Safety In Learning

So Tomorrow I will be back in San Diego! It feels good to be home! But I want to capture a few changes.

The old Classroom Block...



Now, The New classroom Block...


Phase One is Complete!

The Team...


The other team member, Robert:


Our Inspiration...


Oh, and my commute to work... I had 20 books in that backpack, no helmet, 140 mph, & potholes...



And last but not least, the HOTEL...




Thank You Everyone for Your Support, Prayers, and Understanding! A little and a lot of LOVE can go a long way!

-Janice

Yes, it is weird.  Several days ago, I went to Jinja and sat at Bugali Falls and watch about 1,000 Vampire Bats fly around the falls.  Was the oddest scene.  The Falls were beautiful and the vampire bats were just interesting.  However, the water cleaned my spirit.  The funniest thing when we got there was that we asked these kids how to get to the falls.  Then the kids showed us this path which we later figured out was the one the villagers use to go get water and wash their clothes.  So we went straight to the falls and just sat for hours.  The kids sat there and told us about the demons that live at the falls.  There is a witch that comes out of the water and knocks down buildings and shakes them.  The kids saw the witch come and eat a villager that was doing bad things.  They had me believing by the end!  Was so interesting. 

So here are picks from Bugali Falls:

Then this is from the "Source of the Nile" a.k.a. some European explorer came and said this is the source of the nile and now they charge you to go see this very boring place.  Hint, don't waste your money.

 

 

Our tour guides with my partner in crime, Don

:

 Ok, so things are moving!  Love for everyone! -Jan

So Hope Has been Restored and Adjustments made and things are slowly moving forward!

A very nice British gentleman that I met in Kampala has generously donated 50 books for Olya's first library. 
He also donated 2 solar mobiles of the planets .  The problem now comes in that the rooves are so leaky, I need to find some way for  the school to be able to store the materials so that the books don't get wet!

Also, we have had a chalk donation which should hold the teachers for quite a while.

Lastly, my friend has paid for all the initial school surveying and drawings so project funds are still waiting for construction.  

So now we have chosen a great contractor.  I met several companies through friends and we have received a great price on everything.  After several estimates this contractor has been the cheapest by far and I know he will make sure that the work is quality and no cheap materials.  After seeing so many shady brick operations, you really have to go with someone you know because you never know where they are getting their materials.   First phase of construction will address important issues like:

The Roof is Rotting and Collapsing- 

 

Dirt Floors to Sit on During Class:

Collapsing Walls covered with Bullet Holes:

 

The Building is Sinking:

 

So the dilemma comes in that the substructure, the flooring, and the roof must be done at the same time.

To stop the sinking you have to knock out the front and back will which is crumbling anyway so you have to replace that but you need to put in the floor with it and if you are putting in a floor then you can't have a leaky roof.

So it is a combination that can't be separated.  If I could do just one piece and wait for later funding I would but it isn't possible.  

Ok, I am just hoping that funding comes through since I have promised the school and the community that construction would begin.  

So many things to think about!

-Janice 

So first, I must apologize for all the unanswered emails. I really appreciate all the warm thoughts.

So for every good thing something equally bad has happened. I guess I will go in chronological order.

July 24 (Tues) Sent the last email "Breakdown"!

July 25 (Wed) The driver and I were heading to Atiak to meet all the school’s parents and firm up prices on sand and aggregates when suddenly the steering and breaks gave out on the car. Miraculously we did not hit the school children we were heading for but then we hit a pothole and the van flipped. I was the first to hit down and I hit my head on the glass before it broke out of the window. The driver braced himself against the roof and door so that he wouldn't fall on me and push me through the glass.

So NO WORRIES- I am ok! I may or may not have had a concussion but have no headache now. But as we all knno, medical care is LIMITED! So the guy pulled me out of the van and he cut his arms up but no glass even cut me. A massive group of villagers had formed and they were literally carrying me. I was in shock with 50 peoplehovering over me staring and screaming. Then this woman started unbuttoning my shirt so that I was half naked in front of everyone as she starts feeling all over me while others were fanning me. WAS SO SO SO CRAZY!!!!! So my immediate concern was my friend that was driving and he was freaking out. So I basically jumped up to button my clothes and walk around . Soon after I rushed to the back of the store to start crying. Was very traumatic!!! I have never been in an accident like that. We knew the van was out of control then just had to wait for the collision.

Suddenly, when the van was flipping, it was like slow motion and I just thank God that I am okay. So Martin, came and I got in the back of the car and, guess what, that car got a flat tire on the way to Gulu. So at that point I just got out and started walking. After the trauma, I just started walking for 40 minutes to a friends house across town while crying. You can imagine how many people stared. So when I got there, I could barely see from the headache so they fixed lots of food and tea and just really took care of me. Thank God they didbecause I didn’t know where else to go! So they killed a cock in my honor for surviving the accident and invited friends to celebrate. So I ate then slept, then ate then slept then ate then slept. I couldn't stand watching the chicken being killed after the accident however I had to eat some in order to show my thanks. Ok, I have been a vegetarian my WHOLE LIFE basically! Eating chicken that day was interesting. The most important thing is the gesture which was one of the nicest things I have ever experienced. I barely know them but they gave what little they had to nurse me back to health.

The driver later told me later that if we had hit the kids they probably would have beaten us to death right there. So thank God, we are alive but the van is out of commission. Big problems there!

July 26th (Thurs) I rested and found this German doctor named "Jan" at Gulu Hospital. He said that no machine in Gulu could give me a proper X-ray, so for more medical care, I'd have to go to Kampala. Mind you that I am Very sore with a major headache. So I rested in order to stand the bus ride needed to make it to Kampala on Friday.

July 27th (Fri) I get a call at 5am that my friends hosting me in Kampala just had their baby at 4am. Baby Annique! She is so so so Beautiful!!! So amazing how you can be dealing with life and death so close together here! So I decide that I must rush back to Kampala. So I take 8 Alieve, give my stuff to a friend for safekeeping while I am gone, then jump on a bus for Kampala. Of course I get the last seat between 2 women with kids, which is why it was the last seat. So it is hot! And one child starts vomiting on the way home but we all becamefriends and I enjoyed a nice share of "Mogo" or grilled cassava on the way home. So upon arriving at the bus park, I saw lots of suspected pick pockets out so I jetted for the one Boda Boda (motorcycle taxi) and told him to hurry out of there. Of course while I am on the motorcycle in traffic this guy tries to go in my bag and I grabbed his arm and threw him back. I swear I am getting tougher! So then the driver floored it and I flew up to Parliamentary Ave and waited at a local cafe for my friend Don, so we could head to the hospital. So 8 more Alieve later, I made it so I could receive more headache meds. You don't need prescriptions here for medicines so the pharmacist gave me some nice painkillers for a low price. Luckily they didn't make me sick. So at the hospital, I held the baby and enjoyed the family. Was so nice!

July 28th and 29th (Sat and Sun) The woman that helps at the house and I cooked and cooked and cooked and prepared for the return of the baby and visitors. Saturday night I took my computer to the local internet cafe and plugged it in directly to the server at midnight in order to download the needed items to get all the viruses off of my computer. Usually at the cafes one server connection is spread over many computers but I enjoyed the fastest bandwidth in Uganda which still took 4 hours to download the virus software patches. Afterwards I sprinted home and received the call from San Diego that I had been waiting for. The Uganda event sounded lovely and I was able to present about the school. Luckily my presentation successfully arrived in Tim’s email so that people at the event could get powerpoint visuals of the school.

So Sunday, I decided to head back to Gulu on Wednesday in order to go meet the parents and sure up details regarding construction plans in Gulu. The baby comes home and life is well post accident!

July 30th (Mon) Immigration Round 3- So when I entered the country they said I could only stay 1 month despite having a visa. Well yesterday was the one month and negotiations proceeded for 3 hours. GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRR- It is so tiring to fight to stay in a country in which you have a visa.

July 31st (Tues)- I met with the contractors early Tuesday morning and the drawings for the school are perfect while all the information is correct. Everything was perfect in the meeting until I realized that the first phase will cost $13,000. AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I don’t have enough money. So you all may have ideas on how to cut corners but they have all been cut. The current structure is old and the front and back walls have to be knocked out and rebuilt. I was hoping we could build on top but there is no way we can secure those walls enough to hold windows. In order to put in a proper floor that won't be cracked with further sinking we have to secure the building underneath with cement that goes into the grown so it won't sink further then we can lay concrete floors. There are measures to stop water from seeping into the floor and bricks as well. Quality concrete and brick measures are included.

There are so many shady brick and cement operations here. The door guard to my building is making bricks across the way on someone else's land by mixing dirt he digs up with a little bit of concrete then basically baking them in a fire he makes with scrap wood. I need certified bricks!

Then we have to put in the ring beam and replace the roofing timbers. The labor costs are really low it is just the fact that the building is unstable, old, and lots of work needs to be done.

So I was hoping to start and now

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Major, Major Hurdle!!! So basically I have spent 2 days in thought thinking, I need more money and all I can do is beg from Kampala.

So I am crushed!

Aug 1st (Wed) My friend that just had the baby is having complications and I have been helping with the baby as much as possible. My mom is definitely laughing imagining me taking care of the baby everyday. But I walk the baby around the house and burp her and help bath her. She is so so so Beautiful and I feel so lucky to be here during this time! My friends parents have both passed away so I am glad that I am here to help.

So Today August 2nd, I am still thinking. I have learned more in 1 month in Uganda than I could have ever imagined. Really my experience has taught me more than I could have ever imagined. I just pray that I can figure out something but major hurdles come regularly here.

So I stand strong but in thought at the moment!

Love for everyone!

And I receive so many phone calls, it makes me feel so loved.

Ok, Hugs,

Me

A Picture of Classroom Block Four to Be Rebuilt by the Safety in Learning Project:

Classroom Block Four is currently being used as the secondary school but the students have found a better block of classrooms and the primary school students will be able to use these classrooms soon.

So upon coming to Uganda, I said that I would focus on the good things but the good is being covered by the bad every time I walk through the camps. I woke up thinking about all the babies I saw with flies on their heads, the 12 year old girl with puss oozing out of the open wound on her leg, and the babies with yellow hair from malnutrition.  The corruption, the mismanagement, and the disaster and for the first time, I wanted on a bus to Kampala. I have become completely disgusted!  Really, I am yelling and crying into the computer, DISGUSTED!!!!!!!!!  

My first mistake:
Don't go to war torn countries by yourself.  It seems as if no one blinks at the death and starvation as we all walk through the camps together.  I guess you must adjust.  You see people visiting like the camps are a tourist attraction and maybe I am one of the visitors.  IDP Camp tourism!!!  They come to look or maybe just to go to brave a trip to Gulu but they don't bring projects. If you aren't going to bring help or plan for help then STAY HOME!!!! 

I am happy when I am with the kids but the struggles to get to them are enormous.  It costs $70 a trip to Atiak from Gulu.  All materials will have to be transported there from either Gulu or Kampala.  Demand is so high b/c of Juba so there are no negotiations on pricing.  My money seems
like only pennies considering the costs of transport.  I wanted to cover the bullet holes in the walls of the buildings but I won’t have money.  All I can afford to do after the cost of materials and transport (and that will be stretching my pennies as far as they can go) is to just stabilize the building infrastructure so that it doesn't fall down before I return next time.  

A veranda to stop the building from sinking and to help with erosion, suspension to stop the further cracking of the bricks, a ring beam to hold the walls up, and new timber for the rotted rafters. We will reuse the tin.  The bullet holes will remain, rain will still enter the school b/c the walls are not that tall so it can blow in, and the kids will have to sit on the red dirt floors till next time.  

So what will I really be contributing?  I think all I have to give is for the kids to know that someone from the U.S. cares enough to spend the 3-5 hours journeying to their school on the border every week just to touch them, hug them, and play with them.  I will not even touch their desperation, bring uniforms, or be able to bring medicine to kill the ringworms that cover the bodies of so many kids.

What happened?  
How did this all begin?  Even when the war ends, the desperation and destruction will continue to linger until more people come here to make positive change?  
When our vehicle got stuck on the road with the other 30 buses on the way to Atiak, I just started walking! 
For 8 miles, I calculated 12 minute miles so maybe an hour and a half.  I walked the path of many IDPs that spend one whole day walking to Gulu in order to get materials.  Also the same route of the military, the rebels and many of those that suffered before.  I started to think about the many horrors suffered along that same path and "Luckily" a truck of soldiers passed by and I sat on the back of the truck holding onto the oil drum.  You have to do the best you can when you have no choice.  I walked about 1 1/2 miles then they drove me about 5 miles. 
We walked another 1/2 mile and then the van which was stuck behind so many buses in the mud managed to break through and catch up with us during the last mile.  You know people stopped me on that walk to say they had seen me in Atiak and thanked me for walking with them.  "Thank
you for walking! Seems so powerful right now!  Maybe that is what I am contributing, just walking with the people through the struggles while not giving up! 

Maybe that is something, and after this outburst I will return to finish writing my speech to be used as I meet the entire Atiak community tomorrow.
With love I send you this message!
-Jan

So I have returned to Gulu for what was supposed to be a permanent stay but nothing is permanent here.

I just try to sustain a constant flow!

Major disappointments have come and I am feeling very down:

1) Someone tried to steal my wallet yesterday before getting on the bus. There was a major traffic jam so we just got out of the car and let a friend drive it home. As I went to put my bag on, some guy hit me which is normal in busy Kampala but luckily I figured out what was going on and realized he had stolen my wallet out of my pocket. So I started yelling b/c I had heard that people don't want attention on their crimes. So I started running after him yelling and he threw the wallet at the car. Whew- God was with me. Did I mention that it was pouring down rain! So one attempted robbery and one pick-pocket survived. Thank God!

2) I went to connect with another Non-Profit (AFLI) and fell down the hill because the road was so eroded. I now have a black knee to add onto my numerous bruises sustained during public transportation.

3) I ran out of money today because I had a crease in my 2004 brand new $100 bills. No one in Gulu would exchange them and the pick pocket incident held me up so I didn't make it to the Forex in Kampala. Luckily the brand new Stanbic Bank just started accepting international bank cards a few weeks ago.

4) I have worked tirelessly to get the ever increasing number of viruses off of my laptop but the internet connections are not strong enough to download the update packs for my virus protection so everytime I get enough downloaded to get one off another one shows up. So I haven't been able to get pictures on the website. I have pictures from my meetings with the Attiak Kingdom and School board but my computer won't recognize the scandisk card and the office can't find the camera cable. So things are moving but slowly.

5) The surveyor was supposed to arrive today but no one can get in touch with him. He left early for Gulu but we are praying there was no accident b/c it is 4pm and we have heard nothing.

6) Prices for materials here have skyrocketed because of Juba, Sudan. Trips from Gulu to Atiak cost $70 in gas and materials must be transported to and from. I am waiting for exact pricings but I am already afraid to see.

7) There are concerns as to whether the infrastructure of the building is good enough to sustain construction which is why I need special diagnosis from Kampala. If the infrastructure is not sturdy enough we need to see how to save some of the building but the erosion around the building is bad. The wood has rotted. I just want to know something quickly so I can adjust plans but things are moving slowly.

8) I bought soccer balls for the kids that are pretested but half wouldn't hold the air. Conmen everywhere.

Ok, the surveyor just got into Gulu 4 1/2 hours later. I need to run get him. We will go diagnosis the structure officially tomorrow.

Thank you for the warm thoughts everyone.

With Love,
Janice

Sending love from Kampala!  I warn you that this email is so so so sad!!!
I have returned to Kampala from the North and yesterday I bordered on speechless.  My mom called and I really just wanted to cry.  Walter said that Olya Primary School sat outside of the "market-center." Upon arriving in Atiak which = a tragic vestige of a town that may have existed 20 years ago, I couldn't stop laughing.  I laughed because I could have NEVER imagined so much tragedy.  I expected wood stands selling fruits and vegetables like in Kampala but instead we were greeted by an 8-year old girl that stood in the middle of the road and refused to remove herself.  I think it was the only way she could communicate with the foreigners coming in that at the age of 8-years old she just wanted to die.  And might I add that trucks pass that point regularly at no less than 80mph.  It was definitely not a place that a child should be waiting
in the middle of the road.
We passed the "market" and turned into the school compound while kids tried to throw each other in front of our moving vehicle.  I just didn't know what to say at that point.  Two things bothered me A) that the
kids thought that was funny and B) that playing in front of cars is one of the few things for kids to do while they "play". There are NO toys.  
So we got out of the car and I looked at the school.  Thousands of bullet holes in the side of the buildings.  Burnt trucks on the side of the road. 
Monuments to massacres dating back to the 1980s.  No floors, Leaky roofs, and children just rolling in the dirt for fun.  Oh, my heart hurts as I recount.  
There is constant talks of a soon to be peace agreement but the Acholi people are worse off this year than last. However, many people that have lived through the war think things are getting better.  I think the animals that feed in the pasture might have a better life than the people.  The community has been broken.  Capacity lost.  The will to live is gone.  
We talk about attacks that happened in 99,01, 03, but those attacks are rarely mentioned because the suffering of the Acholi people started with Amin. That is when the killing started then Obote caused tension with the Langi then Okello and the instability then Museveni which immediately led into the UPDF and the rebels.  When people talk of the killing, they start with Amin and move to the present day.

People tell me of when Amin's soldiers came in to loot and they couldn't pick up the babies so the soldiers just shot them in the house.  Then Museveni came to power and instability increased.  The Acholi are fighters so everyone is a suspect.  There seems to be a very fine line in the mind of many Ugandans separating the Acholi and the rebels. 

Most Ugandans refuse to visit Gulu.  There are tribal stories told by those in the West Nile and by the Langi that justify the continued persecution of the Acholi tribe but my response is always that death is death and I can't support it.  I refuse to get involved in the tribal
politics.  I am here to help!

Actually, if you are involved in politics, you will get nowhere.  I have learned to talk less and listen more.  

So who are the Rebels?  The "Rebels" are sort of a gang of traveling units.  I have heard numerous stories of the rebels just moving through Gulu.  They would just pop out of bushes as people walked home from school in the early 1980s and kill them.  Seems like almost every adult
has survived numerous attacks in which bullets were fired directly at them.  
The Rebel’s number one priority is to loot and take everything they can.  So they come to loot, rape, abduct,and pillage and then they continue their attempts at destruction until the town has nothing left and they must move on. Now because of the peace talks they are wearing civilian clothes so you don't know who they are.

People do not feel safe because you never know where the rebels are even today.  People in Lira and Pader have returned I hear but the camps above Gulu, not so much.  People go to the villages during the day to work the land but return to sleep in the camps at night.  As soon as the talks fall they could immediately be around you and start attacking.  And even if peace returns then "What?"  You can't return to your home because there are no schools, no boreholes, the springs could be dry.  Sadly, the services are in the camps. 
Oh, things are Awful!!!!  And the worst is that many people don't know anything but the camps anymore.  It as if that is normal.  People don't know life outside of that.  Really, the only answer is education in my opinion.  The kids need to learn what "Hope" "Goals" and a "Future" is.  There is no concept of the "Future".  You just scavenge for today.

I met mothers that are caring for 7-10 kids at age 15, 16, 17 yrs old.  There is zero support, no one to help, no support, just sadness.  Literally, the saddest thing was at the end of the day of meeting people in the camp my hand just smelled of urine.  There is not enough water, soap, and latrines so sanitation is far from a concern.  It is just surviving day to day.  

We went to Pabbo and there were 3 boys about the age of 1 years old.  Of course naked because you don't get rags to wear until you are 3/4 yrs. old and they were just rolling in the dirt in the middle of the road.  After they added on additional layers of dirt, each of them just started covering there body with dirt then uncovering then covering.  This continued for 30 minutes and I did not know what to do.  No one was watching them and nothing to play with in the middle of the road.  Finally, just because I couldn't help myself, I picked all of them up and put them on the side of the road and gave them 2 empty water bottles to put dirt in.  That is all I had to offer.  
Prices are a lot more expensive so I am re-budgeting and restructuring and trying to get construction started next week. A long shot!  Things are at least moving.
Luckily, I really like the driver, Robert.  He has really showed me some interesting things so far.  We went to an Acholi concert and one singer sang a song about being an orphan.  Another sang about the destruction of the kids within the IDP camps.  Then another artist sang about how God is great but could he have mercy on the Acholi. The artists had amazing talent but about half the songs were about problems the war had brought upon the people.  But what a powerful experience!

Oh, the emotional energy spent on this email is tiring.  Hopefully, my next emails will focus on happier things and all the wonderful people I meet. And people all over Uganda are very nice but people in Gulu are especially nice.  
Ok, love to all.  Miss you!  -Jan 

So I finally have launched the blog!!!

You have no idea what an accomplishment this is...

After several computer viruses, slow internet, no internet, and an inability to connect to multiple servers in the U.S. we are here. This has left me with limited time to say anything besides the fact that things are moving quickly!

I am well!

-Janice

Ok, I had a GREAT TIME IN KENYA!!!  

One unsuccessful robbery attempt but most of us have been robbed in DC and conmen/weirdos exist everywhere but it is still funny.  Oh, and I went to Kibara (the village/slums in the movie the Constant Gardner).  The driver drove me through for a bit. Over the horizon Kibara lasts as far as the eye can see.  The untold story is that Kibara is outside Langata and Karen where all the tourist sites and rich Westerners and Kenyans live.  The servants live in Kibara and take the bus in to work for the nonprofits.  Of course everyone does not work for the nonprofits but a lot do.  Many are just unemployed or street peddlers, etc. 
So I took the bus for 14 hours to Uganda yesterday and have already been flooded with info in Kampala.  I met a very nice Ugandan that has been studying in Holland.  

 
Ugandans are suffering as dollars artificially flood into Uganda which has rapidly dropped the dollar/shilling exchange rate.  CHOGM and Juba trade has rapidly increased dollars into Uganda but this will not sustain that long so the Ugandan government has begun to slowly increase the exchange rate.  I hope it happens soon because I received USH1590/$1 compared to USH1800/$1 last year.  So everyone is getting shilling before another 400 million pours in for the commonwealth meetings.  I was told to exchange everything quickly.
Also, the people from Karamoja have flooded into Kampala and are living in the streets.  Lots of street kids!   
The woman that works at the house I am staying at is from Lira. She has left her 2 year old son to work in Kampala.  Something about being here, the presence of God or spirituality overwhelms you.  You are either hearing about church or hearing calls from the Mosque.  Everyone has had at least one immediate family member die which is often a brother or sister.  Very powerful to hear so many sad stories but they are discussed like everyday news.  But many of the people I left last year have yet to find sustainable employment.  Despite being broke, I am usually the one with money because at least I have some unlike so many.  

And immigration has caused problems for me in Kenya and Uganda.  Despite having a 6 month visa, they only gave me 1 month and say I have to apply to stay longer.  I am sure for another $50 I an stay for 90 days.  But of course there is an official process in which I just happen to fall into.  Payback for America's immigration process.  
Now, political talk shows are the thing here.  People are getting political.  Talk is good.  Oh, and I roasted groundnuts today.  We are making groundnut sauce tonight.  Malakwang = Yum!!!
Ok, that is the biz!!!