Floods in Eastern Uganda

Natural disasters are not fair and if any individual is responsible for fueling them he or she should know that the suffering they cause are immense to the young and old, the rich and the poor. But as individuals if we have a role to play and we do not take it up, we are equally responsible. I suggest solidarity should not be sought after disaster strikes but even before…

It is touching that after surviving a conflict situation and the minds are set for a normal situation, floods displace people in Eastern Uganda. Leave alone destroying accommodation facilities, communication infrastructure, floods bring along a number of water bone illness. This situation is likely to cause lose of life and creation of more ophrans...
This story below captured my eye and I would like to share it with who ever has not seen it.

Returnees among thousands displaced by floods

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by floods after heavy rain submerged whole villages in eastern Uganda, a senior government official said.

Musa Ecweru, assistant minister for relief, disaster preparedness and refugees, described the situation as "catastrophic".

"The region has had rains for the last two months and homes have been submerged, bridges swept away and roads have become impassable," he said. "Many people have sought refuge in churches and areas of raised ground, while others have left the affected areas to live with relatives."

Full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73811

Source: IRIN NEWS

Respect Women

I do respect other people's culture. And I am aware that it is difficult to fully understand another culture. And when I was reading an article of IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, I did realize that even in my own country it will take me time to understand why some practices are still going on. Below I share the article I pray the Women's right's activits succeed with the petition:

UGANDA: Women petition court to outlaw FGM

Women's rights activists in Uganda have petitioned the Constitutional Court demanding that female genital mutilation (FGM), practised by several communities in the east of the country, be declared illegal. "We are seeking a court declaration that the practice is unconstitutional; it is cruel, inhuman and degrading," said Dora Byamukama, a member of the East Africa Legislative Assembly and one of the campaigners against FGM in Uganda. The activists, who have formed a group known as Law and Advocacy for Women in Uganda, earlier in April succeeded in having the Constitutional Court abrogate the country's law on adultery on the grounds that it made marital infidelity an offence only when committed by women while seemingly condoning it when men were involved. FGM involves the cutting and/or removal of the clitoris and other vaginal tissue, often under unsanitary conditions. It is practised in at least 28 countries globally. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates that up to 140 million girls and women around the world have undergone some form of FGM.
Full report IRIN 4/05/07

Vessel

These natural vessels can be used for storing milk products, water and for local brew. But there are also beautiful for decoration. To this man it is source of income, as he moves around the the streets of Kampala.

Grasshopper

Grasshoppers are a delicious for some Ugandans, normally this time of the year you will not find many on the market. November is the main season. When the wings and legs are removed in November you could buy a half litre cup for 500/= now in some parts of Kampala it costs 2500/=. You do not need oil to fry these insects their fat is enough to produce a delicious meal.

Fuel

14 days back the price of diesel was slightly higher than that of petro, now the price is much higher. With the rains making the roads in the country side difficult to move on and the high price of diesel, purchasing food item may become hard for ordinary people in the near future.

No easy task

This iron horse, if it were able to talk it would cry for merrcy. I wonder if the person who made this bicycle imaged how much load it carries. Well to the owner this horse means alot to him and his family. He earns a living from fetching clean spring water and sells it to earn a living. His bicycle can carry nine, 20 litre jerrycans at one go. Each 20 litres jellycan of water costs 300/= when the national grid is supplying and 500/= when the suppy is off and higher when the demand grows due to dry periods. One thing is having merrcy on horse but the other thing is having concern on the future health of the individual who pushes this bike from the first day of January to the last day of December. I have seen this guy do this job for over five years. It only on weekends that his children help him with the pushing, when they are off from school.

Fuel

Strange!! The price of diesel has always been less than that of petro. Today diesel is slightly high in Kampala the main city. I hope the price does not continue going higher. If it does life may become harder for ordinary Ugandans.

Kampala

Kampala is growing fast, this may be good for the market but unfortunately alot of the green areas are also being lost.

trees

The rate at which trees are cut requires many more people to plant and to use what is still available sparingly. The eucalyptus trees have an advantange of growing fast but a disadvantage of requiring much water.

Old man

Great beard, once was black now its white (grey). Its master confortably sits in a taxi and reads as he waits for other passengers to occupy all seats before the vehicle can carry them to their destinations.

kid playing

Innovative..., Denis did not go to school today and has no body to play with since his other playmates have gone to school. He gets a part of an old paint roller brush and a cassava sterm then pushes it around imtating that he is driving a toy car. As he runs around time also runs ...

The mango tree

The mango tree grows well in most parts of Uganda. Useful all year round.

Has beautiful leaves, provides shade in sunny periods, wind breaker during heavy storms and produces wounderful fruits. It is always advisable to wash the fruit before eating and use a knife to peel the outer cover. The skin of the fruit is always appealing but you can not be sure of how good the inside is.

They are avariety of mangoes and their taste can be different.

Kids playing

Nagawa like many kids has to improvise, to find something to play with. Often most parents can not afford to buy toys for their children. Priority is accorded to finding a meal. This gives children no option but to use what is available around them. Usually every old unused item in the home becomes a toy to play with.

Taxi Park in Kampala

Being a taxi driver is an art, imagine this crowed park. It takes a concentrated mind to manage a car in it.

Public means of transport in Uganda is interesting. The fare going out of Kampala to any destination is often different from going back to Kampala from that destination (yet it is the same distance). Public means can be a shared van with blue and white strip, bus, motorbike or bicycle. One can also hire a special hire taxi (yellow is the air port taxi, then other special hire taxi may have black and white strips or have labels showing that they are for hire.)

The Youth

A message mainly to young people. In many Ugandan schools you find sign post giving advice to young people. This is another approach of trying to fight HIV / AIDS. A scourge that has hit hard on Uganda.

Christians in Uganda

Ash Wednesday 2007 in Nansana about 10 kms from Kampala city. It was a big turnup on the first day of the christian fasting period. This is not a surprise because most churches or faith houses every Sunday and other prayer days fill up and some people have to pray from outside.

The big suprise is that Uganda remains one of the most corrupt country in the world. May be people are not able to listen to what is being preached when they go to the different prayer houses.

Mist morning

Misty and cold Sunday Morning you just can not imagine that it will be a very hot day in the end.

Banana land

In Uganda we have a variety of bananas, there those that are mainly eaten as fruits, and those that are boiled for a hot meal. But you also have varities in which juice is made or even bear is brewed. It is a mazing, you can also have a strong spirit (alchol) from the banana.

Almost every part of the banana plant is useful. The banana peels are mainly used as cow and goat feed, (but can also be used in many other ways). The banana fibre is used in making crafts like bags and hats or as a strings in trying or binding things together. While the leaves are used in cooking (they cover food when cooking). The banana sterm and dry leaves leaves are often used to cover the garden from losing water in the hot period.