Kibaale, Uganda, East Africa.
You may recall a couple of posts back that I talked about going to Uganda as a family to have a look at and help out in a couple of organisations that we support.
One of the main places that we visited was a school and community project in the Rakai district called Kibaale. The school that my children attend founded the project at Kibaale, it is very much a part of our family life as we support it financially, pray for it regularly and talk about it all the time.
Rakai is only known internationally because it is the home to the first known AIDS cases in Africa. This is like the heart of the pandemic.
There are literally thousands of child led homes here. Children as young as 8 up to 14 or 15 taking care of their little brothers and sisters. They would approach us for some money or a bit of food. I could not wrap my head around this coming from our culture. I kept thinking,
"Surely someone at least watches out for them.." but no....nobody does. There are just too many children that live that way. If the kids can get into the school at Kibaale, they will at least have a meal.
Here is an excerpt from my journal:
There are millions of children orphaned by AIDS here in Uganda.
I knew this as I came, and yet I am not prepared to see children lower their heads and whisper,
“My father is dead. My mother is dead. I live with my sister.”
“ I am 11. I take care of my brothers and sisters. Can you give me work for food?”
In the district of Rakai, I have learned that there are thousands of child led homes.
“But who actually takes care of them?” I asked the school community worker.
“They look after themselves the best they can. They get a meal at school.”
“That’s it? They get one meal at school?” I responded in total shock. “What about during the school holidays?”
The worker looked at me.
“I think that’s why kids here do not like school holidays, life is hard."
Every year, our school holds a sponsored 5K "Kibaale Walk" to raise money for the community school in Kibaale. The kids get very excited about this. 100% of the money raised goes directly to the project and it basically provides the operating cost of the school (over 800 students) for the entire school year. As if that isn't enough, there are other great incentives closer to home too. This year, the Middle School staff said that if the students in the MS raised a certain amount, the staff would all spend the night locked into the basketball court...students raised money with enthusiasm! There are prizes of class pizza parties, non uniform weeks and extra gym time. Most years, there are also fund raising goals of teachers having their heads shaved...so you can imagine...it is a fun event too.
This year, my children each raised a record amount... THANK YOU to the family and friends that so generously supported this incredible project in Kibaale. The school as a whole (K-12) raised WELL OVER $100,000.00. In one day! One event! Now, isn't that fantastic!!!!!!!!! Way to go to all the P.A. kids that walked in the rain!!
(If you want to check out the Kibaale project, log onto their website at http://www.paoutreach.net/pages/kibaale/kibaale_home.htm It gives details of the project and ways that you can get involved i.e. sponsoring a child. 100% of all money donated goes directly to the Kibaale project)
While in Kibaale, we also had really fun times with these kids that just love to dance, laugh and sing.
The people are all incredibly friendly, and so hospitable. Everyone we met wanted to shake our hands, they hugged our children, they invited us in. We could certainly pick up a few tips in our culture about how to welcome people graciously.
One of the staff there told me that as they do not have much financially, what they give to each other is their time.
"Time is a gift," she said, "so when you come and sit in my home, I give you all the time you want."
I loved that. "Stuff" and getting the supper ready are not as important as the time taken to just sit and chat with friends.
I just love Africa.