Written by Nicole Mills while in Uganda-
Today we made rounds in the Banda Ghetto. When we first arrived the sight, sounds and smells were all too familiar and yet they seemed from a time long ago. Much as changed, but at the end of the day it was all still the same. As we walked to a meeting building I began to recognize faces of children I knew all those years ago.
Some were barely recognizable, others almost the exact same. We arrived at a small concrete building in the middle of the ghetto with blue window panes and metal shutters (no glass). We began to have rehearsals with the youth girls who will perform a dance on Saturday at the feeding as a way of entertainment. They youth boys will perform a skit. As they were practicing the smaller children were outside the window using old water bottles and jerry cans to slide down a hill of dirt (like sledding on snow). They love cheesing for the camera and get so excited when you show them the result on the screen. "Again, again, me too!" they shout. they are such beautiful children.
After rehearsals we made our rounds to people that had needs. The last time I was here I created a very strong connection with this one particular girl named Prossy. She would always sit on my lap when we would come do programs so we decided to go to her house and see her. When we got there, however we found out that she had been sent to the village for Christmas and wouldn't be back till it was time to go back to school, which isn't until the end of the month. I was crushed! I did get to meet her mom, Margret, sister, Mary, and little brother, Ben, who was wearing a green and white checkered dress (they wear what they can find, but it was still funny). They were such a sweet family, but I was sad to not see Prossy. We also got to go see a three day old baby whos sister is Fatuma, the young girl we paid to have surgery to remove a growth from the underside of her chin. It developed after she had an epileptic spell, fell into a fire and the burns created this abnormality. The new baby's name is Faith and she is TOO cute.
She has long fingers like Fatuma and the same nose as both Fatuma and her mother. I had to administer treatment because her wound has become infected. I think because it is underneath her chin everytime she washes all of the dirt collects there. We will have to put her on antibiotics because the amount of infected puss in the wound was so much to deal with topically.
We then went to a home that a young girl was burning up with fever. Apparently, she had been tested and they knew it was typhoid, but they couldn't afford the medication. She had been burning with the fever for at least three days. For typhoid fever three days can mean the difference between life and death. We immediately went to the local pharmacy and bought a full round of antibiotics and 2 liters of water. In all it cost $5.00 USD and it saved her life.
We made some other stops to the women in the Jeremiah Women Group and small food items like bananas, and kabalagala (spongy banana bread) to help support the women who are so faithful in coming to the meetings. We even got to see a political demonstration/rally/parade through the middle of the ghetto for the upcoming elections. The embassy recommends that foreigners stay away from such demonstrations in case they turn violent, TIA (This Is Africa).
It was an eventful and productive day. It is amazing how so little can do so much here...like the feeding in the ghetto this Saturday. $5,000 USD will feed 5,000 people. That breaks down to $1 per person. It is an amazing way to start the new year. It gives the people hope that THIS year will be different, better. You can donate by going on www.kidsinspire.com and using the paypal links or sending a check to:
KIK
3601 Fowler Dr
Austin TX 78738
Today we made rounds in the Banda Ghetto. When we first arrived the sight, sounds and smells were all too familiar and yet they seemed from a time long ago. Much as changed, but at the end of the day it was all still the same. As we walked to a meeting building I began to recognize faces of children I knew all those years ago.
Some were barely recognizable, others almost the exact same. We arrived at a small concrete building in the middle of the ghetto with blue window panes and metal shutters (no glass). We began to have rehearsals with the youth girls who will perform a dance on Saturday at the feeding as a way of entertainment. They youth boys will perform a skit. As they were practicing the smaller children were outside the window using old water bottles and jerry cans to slide down a hill of dirt (like sledding on snow). They love cheesing for the camera and get so excited when you show them the result on the screen. "Again, again, me too!" they shout. they are such beautiful children.
After rehearsals we made our rounds to people that had needs. The last time I was here I created a very strong connection with this one particular girl named Prossy. She would always sit on my lap when we would come do programs so we decided to go to her house and see her. When we got there, however we found out that she had been sent to the village for Christmas and wouldn't be back till it was time to go back to school, which isn't until the end of the month. I was crushed! I did get to meet her mom, Margret, sister, Mary, and little brother, Ben, who was wearing a green and white checkered dress (they wear what they can find, but it was still funny). They were such a sweet family, but I was sad to not see Prossy. We also got to go see a three day old baby whos sister is Fatuma, the young girl we paid to have surgery to remove a growth from the underside of her chin. It developed after she had an epileptic spell, fell into a fire and the burns created this abnormality. The new baby's name is Faith and she is TOO cute.
We then went to a home that a young girl was burning up with fever. Apparently, she had been tested and they knew it was typhoid, but they couldn't afford the medication. She had been burning with the fever for at least three days. For typhoid fever three days can mean the difference between life and death. We immediately went to the local pharmacy and bought a full round of antibiotics and 2 liters of water. In all it cost $5.00 USD and it saved her life.
We made some other stops to the women in the Jeremiah Women Group and small food items like bananas, and kabalagala (spongy banana bread) to help support the women who are so faithful in coming to the meetings. We even got to see a political demonstration/rally/parade through the middle of the ghetto for the upcoming elections. The embassy recommends that foreigners stay away from such demonstrations in case they turn violent, TIA (This Is Africa).
It was an eventful and productive day. It is amazing how so little can do so much here...like the feeding in the ghetto this Saturday. $5,000 USD will feed 5,000 people. That breaks down to $1 per person. It is an amazing way to start the new year. It gives the people hope that THIS year will be different, better. You can donate by going on www.kidsinspire.com and using the paypal links or sending a check to:
KIK
3601 Fowler Dr
Austin TX 78738
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