On the ground in zone B

We're finally coming home!!!

2005-01-23T04:47:00.000-08:00

21 days after landing in Entebbe Airport, dozens of meetings, & handfuls of life-chaging experiences later, we find ourselves in the waning days of our adventurous trip. From meeting w/ members of Parliment to the people of the community, Uganda has becaome a second home to us. However, we are all excited to return to see all of y'all back in the States.

"Mzungu(the local term for white person), give me some money," the crowded mutatu rides, & scorching sun haven't yet gotten too old, neither have the wonderful people we continuously get to meet. Last week, we presented at the kick-off event for the United Way Uganda & it looks like we're going to have a very fulfilling partnership w/ them here.

This past week was spent doing a lot of R&R, especially after that bald guy w/ the bull whip left...just kidding - we love you Jeremy & you better be @ the airport to pick us up. But we went to the Source of the Nile, which is perhaps the most beautiful piece of scenery we've ever seen. Days later, we found ourselves still sunburnt from the Nile, on a beach along Lake Victoria. So it hasn't been all work & no play for us.

We hear that it's a tundra back in Maryland & that there is a chance that classes won't even start on time which is good news for all of us. We are working on a plethora of initiatives here that we want to get going on back in the states, so some down time when we return is exactly what we need. While we definitely haven't gotten enough of Uganda, we think Uganda has probably gotten enough of us.

Anyway, sorry for the lack of blogs while we've been away & the shortness of them. We promise we will tell y'all about the trip in person which will be even better. See y'all in a few days!

Go Terps, Pace, & Carpe Diem,
Pat

DIARY OF THE TERPS: Josh's Entry

2005-01-14T13:11:00.000-08:00

We have a few hours to relax on our first day back in Kampala after a week in Gulu. After getting lost looking for an African market and eating some incredible Indian food at Hotel Equitoria, we wandered down to Web City, behind the Kampala Casino. I have a few minutes left on this computer, so I want to take a moment to hash out my first general reactions to the absolutely mad week we spent in the North.

My two initial reactions are somewhat contradictory. The first thought is that the sheer volume of human suffering we witnessed is hard to describe, measure or comprehend. After the Night Commuter Center, we visited two internally displaced person's camps (IDPC's). These camps are somewhat worse than refugee camps, because those in IDPC's have the added burden of knowing that their home is only a few miles away, but if they return, they will face death or worse.

The noxious combination of widespread severe malnourishment and incredible hopelessness was a brutal one-two punch to our human sensibility and consciousness.>Yet the contradiction lies in the fact that I left Gulu with more hope than when I arrived. How is this possible after seeing so much suffering? It lies in the knowledge that we gained, that the insanity of the conflict is actually a confusing, yet comprehendible amalgam of interest and fear on the side of both the rebels and the government. The actors in the conflict are human, even though their actions are not.

This hope also lies in the face of people like our new friends Jimmy and Dennis, young Acholi who strive to find new solutions to such a longstanding conflict in their homeland.>Learning more about the solvable reality of the conflict, and realizing that intelligent and dedicated local young people are working to find new solutions left me with a glimmer of hope. In fact, the knowledge and contacts left me with a familiar feeling of empowered.

At PNZB's 6 campuses, from Howard University to UC-Santa Cruz, we can create space to advocate for the solutions proposed by our peers on the ground in Uganda. Learning this type of synergy is the only way for our generation to recover from the worst mistakes of the ones that came before us. THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO COME. If you are student and you want to be involved with PNZB's work, email me at jgolds@wam.umd.edu

DIARY OF THE TERPS: PAT'S POST!

2005-01-13T14:18:00.000-08:00

Howdy Everyone! We are safely & soundly back from Gulu...well maybe not soundly, but at least safely. A little more smarter, a little less rested, your three brave musketeers have returned to the more stable south. After five packed days in the North, from meetings w/ some of the most important names in the Ugandan peace process, to sleeping @ a night commuter center & being teased by all the children for our subpar musical talents, to more football w/ the local youths, we have returned reinvigorated & emotioanlly charged to do even more for the Project & the peace process.

Don't think that we didn't have lots of fun along the way though. Between learning about IDP camps & rehabilitation efforts w/ abducted child soldiers, we definitely had many memorable moments along the way. At Corey's expense was a shot to the groin by a five year old w/ a soccer ball while we were playing the other day. We also enjoyed a night of clubbing which consisted of a lot of native Ugandans trying to dance w/ all the white people in the club, or as they like to call us, "muzungu." We feel like celebrities walking around town, b/c everyone points & waves @ us & it's such a priviledge for them to shake our white hands. But then, when we try to give them autographs, they get all confused & run away. Go figure.

The town itself was very active & much alike any other town. To an outsider, you would never be able to guess al the problems that existed w/in the area. It's really sad to know about all the suffering there is in that community, as well as all the similar communities in Uganda w/ alike circumstances. However, we are constantly reminded of all the potential & hope for peace through the energy & joy of the children, who while expereincing perhpas the worst aspects of the war, remain optomistic & convinced of an upcoming peace.

Anyway, now that we are back to Kampala, we will be going back to Zone B a few times more before our return. Also in our itinerary is a little more travel after Jeremy leaves, but the PNZB Country Director is helping us out immensly. Nothing dangerous, just a trip to the mouth of the Nile River to do a little swimming - just kidding - we know better than to go in. For all of our dear friends & family who are worrying about us, we are doing fine. Minus a little bit of sunburn & some mosquito bites, we could not be happier & safer.

The biggest threats to our safety are ourselves & to be honest, I would worry more about the safely of the native Ugandans w/ the three of us around. Now that we are about halfway through our trip, there is much for us to be proud of, but still much to do. We all have initiatives to work on & we all are continuing to do our best to make all of y'all proud. Y'all are in our thoughts & dreams everyday & we miss y'all so much!

The First Night in Gulu...

2005-01-13T13:22:00.000-08:00

FROM JOSH...

We just returned to Kampala from Gulu Town in Northern Uganda. This is a part of the world where twisted, irrational and inhumane things cause incredible amounts of human suffering. This is a part of the world that has largely been forgotten, except for the giant humanitarian NGO's like Medicins Sans Frontiers, War Child, and World Food Program, which do great work, but often provide nominal comfort to people whose lives are daily misery. Strangely enough, in the eye of the storm, Gulu Town is charming, safe, well organized and simple.

In the next few days we will tell some of the work we did as students to try and understand this place and the scar it is leaving on the face of Uganda...

This summer I visited Dachau, a concentration camp outside of Munich. This Sunday night, when we arrived in Gulu, we visited a Lukodi 'Night Commuter Center'. This bizarre place is where thousands of children from Gulu's terrorized countryside walk nightly to find a place to sleep. They fear sleeping at home because of the nightly threat of being abducted, forced to carry arms and become slaves to the twisted LRA.

Aesthetically, the camp in Germany and the camp in Gulu were hauntingly similar. Barbed wire fences with sentinals gaurding locked doors. Small, cramped quarters exposed to rain and wind, packed with more people than they can hold. Of course, the comparison only goes so far, but to see a place like this, filled to capacity with small, scared and tired children, produces a similar gut feeling of wrongness and inhumanity.

The children who sleep here range from age 4-19, and they walk as many as 8KM to sleep safely, away from the feckless LRA, who under cover of darkness, rape, mame, kill and steal from their already war exhausted towns. As our leader Dennis said to us, "to stay in the towns is suicide." The camp was created a few years ago by UNICEF, as more and more children were sleeping on Gulu Town streets.

These children face every hardship of the kids in ZONE B, but they have the added inhumanity of walking to sleep in a place that lacks the amneties of most jail cells found in the United States. When the children leave the camps at 8 in the morning, they return to their villages to spend the day sleepily at school or helping with family chores.

We were led by Stephen, a 25 year old Kampalan Gulu, who felt the need to return home to volunteer in the camps. Witnessing such selfless acts only reinforces my conviction that we, as young Americans, have an undeniabl obligation to understand and perhaps play a supporting role in a peace process to end one of the world's most prolonged, tragic and underreported conflicts.

DIARY OF THE TERPS; NUMBER 3

2005-01-13T07:12:00.001-08:00

The following schedule is from our recent trip to Gulu, located 5 hour North of Kampala.

Sunday, Jan 9, 2005
Lukodi, Night Commuters Camp

Monday, Jan 10, 2005
Unyama Internally Displaced Persons Camp

Tuesday, Jan 11, 2005
Meeting with Ms. Betty Bigombe, the Chief Negotiator in the Peace Negotiations between the Uganda Government and the Lord's Resistance Army

Gulu Support the Children Organization (GUSCO) rehabilitation center for children who have recently returned from abduction by LRA rebels.

Lacor Hospital, the second largest hospital in Uganda

Wednesday, Jan 12, 2005

Northern Uganda Social Action Fund, a World Bank Initiative to support grassroots and community based efforts in Northern Uganda

SOS Orphans of the Conflict

Coope (Chow-pee) Internally Displaced Persons Camps

Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative

We are now back in Kampala and heading back to Zone B, tomorrow, Friday Jan 14.

Pat, Corey and Josh

DIARY OF THE TERPS; NUMBER 3

2005-01-13T07:12:00.000-08:00

DIARY OF THE TERPS: ENTRY 2

2005-01-10T07:54:00.000-08:00

The beautiful, yet treacherous Nile River greeting us as we approached town was a harbinger for what we are to expect in Gulu. Today marks a week into the adventures in Uganda & this week brings us into the Northern part of Uganda, where there has been 18 years of Civil War. A quick history lesson for those of you who aren't regular followers of Uganda current affairs.

The country of Uganda is governed by two sources of government. Tribal/cultural governing bodies & the democratic national government, made up of an elected President & a Parliament, much alike the British system. Uganda was formerly a British colony, hence this form of government, the fact they drive on the left side of the street, & every one here speaks better English than the three of us. Anyway, since the establishment of the democratic government 18 years ago, only one man has held the office of the President, Yoweri Museveni. There are term limits, but due to the difficulties in the past, the transition of leadership has often resulted in conflict and war.

In the north, the Acholi people, whose town we are staying in, have lost much of their political power b/c of this & many of their leaders are clinging to their tribal & cultural influences. One of these men is Joseph Kony. He is the leader of the LRA (Lords Resistance Army) that has been terrorizing villages in the North, kidnapping young children to fight against the elected governmentt, & hijacking governmentt officials.

The irony is that Kony is Acholi, yet is terrorizing many of his same people. The Acholi sentiment seems to be that they just want the war to end & do not necessarily takes sides, rather, they simply seek a peace. So that is as simple a history lesson we can give to provide a background to why this relates to our project & mission in Uganda. We are up here, mostly to visit & interview IDPs. These are Internally Displaced People, kind of like refugees, but w/in their own country's borders. There is very little the international world does for them, b/c they are not running into other countries. B/c many Acholi Ugandans are avoiding the war, they flee to the south to places like Namuwongo.

So to really attack the core issues facing Namuwongo, we need to address why they are in the slums of Kampal to begin w/. The thought is that if we can improve conditions in the North & help facilitate an end to the war, we can greatly help the people not only of Namuwongo, but in the IDP camps, & all throught the country. Roughly 1.6 million people are in IDP camps right now, & that\s not counting slums like Namuwongo that people flee to. One of the scariest parts of the war are the kidnappings of children as young as five. The LRA is known to go into the camps & local villages & kidnap children in the middle of the night.

The solution that NGOs has provided for these children are night time guarded ares in the city for them to sleep, so @ night, thousands of them will start making the many mile trek into the city to find a safe space to sleep. They are called the Night Commuters & the sight is crazy, to watch that many children walking down a one lane highway into the city. So, that's all the serious stuff.

Hope that gives ya'll a better understanding of what we do & why the support you give us both emotionally & financially means so much not only to us, but to all the people of Uganda & the world. This conflict has killed more people in the last 18 years than most Western Wars. The problem is that it has happened in Africa so there is very little interest interntionally. On to more light-hearted events, Corey & Pat began the trip to Gulu by playing soccer w/ the local kids. They are much smaller & younger, but also much better than us. However, each of us scored a goal & we're very proud of that even though they are all like 5 years old. Plus they play barefoot. Earlier this week, we got to swim in the US Ambassador's pool, & he invited us over for Terps games, though they'll be played here @ 4am.

Josh & Pat are joining the local running group, known as the Hash. They meet every Monday @ a bar to go running & then come back & have drinks together. The US Ambassador is actually a member & former Hash Master. Pat aspires for that position some day & Ambassadorship wouldn't be so bad either and especially b/c there's no degree requirement for it.

On top of that, we're working on a running club for the kids to compliment their soccer (or as they call it, football) program that will have to be hold while the soccer stadium is being built. There are so many ideas & programs & so little time here. Hence, the lack of blogs on our part, so we're sorry for that.

We all know ya'll are worried for us, but we'e doing great & while we love it here, can' wait to get back to see everyone & to get started on lots of our program initiatives.

We miss ya'l & love ya'll so much! Love, Pace, & Carpe Diem,
Pat Patrick Danger Wu The Proudest Member of the Terrapin Class of 2004

2005-01-05T07:11:00.000-08:00

The Terps with Dr. Ogusanya at Kairos Medical Centre
Uganda Photos December 2004

2005-01-05T07:09:00.000-08:00

Josh, Corey and Pat at Kasubi Tombs
Uganda Photos December 2004

DIARY OF THE TERPS: POSTING 1

2005-01-05T06:39:00.000-08:00

It’s not until you can smell the unsanitary conditions, taste the bitterness of social injustice against your dry, pursed lips, & feel the dirt & pollution stick to your hot, sweaty skin that you start to regain feeling into your veins after the initial numbness that hits you when you walk into Zone B. It’s true what they say…you can’t explain it any better than simply being here.

First & foremost, we all owe a grate debt of gratitude to Jeremy, the people of Zone B, our family & friends who have provided for us & loved us so much to help us get here, & specifically, Kara Smith, an inspiration to us all. We miss y’all & love y’all so much.

Second, as you can tell, despite countless roadblocks, passport-blocks, & plane-ticket-blocks, we have all successfully made it to Uganda. Today marks day 2 in a place whose weather is as beautiful as its people & its culture is as rich as its lush fruit – which Pat can’t get enough of, since it’s the only thing he can eat here. Understandably, the first couple of days have been quite overwhelming for all of us, but we are doing our best to soak it all in. Corey was the jewel of the children today as we attended the school’s groundbreaking & all of them were confounded by his ridiculous physique & bad jokes. Josh shared a run & beer w/ the US Ambassador to Uganda, as well as sharing a few pick-up lines w/ some European girls on the flight. And Pat, well, he’s just Pat.

The highlight of the trip so far, has to be the “Jeremy, We Love You” Song, sung by the women of Zone B. What a player, that Jeremy is! But don’t worry Vanessa, he still loves you more than anything else & we saw your article in the Dallas Star today – how awesome!

We look forward to more adventures to share w/ everyone back home. Later this week, we will be meeting w/ the Mayor of Kampala, which is requiring Corey to actually buy a nice pair of slacks & Pat do some ironing. This weekend, we’ll hopefully go swimming in the US Ambassador’s pool, followed by a trip up to the North for five days. We here there’s a civil war up there, but nothing the three of us can’t handle – especially w/ Jeremy the celebrity.

Love, Pace, & Carpe Diem, Pat, Josh, & Corey

University of Maryland Students Kick off 2005 in Uganda

2004-12-30T22:58:00.000-08:00

Three PNZB Student Global Ambassadors (SGA) from the University of Maryland (UMD) will travel to Uganda forthree weeks in January 2005. Josh Goldstein, a senior, Corey LaPlante, a junior, and Pat Wu, a senior, will be in Uganda January 1-24, 2005 to absorb all they can from the Namuwongo Zone Bcommunity and the plight of Uganda’s displaced people, and also visit Uganda's beautiful countryside.

The three UMD students will interact with the women’s and youth groups and visit schools, medical clinics,and government institutions to learn more about Uganda and the specific community they serve back home in Maryland.

Some highlights in their 3-week itinerary include, traveling to Gulu, a district in Northern Uganda that is experiencing violence and conflict and is the original hometown of many people now living in Namuwongo Zone B; volunteering and presenting PNZB during the new United Way Uganda’s kick-off event andopening program; and helping to create a successful groundbreaking of the football (soccer) field for theNamuwongo Youth Football & Basketball League. The students will also conduct research on displacedcommunities in Uganda and the government’s policies and programs toward these communities.

They plan on working with the youth to create a cross country running team and to engage the youth in leadership training and team-buildingactivities.

HOLIDAYS, HIP-HOP, AND HARMONY

2004-12-24T04:39:00.000-08:00

In Uganda, as in the United States, and I imagine just about everywhere else, the traffic gets heavier in the streets, and the stores, markets, banks and post offices are packed with those people trying to get their last minute shopping and errands complete.

Most people that I've talked with travel to their village -- I've talked with people who headed out of Kampala to Mbarara, Kisoro, Kisiizi (in the South-West part of Uganda), to Jinja and Mbale in the East, and Gulu and Lira (in the North).

Then there are those who remain in Kampala with their family and friends, because the city is so quiet, few things are open on Christmas Day. Others who remain in the city are taxi-drivers, who have told me "oh, business is not good. but we will not take off for the holiday. we need to make some small money. so we look foward to the people coming back."

There are also Christmas Carols on the radio -- some of them the classics, Bing Crosby and then of course their is also the Justin Timberlake, NYSYNC version of "Home for Christmas." Pop-culture is all over Kampala these days, with MTV on 24 hours a day, and on two different channels. Also, there is a station out of Tanzania and Kenya which has reggae infused hip-hop videos. The same idea, throwback hats and shirts, women dancing on top of chrome-tipped cars -- "Pimp My Ride" is a popular show here. But of course, many of the videos appear to be produced with a SONY Mini-DV camera and of course, in Swahili.

There is universal element to the holiday season, and I believe in Uganda this definately rings true. The family get togethers, the dinners, the parties and even some of the deocrations (at least in Kampala) is all around.

And on Christmas Day, the churches are packed, some places like Namirembe Cathedral will have more than 1,000. It is more than just gifts, it is about the recognition and belief that this is the holiest holiday of the year.

However, during this time of joy, there is also the reality that many people are still living in poverty, that orphans continue to run through the sludge in Namuwongo, people in IDP camps still live there, and those who suffer in the face of AIDS -- they still have AIDS. It is during this season that regardless of who you are, where you come from, your religion, or culture, it is our responsibility to do something to support them. To make a decision to do something to support them in the new year, or to volunteer immediately.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: “To forgive is not just to be selfless. It is the best form of self-interest. What dehumanized you inexorably dehumanizes me. It gives people resilience, enabling them to survive and emerge still human despite the efforts to dehumanize them.”

We should all, every person, reflect on the year that has passed.

And that means confessing the times when we have blamed others for the problems that exist in the world. Pointing fingers at others, when we see people living in poverty, and saying “they have nothing to do with me.”

Learning that when disease persists, claiming “they, those with disease, have nothing to do with me.”

And when conflict continues, whether in Northern Uganda or in the Middle East. “This also has nothing to do with me.”

Yet… when we reflect and confess, I think we'll realize that it is just not true. In the New Year, we can begin fresh – we should be forgiven for our own misguidance, and must forgive others for theirs.

It says in Judaism, “It is not your duty to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” So, let us work …together… toward shared values, and our shared future. Yes, the problems are more than the capacity of a single person, but together, we can all do something to fight poverty and disease, and together we can make for a more peaceful and prosperous world. So that next year, others will be able to share in the same joy of the Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year.

IN THE NEW VISION -- UGANDA NEWSPAPER

2004-12-22T01:14:00.000-08:00

Earlier in the trip, I traveled with US Ambassador Kolker, Ethan Zohn, and Jenna Morasca and with representatives from THETA (Traditional Healers Association), CDC and Minstry of Health. We set out on a nearly two hour ride through rugged, difficult terrain and ended the drive in Kawaku Village in the Mukono District of Uganda.

Yesterday, December 21, I was perusing through the New Vision, and there on page 24 was an article about the trip and photo from the day. See below.....

2004-12-22T00:27:00.000-08:00

New Vision Photo - December 21, 2004
Uganda Photos December 2004

ARV PROGRAM UPDATE

2004-12-21T09:27:00.000-08:00

Today, I received information about the ARV program at Kairos Medical Centre today, all of which was conducted over the last month.

Kairos Medical Centre, led by Dr. Pasquine Ogusanya carried out the following projects:

-General sensitisation, awareness raising and mobilisation for VCT
-VCT and identification of status one children and their families
-Off site laboratory tests for ARV preparation
-Adherence counselling and confirmation of beneficiaries
-Purchase of ARVs
-Home visits and follow up
-Follow up clinics
-Starting 10 adults on ARVs

Dr. Ogusanya also mentioned that there are 29 other adults ready for ARV treatment, and another 73 who have yet to be tested. There is lots more work to do, and we are privledged to work with Kairos and that the community is receptive and supportive of them.

Dr. Ogusanya also mentioned to me, "The response from the beneficiaries has been very encouraging, and they are very grateful for this timely intervention."
The work that Kairos is doing, with an overwhelming flow of people, children, youth, women and men coming to see them on a daily basis, is outstanding.

There is now talk that the women living with HIV and AIDS want to develp a dance/drama group. The women explained to us that they want to spread the message that they can still work, they can still take care of their families, and that they can still be a part of society. They want to erase stigma, and this is certainly part of the "re" empowerment efforts that have developed from within the community over the last several months. We are excited, and in the New Year we will help them to get this going forward.

That's all for now!

2004-12-20T01:32:00.000-08:00

Ugandan Artist, Alice Ireta
Uganda Photos December 2004

UGANDAN ARTIST TO SUPPORT PNZB

2004-12-20T01:24:00.000-08:00

Please stay tuned to www.WhatisZoneB.org in the Quick Links Section under "What's Happening" and click the Uganda link where in the coming week you'll be able to purchase original artwork by Alice Ireta, a 26 year old Ugandan native.

Alice has generously agreed to donate half of all purchases to PNZB. We are greatful for her friendship, humanitarian spirit and surely we know you will enjoy her incredible artistic talent.

PHOTOS FROM UGANDA

2004-12-19T01:22:00.001-08:00

Jeremy with Helen and Joseph
Uganda Photos December 2004

PHOTOS FROM UGANDA

2004-12-19T01:22:00.000-08:00

Jeremy with James and Joseph
Uganda Photos December 2004

PHOTO IN ZONE B

2004-12-19T01:21:00.000-08:00

Ready for 2008 Olympics!
Uganda Photos December 2004

PHOTO IN ZONE B

2004-12-19T01:19:00.000-08:00

Ready for 2008 Olympics
Uganda Photos December 2004

PHOTO IN ZONE B

2004-12-19T01:17:00.000-08:00

Zone B Afro-puffs
Uganda Photos December 2004

JEREMY'S FIRST BLOG ENTRY

2004-12-18T02:27:00.000-08:00

The red dirt settled as we stopped on the narrow, two-lane road laced with pot-holes. The entrance to Namuwongo Zone B, a quaint alley way, is next to a small market where I once met the store owner and purchased some notebooks for the children in Zone B. The man was still there; he nodded as though he remembered me, but also with the hope that I’d come to purchase something from him again.

From the main road in Namuwongo, you could easily miss the entrance to the bustling community rigged with poverty and poor sanitation that resides there.

The small, open alley way is lined with grass, dirt and discombobulated barbed-wire fencing. The volume of people talking in tribal dialects grows louder as we approach the community gathering space. I only understand a few words, something that I am committed to improving during this trip.

The people turn to see me, as I survey the area for the first time in six months. Immediately I notice that there are more babies than before, the children are slightly taller, and my friend, Immaculate, the women’s group leader, looks slimmer than I remember. Immaculate, who stands about 6 feet tall, slender and with long arms, graciously welcomes me, “It is good to see you again. We are still here.”

I learned on the first trip to Uganda in 2003, that the country has fascinating people and traditions, and at times it breathes an emerging modernization of the Western World. Ads appear for Pilsner, a popular beer, and MTN billboards promote cell phones. Yet, in the village and urban areas you’ll find traditional healing and native dance and attire. And if you forget that you are in a developing country, the thick, dense fumes coming from Matatus (10-passenger taxi-vans) reeking of diesel fuel, remind you.

Just a few evenings ago, a friend invited me to a local pub called “Wakadugu.” Apparently, my Ugandan friend comes there several times per week to meet with 8-10 of her friends to discuss everything from politics, to pop-culture, to their vision for a better future for Uganda. On this first evening, I observed more than I added to the conversation. In Uganda, you can learn so much from listening – and personally, I am here to understand the country even better.
The discussion revolved around their ambitions to create an organization that could offer mentoring opportunities to young people who live in retrenched places like Namuwongo. They want a “Big Brother, Big Sister” Uganda if you will. I watched as they traded ideas, sometimes calling the other out for something that seems far-fetched, but yet they respected and acknowledged each other’s input.
That evening I listened to my peers, the future leaders of Uganda discuss ways which they, as educated, experienced and successful individuals could help their country. The talked about poverty, conflict, orphans and of course AIDS.

Each person at the table knew someone who either lives with HIV or has died of AIDS, and many of them know individuals who cannot afford to pay for the necessary medication. This tragedy is not something with which my peers in the US must often contend.

The following evening, a gentleman who drives a taxi in Kampala took me home. Michael is 32 years old and from a small village about 4 hours west of Kampala, near Ft. Portal and Kisiizi. As we talked, the 1986 rebellion against Uganda President Milton Obote that I had only read about came to life. I asked Michael if he would return to his village for the holiday, as most Ugandans living in Kampala will.

“No,” he said, “I won’t go to the village, because I have no family there. I lost my parents and two sisters and a brother in 1986, when the current government was fighting the government in place.”

“How did you survive the attack on your house?” I asked with intrigue.

“I was spared,” he responded. “I was young and playing at my auntie’s home with my cousin in the neighboring village.”

I could say nothing more. There was silence in the taxi. Life is so precious and we often take it for granted.Uganda, and I imagine Africa, is a breathing account of the realities of humankind. Yet, most people have not traveled to Africa, and these realities still seem uncommon to the modern world. There is much to learn from Uganda, and more to pass on, which I see as my responsibility, along with asking and searching for more.

I walked back up the alley way to the car in front of the small market, and nodded at the man in the store. I purchased a couple of notebooks…and thought to myself, “all this and I have only been here for 2 weeks.”

AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE

2004-12-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

I personally have so many things running through my mind its hard to put them all down in coherent sentences. The trip was amazing. I could not have had a better time. staring with the safari to having the soccer tournament.

Jenna was amazing. I had been to Africa before... lived in Zimbabwe, did Survivor in Kenya....so I had smelled the burning rubber, and tasted the matoke, and felt the heat and seen the poverty. Jenna had not. And it was so refreshing to be with someone that was taking it all in as we went along. To watch Jenna’s reaction to these life changing experiences gave me a new lease on life. It also gave me the energy and power to continue what I am doing. It was a blessing to have her by my side.

When I first came to Africa this is what I saw....amazing sunsets, rich green forests, soccer games on ever street corner and family dinners. After this trip I realized that’s just the surface. If you look a bit closer this is what lies beneath: poverty, broken souls, starvation, overcrowded hospitals and the rampant infestation of HIV and AIDS.

Sometimes statistics can numb you to the real problems...but to see it first hand and put names and faces to the numbers...it is so much more powerful. I am so much more motivated to continue fighting the fight and walking the walk. Suffering is Suffering...pain is pain. There is not one mother or father or brother or cousin that doesn’t feel the pain when one of their own dies of AIDS. I can feel their pain and all I want to do is help.

I want to first thank Jeremy and PNZB for having Grassroot Soccer as their guests. I want to tank the people of PNZB and their kindness and generosity. I think we started a relationship that can only get stronger.

Soccer is an underutilized teaching tool. Everyone knows soccer....it grants us immediate access into any community, breaks down cultural stereotypes and has the ability to carry messages of hope. Hope is all we have left...

Ill end with a quote from Kofi Anan, Secretary General of the United Nations “Everyone can do something, depending on who they are."

Get out there and fight!!!!!!!

TRADITIONAL HEALING IN THE VILLAGE

2004-12-06T01:13:00.000-08:00

After a short rest and a quick bite to eat we ventured off to see a traditional healer in the Mukono District, but into the village – it was nearly a two hour drive.Before we actually arrived we stopped at the US Ambassador Jimmy Kolkers’ residence... He is a great guy, layed back, down to earth and sarcastic. Just what I like to see. We walked into his house and I say, "Wow what a beautiful home!" Jimmy responded "It’s a beautiful home, but it’s your house"....which was funny. So true...so if anyone is concerned about our tax dollars, it bought a great house in Uganda that serves amazing cinnamon rolls.Let’s get healed! We hopped into the cars and traveled what seemed like 4 days to this little village. We were with some representatives from CDC, THETA, the US Ambassador, PNZB and Grassroot Soccer.

Traditional healers are a main source of support and guidance, and healing to many of those living in the village and rural areas of Uganda. Treatment for anything from skin rash, to malaria, to upset stomach to psychological problems...many believe that they have the power and ability to heal everything. And they can do this in many different ways...such as talking to the spirits, using local herbs, grinding up plant fiber and mixing different tonics.These traditional healers were identified by the Ugandan NGO, THETA because they are viewed as role models and important figures in the community. So, with the major HIV/AIDS crisis these healers must be knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS, urge patients to get tested, and use condoms. In my opinion, it was a novel approach and is very successfulThe community danced and sang for us, it was a beautiful demonstration of welcoming. As always, the youth, the women, the children are incredibly talented at singing and dancing. We then had the chance to visit with the healer in his shrine.

The shrine was a dark mud hut with straw on the ground. He sat at the front of the room on a piece of animal skin. He then put on a robe and a beaded headband. In front of him is a bag of shells, and a pipe. He was a bit shy, but the way he diagnoses you is to toss the shells in the air to see how they land...the he can speak with the spirits to help cure your problem. It was really a once if a lifetime interaction.Jenna and I were awestruck....it was something not many people will ever get to see and such a learning experience. What a day!

EZ

BACK INTO ZONE B

2004-12-05T01:24:00.000-08:00

Jenna and I had the opportunity to walk around Zone B again. This time we were with a photographer from People Magazine, Stephen Shames. It was a Sunday afternoon, but Zone B was still bussling with activity. Walking around with a photographer changed the experience.

When little kids see a camera, they instantly start performing....just like little kids in USA. We walked past this little pit filled with wood chips. And these kids blew our minds...they were using it as a gymnastics mat. They were doing handsprings, flips, twists....it was amazing.
I just thought to myself if I could get them a coach they would be Olympic stars.

As we ventured deeper into Zone B, we visited some homes. This was shocking to Jenna and I. Most people live a in a one room square, maybe 10ft by 10ft. No running water, electricity, bathroom... and the entire family lives there...mom, dad and 3 to 4 kids. It was unreal and just wrong. However, they were all so proud and so happy to take us into their home.
We walked through the center of Zone B and into the market...it was like Broadway in NYC… extremely busy.

It was Sunday so everyone was dressed in their Sunday bests, as they were off to church… One of the most amusing moments for me was that I think I saw some guy wearing my "Saved by the Bell" t-shirt from 8th grade....Anyway this little market was pretty cool. They had a shop that sold fried pig fat. Also you could get fresh vegetables, ground flour, coca cola. There was a place selling fish heads. You could get your hair cut and make a phone call...it was interesting to see how their commercial area works. Let me just say...this is like no other area I’ve seen I’m just trying to make a comparison for those who are trying to envision 3 white (muzungu’s as they call it) dudes walking around in a small town filled with Ugandans.

When we depart Zone B, Jenna and I presented Immaculate Alaso, the PNZB Women’s Group Leader with a bag of clothes to be distributed to the women working in the Zone B Crafts For Change project, which I highly suggest you take a look into supporting, the women make beautiful products.The one thing that just continues to amaze Jenna and I is the generosity and kindness of everyone we met.

The second trip to Zone B was another life changing experience, we all should take the time to learn more about the culture and the people, this world is a global community, and this means visiting Africa.

EZ

SOCCER TOURNAMENT AND PEOPLE MAGAZINE

2004-12-04T06:40:00.000-08:00

People Magazine joined up with us today to do a feature on our trip to Uganda. It was really a great day for the entire Namuwongo community. Beginning at 10:30 am, the youth participated in a soccer tournament organized at the site where the new PNZB soccer field will soon exist. The youth were very talented, and the games were played in the spirit of friendship. They were especially excited with the uniforms that Grassroot Soccer and PNZB gave to them. These kids, who came to the field in rags, and were barefoot, left with uniforms and the progress was visible to them. Their spirit is difficult to describe in words.

US Ambassador to Uganda Jimmy Kolker attended the tournament, and voiced his support to our groups and asked that the people of Namuwongo also continue to take care of their American friends while they are away from home. It was a great day in Zone B!

HIV/AIDS PREVENTION, CRAFTS AND ZONE B

2004-12-03T06:35:00.000-08:00

Today we visited the Kairos Medical Centre and Dr. Pasquine Ogusanya. She introduced us to her staff, the volunteers and some of the patients that arrived for counseling and medical care. The clinic is very impressive, well organized and maintained, and clean.

Time to check out the local crafts at the National Market. With the holidays coming up we did some major shopping and everyone on our list will get some sort of Ugandan craft like hand painted clothes, antique tools, hand carved bowls and beautiful beaded jewelry.

The most challenging and interesting part of the day was visiting Zone B, for the first time. The people of the community greeted us – and overwhelmingly among the crowd of about 100, a majority were women and children, any where from new-born’s to 15 years. Julius Ochitti, the Zone B Chairman, and Immaculate Alaso, the Women’s Leader officially introduced us to the group, and PNZB Director of Operations in Uganda, Joseph Bagambaki-Kaliisa kindly spoke about the great work that Grassroot Soccer is doing with the youths in Zone B.

The women sang a couple of songs to us, welcoming us and they were happy to see us today. They have such rhythm and harmony, and their passion for receiving guests as though they are now part of the community, part of the extended family, is something that everyone can learn from.

The children then sang a song for us –they were no older than 11 years, they sang in Acholi, the language of the Acholi people who come from Northern Uganda and occupy around 70% of the Zone B population. The song was called “We Are the Younger Generation” and the message in the chorus was so profound: “We are the younger generation. We are crying for our elderly. We are the younger generation, because we are living in a time of AIDS.” It was moving just to see their faces, and to see that this younger generation is in great need of support today, for future generations of Ugandans. There is so much that we are learning from this visit, and that we will take back to the United States to generate even greater support to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Jenna and I also purchased some of the lovely crafts that the Women's Group in Zone B produced. Jenna bought this really cool beaded necklaces - what we found out later on is that the beads and color scheme are made out of magazine clippings -- they are so resourceful and creative.

Otherwise, the PNZB Staff, headed by Jeremy Goldberg, our liaison on the ground spoke to the group about their programs and introduced the Grassroot Soccer programs to the people of Zone B. There is a great deal of hope, and with their commitment, I am excited and comfortable that together this program will move forward, and I believe that PNZB’s work is really making a difference.

EZ

FIRST DAY IN NAMUWONGO

2004-12-02T06:24:00.000-08:00

For the past several days, Kirk Friedrich (A.K.A Kick) Managing Director of Grassroot Soccer has been training youth leaders in our HIV/AIDS prevention curriculum. Kirk spent time with the Africa Youth Alliance members, more than 25 of them between the ages of 15 and 25, at the Kampala City Hall. The training was great. Later in the day, Jenna and I traveled with Jeremy Goldberg, PNZB Director, and Kick to the Kiwuliriza COU Boarding and Primary School, the school is located in Namuwongo and is where PNZB sends children from Zone B to receive their primary school education. The school is just wonderful.
The headmaster, Ronald Mukkibi, and PNZB Women’s Leader, Immaculate Alaso also greeted us, along with about 20 youth who Kick trained from Zone B. The training was again a huge success, and the youth really enjoyed the fun, interactive HIV/AIDS lessons. Both of the trainings were challenging, but the youth understand the importance of peer HIV/AIDS peer-to-peer education. There is a lot of work that must be done to ensure that the program will reach many more people in Zone B. It was a pleasure to see that the work that we are doing here is received well by the community, and everyone asked when we would return to Uganda and teach them more.

DECEMBER 2, 2004

Meeting the Ugandan people has been such a blessing for Jenna and I. One thing that we took away from this visit is that the people of Uganda celebrate everything that’s important in life. The smiles, the laughter, the handshakes, the friendships, and family. They have so little but give so much. It has been an awakening; a refresher course on life. Something we will not soon forget and that we will be sure to take back home.

In the evening, the PNZB Staff took us to a local restraunt called Rock Catalina, where we tried some of the local cuisine, it was awesome. No menus, they just bring you giant plates of pork or chicken. But the best thing was the cold Fanta in a bottle. Love it!
Tomorrow, we are going to the Kairos Medical Centre, the partner clinic of PNZB and where they will soon begin their ARV program for the people who are from Zone B, and who are living with AIDS.

EZ

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY

2004-12-01T14:28:00.000-08:00

Just returned from a couple days on Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is about eight hours west of Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, toward Rwanda. Uganda is beautiful, and the free-roaming lions, hippos and other wildlife truly make this country a “must see” tourist destination. I had major flashbacks of Survivor: Africa when the elephants and lions would wake me up every other night. Jenna spent 2 full days watching the warthogs sniff her toes….feeding the tiny little birds….and taking in Queen Elizabeth National Park of course.

We’ll have photos for you to view soon…

ON THE GROUND WITH ETHAN AND JENNA

2004-11-30T06:51:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Zone B!

We are pleased to see you on on our blog and encourage you to post questions and comments about Zone B. Down the road we will host an interactive Q & A and real-time discussion.

Of course, we are fortunate to have Ethan and Jenna kick-off this blog, it is great to have these two incredible individuals with us.

This blog will document the experiences of every and all persons who come to visit with us in Zone B.

So, please stay tuned!

All the best

Jeremy Goldberg
JMG