Asume tegutsema. / Let's start the action.

Alates augustikuust olen mitu korda maininud, et otsime Kampala naiste projekti jaoks ruume, kus avada väike käsitööpood-õmblusateljee ning viimaks on selles osas kindlaid edasiminekuid, millest kirjutada.
Selle nädala alguses allkirjastasid National Adult Education Association of Uganda (NAEU) ning naistegrupp koondnimega Disabled Initiatives üürilepingu poe jaoks sobiva ruumi kohta. NAEU kujul on leitud organisatsioon, mis samuti toetab puuetega inimeste toimetulekut ja on valmis projekti igakülgselt abistama. Disabled Initiatives koosneb hetkel viiest naisest: Night, Olivia, Winnie, Remy ja Olivia. Poeruumide otsingul olid sageli takistuseks ratastooliga ligipääsmatud tualetid ja liiga väikesed ruumid. Praeguse koha puhul investeerib Disabled Initiatives suure summa raha eraldi tualeti ehitamisesse, kuid muus osas on lepingutingimused ja ruumid väga sobivad. Nii otsustasidki naised, et risk on seda väärt ja alates neljapäevast tegelevad ehitajad väikese WC paika seadmisega.
Nüüd pole muud kui asuda üheskoos poeruume korrastama, sisustust hankima ja ehituse lõppedes saab Olivia sisse kolida. Senini valmistavad naised tooteid, mille müügist saadav tulu läheb otseselt poe sisustamise toetuseks.
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Since August I have mentioned several times that we are looking for suitable rooms for a tailoring and crafts shop for the physically handicapped women`s project in Kampala. Finally there is some significant progress to report.
In the beginning of this week the National Adult Education Association of Uganda (NAEU) and the women`s group named Disabled Initiatives signed an agreement for partnership and renting the space in NAEUs premises. NAEU is an organization that also supports the people with special needs and is willing to contribute towards the project. Disabled Initiatives currently consists of five women:  Night, Olivia, Winnie, Remy, and Olivia. The main obstacle while searching for the suitable space for the shop was often the inaccessible toilets or too small rental space. In case of NAEU rental space the Disabled Initiatives is investing a significant amount of money into building a separate toilet but in otherwise the rooms and rental conditions are very favourable. Thus, the women decided that this risk is worth it and since Thursday the builders are working on the construction of the toilet facilities.
Now it is time to start planning for the shop, decide upon the interior, and when the construction work is over then Olivia can move in. Until then the women are producing and selling products to gain more finances needed for the extra investment.

Selliseid tooteid valmistamegi. / Example of a product: skirt from kitenge material.

Frank from NAEAU and the construction worker.

Paremalt teine uks peidab avatavat poodi. / The 2nd door from the right is the one for the shop.

Lisajõud ja eesti leib. / Supporting volunteer forces and Estonian bread.

Saabudes laupäevaselt kajaki-seikluselt Jinjast, asusin oma asju kokku pakkima ja sättisin äratuskella hommikul viie peale, et tervitada uut eestlast UPA külalistemajas. Varahommikul tõigi autojuht lennujaamast kohale vabatahtlik-disaineri Liina, kes maandus Ugandas koos musta leiva, pastelde ja hunniku värskete ideedega. Selle nädala jooksul olen Liinale erinevaid olulisi kohti ja asju tutvustanud - minibussiga liiklemine, õiglane hind ananassi ja rolexit ostes, Kampala hullumeelne liiklus, Bluesky ja selle õpilased, suveniiripoed ja kohvikud. Peamiseks eesmärgiks Liina 2-kuulise Uganda perioodi jooksul on Bluesky kooli ja Kampala puuetega naiste projektis tehtavate käsitöötoodete arenduse toetamine nii kohaliku kui Eesti turu jaoks, Eesti ekspertide saatmist Aafrikasse ja Aasiasse finantseerib Eesti Välisministeerium.
Viimase nädala jooksul on toimunud mitmeid arenguid ka mõlema Mondo poolt toetatava projekti arengus ning luban neist kirjutada kohe kui mu arvuti on eilsest põrandale kukkumisest tervenenud.

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After arriving back home from the kayaking adventure last Saturday I concentrated on packing my things together and set the alarm for 5am in order to welcome a new volunteer in the UPA guesthouse. In the first morning hours a driver picked up volunteer-designer Liina from the Entebbe airport and brought her to the guesthouse together with some Estonian black bread and loads of fresh ideas. This week I have been introducing all of the most important places and things around here - transport with taxis and bodas, fair prices for pineapple and rolex, crazy traffic in Kampala, Bluesky and the students, craftshops and cafeterias. The main aim of her 2-month stay in Uganda is to support the product development for Bluesky cottage industry and the physically handicapped women`s project in Kampala. The project of sending Estonian experts to Africa and Asia is supported by Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The last week has also brought significant developments regarding the projects I am working on and I promise to report about them as soon as my computer has recovered from the shock it got from falling on the floor yesterday.

Teel Blueskysse kohtasime tulnukat. / On our way to Bluesky we met a friendly alien.

Taaskord õnnelikult Bluesky juurde jõudes./After arriving at Bluesky together with Liina.

Vabatahtliku tavalised tööpäevad./ The workdays of a volunteer.

Eelmisel nädalal võtsin end kokku ja panin kirja kahe päeva jagu oma tegemisi, et natuke edasi anda siinset elurütmi, tööülesandeid ja meeleolu. 
 
Üks tavaline esmaspäev:
Ärkasin kell 7:15 ja sõin hommikusöögiks kausitäie tükkideks tehtud küpsiseid jogurtiga ja jõin kohvi, mis on valminud minu elukohast vaid paari tunni kaugusel. Seejärel saatsin Aliinele Bluesky'd tutvustava teksti MTÜ Mondo Food for Thought projekti jaoks ( http://foodforthoughtmondo.wordpress.com/).

Sõit Blueskysse läks seekord üllatavalt kiirelt ning jõudsin kohale umbes kella kümne paiku. Parajasti oli koolis vahetund ning selle lõppedes läksime Bluesky Cottage Industry õpilaste ning saksa vabatahtlike Sina ja Jakobiga maja lähedal asuvale väikesele aiamaale. Istutasime varem seemnest kasvama pandud baklažaane. Selleks kõplasime peenrad-vaod valmis, istutasime taimed üsna hõredalt laiali ja viimasena viskasime väetiseks kitsepabulaid peale. Sain enda suureks imestuseks teada, et baklažaanitaim kasvab kõrgemaks kui meeter. Teiseks tegid õpilased peenrad dodo jaoks, mis on Euroopas rohkem tuntud kui amaranth. Mäletan Saksamaal õppimise ajast amaranthiga müslit, kuid siin süüakse hoopiski taime värskeid rohelisi lehti. Töötegemise ajal rääkisin õpilastega sellest, kus miski taim kasvab ja milliseks toiduks seda kasutada saab.

Lõunaks oli nagu ikka posho ja oakaste, milles oli seekord lisandiks ka pisut kapsalehti. Süüakse suures ruumis, kus enamus õpilastest põrandal istuvad ja vabatahtlike jaoks tavaliselt toolid vabaks jäetakse. Pärast lõunasööki lasin Bluesky õpilastel oma märkmikusse enda nimed ja vanused üles kirjutada ning sain palju targemaks. Koolimaja kõrval mängisid kaks poissi mängu, kus tuleb münt või mingi muu tükk vastu seina visata ja kelle münt seinast kaugemale maandub, peab uuesti viskama, või siis midagi sarnast.

Pärastlõunal toimus punumistund Cottage Industry majakeses ning selle käigus võeti lahti minu poolt reedesel turul ostetud kott. Ikka selleks, et teada saada, kuidas see tehtud on (nädala lõpuks oli täpne koopia valmis). Vahepeal sadas sahmaka vihma ja mitme küsimise järel sain teada Mama Jova päris nime ja vanuse. Nimelt kutsutakse külades vanemaid nende esimese lapse järgi, nt Mama Tony või Tata Jova. Edasi puhastasin koos Jakobiga kaelakette, et neid külalistemajas müügiks pakkuda. Ootasin Godwini naasmist kooli, et paari olulist asja arutada ning pisut enne pimeda saabumist ehk 18:40 sõitsin Pauliga (tuttav boda-juht) Kakirisse.

Koduteel ostsin ühe avokaado ja kaks banaani, hind kokku umbes 30 eurosenti. Õhtul müüsin külalistemajas kokku 7 kaelakeed ja sõin eelmisest päevast alles jäänud külma pitsat. Kuulsin lugu toanaabri Jetske pingeterohkest päevast – haiglaskäik koos tänavalapsega, kes oli boda-õnnetuses tugevaid haavu saanud, lapse haavad tõmmati lahti ja puhastati alkoholiga ning Jetske oli kogu aja hirmunud poisi kõrval ja hoidas ta käest kinni.

Tavaline teisipäev:
Äratuskell helises 7:00 ja pärast kiiret hommikusööki sõitsin Bluesky kooli. Tahtsin Kakiris jõulukaartide jaoks erinevaid kirjatüüpe välja printida, kuid kahjuks oli kogu asulas elektrikatkestus. Ostsin vett ja natuke küpsiseid ning võtsin boda Mpeggwe suunas. Kõik noored olid maisipõllul, välja arvatud Mercy, kes oli millegipärast kooli jäänud ja vist natuke solvunud, et teised olid unustanud teda kaasa kutsuda. Läksime koos koolist eemal asuvale põllule, kust teised juba usinalt maisipõldu rohisid. Asusime samuti maisitaimi umbrohu käest päästma ja õnneks tegin kohe alguses paar pilti, sest hiljem olid käed-riided-jalad niivõrd mullased, et kaamerat enam kätte võtta ei saanud. Lahkusime põllult varem kui plaanitud, sest taevasse kerkisid müstiliselt tumedad vihmapilved.
Kuna lõunani oli veel aega, siis rääkisin Bluesky õpilastega maisijahust körti juues toidust ja panin kirja mõned toiduainete ja toidu lugandakeelsed nimetused. Paljudele valmistavad minu luganda keele püüdlused nalja, kuid kõik kiidavad iga kord kui mõne uue sõna selgeks saan. Pärast lõunasööki (ikka posho ja oad) sõitsin Kampalasse kohtumaks Brianiga, kes lubas mulle anda nahast sandaalide ja banaanikiust kottide valmistajate kontakte. Esialgu liikusime lihtsalt mööda linna ringi ja ta näitas mulle kohta, kus ta teisipäeviti tänavalastele tantsu ja jalgpalli õpetab ning kesklinnas tutvustas mind paarile sandaalide müüjale.

Kella viieks liikusin Goethe Instituudi suunas, kus toimus järjekordne luganda tund - teemaks numbrid ja kauplemine. Väga lõbus oli kauplemismomente harjutada. Keelekursuselt kõndisin Acacia kaubamaja lähedal asuvasse Café Javasesse, kus jõin mõnusat mangomahla hinnaga 9000 šillingit (ehk 2,5 eurot ehk vähemalt 2 lõunat külarestoranis) ja vestlesin Martiniga, kes on 24-aastane juuksur-laulukirjutaja-laulja. Kuna õhtuti on liikluses päris palju ummikuid, siis võtsin boda teisele poole linna, et saada kiiremini Nansanasse mineva minibussi peale. Sain tuttavaks boda-juhi Daniga, kes sõitis väga hästi ja turvaliselt ning kelle peamine peatus on üsna Goethe Instituudi lähedal. Seega võtsin tema telefoninumbri. Heade ja usaldusväärsete juhtide numbreid on väga kasulik omada.

Kella poole kümne ajal jõudsin lõpuks koju ja kohtasin tee peal UPA lähedal elavat Deod, kes tutvustas mulle lahkelt kohta, kus Bluesky kool veel mõni aeg tagasi asus. Nimelt pole Bluesky oma praeguses auskohas veel kaht aastatki olnud.

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Last week I decided to write about my activities over two days in order to let you know a bit about my work, the life and rhythm around here.

An ordinary Monday:
I woke up around 7:15 and had breakfast: cookies pieces with a lot of yoghurt and coffee that has been grown and roasted only a few hours away from where I live. Then I sent Aliine a short introduction to Bluesky for project Food for Thought by NGO Mondo ( http://foodforthoughtmondo.wordpress.com/).

The journey to Bluesky went surprisingly fast this time and I arrived at about 10am. It was break time in the school, so we had porridge and after that me, Bluesky Cottage Industry apprentices/students, and the two German volunteers Sina and Jakob went to our small garden close to the school. We planted eggplants, grown from seeds by the students. For that we prepared the vegetable beds with hoes, planted the eggplants quite sparsely, and then threw goat manure on them. To my great surprise I found out that an eggplant grows taller then one meter. Secondly we prepared vegetable beds for dodo, which is in Europe commonly known as amaranth. From my studies in Germany I remembered amaranth muesli but here the green leaves of the plant are eaten. During garden work I talked with the students about where which plants grow and how can they be prepared for eating.

Lunch consisted as usually of posho and beans sauce, which this time also contained some cabbage leaves. We always eat in the large living room where most off the students sit on the floor and usually the chairs are kept free for the volunteers. After lunch I asked all the Bluesky students to write down their names, age, and academic level and I learned a lot through this. Next to the school building two boys were playing a game – one has to throw a coin or some other piece against the wall and whoever lands further away from the wall has to throw again or that's how it looked like.

Afternoon was dedicated to weaving class in the Cottage Industry building. During the class a bag I bought the previous Friday was taken apart and examined thoroughly and this all for finding out ore about the design and creating a similar one by the end of the week. It rained a bit during the class and after asking several times I found out Mama Jovas real name. In the rural areas the parents are called after their first-born children, e g Mama Tony, Tata Jova. Afterwards I cleaned some necklaces from dust together with Jakob, preparing them for selling activity at the guesthouse where I live. I waited for Godwin to get back to school, discussed some important issues, and just a bit before the arrival of darkness meaning around 18:40 drove to Kakiri together with Paul (a boda-guy I know and can call to pick me up drom Bluesky).

On my way home I bought one avocado and two bananas, together for about 30 euro cents. In the evening I sold 7 necklaces at the guesthouse and ate the cold pizza from the evening before. My roommate Jetske told me about her stressful day – visiting the hospital with a streetboy who had gotten bad injuries in a boda-accident, the wounds were basically scratched open and cleaned with alcohol and she as there the whole time holding his hand.

One regular Tuesday
My alarm rang at 7:00 and after fast breakfast I drove to Bluesky. My goal was to print some different fonts out as examples for the Christmas cards but unfortunately there was a power-cut in Kakiri. I bought some water and cookies and took a boda towards Mpeggwe village. All of the youth was on the corn field, except Mercy who was for some reason forgotten behind at Bluesky. We went together to the cornfield that is situated a bit further away from the school and found other already working hard on weeding the corn. We joined in and luckily I took some photos and a short video in the very beginning because afterwards my hands and feet were so muddy that I could not take out my camera anymore. We had to leave the field earlier than planned because very dark clouds appeared in the sky and yes, it rained soon after we had left.

As there was still some time until lunch and it was raining, then I talked to Bluesky students about the local food and wrote down some luganda words for food. Many students find my luganda really funny but they encourage and are glad when I have mastered another word. After lunch (still posho and beans sauce) I took off towards Kampala to meet Brian who had promised me to give some contacts of people producing leather sandals and banana fiber bags. At first we were just moving around town, he showed me the place where he teaches street-children football and dancing and then in downtown he introduced me to some resellers of sandals.

I reached Goethe Institute around 5pm for my luganda lesson, this time on the topic of numbers and bargaining. It was a lot of fun to practice different bargaining situations. From the language course I walked over to Café Javas next to Acacia Mall where I had a nice big glass of fresh mango juice (9000 UGX = 2,5 EUR = at least two meals in a local restaurant) and chatted with Martin who is a 24-year old hairdresser-songwriter-singer. Because of the traffic jams in the evening I decided to take a boda to the other side of town where the minibusses to Nansana leave. I got to know a firendly and interesting boda-driver Dan who drove very safely and well and whos main stage (that is how they call the stops-taxistands around here) is close to the Goethe Institute. So I asked for his phone number – always good to have some contacts to good and trustworthy boda-guys.

I reached home around half past 9 and on my way I met Deo who lives close to the guesthouse. He showed me the place where Bluesky used to be just 1,5 years ago (there is a kindergarten opening in the same house now). Then I had some dinner and soon enough went to bed.

Külalistemajja müügiks viidud kaelakeed. / Sam and the necklaces I brought to the guesthouse.

Jalad pärast maisipõllul töötamist. / My feet after working on the corn field.

Sam valmistab peenraid ette. / Sam preparing the garden.

Dodo ehk amaranth.

Jon istutab baklažaani. / Jon planting some eggplants.

Jõulukaardid. / Christmas cards.

Üks viimase aja olulisi tegevusi Bluesky's on olnud jõulukaartide valmistamine ja selle jaoks erinevate kujundusideede katsetamine. Oskused vajavad veel harjutamist ja lihvimist, kuid siin on mõned esimesed näited meisterdatud kaartidest. Materjalidena kasutamine näiteks banaanikiudu otse kooliaiast, puutüvest valmistatud riiet, palmilehti ja riidetükke erinevate lihtsate piltidega.
Kommentaarid ja ideed on oodatud ning soovi korral võib ka tellimusi esitada.
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One of the recent activities at Bluesky cottage industry has been preparation of different designs for Christmas cards that could also be sold on the open market. We still need to polish the skills and production process but here are some of the first examples. The materials used include banana fiber straight from the banana trees in our own garden, local barkcloth, palm leaves, and textile with some simple pictures.
Feel free to comment, give further ideas and advice or order some cards from Bluesky.

The funny hut on the right is cut out of barkcloth.

Allan and rest of the Bluesky students.

Siiras rõõm. / Genuine happiness.

Inimeste igapäevaste rõõmude ja murede jälgimine on pannud mind mitmel korral pikemalt järele mõtlema. Viimane kord eelmisel kolmapäeval olin kohe nii sügavalt mõttesse vajunud, et taksopeatusest koju kõndides unustasin tuttava kraavi ületamiseks pikemat sammu võtta ning kukkusin tragikoomiliselt pikali, koos seljakoti, kiivri ja kandekotiga. Olin just teel koju pesu pesema ja tegin nõnda endale veel hulga tööd juurde.

Sageli märkan siin olles, kuidas erinevad inimesed väikestest asjadest suurt rõõmu tunnevad. Nii laste kui täiskasvanute jaoks on rõõmustamine siinses ühiskonnas kuidagi lihtsam ja siiram. Külalapsed võivad kümneid minuteid täispuhutus kilekotiga mängida ning nende näol peegeldub puhas nauding ja mängulust. Seda nähes meenuvad võrdluseks lapsed, kelle jaoks on ainult uusim nutitelefon väärt mänguasi ning kui pole parimaid mänge installitud, siis on ikkagi midagi puudu ja halvasti.

Minibussides külade ja pealinna vahet sõitvad reisijad vestlevad omavahel: teevad nalja vihma käest pääsenud kaassõitjate kohta, kurjustavad koos hooletu bussijuhi suunas, vaidlevad kirglikult õige hinna üle, elavad kaasa raadiost jälgitavale jalgpallimatšile jne. Kaasliiklejad on abivalmid, kaastundlikud ja lahked. Kaks nädalat tagasi unustasin oma telefoni Blueskysse sõites minibussi, kuid märkasin seda alles siis kui minu enda telefonilt keegi Siisile helistas. Selgus, et leidja soovib mulle telefoni tagasi anda ja järgmisel hommikul saime selleks Nansanas kokku. Helistasin veel eelmisel õhtul igaks juhuks üle ja kinnitasin kohtumise ning hommikul ootasin pisut närviliselt kohtumispaigas. Esimese asjana ütles abivalmis noormees, et talle tundus, et ma olen üsna stressis telefoni kaotamise pärast. Ilmselt oli seda märgata minu mitmekordsest helistamisest ja kannatamatusest kui ta kohtumispaika mõnikümmend minutit hiljem kohale jõudis. Ta oli lihtsalt rõõmus, et sai mulle abiks olla. Erinevalt eelarvamustest ei küsinud ta minu käest raha ega tahtnud minuga abielluda vms. Tänutäheks ulatasin pisikese leiutasu, ütlesin korduvalt aitäh ja peaaegu oleksin kallistanud ka, kuid see poleks siinmail avalikus kohas päris sobilik.

Emotsioonide väljendamine tundub siin võrreldes Eestiga oluliselt vahetum ja seda märkab väga paljudes erinevates hetkedes. Kampalas tantsuetendust jälgides plaksutatakse, hõigatakse ja naerdakse rohkem ning minu luganda keele katsetuste peale itsitavad kohalikud sageli. Samas ma tean, et nad imestavad ja rõõmustavad kui olen mõne uue sõna ära õppinud ning need naerupahvakud ei ole kuidagi solvavalt mõeldud. Kõik pigem kiidavad püüdlusi ja aitavad õppimisele kaasa. 

Mingil moel on rõõmustamine nakatanud ka vabatahtlikke ja me oskame vaikselt nautida asju, mis muidu on niivõrd tavalised. Elektrita päeva järel küünlavalgel õhtusööki süües tervitatakse laelambi süttimist rõõmuhüüetega. Olles mõne öö Bluesky kooli juures ööbinud tunnen UPA-sse tagasi tulles mõnu voolavast veest, olgugi, et dušš on siiski jahe ja vägagi värskendav. Samas pole tegu ainult mugavuste igatsusega, sest tunnen, et ka igapäevaselt märkan ümbritsevat rohkem ning naeran ja naeratan väikeste sündmuste peale. 

Mulle meeldib, kuidas Bluesky õpilased ja õpetajad koos töötades oma rõõmu jagavad, käsitööd tehes omavahel vestlevad ja muusikat kuulavad. Selles on midagi rohkemat kui lihtsalt sõnad, seal sees on äratuntav koosolemise ja koostegutsemise rõõm. Kuid muidugi tahan ma ka jutu sisust rohkem aru saada ja jätkan selleks usinalt luganda õpinguid. Njagala okuyiiga oluganda!

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Observing the little joys and worries in the everyday lives of people has made me think several times. On last Wednesday I was already preparing this blogpost in my head and was so deep in my thoughts that on my way home late in the evening I forgot to take a longer step over a ditch I come across every day and fell in a very funny way straight to the ground, with my backpack, helmet, and another bag. I was just on my way home to do my laundry and thus, I created a lot of extra work for me.

While living here I often notice how different people feel great happiness and joy from small things. For both children and adults the happiness is somehow easier and more genuine in this society. The children in the village can enjoy themselves for a long time playing with a plastic bag filled with air and their faces reflect pure joy and fun. In comparison I then think about children who only appreciate the newest smartphone as their favourite toy and if it does not have the newest games installed then still something is missing and wrong and worth complaining about.

Passengers traveling between smaller villages and the capital talk lively to each other: they joke about fellow travelers who have escaped the rain, complain together about the reckless driver, argue passionately about the correct price, comment on the football match on the radio etc. People sharing a ride are helpful, compassionate and kind. Two weeks ago I forgot my phone into a minibus while going to Bluesky and I discovered it just when someone was calling Siisi from my phone. It came out that the guy who found my phone wanted to return it and we managed to arrange a meeting for the next morning in Nansana. In the evening I called him once again to confirm the meeting and was waiting and a bit nervous next morning. The first thing that the helpful man told me was that I seemed to have been very stressed about loosing my phone. Apparently one could notice that from my several phone calls and impatience when he arrived at the meeting point some twenty minutes later. He was just glad that he could help me. Contradicting all prejudice, he did not ask for money nor did he want to marry me. As a sign of gratitude I gave him a small amount of shillings, thanked him several times, and almost gave him a hug but this would not be very appropriate in a public place around here.

In general, displaying emotions seems to be more natural and genuine in Uganda compared to other countries I have lived in and this is seen at various occasions. At a dance show in Kampala you see people clapping, shouting and laughing a lot more and my clumsy experiments of speaking luganda are usually met with giggling from the locals. At the same time I know that they are surprised that I want to learn their language and they are glad when I have mastered another word or new phrase. These giggles are not meant to be insulting in any way and I would say that I rather feel supported and helped in learning the language.

Somehow the volunteers have been infected by the happiness as well and slowly we have learned to appreciate and enjoy things that otherwise are just seen as normal. After a day without electricity (no-power-day) we shout with joy when the living room lamp shines bright again. After spending some nights at Bluesky school I enjoy the running water in the UPA guesthouse, although it is still rather cold and refreshing. At the same time, it is not only modern conveniences that we miss or enjoy because I feel that also in my everyday journeys I observe and see the surroundings more and laugh and smile at small things happening around me.

I really like how students and teachers at Bluesky share their happiness while working together, talking to each other during weaving or painting and listening to music. There is something in it besides the words that are heard, it is a feeling of enjoying working and being together. But of course I also want to understand the content of the talk and thus, I shall continue eagerly with learning luganda. Njagala okuyiiga oluganda!

Children at Bluesky kindergarten.

UPA Silver Jubilee

13. septembril pidas Uganda Pioneers Association oma 25ndat sünnipäeva. UPA on minu vastuvõttev organisatsioon Ugandas ning tegeleb üldiselt vabatahtlike koordineerimisega erinevatesse projektidesse. Lisaks siinsele nö peastaabile on UPA-l kokku kaheksa osakonda erinevates Uganda osades ja vabatahtliku töö projektidesse kaasatakse nii kohalikke kui välismaa vabatahtlikke.

Teadsin üritusest nii palju, et alustatakse kell 8 rongkäiguga peopaika, kus erinevad organisatsioonid end tutvustada saavad, pakutakse tasuta HIV-testimist ja nõustamist, vähiuuringuid ja lisaks peetakse palju kõnesid. Pea kõik UPA vabatahtlikud olid hommikul külalistemaja ette end kella kaheksaks valmis sättinud, mis ilmselgelt näitas, et me pole veel täielikult siinse eluga kohanenud, sest esimesi liikumise märke hakkas tekkima poole üheksa paiku. Maja ette sõitis minibuss, kust ronis välja terve puhkpilliorkester koos pillidega ning keegi ei saanud aru, kuidas nad sinna kõik ära mahtusid. Vaikselt hakkas punastes UPA logoga särkides rongkäik liikuma ja järgmised tund aega veetsime kõrvetava päikese käes edasi sammudes. Kõige toredam oli seejuures tekkinud võimalus ümbrust vabalt pildistada, sest rongkäigu keskel ei märka keegi üht fotoaparaati, kuid tänaval üksi liikudes on endal ka imelik tunne kui järsku seisma jääd ja kellegi majast pilti teed.

Peamise osa juubeliürituse programmist võtsid enda alla kõned erinevate projektiparnerite, vabatahtlike ja UPA liikmete poolt. Lisaks esitati tradistioonilisi tantse ja muusikat, söödi sünnipäevatorti ja näidati UPA tegemistest valminud dokumentaalfilmi.

Minu klõpse saab vaadata siin

Rongkäigust õnnestus isegi paar lühikest klippi teha

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On the 13^th of September we celebrated the silver jubilee of Uganda Pioneers Association. UPA is my hosting organisation in Uganda and it generally coordinates volunteers into different projects and NGOs within the local communities. Besides the central administration and guesthouse, UPA has eight branches in different districts in Uganda and they involve both local and international volunteers in their projects and workcamps.

I had the information that the event will start at 8 am from the guesthouse with marching (with a brass band!) to the event location where different partner organisations have the chance to introduce themselves, free HIV-testing and counceling and cancer screenings will be offered and of course a significant number of speeches will be held. Almost all of the UPA volunteers had gathered in front of the guesthouse by 8 am and this was certainly a clear sign that we are not very well adapted to the life around here because there were first signs of movement only at about half past eight. A minibus arrived and suddenly the yard was filled with members of a brass band and their instruments – nobody really understood how they all managed to fit into the small bus but let's call it a small everyday miracle. Slowly the group of people all dressed in red UPA t-shirts started moving and the next hour was spent walking towards the event location under bright and burning sunshine. The best hing about he procession was the option to freely take a lot of pictures of the surroundings because in the middle of all the music and marching, nobody notices one extra camera. When walking alone on the streets, it still feels weird to take pictures of random houses and people while they are going on with their daily business.

The largest part of the jubilee program was taken up by speeches from different project partners, volunteers and UPA members. There was also some traditional dancing and music, a big birthday cake for everyone and the presentation of a documentary about the work of UPA.

Here are the pictures I took

  

And I even managed to record a bit of the procession:

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