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.

Friday 23 October 2009

Back to the golf

Bobby -
Rhona and I are settling into our work at Reach Out and feel really fortunate with our placements in such an interesting organisation. One of Reach Out’s sponsors is the Kenny Family Foundation based in Canada. Peter Kenny and his son Paul have been over checking out a number of projects they have on the go and they have been particularly interested in what we are doing. Peter asked me for a game of golf last Sunday at the only course in town, the Kampala Golf Club. This was the first game since I broke my arm in June but I found I was no worse than before and had an enjoyable game – the first time I’ve had a caddy to carry my clubs – I could get use to this. The course is very good although the greens are a bit slow with the coarse grass. The round cost £20; hire of clubs £10; caddy about £3 but being big spenders we gave £5 – very reasonable but nearly a week’s pay here for us.
At work I have been learning more about the database developments underway. The main server has MS SQL Server supporting four linked databases providing Reach Out's Health Management Information System. An external IT consultant was supposed to deliver the system in the first few months of the year but it's a familiar tale. A lot of data has been loaded going back over Reach Out's 8 years but the acceptance testing has been lacking. I'm finding it interesting and hope I can help resolve some of the problems. I have not, yet, got used to the delayed meeting starts. I had a few meetings this week - all started late - the worst one started 90 minutes late.
Another frustration is the speed of our mobile internet link supplied by MTN. Our month's subscription in just about up so we thought we'd switch to Warid and buy another modem. We trecked into town after work today to discover that Warid had underestimated demand and are not expecting to have new stock for few weeks - whatever that means!
Things do just take a bit longer here but it's fine and warm so can't complain.
We have a bit of a routine at lunch time when we walk along the Port Bell Road towards Nakawa where there is a local supermarket, Capital Shopper, and a good coffee shop. Good African Coffee.

This photo was taken on the way back on Wednesday and shows through  the fumes from a passing matatu the Mbuya Church and Reach Out in the trees on the hill just above Rhona's head. You may think there is a good broad track for walking at the side of the road but you have to be alert because the matatus and boda bodas (motocycles) often want to share it with you.






This photo was taken at the morning yoga and prayers with the main office block at the back. Rhona and I work in an office on the first floor which looks out over Kampala.










This shows people in front of the  main office block collecting rations from the food programme which has been cut drastically in the last year. It has become less fashionable to give food aid although what good is medical care if people don't have food to eat.
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