Jumpers 4 Goalposts!

Guest house swimming pool disappeared overnight but alas wasn't replaced by running water in the rooms – Today even hotter than previous ones and apparently gets even hotter as we enter the dry season.

 

Spent the day in meetings with finance staff getting to know them and beginning to understand financial procedures, processes, controls and challenges. Also went to partners coordination meeting to begin to understand how the partners work and the challenges they face. They were reviewing the feedback from the students but it all felt very micro and didn’t really discuss or focus on the major issues.

 

Met a few other expats last night and got invited to a DVD/film show in their house but didn’t make it.

Out for dinner with WAR CHILD colleagues and on way home noticed stunning night sky – amazingly huge and clear and bright. I’d forgotten all about the African night sky.

 

No work today but head into office about 11.30am to write and clear emails and catch up on personal stuff. Also write up some of the meeting notes. At lunchtime went next door to the radio station as some of the kids that WAR CHILD work with were doing a radio programme on domestic abuse. Didn’t understand what they were saying but clear that it was very real for them.

 

Tried to follow UK football via internet but not great connectivity. Late afternoon we head off to the local school to play football with the kids. A bit kick and rush and very hot and sweaty but good fun. In the evening I go out for dinner with Innocent and have a good chat about, racism, colour, development, Pader etc.

 

I’m beginning to settle into a bit of a routine, getting used to the people, the heat, the food and the guesthouse and feeling more settled. At first wasn’t sure I could cope and was wondering what I was doing here but now beginning to feel ok – in fact I think Im enjoying this!

Writing this on Saturday 28/11 and realise I’m not going to have time to do a daily update but instead will highlight the main things from the past week

Work generally going well and getting a clear picture of what works well and what areas need changing, improving and where the training needs are.

 

Biggest issue is systems or lack of them. Finance staff and administrative staff are generally pretty inexperienced – for many their first real job – but are all well educated and bright and keen to develop. All seem very cooperative and willing to discuss things and often know their own solutions.

 

I’m trying to write up meeting notes and assessments and recommendations as I go so that it is not a mammoth task at the end. Not formally using AfID or Mango checklists but using them as a guide and to give the meetings some structure.

 

Was pleasantly amazed when I had the first meeting with the financial officer from YSA (an WAR CHILD partner) to discover they have a procedures manual that is pretty good and thorough and that the staff and volunteers know and use!

 

Life generally settling into a pattern:

• Up at 7.30 for bucket/bowl wash etc. Lot less wounds and a lot easier to shave the past week after finding a shop selling a mirror! Top tip – a small mirror!

• Take malaria tablets!!

• Sometimes have breakfast – some or all of honey on toast, black tea and Spanish omelette – at guest house, sometimes just have some fruit if any available when get to office

• 5 minute walk to office on dusty red road past some mud and straw huts, a couple of hand water pumps and kids waving and saying ‘bye’

• Usually at work by 8.30

• Turn on stand up fan, log onto web and spend 30 minutes or so clearing UK work and personal emails and checking BBC news website for news and any sport results

• Then WAR CHILD work – meetings, discussing with finance staff, writing up notes, reviewing documents. Every now and again check UK stuff again.

• Lunch – one or some of egg in chapatti (called rolex)/rice/beans/chicken/porshe/beef/fish at nearby guesthouse or small local cafe with colleagues. But sometimes don’t bother and just have sandwich or

fruit if any available – pineapple, bananas, apples and mangos (its mango season)

• Stay at work till about 5-5.30 unless playing football

• Evening meal pretty similar to lunch in terms of choice of venues and choice of food. Also sometimes a beer – Nile Special or Bell.

• If lucky get to watch CNN or BBC World news and sports news at dinner venue and if extra lucky get to see a Brazilian soap badly dubbed into English on Ugandan TV called Shades of Sin – a classic.

 

Was missing doing some proper exercise so after playing football with the kids again on Sunday – bit chaotic as too many people and pitch too big – went to check out approx 18–25 year old game at ‘Pader stadium’, a bit of dusty waste ground in the centre of town.

 

All fitter and quicker than me but generally ok and I seem to have more awareness of space and playing as a team than most so do ok. To date have played twice and seriously hard work in this heat.

 

Other memories of the past week:

 

A great meal one night at Atak – beef in a lovely sauce + salad + mash.

 

But a terrible one last Sunday at Oasis while watching Stoke v Portsmouth. Past its best chicken that had been deep fried but was very tough on the inside + cold chips + cabbage.

 

Didn’t eat much of it as feared would get ill. When we asked the waitress for the bill got a confused look and then given a bottle of beer called Bell, she didn’t know what a serviette/tissue etc was and then tried to overcharge us. (Went back yesterday to watch Aston Villa v Spurs and when we asked same waitress if they had any food was told no. 5 minutes later she served other people chips.

 

Can’t wait to see what happens tonight when plan to go there for Arsenal v Chelsea).

 

Finish reading ‘Touching from a Distance by Deborah Curtis (about Ian Curtis and Joy Division)

 

Seeing about 300 kids from a nearby school celebrating the winning of the district school’s football competition – chanting/singing/dancing.

 

Watching ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ on DVD.

 

Surreal moment of the week – seeing a guy wearing a ‘Half Man Half Biscuit’ t-shirt while walking to work one day. Had to take a phone of him.

 

Sounds that I notice:

• Every kid saying’ Bye Bye’ as you walk past

• Generators running at night till about 10.30 – 11.00

• Every noise from anywhere in the guesthouse

• Afro beat music everywhere you go and when there are special events in town played throughout the night – and sound seems to travel a long way here

• Crickets and grasshoppers at night

• Mosquitos at night – hoping they are outside the net rather than inside, but sometimes impossible to tell in the dark

• Winding up of my rechargeable head torch

 

Things that I notice:

• Every kid waving as you walk past

• Very dark at night

• People mega friendly – always smiling and saying hello and how are you when you walk past

• Used plastic bottles and plastic bags everywhere

• Goats, chickens and cows wandering around

• Some children suffering from malnutrition – bloated stomachs