, an ORUDE founder now at PEFO speaking to members about their ownership of the cooperative.

Alinyakira group representing!!

Shifting to the big tent as rain poured down!

Esther sharing about Marusacco's new brand and showing off our shirts!!

Alinyakira Brand Manager sharing about his experiences in the program

Mukamamwesigwa Brand Manager sharing about her experiences

Mwino Abenakyo Brand Manager sharing about her experiences

Lunch was crazy

But the kids were so eager to help after we shared lunch with them!

Things I Have Learned In Uganda - Final Blog Post

This is my final post; since I've returned to America, it's back to the real world of work and mentally preparing for I-Core! I wanted to take one last moment to reflect on everything that I've learned in Uganda, both professional and personal.

Things I have learned in Uganda:

• How to identify a problem and address it holistically in a way that supports an organization's long-term sustainability. I believe that one of the strengths of my project is that it created a program to solve an inherent problem in the SACCO: which is a lack of working capital. This problem is restricting the organization's vision and mission - without working capital, the SACCO is unable to extend loans to the community and therefore can't provide capital to expand businesses, help families out in emergencies, and pay for school fees. Addressing it holistically involved creating a project that benefited both sides of the equation: the SACCO itself and the beneficiaries. By developing savings culture, the problem of low working capital is solved through increased savings deposits. The clients of the SACCO benefit by receiving training in vital financial skills, and they are enabled to save better through the program. Picking up deposits at the client's house eliminates costly transportation to and from the SACCO - which was a major barrier to saving. You can see that the clients and the SACCO are intertwined in a cycle: you can't address a challenge in the SACCO without addressing a challenge in the community of beneficiaries you are serving. Thus, the best solutions are holistic solutions that both grow the organization and develop the community.

• How to identify and motivate appropriate stake holders in a project. Another strength of the box savings project was that the employees of the SACCO entirely were supportive and participated in the project. And they should - they came up with the idea of distributing lockboxes to their clients. It seems that all they needed was a little push and structure to give support to their idea. And because they had come up with the idea, they were 100% stakeholders in making their idea become reality. The project had received incredible support and drive from every employee in the SACCO - even when I wasn't there, they were talking about the project and promoting it among their friends, neighbors, and other clients.

(Talking with my manager Cathy and chairman George)

• Experience working in an international business setting. As an international business major at Kelley, one of my career goals is to work overseas and in the international sector of a company. I really value having exposure to working with people from a vastly different culture, and dealing with the ups and downs of living overseas.

• Appreciation for the natural world. I'm not trying to be a super-hippie here, but some of the best times I had in Africa were when I was exploring the natural environment. The obvious one is going on safari - but from whitewater rafting down grade 5 rapids on the Nile river to going on an amazing hike underneath waterfalls up the side of Mount Elgon, I feel like my eyes have been opened to the amazing natural wonders of the world.

• A real view of development. Maybe most importantly, I feel like I've gotten a real view of what development, charity, and aid are doing for Africa. What I say may sound controversial - but I support Africans finding solutions for African problems, and implementing those solutions themselves. I don't think Africa needs to play the damsel in distress. Like I had said above, the employees at my SACCO had a great idea of how to solve their problem with working capital, but they hadn't implemented it until I came along. And I wonder if students like us can teach essential skills on how exactly to solve problems and implement solutions.

That's my final two-cents on how living and working for two months in Uganda changed me and what it taught me. Again, I want to thank the Kelley Institute for Social Impact on offering an incredible opportunity to intern with the Foundation for Sustainable Development (I don't know if readers are aware of this, but KISI paid all our fees to FSD). And I also want to thank the Trockman Microfinance Initiative for providing me with a travel grant that further catered for my expenses toward this trip.

Moreover, I can't wait to get back to Kelley and share what I've learned from my experience!

Sula Bulungi,

Mallory

My Host Hostel

I feel like my experience with my host family has been different from other interns, because of how young my family is. My parents (David and Mariah) celebrated their first child’s (Solomon’s) first birthday last month. So rather than relatives and family of all ages coming and going I feel like our home has the feel of a hostel. We welcomed in Hanifa, an intern from Kampala to stay for the summer. She shared a room with Betty, who does work around the house. Simon stays in the guest wing, and two young women moved into the garage as they look for a more permanent place to rent. All of us are under the age of thirty five. Some nieces and nephews who are in high school in Jinja also stop by. We come and go frequently at all hours, and it is an environment I thoroughly enjoy.

Although I feel as though I have the independence of living in a hostel, I am incredibly dependent on my family. Betty takes good care of me, from helping me find the right flask with tea, to chasing the dog off so I can get out the gate. After work it is often Betty and I at home, and we trade off playing with Solomon blowing bubbles, and dancing with him. I have wanted to learn from Betty how to make matoke and some of the sauces we have, but the timing has always been off, I am down to four days to master those recipes.

My family has hosted many interns in the past, many through FSD as well. I like to talk with them over tea and throughout the evening about work and the challenges I have faced. Last night I had a great discussion with David about Uganda’s future, specifically the crippling nature of corruption and foreign aid. Spending cuts in the US are taking their affect here as many organizations have started to look for new sources of income since US aid is cut.

Today I get to spend some quality time with my family and I am so excited! The daughter of the man whose house they are renting is getting married to a Kiwi, and we are going to the introduction today and wedding on Thursday! I’m so curious to how the cultural traditions will be combined. What a perfect addition to my last week in Uganda!

Day in the Life of an FSD Intern

Sleep - one of my favorite things as you now know - is often interrupted by an overeager rooster or a dog fight here or there, or an extraordinary amount of birds. Putting that aside I am usually up, mosquito net neatly tucked away and getting breakfast around 8:00 am. Recently it has been tea g-nut spread and bread or fried eggs, or crazy weird and dense but awesome fried pancakes.

Nine weeks has been plenty of time to develop a routine. My workday officially starts at 8:30, but let’s gets real; this is Africa. Twice I have shown up and been the only one until after 9! So around 8:25/8:30 I start to mosey up the road to ORUDE.

Internet access, lots of space, and a free and filling lunch buffet. ORUDE is pretty awesome. I've been spending a lot of that time researching community development, branding strategies and team building activities.

After lunch things get a little exciting. I hop on a matatu to Nakabango Stage right by my Sacco. It is a quaint space with electricity, but no Internet. Adjusting our program to be a training of trainers has simplified work so much. I began traveling the 40 minutes to Marusacco only twice a week and meeting our brand managers there – cutting our transport costs in half! Otherwise I spend my time running errands, making copies, picking supplies and ordering our Marusacco polo shirts (which hopefully will be completed today!!), or attending the occasional FSD workshop.

Matatu home and the day’s work is done! It would not be unusual to see the other interns from Jinja and myself on the patio of Mayfair hotel after work stopping in for something to drink, or at space café using some free wifi, or at a new favorite – Moti Mahal Indian Restaurant! Recently I found a great gym across town, but if I can’t make it out there I usually get enough exercise doing curls with baby Solomon. I don’t know anyone who likes to be upside down as much as that guy!

Tea time around seven starts to close my day and I will sit around with my family and talk about our days, or we enjoy some TV programs – when electricity allows. Dinner is served by ten – ten thirty at the latest. A brief rocking of baby Solomon and I crash – especially since I started walking everywhere, stupid rising petrol prices.

Which Came First the Hen or the Egg?

Inspired and conflicting conversations can be so interesting, yet often leave me at the end of a group discussion feeling like we all still walk away with our own opinions and without any enlightenment or consensus. Saturday FSD hosted a Micro Enterprise Financing in Uganda talk with presentations from GESI interns from Northwestern University and a paper presentation by a Mr. Fred Muwaya, a professor from Busoga University.

The group discussion that followed consisted mostly of remarks, concerns and comments from Busoga University students with a few FSD intern comments here and there with a question, clarification, or observation. My favorite clarification was the GESI intern who claimed that Uganda should not look to America's saving culture as an example, considering how America does not have a culture for saving... To which, our moderator commented, "So they aren't better than us... " I thought it was so hilarious.

Anyways, the conversation topic focused around closing the gap between microfinance institutions and the micro enterprises they offer services too. Enter the circular philosophical question; which comes first savings or financing? The hen or the egg? Several people claimed the financing comes first, in order to receive capital to begin saving regularly.

I disagree. From my experiences, (and according to many banks and MFI policies) members need to achieve a certain level of savings before taking out loans. At Marusacco, members can take loans up to three times that of their savings. In addition for providing the MFI with capital to access loans at a better rate, I think it trains members in long term business planning strategies. They need to learn how to assess risks and set goals for future growth. But I also do not claim that that is the only or right answer.

Cultural changes take time, and need to be decided by the people of said cultural community. Similarly, I do not think that asking short term American interns how we can address these challenges is very efficient or sustainable. Someone needs to lead the change - and a sustainable change for Uganda will come from Ugandans who accept responsibility, refuse corruption, and welcome the challenges and costs in pursuit of long term prosperity.

So wait why am I here again? Well, that is a philosophical train of jumbled thoughts for another blog.

Good News Bad News Time

Which do you want first?

Okay lets go with the bad - we will rip it off quick like a band-aid.

My grant was not funded. Whoops.

On to the good news!

Not receiving my grant has not totally offset my program. Surprised? So was I. That also makes me think that those FSD funds are probably going to be used for a program that needs it more. To be clear I said my program is not totally offset, but we are of course trying to scale back. As we speak (well as I type...) my supervisor is going over my budget to see where we can scale back and if they can contribute any more to our seminar funds.

The bulk of my grant was to fund a half day seminar in August, aiming to educate and empower all 250 plus members in their ownership and responsibilities as a part of Marusacco. This also is an avenue to debut Marusacco's new brand image and showcase our pilot program branded Village Savings and Lending Groups (VSLGs). Adjusting our program through trial and error, our training of trainers approach has saved us a lot in transportation and training materials. Revisiting our initial budget was laughable and we created a new to-do list including all the remaining expenses for the last three weeks of my program.

Remaining is to create advertisements for our market in two weeks, and plan for our empowerment seminar. Hopefully we can mobilize some funds for a tent, food, and transportation costs - but if not, well the show must go on.

Also these marketing and schedule details will need to come together quickly as next week I may be taking a quick trip across a border, which conveniently coincides with my expiring visa... Shout out to the incompetent immigration officer who gave me a shorter visa than I paid for, well done Nyabo.

Patience is a Virtue

Yesterday I was convinced that patience is the quality that most influences my work in Uganda. My first test of patience was not really my own – but our matatu driver. Traveling from the airport so long ago in May I looked out on the Kampala rush hour traffic and was amazed – and sort of frightened. Jonan explained that all it took to drive in the city was patience – which I did not recognize as one van cut in front of another and people weaved their way across the street. One man walking was “was not so patient” and was pushed into our van from the back by a boda boda.

Nearly seven weeks later I have been slapped by a big bowl of patience. Unfortunately for me, that bowl was empty and it has taken much strength this week to gather my patience. Plans made a month ago came back with he said she said’s and no financial support. Without going into detail, I was frustrated. Finally, I grabbed a colleague to sit down with me and a list of challenges that had arisen and the next logistical steps for our program and got down to business. I have not approached my colleagues with every problem, wanting to accomplish work by myself. That was not a good idea. The answer to poor communication is never less communication.

In the afternoon, I made my way to Marusacco for our second brand manager trainings. How they changed my day! We had a wonderful training despite one manager not showing up. These women have been very accepting of their trainings and as becoming a part of Marusaccos brand. (Thank goodness for free professional and academic resources online volunteering credible and valuable training materials!) Also their dedication was seen in their carefully developed slogans:

Alinyikira – Unity is Strength to fight ignorance

Mukamamwesigwa – Women Empowerment to Fight Poverty

Mwino Abenakyo – Patience Leads to Victory

These slogans will be represented on Marusacco polo shirts, each with the new Marusacco logo on the front and divided by group by the colors and slogans on the back. As I post this blog, I am waiting patiently for the program manager to return so we can order these shirts and keep planning for our August seminar! With the invitations being delivered and my renewed attitude –nothing can bring me down today!

A Newsworthy Weekend

Saturday, South Sudan seceded and became the 54^th country in Africa. That was a time of celebration – the end of a civil war in a nation divided by ethnicity. Many people were happy for peace. I asked many Ugandans what they thought of this event, most agreed it would be better for them to be united, but everyone declared how good it will be for them to have peace. Peace is a quality understood severely by Ugandans, still cleaning up from their own civil war. What if the US civil war had ended with the division of our nation? How much different would our lives be if we considered the challenges between two races reason to separate? Another intern claims they are sliding into feudalism, and some say that is what Africa needs. I don't think I really agree with them; but I am optimistic and hopeful South Sudan's oil riches may lead to peace, greater equality and economic benefits for the undeveloped south.

As the live feed from Juba faded, stories of Remembering 7/11 flooded the news. Last July, during the world cup games, Uganda was hit by twin bombing terrorist attacks in Kampala. The news has recommended citizens be cautious of another attack. We have made it half way through the day, so far so good. Other Ugandans remark about how the news seemed to forgot until last month about the attacks and added security installed last July and August suddenly reappeared. Sound familiar? They are not per say living in fear of another attack, some are almost indifferent, feeling “that we are all at God’s mercy.” Although I must say – the taxi strike restricting traffic in Kampala today is rather convenient for keeping people in today.

And so, the world keeps turning.

Babies and Fish Heads

Never did I anticipate a microfinance internship to involve so many babies! For starters, there is my 11 month old host brother, Baby Solomon, who I mentioned on this blog some time ago. He is the most precious baby brother EVER! I love spending my evenings after work at home teaching him and my host mom American nursery rhymes and helping him walk. He loves music and is the first baby I know who learned to dance before walking.

(Baby Solomon drumming on my suitcase - and being precious!)

Then babies started showing up at the office. During my first week at ORUDE a woman came in. Still waiting to meet everyone from the office I would greet whoever came in with enthusiasm – trying to pick up subtle cues if I should know who they are. This woman was walking a little strange and when I asked how she was she said she was fine, and she just gave birth. “… Pardon?” “Yes I had a baby; it is out in the truck.” “…”

Turns out by “just gave birth” the office secretary meant 4 days ago – much more reasonable. Our accountant is about ready to give birth to her first child, and my supervisor, Olivia, keeps telling me about how ground up fish healed her son of the measles. Mubiru is the only exception, a rebel of sorts. He knows who he wants to marry, but first he wants to wait about five years and become an accountant. He endures much criticism for his plans because he will be almost thirty.

Even Mubiru though “fears” for me when I laugh and explain that I am not yet engaged and do not want children for several years. Shaking their heads they notice I haven’t eaten much lunch. “Do you fear children and fish?” (This has become the second most common lunch topic) “Only when it stares back at me” “Bet the head is the sweetest part!!!!” Well Olivia, I reply we can agree to disagree on that one.

(My supervisor Olivia, enjoying her fishy lunch)

But I enjoy these conversations so much and the friendships I’ve developed with my coworkers – they are such interesting people, and they always get a kick out of giving me fish heads for whatever reason.

Go Down that Grade 5 Rapid? Oh, No Problem

Despite being bruised, cut, a little chipped, and maybe sick for about a day, Laura and I survived our rafting trip down the Grade 5 run on the Nile River! Grade 5 rapids are usually rapids that'll flip your raft - as we saw on Sunday. Out of every rapid we went down, we probably flipped on all but two. The last rapid, a Grade 5 named "The Nile Special", flipped our raft on the first wave. There's nothing that wakes you up like the second wave hitting you - POW, right in the kisser.

We had an interesting raft companion named Matt who liked to dive out right into the rapids and float downstream to safety. If Matt was asking if the water was deep, we knew he was going to bail on us right when we got into the whitewater.

After every rapid, there was usually a long stretch of calm water where we could take off our helmets and go for a swim and float around. We were served fresh pineapple while floating down the Nile - nothing is more serene! I was so glad I got the opportunity, and really glad to take my first rafting trip in Uganda down the Nile River.

Unfortunately, I think I swallowed some of the lovely Nile on Sunday, and so on Tuesday I woke up with a tummy bug. Lessons learned - love the Nile, raft on it, but drink the beer, not the water.

Up the Nile without a Paddle

Hopefully I will not actually lose my paddle as Mallory, myself, and four other FSD interns take on some 25 kilometers of Grade Five rapids on Sunday!

I heard from a very persistent tour guide that it takes approximately three months for water to travel the entire 6000 miles to the Mediterranean Sea. That made me think about how far I've come on my journey here, which will be just shy of three months. I suppose at three weeks in I must be somewhere in Southern Sudan on my metaphorical journey downstream.

Upon arrival I thought eleven weeks was somewhere beyond the horizon - past some matoke, villages and monkeys - but I was wrong. My work plan timeline is flying by, and weekends are filling with adventure! I am grateful for this blog for a chance to record everything that's happening, and I really hope I can get down to business with my branding project, rather than letting time continue to float by.

No Cake for You!

Ugandans sure know how to throw a party! And really they do, it is not the work of a wedding/party planner, they like to keep it in the family! I'm surprised that wedding planning is not a viable profession in Uganda, where traditional festivities can last up to a week, or more! If the culture were to change in the future to be open to a wedding planning industry, well lets just say I see quite a lucrative potential market!

I missed the engagement party on Thursday. I was very disappointed, as it was four hours away in a rural village, and I missed out on wearing the traditional Gomasi. A Gomasi is like a sari, but with pointed shoulders, you can maybe see a few in my pictures and video. I did not wear one to the wedding on Saturday, it was a traditional Catholic wedding held in a church in Jinja. A nice dress, and some fancy sandals helped me to fit right in, well as much as I could.

On June 18, 2011 Ignatius and Daisy were married, and my host dad David was the best man. You can see him just behind the bride, bridegroom and flower girl, as they dance down the aisle.

Yes that's right, they danced - never walked - and it was awesome! My host sister Haniffa described how great the procession is when you get a couple who really loves to get down, I can only imagine. Neither Haniffa or myself met the couple before the wedding, so we stuck together and she let me pick her brain on all things wedding related!

Cool things I learned:

• Always account for twice as many guests as you plan for (my host parents invited 200 and 400 came)
• Invitation is generally by word of mouth - because you expect your friends to come, they do not need an invitation. (The workplace and far away relatives generally receive invitations.)
• The wedding party dances anytime the travel somewhere
• We had a lunch break between the wedding and reception
• The bride and bridegroom were constantly surrounded by photographers. Turns out they didn't hire all of them, some just heard and showed up. At the reception they came with multiple copies of their prints to sell right then and there to the guests!
• It is super convenient to be married in Jinja, because then you get to have your reception on the Nile!
• Cake is reserved for important people - I was not one of those - It is a way to show recognition to family members and employers and good friends who attend your wedding, and then it gets passed backwards from their to the other excess guests.

My video of their dancing and cake giving isn't loading, so here are a couple quick pics from the reception!

Let's Talk Romance

As Laura said in her previous post, one of the great things about Uganda is how friendly people are. But as a girl, it's a little bit hard to distinguish when someone is being nice to you, and when someone wants to marry you and come to America with you.

An example: both Laura and I were propositioned by some men last week who wanted to marry us. I was in a taxi headed to Iganga, and told my lovely proposer that I had a husband in America. "But America is so far away!" he said. "And I'm right here!" For Laura, her beau told her that his grandmother, before she died, told him that he would marry an American woman. And then he spilled Caroline's (our intern coordinator) drink all over the place.

People will come up to you, and ask you for your number. I even met a man in a church where I was giving a talk about savings culture - I gave him my number because he was interested in learning about the SACCO where I worked. Only after a couple of sketchy phone calls did I finally label him in my phone as "Creeper."

On a positive note, they usually give up very quickly! You say no, and they take it like a man. And let's face it, we get bothered just as much by guys in America.

But we don't hate marriage in Uganda! Laura attended a wedding last weekend, and her host father told her that "she's next." Time to look for some prospects...

Energy Woes

While I've been in Uganda, I've been trying to chisel my way through Tom Friedman's latest book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded. I've always been following his concepts, but even more interestingly, I see a lot of what he's talking about here in Uganda.

One of his main ideas is that world population is rising, and so is the world's middle class. Along with the rising middle class is a rising demand for electricity - that fossil fuels just can't provide. He calls it energy poverty, or energy haves and have-nots. Here in Uganda, one of the main challenges in doing business is lack of energy infrastructure. In my town of Jinja, the main electricity generator for the country is the Owen Falls Dam, but even here we experience blackouts. Yesterday, we had a rolling blackout that lasted from 10 in the morning until late at night, and the electricity is still out at my work!

There is even electricity rationing due to high levels of demand. While something like this would be unthinkable in the United States, this the norm here. When Laura and I arrived in Entebbe Airport our first day here, we sat down in a cafe area to wait for our site team to pick us up. As we were sitting, the lights flickered and the power went out twice - in the national airport.

Day of the African Child

Thursday was the International Day of the African Child, a holiday celebrated since 1991, to honor those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 as well as raise awareness for the need for improvement of the education available to African children. Events rose up around Africa, and around Jinja, UNICEF, Red Cross, and my host mom's organization Children of Grace were among those to hold special awareness events. Check out this article for more information!

In Soweto, South Africa, on June 16, 1976, roughly ten thousand black school children marched in a crowd longer than half a mile, protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds were shot and and thousands more were injured or killed in the following protests. My host brother Francis really enjoys high school, and we have spent a lot of time talking about his school and how important it is to him. He wants to go to University to study English or Literature.

It is always fun to see kids running around and playing. It is not so common to be in the streets around the compound where I live, but in the villages and in town they are everywhere. Some sport school uniforms, others casual outfits you would see around any typical American town. Young children wear an oversize t shirt and mismatched shoes, and some don’t have shoes at all. It seems shoes are not a huge priority for children who outgrow them quickly. But it is something more than that. Not wearing shoes is part of their culture. Upon arrival at work, some of my colleagues take their shoes off for the day.

Children growing up in Uganda can get away with so much! A friend here described it a little differently, claiming the children are unruly. While visiting a village in Mafubira, a litter of children were playing outside with a large sheet of plastic. Once they realized this muzungu was watching them it became a performance of rolling under, wrapping up in, and tearing this large plastic while yelling out “Muzungu bye bye!” I waved and smiled and fist pounded each in turn and we all exploded into a fit of giggles.

I hope any parents who read about this experience are taken aback by the children burying their faces in plastic. Growing up in Uganda emphasizes different cultural lessons to be learned. They play with what they have, and if it turns out to be dangerous, well they soon learn that. Obviously all these children survived their plastic sheet experience, and have probably picked it up again today. This particular experience reminded me of a TED talk I saw recently, children in America grow up extraordinarily protected. This is not a severe problem, but it is just a difference I have noticed from my short time on the other side of the world.

Please Grant my Grant!!!

What a week this has been! I decided midday Monday that it would be worthwhile to write a grant proposal in order to receive more funds with my project. My project, known as the Pilot Brand Development Program, is packaged into a nice little compact 10 page single spaced proposal. The quality of that proposal is yet to be determined! I spent my time writing amid field visits, which rocked my vision of the low level at which we are beginning, and with an occasional break for Marimar or some passion fruit juice with a friend.

Mini pep talks helped to get me through "Come on Laura, its not like this is Target project all over again..."

The first objective of this pilot program is to choose who will be in the program. Without too much thought beforehand about the requirements to be in the pilot (mistake!), we visited the first of 12 Village Saving and Lending Groups. They were absolutely interested in participating, so we began to discuss what their current brand image is.

The Marusacco Secretary Manager Esther acted as translator, and took a rather long time with the first question. I could see some confusion, internalizing, and small responses prompted Esther to expand once again. Pulling out simple traits of the group's image was like pulling teeth, and basically rural marketing is nonexistent among the inconsistent sales of their commodities in local markets. It will be a learning experience for all of us, as banking and marketing take on whole new meanings when everything is done on paper.

Square one. This is where I am, no foundation other than some enthusiasm and a COMPLETED!!!! draft grant proposal. Luckily, that could be just enough!

Biggest Adjustment Challenge = Letting Someone Else Cook Breakfast For You

It’s interesting the contrast of my life in the U.S. and life here. I think the biggest challenge is accepting that I have to be dependent on other people. Back home, I would get up on my own time, fix my own breakfast, follow my own schedule, eat dinner on my own time, and spend my evening as I saw fit. I could also complete my schoolwork and my part-time job all by myself for the most part.

Coming here, I had to slowly realize that the success of my project and my time here was dependent on other people. I couldn’t move around the community without my coworkers. I couldn’t organize a training without my managers. If I didn’t get anything done during the day, it was because my coworkers couldn’t help me. At home, if I want a snack, I can’t get it myself because everything is cooked by hand. I can’t make myself breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

As a person, I don’t like to be dependent on other people. So probably the hardest part was giving people my clothes to wash, being served at home, and having other people fetch buckets of water for me.

But it's a good learning exercise: not only in being not so self-sufficient and hardcore independent, but also realizing that a project can't succeed just by my own effort. I've learned valuable lessons about getting other people to be motivated and personally part of a project.

African Business Guide - African Time?

Working in Africa has given me a first hand look at doing business...on African time. What's African time? Basically, people in Uganda don't live by the clock like Americans do - scheduled events can happen half an hour, and hour after.

Here's some handy translations to help you get around!

Let's meet at 9:00 = Let's meet half an hour to an hour later

I'm ready to go = I'll be ready to go in fifteen minutes after I get distracted by something.

I'll do it today = I'll do it tomorrow.

This is the last question I'll ask = I have to ask about 50 more questions

The biggest lesson I've learned about working in Uganda is being flexible. You can't get bent out of shape because your schedule got messed up. And above all, have a sense of humor!

Noted Moments

Following is a collection of random moments from my week I though to be of interest:

The right of way hierarchy:

-cars, trucks and taxi buses,

-boda bodas

-bike boda bodas

-goats

-people

Furthermore people drive on the left side of the road, which means you walk past people on the left side. This really throws me off when someone tries to pass on the right.

I saw a monkey! They were all around when Mallory and I were exploring the source of the Nile, like squirrels at IU only sightly less populous and incredibly less fat.

Hospitals:

My host baby brother had an infection, leading me to my first Ugandan hospital experience.

My family chose to take him to a children's hospital which is frequently overcrowded and not the cleanest place around. It is government run, so their services were free and it offered pediatric specialists. Well worth the compromise. You can either stay in the large common area - often with 3 babies to a bed, or pay extra for a bare room to be shared with one other patient. My family brought their own blankets, food, and baby Solomon's mosquito net tent.

The kids are the most likely to call me a muzungu to my face.

Otherwise I am called Raula, rather than Laura.

Muzungu food is good, expensive, and the pizza comes with no sauce.

I should eat more mangoes (they are incredibly fresh and delicious!) but I do eat many avocados ...and Irish potatoes.

Muzungu prices will probably haunt me throughout the summer, what they don't know is I am siri muzungu! (Not muzugu) I will not pay so much!

I can frequently hear thunder in the near distance, with hardly a cloud in the sky

Well, until this weekend, when it finally poured. Hello rainy season.

The family TV is always on, Marimar and other old dubbed soaps,English and Lugandan news, and the Hostel (a Ugandan Real World). Then on occasion we will buy movies and TV series for UGS 1500/= (Ugandan Shillings) which is roughly USD $.75 Its the BEST!

Wedding crashing is absolutely acceptable (and thus, also the BEST). When one invites 200, they will budget for 400! And that is what I plan to do this weekend, in full traditional dress!

(Well technically I was invited, but I have not yet met the bride or groom)