Mbale Mixed Farm

Through a friend of a friend we met a Catholic a Priest who is trying to bring back the agricultural interest of the community. He recently was given charge over 105 acres of land that is owned by the archdiocese. It is just outside of town and it is beautiful! 

We went out to the to photograph the crops and animals so that we could help Father Dan create a website/Facebook page to promote the farm. 

(This is the sign that welcomes you on the the school/farm property! It is my favorite thing!!!) 

Apparently, back in the day the farm was Mbale's largest supplier for milk and eggs. It was also used as a demonstration farm to help the surrounding community learn how to grow crops and raise livestock more efficiently. It was a pretty big operation, but then the government kicked the Catholic Priests out of town. So the farm fell I to disrepair. Recently the church was able to require the land and begin again to bring back the farm. 

The farm also has a secondary school on the property, as well as an orphanage. The profits of the farm as well as any extra food is used to sustain the children. They are able to give fresh milk to the babies daily as well as maize for the school children. 

Along with maize, the farm grows beans, matoka, bananas, cabbage, onions, mushrooms, coffee, and passion fruit.  The farm is divided into plots that are taken care of by different locals. Anyone who is interested in agriculture can come and work on the farm. The crops that are grown are divided between the workers and then the extra are sold or used for the orphans. 

(This is passion fruit...I have never seen it growing and I had no idea what it really looked like. I said something to this effect in front of Father Dan and he laughed and laughed. Stupid mzungus!) 

This is how mushrooms are grown in Uganda. I have never seen these either and was made fun if for that. Isn't it cool though?!? Father Dan said that it takes a good long while, but that they are willing to be patient. 

Just some cabbage growing nicely. This at least I recognized! ;) 

There are so many things going on the farm. There is the orphanage, which they call a "babies home". There are about 20 orphans from varying ages from 2 weeks to 7 years. Two of the children have special needs, one of which is the seven year old. Father Dan said that they wouldn't have kept the seven year old except that she needs constant care. Usually they try to place the children before they turn 5. The care of these children is in the capable hands of about 5 nuns who live on site. They take turns feeding, washing, and playing with the children. They also must clean and cook all the food for the kids. They are a quiet bunch, but so sweet! 

(Apparently life was just too hard for this fellow, he had to take a little rest on the maize that is drying!)

Besides the crops, the farm also has a ton of animals and Father Dan hopes that in the future the farm will be a place that breeders can come. So far they have pigs, cattle, chickens, guinea fowl, quail, goats, and rabbits. 

 

Father Dan has added a ton of animals and has plans for lots more. He wants to bring the farm back to the original glory! To improve the pedigree of the animals and also create a space where people can come to learn about agriculture. He has done amazing work and he hopes that with the addition of the website more people will be aware of the mission and aims! 

  

Safari-check

A few summers ago, I made a bucket list. I felt like I should have some idea of the fun things that I was going to do in life. So I sat down and made a list of everything I wanted to do. But I think it is really silly to have plans to do things that will never happen. This probably sounds depressing, but let me explain. When you look through people's bucket lists it is filled with far away places and exotic destinations. I don't like the idea that we plan the excitement in our life's to be so difficult to achieve. I believe in having fun and finding excitement in small ways everyday. So I made my bucket list accordingly. It contains quite a few silly things that I have always wanted to do, but that can be done anyday. This has allowed me to cross off quite a few things from my list! The only thing on my list that I felt like was least likely to happen was to go on an African Safari. Well last weekend I crossed that one off! Honestly when I wrote that one down I said to myself "If you only trvavel to one foreign land, it must be Africa". I have always loved Africa! Well now that I live in Africa, I knew I had to go on a safari! 

It was incredible! We had a great driver who has been a guide through Uganda for years and he really knew his stuff! We began with a boat cruise down the Albert Nile. We cruised down and tried to spot the animals. I was on the roof of the boat and it was sure hot, but that meant that all the animals were sun bathing! We saw a boat load of hippos, just hangin' out in the shallow water. They are massive animals that always stay in large groups. Usually about 15 females and one male will be together. 

They seem pretty lazy, but the guide said that hippos kill more people than sharks. So I guess they get pretty grouchy sometimes. 

We also were pretty lucky and got to see a crocodile during the cruise. The guide spotted one under a tree having a nap and he wanted us to have a good view. So he backed the boat right up to the edge of the river banks and we got pretty close. We all took pictures and stared at the guy for about 7 minutes, then he turned around, opened his huge mouth, and roared! He was not pleased with us disturbing his slumber. It was amazingly loud and intimidating. Haha even though I have seen alligators many times, I was pretty terrified by this angry dude. 

This croc was about 10 feet long and weighted a ton. He is a medium sized male. They can get up to like 20 feet long from nose to tail! 

We saw another croc who was waiting to lure small fish into his chompers. Just like back home in the swamp, he was silent and stone still waiting for some silly fish to wander in. You would think that his jaw would get tired of staying in that position, but I guess crocs have better bones than I do! ;)

We saw some African buffalo, which I really enjoyed. They are kind of ugly, but for some reason I really liked them. They usually travel in herds and they have birds on their backs (this guy doesn't, but the others around him did so just trust me when I say that this happens). The birds sit on their backs and eat off the lice and ticks. 

Buffalo have poor eyes sight and thus use their hearing and smell to detect danger. Although they have excellent hearing sometimes they are still vulnerable to patient predators. The birds, however, have superb eye sight. So if danger comes, the birds are the first to notice and they fly away. This alerts the buffalo that something is near and he/she will run away. It is a beneficial relationship for both animals that keeps them healthy and safe! 

       

Everything was breath taking and my face hurt from smiling so wide! 

He last thing we saw on the cruise was a massive waterfall. It was only 10 meter wide, which made it fast and furious. We got pretty close with the boat, then the guide pulled off to the side of the river and asked for those that wanted to hike to the top. Out of everyone on the boat, about 35 people, the four in my group were the only ones to get off. Those that stayed sure missed out! We followed a paved trail straight up the mountain. I would be lying if I told you it was easy, but the best things in life take work! 

       

                                    

                                    

                                    

       

       

       

                                    

The next morning we headed out for the game drive. We were driving along and our guide points to the right...literally 5 feet away is an elephant! Just hanging out on the side of the road. The best part was that I totally missed it! I wouldn't have even seen the dude! Hahaha 

       

All I wanted to do was to see a giraffe! They are my absolute favorites. We saw some and our guide told us that since we were such a small group we could get out and take pictures with them (but really because he had the hots for my friend)!!!!! 

        

I was so happy!!!!

        

       

Can you believe this?!? I was so close to my favorite animal ever!!! 

We saw a ton of different types of antelope, but I can't remember which one is which. Sorry y'all! 

But they were all so interesting and majestic! 

        

         

        

I know it looks like all these guys were solo, but trust me there were hundreds of them! They were beautiful and I tried to get a picture of one running but it didn't work. It was the most amazing thing! 

We also saw tons of birds, but they were really hard to photograph...mostly for me! The whole time I was thinking that Sterling should have come to photograph my life in Africa! ;) 

        

We saw one lion, but it was really far away so I didn't get a picture. We saw tons of warthogs, but they are ugly...so no pictures! ;) Mostly I was so happy about the giraffes! We saw so many! We saw probably 60! Now I am going to put way too may pictures of giraffes, so if you want to stop reading you may! ;) 

I promise that I do work here! Next post will be about our projects! In fact it is going to be about a Catholic farm that we are working with! Stay tuned! 

         

         

         

                                 

                                   

      

                                     

        

RUMPS

Today, we wrapped up a project called RUMPS. this project was started during June by two fellow volunteers, Whitney and Cristina.  I was lucky enough to be able to jump in right before the exciting stuff happened. The last week Whitney, Cristina, and I have been working on cutting out fabric for reusable menstral pads, RUMPS! When we met with the girls last week we began with some education about what a menstral cycle is and what happens. Here in Uganda girls don't know anything. No one has pads, because they are too expensive. You would think they would use something, but no they don't. Also talking about it is just not done! So when a girl starts her period she is doesn't know what to do. Her mother may tell her a few things, but most just go in blind. 

Here I am talking about female anatomy and common symptoms. The girls thought I was really funny, but I am not sure how much they understood. The second day of education was much better. I taught the same things, but I had a better idea of how to explain myself to them. After some repetition and a diagram I think we covered everything important.  

                                

The group that we partnered with is called Daughters of Zion. The chapter head is a woman named Barbra. She is absolutely amazing! She works to empower young girls. She specifically teaches them skills to help them be financially independent. So we decided to team up with Barbra to teach the girls how to make these pads.

         

We felt like this would not only help the girls personally, but also encourage them to help their sister, mothers, and friends deal with their own menstral cycles. The head female teacher told us that girls often stop coming to school when they start their periods because they do not have any pads to use. They don't want to be embarassed so they just stop coming. The girls that do continue to come to school just let the blood collect on their skirts. You can image that most just stay home...We are hoping that with these kits, girls will be able to stay in school without embarassment!!! 

Each girl sewed a liner, made out of flannel that serves as the pad part. Then on the next day they sewed the shield that holds the liner in place. 

                                

                                

Theese girls were champions! They were so quick to pick up on the idea of the pads. I have to take a minute to thank my mother. She spent many hours teaching me how to sew, and today it paid off! I was able to teach 53 girls how to make something that will totally change their lives! Thanks Mom!!! ;) 

     

       

At the end of the three day work shop we have each girl a premade kit straight from the US.Whitney had some amazing friends and family members that made enough reusable pads to hand out to every girl we worked with. Each kit comes with 1 shield, 7 liners, and and some soap! The girls went crazy! They were so grateful and excited! I got a little mad in that tiny room, but it was so touching to feel their love. 

        

It is amazing how close I feel to these beautiful ladies! Working with them the last few weeks has made me feel so proud to be a woman! I want to help every girl to feel confident especially in her own skin! There is so much we can do to help young ladies develop confidence and life skills! 

       

       

        

Today I am proud to be a HELP volunteer! 

Today I am proud to be a woman!!! ;)