Uganda Perspective

Gorillas Earn Uganda Top International Tourist Spot by Lonely Planet

Of all the places in the world, Lonely Planet chose Uganda as THE top tourist destination for 2012. 

It was mainly the attraction of seeing mountain gorillas in their native forests that caused the choice.  CHECK OUT THIS AMAZING VIDEO OF AN ENCOUNTER WITH WILD GORILLAS. But there were the other things as well – the national parks full of wildlife, the good hotels, improved roads, white water rafting on the Nile, climbing to the snowy peaks of the Rwenzori, the safe environment for trekkers and backpackers and the stability of the nation.  This is a major milestone for Uganda which was one of the world’s top tourist destinations before independence in 1960, a status that caused Winston Churchill to call Uganda “The Pearl of Africa.”

Most people following Lonely Planet will most likely spend their time in Uganda with professional tour companies or guides who are highly personable and knowledgeable.  The net experience will be good since the pros understand what it takes to give a pleasing tourist experience. People met along the way will enhance the experience because of course the Ugandan people are naturally welcoming and pleasant. 

But outside of the professional tours, eco-lodges and large urban hotels, I have to say there remains a huge void in hospitality service.  In the last three weeks, frequenting restaurants at all levels, I’ve regularly encountered laziness, resentment and downright stupidity among servers.  One restaurant owner argued with me that I needed to pay in full with my order because the place was often crowded and they couldn’t control people running away without paying.  We were the only people in the place.  One waitress showed me to a table and then pulled out a wet rag to wipe it down, flipping it my way.  While I waited for my table to dry, she came around and draped a table cloth over it and into my lap.  Eventually the coffee came.  Once it did, a guy came around swabbing the floor on his hands and knees, all of which contributed to a delightful breakfast experience.  Like, they couldn’t have been ready for clientele BEFORE the doors opened?

Everyone agrees there needs to be training of hospitality workers but who is to do it if even restaurant owners don’t understand the concept of service?  The owners are often foreign-born Middle-Eastern or Asian who treat their help like cattle and hide behind their cash drawers.  I find it ignorant and deplorable and, even with the immense leeway I give people in Uganda because it’s Uganda, how can people operate with such an innate lack of common sense about service?  Can’t they treat people as they would like to be treated?  A friendly smile, a warm welcome, someone who understands English in this English-speaking country and wishes me a good day… is it too much to ask?  Ask me next trip.

PS:  The next best locations named were Myanmar (Burma), the Ukraine and Jordan.

 

The Power of a Soccer Ball

We are building a soccer pitch in the middle of a moonscape field, in the middle of nowhere.  Why?  Because it will transform a community.  Listen to this:

A few days ago, I was with Headmaster Norman, the guy who has started building this project.  The ground is littered with sharp lava rock, it is uneven, it has potholes.  We were just two guys scoping out the place but I had a soccer ball so we could take some “before” photos of the project.  We were just going to take a few pix, that’s all.  But within seconds of the soccer ball appearing, almost as though an invisible signal had been sent throughout the town, children appeared.  Then a half dozen grownups.  The photos were taken, Norman tossed the ball toward the onlookers and then magic happened.

People started to play. 

Everyone.

Old, young, boys, girls, barefooted, sandaled, dress-shod, the ball darted right and left.  Gaggles of kids chased it when it flew into the bush.  More people joined the game, drawn by the squeals and laughter. Then spectators arrived.  There were no teams, refs, rules or goals but on and on the ball flew, through skirmishes and headers and chases and passes.  The best player was a little barefoot guy dressed in rags.  At the end of an hour, the Headmaster called a truce.  He was worn out and we needed to go.

In that one hour, we affirmed what we knew was there from the beginning: this field in the middle of a subsistence farmer community where people need to struggle just to have a liter of water in the house will be a place of joy and pleasure and a community coming together for generations. It will definitely be part of "saving life."

Want to help fund it?  It will take several hundred truckloads of fill and loam.  Want to come open it in July?  Naming rights to the field are still available.  ou can donate HERE.  If you want to be part of the project, reply to this post.  If you want to have your name on the field, comment here or send an email to info@amagara.org and I will respond to you.

Palestine To Open Embassy in Kampala

See this news story from Uganda's New Vision on 1/8/12

I find this interesting for two reasons.  First,  Museveni seems tohave no problem welcoming a terrorist organization onto Embassy Row even though the al shabbab terrorists killed 80 of his citizens during the last World Cup Finals. Perhaps the Somalis are next.   And second, this is clearly another failure of the Obama foreign policy.  If we had a strong president, he would pressure our allies to shun Palestine as an aggressor nation to Israel just as we have – but then, I guess apparently he doesn’t have the clout or perhaps he doesn’t care or perhaps he doesn’t understand the strategic relationship the U.S. holds with Uganda.

In his defense, Museveni is good at “following the money.”  Mahmoud Abbas looks like a money player, doesn't he?  His Excellency welcomed the Aga Khan when he wanted to build a new hotel in Kampala.  He welcomed Moammar Gadaffi when he wanted to build a $2 billion mosque/university on Old Kampala Hill.  And now he’s welcoming Hamas.  Let’s just see how further abetting the Muslim agenda in Uganda will play out.

Mak U Unveils Electric Car

For anyone who thinks Uganda is some kind of backward African place, check this out. 

Makerere University has successfully tested an electronic vehicle, Kiira EV, manufactured by students of the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology.

Makerere Vice Chancellor, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba who flagged off the car at the college premises described the technological innovation as a historic moment. “It goes on to confirm that Makerere is a top institution,” an all smiles Byaramureeba commented. “When we say Makerere is a great university, you say, ‘are you sure?’ The level of development at Makerere will blow you away. If we keep this up, Makerere will be ranked among the top five universities of the world,” he added.

At the demo, Project Manager Paul Musasizi took to the driver’s seat to embark on the test drive the 1000kg, green two-seater car. The car powered by a 40-amps 64-cells Lithium ion battery snaked out of the college parking yard drove around the university campus, a distance of about four kilometres.

Journalists who gave a chase on foot could not keep up with its pace while those who used their personal cars conceded it was a first runner. “I did perhaps 60kmh,” Musasizi commented afterwards. It’s built to cruise at a speed of 100kmh. The battery can last for a distance of 80km before recharging for 3-4 hours with electric power.

The official explained that choice of the car’s colour, green, was to illustrate the university’s commitment to good environmental practices which include, going green and reducing emissions. The car has zero noise and fumes emissions. “Apart from the stone and iron age, Uganda has been left out. Now we want to have a seat on the electric car bench in the world,” Musasizi remarked.

“I hope I will witness that day when half of Ugandans are driving a car made at Makerere. I hope it will we cost effective. We shall keep improving it. When you look at the benz of 1960 and the one of today, there’s a difference,” Baryamureeba commented. 

And now Uganda has joined Japan, Korea and the U.S. as a leading provider of green technology.  Thanks to New Vision Uganda for the details.

Meet Patrick, the Only Hope for Street Kids in Kabale

You read my piece on street kids in Kabale.  That was the problem.  Here is the solution.  His name is Patrick Tushabomwe and this man is dedicated to getting every street kid off the streets of Kabale.  Estimates are there are only 95 of them so the goal is achieveable but the work will not be easy.

On January 4, Patrick opened The Shepherd Centre in Kabale town, in a rented house, and in the presence of board members, supporters, government officials and clergy.  It was a great event, particularly because there are 14 young boys under his care. The facility offers housing, counseling, parenting.  The kids get to go to school.   It’s a good start.

Patrick’s heart was broken for street kids more than five years ago.  He started seeking them out just to let the kids know someone cared.  He provided soap and some food for them at Christmas.  He learned where they stay, how they live, and began to understand the family situations that would cause them to be tossed onto the streets.  Even while he underwent intense discipleship and evangelism training in the ABIDE program for Juna Amagara Ministries, he thought of the kids in Kabale.  Even while he earned his bachelor’s degree,  Patrick planned facilities for the kids. 

Eventually he found some backers from the U.S. who caught the passion and now Shepherd Centre can provide safe shelter, parental love and discipline AND reconciliation services for families.  None of this easy or cheap but great progress has been made.  The goal?  Zero street kids in Kabale.  However long it takes.  Whatever it takes.  That’s what Patrick says and I believe him.

To support to The Shepherd Centre, click HERE.  Check them out on Facebook HERE.

The Sad Case of Brian The Tough Guy

In Kabale Town, the lowest form of life is not vermin or the garbage storks or mangy stray dogs.  It is the street children, mostly boys, ranging in age from four to sixteen.  These are kids who may have one living parent but whose lives at home are so intolerable, they are forced to survive by their wits on the street.  Some parents are too poor to feed the child so they throw him out.  Some are alcoholic or mentally disturbed and cannot care for the child.  Some are so abusive, the child runs away.

Street kids sleep in abandoned or unoccupied buildings.  They eat from garbage piles.  They wear rags.  They rarely bathe. They must be wary and clever and sly.  They become inured to pain, both mentally and physically and, just to survive, they become tough.  Because they are completely feral, they are treated like wild animals.  People shoo them away.  The police beat them.  They are harassed.

It all became clear here one evening when a young boy named Brian was brought to a place called Shepherd Center, a haven for street boys.  The boy was filthy and weak and had a bloody bandage on his arm.  He was given some food and water and later, the bandage was cut away. It was discovered the boy had a double compound fracture of his left arm.  It appears he had been deliberately hit at high speed by a boda boda driver three days earlier.  But Brian never so much as whimpered.

Shepherd Centre people took him to the hospital and, after hours of searching for the one doctor who was supposed to be on duty, got an X-ray and then, nearly 12 hours later, the boy received treatment that just barely saved the arm.

 Poverty has many faces.  This is just one of them.