This is the blog for Rhona and Bobby Hogg's VSO experience in Uganda. In August 2008 we applied to do VSO and, following an assessment day in London last October, we were accepted as volunteers . Because of the strong Scottish links, we had set our sights originally on Malawi where we spent a week in June 2008 but joint placements are difficult to find and in February we agreed with VSO to open up the search. At the end of March we were delighted to be offered placements in Kampala, Uganda. We are to work for a HIV and AIDS initiative called Reach Out Mbuya (http://www.reachoutmbuya.org/) where, we hope, Rhona's community nursing experience and Bobby's IT experience will prove useful.

We are due in Kampala on 18th September and have committed to spend a year there. We are very excited about the prospect of living in a very different part of the world and working with Ugandans who, from many reports, are fun to be with. We expect there to be many challenges but our stay in Uganda should be immensely enjoyable.

We are indebted to VSO for giving us this opportunity. Our preparation, including 2 training courses in Birmingham, has been excellent and we are confident about the in-country support that we will get from VSO in Uganda. I understand that it costs VSO around £15,000 to support each volunteer. If you would like to make a donation to support our placements in Uganda please visit the Just Giving site through the link opposite.

Sunday 28 March 2010

Transport in Uganda

Although maybe not untypical of Africa the public transport options in Uganda are quite different from the UK. In our past blogs we have referred to some of the difficulties and dangers but we hope you find the following photos interesting and amusing.
There has been no passenger trains in Uganda since 1997 so most  journeys are made by the roads which range from good stretches ( some funded by EU money) to pothole ridden obstacle courses. Uganda is a relatively small country. roughly 250 miles wide by 300 miles - the the same area as the UK (91,000 sq. miles) according to the Bradt guide.  Country-wide travel by coach/bus has its dangers. The Post Office buses are the recommended services but generally the  buses are referred to as ‘flying coffins’ and travel at night is not recommended.

In the remote areas pick-up can be the only available option but if you are not sitting inside the journey can be precarious.



The taxi service is provided by 14 seat minibuses (referred to as matatus in Kenya). Outside Kampala they are not so well regulated but within Kampala the maximum number of passengers varies little from the regulation number of 14. Although chaotic they do seem to be very effective in moving lots of people and you rarely have to wait more than 5 minutes for one. 
 A lot of taxis have religious slogans on the back windows but I don’t know if they are more successful at avoiding breakdowns and collisions.








The old taxi park in Kampala.









Outside town we believe they can be very overloaded and you may be sharing your seat with a goat. 






 
Inside Kampala the Boda Boda motorcycles provide a taxi service that can beat the traffic jams. In earlier blogs we have mentioned some of the many accidents we have heard about but for many it’s the most convenient way to get about. We have not had the need or the desire to use them so far. They do provide some amusing sights as there appears to be nothing that can’t be carried on a Boda Boda.



 
A three-piece suite.















Bags of charcoal




 












Chickens














An improvised windshield

Boda boda drivers take a rest.













Children come and go from nursery.















Bicycles are also a popular form of transport . They provide a taxi service and are also used to carry an amazing variety of loads.

Matooke - a staple food











Pineapples


 Kleeneeze!
 
 Bicycle repairs.




















If you have no wheels you must carry your load. 

















The skills in carrying a load on the head are amazing and taken to an extreme at the Ndere Traditional Dancing Centre in Kampala.













 
Rhona and I have not seen a baby buggy since we arrived. We expect this is because pavements are few and the pedestrian ways are generally rough tracks. 
So until they can walk babies are carried in a traditional way.














 I thank our recent visitors for permission to use some of their photos.
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1 comment:

  1. Anonymous11 April 2010 at 10:16

    Have been following your progress. Great photos!
    Tony Holmes

    ReplyDelete

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