Past the midpoint...

Well we’ve passed the half way point and it’s hard to believe! In some ways it feels like I’ve been in Uganda for years, in other ways it seems like I just arrived yesterday. I’m still surprised at how at home I feel here. I expected to be much more apprehensive, more on edge, and totally unsure about myself and my surroundings. The people here have really made me feel at home and seem to sense when you need a word of reassurance or a good laugh. Humour is plentiful here in Uganda and even better when it’s at your own Mzungu expense!

My practicum placements continue to challenge, inspire, and motivate me on a daily basis. I’m placed at Uganda Cares- an HIV/AIDS testing and treatment centre that is located on the Masaka Hospital grounds. The centre serves at least 250 clients per day and I’ve seen days where they’ve recorded over 500. I work mainly with the counselors who do various types of counselling- medication adherence, pre ART (antiretroviral therapy) initiation, sex education, pre and post testing, discordant couples (one person is positive, one negative) etc. It’s been so interesting to see the various techniques and skills they employ and the huge impact they have on their clients. I’ve seen so many things that would never be done in Canada, completely unconventional tactics, but they always seem to meet the client’s needs. They have really thrown me into the deep end, so to speak. One my second day I was brought into a room of 60 couples, given a box full of condoms and an “apparatus”, and told to lead the clients through a condom demonstration. I wish I could have a picture of my face at that moment. On a more serious note, in my second week the counselor was needed in the triage department and I was given a stack of test results to deliver. I wanted to wait for the counselor to come back to ensure I delivered the results correctly and in the appropriate manner. I sat waiting with the results, having 5 faces looking back at me. I tried to explain that I had to wait for the counselor to return. She was probably gone for 10 minutes but it seemed like an eternity, and probably more so to the clients I’m sure. When she returned I proceeded to give the results. They clients received the results in a very unemotional way, whether they were positive or negative. I asked the counselor about this and she plainly remarked that to them this was a very normative experience that often becomes part of their daily life. It can get quite overwhelming to see the hundreds of people coming through the doors-adults, older adults, youth, and many, many infants. Parent to child transmission is the most prevalent mode of HIV transmission. Whenever I start to feel despair over the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Uganda I remind myself that having centres like Uganda Cares is helping to combat this epidemic and that with each client we get the opportunity to test, treat, and offer compassion and support.

My second practicum, Child Restoration Outreach (C.R.O) is an organization for street youth. Many children in Uganda leave their homes due to abuse, extreme poverty, and wanting to earn a wage being employed by the many child labour industries. Contrary to popular belief, my own included, these children often have families and are not truly orphaned. CRO believes that a child’s place is with their families, if it is a safe environment, and work to provide counselling to the children and their families, provide school fees for the children, and have started initiating income generating grants to families. The kids are incredibly tough and have clearly suffered intense trauma in their short lives. The kids range from 5-19 and have amazing stories to tell, if you spend the time to get to know them and earn their trust. I’m still struggling to find my place at the centre and determining what my contribution can be. After having some difficult days witnessing some difficult situations I’ve discussed developing some educational resources for the staff. CRO is a very high stress and intense environment, for staff and children. I’m excited at the idea of gathering resources on childhood trauma, dealing with aggression and conflict, and team building that I can bring to the staff to start some dialogue on how the organization can work towards their goal of providing and safe and supportive environment for these kids.

Each day I’m reminded of the guiding principles of the Uganda Project. I have truly come here as a learner and I get overwhelmed by the amount I am learning each day. I’m learning about Uganda-the culture, the land, the people, the social issues, about myself, and about our society back in Canada. I’m constantly considering opposite sides of an issue or a thought, trying to comprehend the Ugandan and the Canadian contexts. Having money for school fees or to start up a small income generating enterprise is a huge barrier. The issue of illiteracy is highlighted in almost every situation I come into contact with. These are things that are taken for granted in the Western world. But then I think about the capacities and gifts that are so abundant here in Ugandan. Their ability to survive using only the materials and resources present in their own country, the pure ambition and resourcefulness of people, and their genuine gratitude for life’s simplest but greatest pleasures-food, water, and the love of friends and family.

When I think about the short time we have left I’m immediately filled with great sadness. I know I will leave Uganda with so many memories, lessons, and more questions than when I arrived. I can’t wait to see what the next half of this journey has in store….