Jiving in Jinja

 

February 21 – Day 7

Breakfast at Wilson is excellent, and we prepare a shopping list for supplies in anticipation of the onslaught of children and young adults.  Keith has recommended “New Welcome” grocery store and another storefront which sells water and sodas at wholesale.

We have good luck gathering supplies, and Davis skillfully maneuvers us through the busy downtown Jinja streets.  The city’s population is about 85,000 and it houses a steel plant, a large brewery, and East Africa’s largest sugar factory.  It is a main tourist destination, so there are hotels and restaurants in abundance, compared to other Ugandan cities.

City views of Jinja

This small supermarket is surprisingly well-stocked

We arrive back at 30 Wilson to find that nurse Rose has arrived with her lovely young children, Angel and Anthon.  Rose was formerly the nurse at Bright Kids children's home, but she now lives a good distance away in a rural community closer to Masindi, which she regularly refers to as “in the dust”.  They started their journey at 6 am, travelling by motorcycle taxis (boda-bodas) and crowded bus taxis (matatus).

Bonnie introduces herself to Anthon while Rose looks on

The ladies set about the daunting task of sorting clothes and bathing suits

 We’ve been mulling over the need to have a serious life issues discussion with the Kulikayo kids, and Rose is agreeable to be part of the process, offering much sage advice as how to best proceed. It is incredible how much her views about the world have changed since we met her 12 years ago, and her experience over the years working in HIV/AIDS and sexual health have given her a significantly more progressive mindset.

The kids start arriving in small groups, and we have joyful greetings and introductions.  Alan, Susan & Alicia are gobsmacked by the growth and development of these individuals in the 5+ years since we have been together.

We bid a fond farewell to Davis, who has become a dear friend, as well as our trusty driver.

 

One of our sponsored girls, Brenda, became pregnant a couple of years ago and dropped out of school.  As an organization, we were reticent to send the message that we would be encouraging of that situation.  Fortunately, Carly and Scott, after much soul-searching during their visit here in 2023, decided to sponsor Brenda for the remainder of her post-secondary education in Accounting.  She has now graduated and working in her field, and impresses us with her maturity and outgoing personality.  Her toddler, Aurora, is heartbreakingly beautiful but has never seen mzungus before and is initially terrified of the Canadians.

 

Brenda & Aurora pose with Charlotte, Hasifa and Shaturah

 

Anthon

Angel is sponsored by Doris Villa-Keeler

Shakira and her younger sister, Charlotte, have arrived

Aurora clings to Brenda while meeting these unfamiliar folks

Daniel is sponsored by John Ireland & Jason Challenger.  He has grown so tall and demonstrates his considerable skills at football during his visit

Alicia poses with Gloria, who is sponsored by Alan's mother, Verna

 Susan, Carly, and Alicia have sorted and tagged 2 suitcases worth of donated clothes brought from Canada for the kids, a difficult task as the suitcases have been packed for 5 years and it’s nearly impossible to guess how big the kids will be. We are grateful the work is done as once the kids start getting settled in their connected rooms behind our cottages, we quickly realize that some have come in their school uniforms with no clothes to change into.

Keith sets out a buffet offering of roast chicken, fries, sodas and salad for the 30+ members of our group, and there are no leftovers to be had!  Bonnie has brought plenty of sweets for the kids, and that serves as dessert.

The staff build a fire while the teenagers arrange dance tunes.  One of the young women, Olivia, arrives late after work, so we make her a bowl of noodles.  The dancing and socializing continue late into the evening.  Our Kulikayo charity is celebrating its’ 10^th anniversary this year, so these kids have known each other at least that long. Now, as they are scattered in different boarding schools and some have graduated and are working, this is as much a reunion between many of the kids as it is a reunion with the Canadians.