Today in Kampala: compliments, meetings, old friends, urban gardens & elephants
Today was the first day I got to catch up with my friends at MAWDA and TWG (the two women’s groups we work with).
I was greeted with the compliment ‘Wow, you have grown fat’ (this really is a compliment!)...which was nicely counter balanced with ‘But you look so young’. Thanks ladies!
Most of our morning was taken up planning our skills training project but then I went to Bwaise to catch up with Regina, Rukia and Robina.
Things have changed a little around this part of Bwaise – the government finally seem to be taking some action to stop the flooding that occurs several times a year with heavy rains and the drainage system can’t handle it.
There are little pockets of green popping up all around the community. This is an ‘urban tower garden’ funded by the Belgium govt. as part of a Kampala integrated environment management project.
They’re pretty awesome – once built I am told that a ‘tower’ like this can produce enough food to supplement five families diets for up to three years! They are easy to look after requiring little watering or weeding – easily managed by even those that are frail.
They cost around £84 pounds to build - the most expensive part is getting the delivery of nutrition rich soil.
Regina and Rukia report that the gardens have transformed the diet of their extended families “we can now have fresh vegetables and make ‘sauce’ everyday where we used to only eat matoke or posho" said Regina "It is so good for the children to have fresh food and it tastes better too"
Only a few women were able to benefit from the pilot project though 12 other women have received training but don’t have the funds to buy the materials and seeds they need to start their garden…..could this be the start of another awamu project!
Regina took me to meet Jaliya from school. Jaliya and Regina are the people that inspired us to set up awamu.
Jaliya is the first child we supported and now she is happily living with Regina and has just moved up to class P4.
She is getting some of the best grades in her school - she came 2nd in class! We are incredibly proud of her hard work.
Work has already started on our new products – good news for those that are waiting for elephants – they are almost ready to make their journey to the UK!
More from me tomorrow!
I have put a few more pictures on our facebook page for you.
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