By Brian Dugas

Mabira Forest trail guide (photo: Paula Longo)

Kampala, Uganda– Today we travelled from Jinja back to the city of Kampala where we will be spending a couple of days before heading to the more rural Masindi area. Along the way we stopped at a couple of beautiful environmental areas called the Source of the Nile and the Rainforest Lodge in the Mabira Forest Reserve.

The Source of the Nile is the approximate location where Lake Victoria feeds the Nile River. It was at this location the British explorer Speke answered the lingering question bothering the western world: Where does the Nile begin? While there has been some environmental loss due to the construction of a dam, the Nile remains a raging river, as many of us found out on a recent rafting trip through some significant rapids. Unfortunately our rafting guide informed us that there is more dam construction planned over the next few years which will put these rapids underwater.

The Mabira Forest (photo: Paula Longo)

Our next stop was at a lodge deep in the Nabira Forest Reserve. The 360 square kilometers of rain forest that make up this forest reserve are truly a national treasure. A wide variety of animals, insects, reptiles, and over 300 types of birds are found here. Our hiking guide told us stories of how the original inhabitants, the pygmies, were decimated by western diseases like the plague. The few remaining “short people” no longer want to be known by this name and will not be your friend if you refer to them that way. Along with their departure went most of the medicinal plant knowledge that they had built over years of trial and error.

During our short hike, our guide told us another story that provides a valuable lesson that might also be useful to reform the education system here. It seems that some years ago the President wanted to knock down the Mabira Forest in order to plant sugar cane.

The Rainforest Lodge (photo: Paula Longo)

Fortunately the local residents wanted to protect their rain forest enough to work together to stop the government intrusion. This shows that people can work together to make a significant difference in Uganda. Throughout our time in Uganda we have been told in school after school that government bureaucracy is a significant factor in their difficulties. Yet, when asked why they have not worked together to force the government to change they are unable to provide an explanation.

What I learned today is that even in a country where there is limited political expression, the voice of the people can be heard and can be loud enough to bring about government change. My hope is that they will apply what they have learned in the Mabira Forest Reserve to make the changes needed in their education system, and to save the Nile for future rafters.

By Katie Cryan

a mural painted by Soft Power volunteers, Kalungami, Jinja (photo: Paula Longo)

Jinja, Uganda– Today was a very inspiring day to say the least. Not only were we able to experience the workings of a Ugandan Secondary Education (USE) school, but also understand and introduce ourselves to Soft Power Education. Soft Power Education is an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) located within the United Kingdom and Uganda. From our time spent at Soft Power, we were able to recognize the benefits and the help this organization has provide to many Ugandan students and schools.

Through our tour within the Soft Power Education headquarters in Jinja, we were able to understand the organization’s goals to help create a clean, equipped, fun, and safe learning environment in schools so that students are able to have a positive learning experience, and are able to have a passion and will to succeed. It was clear to us that Soft Power is changing many lives. In other words, children who experience poverty are now able to dream big, find encouragement, and believe that there is hope.

Although it can be difficult to see children and schools experience the effects of poverty, Soft Power Education seems to overcome the odds and provide a better educational system to a variety of schools. Furthermore, my group had the opportunity to understand how the smallest changes in a school can affect a child’s learning experience in a positive way. As a result, this organization has the ability to bring forth a brighter future, and empower tomorrow’s leaders.

By Margarita Rose

Pumpkin (photo: Paula Longo)

Jinja, Uganda— As a gesture of gratitude and a final opportunity to interact with the teachers of the schools we visited in Jinja, our group hosted a gathering today, attended by 26 teachers. With classic Ugandan patience, early-arriving teachers waited for our delayed start, due in part to mixed signals about the time. Meanwhile, some of the head teachers could be seen outside Bugembe Youth Centre with cell phones to ears, encouraging others to make their way to the hall, where a spread of matooke, rice, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, “Irish” potatoes, meat, fruit, and eyes-intact tilapia waited to be shared.

Maria Zangari discusses education with teachers from Jinja (photo: Paul Longo)

It struck me that our interactions today were even deeper than what we had experienced during our school visits. We learned more about one another’s backgrounds, and gained a better understanding of teachers’ lives outside of school. We sensed how proud they are of their students’ accomplishments, even beyond secondary school. Perhaps it was because we had previously met, or perhaps we had a biased sample of teachers who are truly dedicated to their profession joining us on a Sunday afternoon. For whatever reason, I sensed a genuine desire to maintain mutually-beneficial partnerships between these Ugandan educators and their American counterparts. I also sensed a genuine appreciation for our visit, eloquently expressed by the head teacher of Kalungami Primary School, Mr. Ronald Babagobya.

Noreen O’Connor talking with teachers from Jinja (photo: Paula Longo)

Before our session ended, each member of our group stood to express words of gratitude and offer a comment on what we learned from the teachers and their students. Some of us even teared-up with emotion as we shared what we admired about our hosts. In my own short speech, I told the teachers how important it was that they continue to fulfill their roles as moral educators. Though the Ugandan educational system places top priority on the results of national exams, encouraging students and teachers alike to cram in lots of factual knowledge, for Uganda’s future national development, the most important “skill” schools should develop in students is the ability and desire to make ethical decisions.

While this is my view, it is certainly not uniquely mine, as we heard from Prof. Tabitha Naisiko at Queen of Apostles Philosophical Centre, Jinja (PCJ), on Friday. Naisiko sees Uganda trapped in a competitive educational system that creates “winners”, who move onto the next educational level, and “losers” who struggle to find employment without adequate skill development. In contrast, traditional education, with its emphasis on learning rules of right behavior—ethics—embraces an “all are winners” environment that provides social support for children, adolescents, and adults.

Andita Parker Lloyd, Anne Thompson, and Margarita Rose (photo: Brother Stephen LaMendola)

Prior to the teacher gathering, a few of us attended the English language Mass at Holy Cross Bugembe parish. It was a lively and joyous celebration, enhanced by the voices and drum beats of students from Holy Cross Primary School. In addition to our surprise at seeing Fr. Bob Dowd from the University of Notre Dame enter the sacristy, we experienced a second unexpected “treat” when we met NBC correspondent, and King’s College honorary degree recipient, Anne Thompson, after Mass. Along with other Notre Dame-affiliated people, she was visiting Holy Cross-sponsored locations in Uganda and Kenya. Like us, it was clear Ms. Thompson was deeply-touched, and perhaps forever changed, by what she learned in Uganda.

By Megan Borsuk
Jinja, Uganda– Today is our 13^th day in country. It appears as a group we have recovered from jet lag and finally have our days straight. I think some of us are sleeping through the night – even with the roosters crowing, all night church sermons, the morning call to prayer, and dogs fighting. We have become accustomed to 4:00 pm teatime. I think many of us would like to continue to have afternoon teatime in the USA.

This morning we visited Holy Cross Senior Secondary School. I was able to speak with students from S-5 and S-6. The students were between 18-20 years. The conversation focused on family and gender rights. The students were shocked to hear that in America the man’s family did not have to pay a bride-price for the women in marriage. One young man responded, “What is the point of producing a girl if the parents do not get anything for her?”

My reaction was filled with many emotions; at first I was appalled and offended. I took a breath and looked around the room. All of the students were looking to me for answer. While the question to me was outrageous, the question made sense to both the young women and young men.

I may not have agreed with some of the statements and ideas about gender and parenting but I was able to take the opportunity to ask more questions and gain a clearer insight into the Ugandan student perspective. The students also gave me the opportunity to explain my position. This interaction challenged both of us to rethink what we know to be truth. I encourage everyone to push himself or herself to have exchanges like this.

Shake up what you know, or rather what you think you know!

By Katie Cryan

Boys at Kalumgami Primary play with a ball they made from plastic bags.

Jinja, Uganda– In The United States, people often hear the phrase “we are very blessed.” Although many people agree with this expression, there are times where it can become forgotten or clouded by minor setbacks experienced throughout the day. As a result, we cannot fully understand the term “blessed” until we immerse ourselves into the turmoil and distresses of another country’s happenings. Consequently, our group’s experience at Kalungami Primary School was filled with laughter, tears, and the acknowledgement of the many blessings provided within the U.S. education system.

During our time at Kalungami Primary School, we were able to interact with a different group of students. Such differences consisted of tougher personalities, rougher appearances, and a more impoverished home life. That being said, these differences are facilitated by a more rural and agricultural based society. Due to the community’s reliance on sugar cane many young boys are expected to work in the fields, therefore sacrificing their opportunity to get an education. In addition, this dilemma has caused families to make low salaries, due to the fact that they do not own the sugar cane crops or the land. As a result, these children are attending school without food in their stomachs and other essentials.

Seeing young children attend school with empty stomachs can be very heartbreaking. However, it is even more painful to have the same students offer you an abundance of fruits and vegetables. When we received this very generous gift, a majority of us felt overwhelmed, sad, and forever indebted to this school and their students. Although this may seem like a simple gift, it is inevitable that this amount of food is more than what these students will ever see in a lifetime. With that in mind, my fellow group members will go to bed with a lump in their throats, and ache in their hearts, and a feeling of being very blessed.

Our Fulbright group with teachers at the Kalungami UPE Primary School