Busy Times

Last week, an IDIWA field officer and I went to Bulamagi to see the effects of community members putting their agricultural training into practice. As predicted, every single person had planted several gardens, and all crops have begun to germinate (except for maize which will be planted at a later season). The biggest problem takes a very tiny form: greedy little chickens that peck out the seeds and sprouts.

Additionally, I am currently working on developing a website for IDIWA which is sloooow going, and considering this is the second week Iganga has not had internet, not the smartest task I could have chosen! But, it is definitely beginning to take shape and great fun to run around and take pictures of staff members, doing whatever it takes (usually something embarrassing) to force them to smile (most Ugandans refuse to smile in photos which has posed great difficulty in trying to make IDIWA seem like a place people actually like to work at). I also recently found out that a grant I had written a few weeks back to triple my current agriculture project has been funded! So basically…busy times ahead!

It would be a mark of disrespect to not mention the three bombs detonated in Kampala (the capital of Uganda) on the night of the final World Cup game; as of now the death toll comes to over 70 people. The effects are felt far beyond this number, as Kampala is a popular area to say the least, and everyone has connections there. All Ugandans I have spoken to know somebody who was there that night, if they weren’t in fact there themselves. As an outsider here, I can’t give much meaningful commentary other than what I’ve observed from friends, my host family, co-workers, and strangers. Reactions have been varied: shock, indifference, anger, fear, and especially, a deep sadness. As one of my co-workers exclaimed when I came into work that week, “Today I am in mourning for my brothers and sisters…all of my Ugandan brothers and sisters.”

Highlight of the Week(s)!

Last weekend (now two weekends ago, sorry!) all the FSD interns went to Sipi Falls, a beautiful, lush, and mountainous area of Uganda known for its incredible waterfalls. Words can only say so much, so I will only give a few: MUD, MUD, MUD! The pictures can take care of the rest…