John and Stella's Journey to the Batwa Pygmy Community

Located in the southwestern region of Uganda, bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo, is an area now inhabited by a scattering of Batwa pygmy communities. The area is located on the perimeters of the Bwindi Impenetrable Park, home to almost half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. In the 1990s, the Batwa pygmies were evicted from their homes within the park’s perimeters when the area was designated a national park to protect the gorillas. Though the pygmies had lived as hunters and gatherers and shared land with the gorillas for centuries, they were suddenly forced to leave without compensation and find their own way. They now live on the outskirts of the park and have urbanized to more modern ways of living.

IHA’s interest in these pygmy communities was prompted by a promise and a night-time dream followed by a series of synchronistic events in waking life. This dream and these events have ultimately led to IHA’s newfound connections with the pygmies.

Though the IHA/EWB team had already left to return to The States, John remained behind to complete some additional project visits with Stella, the first being this particular visit to connect with the pygmy communities. After an exhausting 10 hour drive, the last 40 miles on a winding mountain dirt road, John and Stella reached the Batwa Community area and the Batwa Development Office (BDO). BDO is the non-government organization that is helping the pygmies. The office is located near the entrance to the Bwindi Impenetrable Park.

After meeting with officials, John and Stella, along with Reverend Enos–the BDO director–took off for yet another hour’s drive on windy, bumpy, try-your-patience mountain roads to the PRES PRIMARY School. The school provides education to approximately 200 children, including 30 Batwa pygmies. There they met the director and several teachers, and talked about IHA’s plans for helping the community. Our main goal thus far is to bring solar power to the community, so they planned the solar power installation for the school and hired a local technician to do the wiring.

Next the team visited a member of the pygmy community and donated a “power pot” for use by her and her neighbors. “Power Pots” are pots that when you heat them, the power created can be used to charge devices such as a cell phone. IHA also donated over 100 pairs of eyeglasses for distribution throughout the community. Our future goals with this are to continue to provide more solar power to the schools, as well as equip at least two schools with laptops. After concluding with these communities and thanking Reverend Enos for his support, John and Stella embarked on the long, long, and long journey back to Kampala.

If you are interested in reading a little more about pygmies, Wikipedia has a decent overview. Click below to read more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_peoples

Over the River and To Iganga

IGANGA

Iganga was our final stop for the IHA/EWB team as far as humanitarian work goes. The journey from Bussi Island took us back across the ferry to the mainland, then on a long and arduous crawl through the capitol city of Kampala. We now had all our luggage crammed into our Mizungu-mobile (as opposed to strapped on top), which meant even cozier sardining for each of its passengers. But with top-notch people-watching and ever-changing scenery so different from what we all know back home, we hardly noted the squeeze. That is, until we spilled out of the van 5 hours later for our first rest stop and attempted the simple task of walking.

View of Kampala behind a soccer field

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala

Crossing The Nile to Jinja, toward Iganga

Abdul with some delicious Ugandan cuisine

Got a kick out of the different style of advertising

We drove straight through Iganga to the backroad districts toward Nawansega Village. Here we held a similar meetup as on Bussi Island and at the God’s Grace School in Masaka. The meetings are held in a town hall building, or main classroom...and interestingly, it is attended by only women. We often see the village men and children crowding around outside the buildings, peering through the barred and screened windows; but it is the women who gather to hear our message, and they always show up in their traditional best dress.

Here at the Nawansenga Village, we again introduced the team and the projects we have to offer, while receiving feedback from the villagers on what their needs are. We checked up on the micro-lending program and Stella, in usual awesome fashion, spent time with the women going over the new savings program. 

Scott, Nikki and Matt surveyed the area doing more tests on water, interviewing locals on what their needs are for water. Here in the village, the well is fortunately quite close to the main schoolyard; however, it services the majority of the surrounding villages. Scott reported that the woman he saw pumping water, had been doing so since 9am that morning...it was now 5:30pm. Spend even 30 minutes pumping water and you would understand the dire need for additional water sources.

The line of cans waiting to be filled at the well

Matt and Altaf worked on the solar power. They repaired bulbs and wiring for existing power, and set up plans for future projects to enhance the power and lighting situations.

Alexa took on a challenging project: to teach the local women how to sew. If you told this to her mother, she would laugh like it was the funniest joke she’s ever been told. Alas, despite memory for threading a sewing machine as rusty as the machines themselves, she managed to get 2 of the 3 machines working; and the women were sewing better on their first tries than she has mastered in years.

We brought 3 machines converted from electric to hand-crank. The machines need a little love and the villagers could use a little additional training, so we have arranged for a tailor to come to the village to get the women proficient with the new machines. Sewing will be an option for where the women direct their resources from the micro-lending program. From what Alexa saw, they will be perfecting the trade in no time.

While most the team were busy with these various projects, John and Stella and Abdul drove over to the Namufuma Village nearby, to the Hope Children’s Center and orphanage. They checked up on the micro-lending projects there, and introduced the savings program; and of course, had reports of 100% involvement and payback of the loans. All villages combined, that merits a perfect score!

This sums up the humanitarian projects for the IHA and EWB teams. The next post will cover our final few days as tourists in Africa: at the game park safari, seeing all the incredible wildlife you don’t see rummaging through your garden in Spring; a trip to the source of the Nile; and of course, a little shopping. One final post will cover John and Stella’s journey (made possible of course, by our trusty driver...oh you got it by now. ABDUL!) to the pygmy village in Western Uganda, completed after the rest of the teams return home.

Bussi Island

BUSSI ISLAND 

Friday we packed up most of the team and took the journey to Byana Mary Hill orphanage and school. Earlier in the week Roger, Brian and Reese had been visiting to install swing sets. We brought supplies, tested their water sources, and talked with the leaders about what their needs are and what the IHA/EWB teams can help with in the future.

View of Masaka; at Byana Mary Hill Orphanage...notice the fun reminders

on the trees; spring that supplies their water; Nikki testing water; our

tour guide; Scott touring grounds, checking out holding tank; classrooms; 

Alexa obeying the rules...just in time!

While touring the layout of the land, the children entertained us with a dance party...there’s always time to take a moment and do a little dancing. 

The team piled in the van and we headed for Bussi Island, where we would visit the Good Day Orphan School. It was a 4 hour journey along main roads, side roads, and roads that warrant their own rating on the richter scale. As Abdul, our trusty driver, says, “This is African massage. You like African massage?” Well...it’s no Swedish massage, but...sure?

We finally arrived to the water’s edge of Lake Victoria. Bussi Island is so small, they didn’t even know about it airport customs when asked where we would be staying. We took a small boat ferry out to the island, and were greeted there by Charles. He and his wife Irene are the directors of the Good Day Orphan School.

beautiful children at ferry port

on the boat to Bussi

Charles, director of Good Day Orphanage and School

The school is home to about 50 students, half of which are orphans. In total however, nearly 400 students attend the school on a daily basis, coming from all over the island. Did you catch that? FOUR HUNDRED. Below are photos of the span of the schoolyard. Charles and Irene house the orphans and boarding students in their own home. What was once their home has now been divided into dormitories to give these children a place to sleep.

View of ramshackle classrooms on left, 

roofless new classrooms in distance at right

chicken coop and shed in middle of grounds

view of dormitories/house of Charles and Irene. 

The bunkbeds were falling apart due to termites so they had

to remove them

Upon arrival, we were again greeted by the mob of children, who were banging on drums, cheering and yelling “Mizungu! Mizungu!”

The main needs at Good Day include wells, cleaner water, school supplies, and most of all a roof for their new classrooms. The children took us on a tour around the grounds. Seven-year-old Kevin, the obvious group leader and surely meant for politics or sales some day, took Alexa on a tour around the grounds. His English was unbelievably good, as were his manners and presentation skills. He took her into the school to show her what they need: 

“We need desks,” as he pointed to the small pile of unusable desks that are being eaten by termites. Children would suddenly crash to the ground as the legs of the desks would give out. He took Alexa out to a nearby tree which had a small chalkboard nailed to its trunk: “We need a roof on our new classrooms. Right now us younger students must have class out by this tree. When it rains, all the students must seek shelter in the school or the house, thus leaving us unable to hold classes until the rain ceases.” Just as the adults in the village know what they need, the students know their needs as well. A simple roof over their unfinished classroom walls might cost $1000 USD. For us, that is nothing to pool together; for them, it is years away if that. These are ways we can help, and you can see that it is not for not, and in no way frivolous. 

One of the most heart-wrenching turned heart-warming stories is of Sara, a little blind girl that Charles and Irene gladly took in after hearing of her abandonment. Sara’s parents both abandoned her, leaving her screaming in her home until a neighbor finally checked on her. She had been left, possibly due to the expense and challenge of raising a child with a disability. Charles and Irene heard about her and took her in. A sponsor heard about her story and has gifted payment to send her to a special school on the mainland directed toward children with disabilities. What would be near impossible for many in Uganda, is something someone or a group of individuals here could provide without too much trouble. 

Stella and Sara

Stella met with the women in the village and others on Bussi Island to go over the micro-lending, check up on progress, and again present the savings program plan. It was here John explained: the first micro-loan is to be repaid (as 100% of the women have done). Once repaid, they are eligible for a second loan, which also must be repaid. Once they have successfully shown they can repay two tiers of loans, the 3rd loan will be a gift, no repayment necessary. Once the translator conveyed these words to the women, a giant applause, cheers, and big smiles saturated the air.

Stella in action with the village women. She does her job

so well teaching the micro-lending program, and new savings program. 

She is admired by them all and they are excited and empowered through

these programs.

At Bussi, we continued our well work and surveying the scene. Scott, Matt and Nikki tested water sources, and interviewed the locals for information on how best to serve them on our upcoming trips out to the villages. Our next trip will be in June. This information will help the IHA/EWB teams to efficiently prepare for the projects began next trip. Here is a picture of the current well under construction. It has all been dug by hand. Work has stopped due to insufficient funding, and we are working to help them restart construction as soon as possible.

The team at the well site, and Passion, daughter to Charles and Irene, 

with some of the kids at the spring they currently get water from

The team stayed at the island’s “guest house.” There is one quaint hostel-style guest house for the entire island, where any guests can stay. We felt so cared for, well fed, and welcome during this magical and humbling stay on Bussi Island. Thank you Charles and Irene, and to all their beautiful children!

(clockwise starting top left)

Scott, Charles, John, Nikki, Stella, Altaf, Matt (Alexa taking photo)

at the Bussi Island Guest House

Our next stop is Iganga for a short 2-day trip to a couple villages where we are beginning to work. See you there!