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.