Back again. We have been tooooo busy at the University. A four day visit from a pair representing the Austrian Government to see what Austria might be able to do to support the University. It this case they write the project for us, wonderful. The visit went very well and we are hopeful that if the political situation does not deteriorate any further that we will receive support not only for the University in general but also be helped to set up and finance exchanges for staff and student training.
We have also had a visit, very short, from Universities Ireland which we also hope will result in secondment of the senior staff we need to set up research, the life blood of a university, and also to assist in staff training. Staff training is vital as we need to break away from the didactic style of Ugandan lecturing to a more thought provoking style. We feel we are making real progress and just need the financial support to get us over these early years when the stff student ratios are, of necessity, very high meaning of course the basic running costs are very high compared with income. A few million dollars would totally transform the situation, even a few hundred thousand would make a profound difference. Any ideas? contact info@mmu.ac.ug .
Coming now to the end of the school terms and two of our 'children' have come with problems of food for the holidays. One borrowed 15,000shillings about $8 to set herself up to trade for the holiday period bring vegetables to her village; The other will I thinl work on the garden/farm but needed money to buy sheets of roofing, she had gone home to her sister inlaw to find that her room whch she shares with her brother had lost its roof, not good with tropical rain: 50mm in 30 minutes. also not so good at keeping out the mosquitoes and Malaria, even with a treated net she has had three attacks since May. If not treated malaria is often lethal.
A wonderful day on Sunday with a family we know quite well and have been able to help. Their two children 4 and 6 were being baptised, among 35 others, and then a meal with them and a couple of nephews in their tiny house, what you see is the lot except for the bed space behind a curtain and the cooking in the yard. It is grass hopper season, really good to eat and worth a visit to Uganda but only for a few days around this time of year. It also turned out that the father is to be baptised in March which will then allow them to regularise their marriage and al that that means in terms of security for the wife and children. Without marriage the wife and children can be thrown out if he dies as the property, even if given to the wife it is seen as the propety of the husbands family.
I expect many have been wondeing about the political situation here. It certainly gives cause for concern but contrary to some reports in the media there is no comparison at all, at present, between the atrocities and permanent fear that charactarised the times of Amin and Obote and the present. The treatment of the courts and use of the Courts Martial is certainly very worrying, the way that high profile corrupt politicians and others survive to continue needs to change totally but to equate, as some do the present with 30 years ago is a travesty, at present.
We leave on Thursday for Christmas in Ireland with all our family, Four, Spouses: three and Grandchildren: six. also fundraising and education as much as we can. Swapping sandals and a sun hat for wooly socks, gloves, anoracks and a fur hat.....
We have also had a visit, very short, from Universities Ireland which we also hope will result in secondment of the senior staff we need to set up research, the life blood of a university, and also to assist in staff training. Staff training is vital as we need to break away from the didactic style of Ugandan lecturing to a more thought provoking style. We feel we are making real progress and just need the financial support to get us over these early years when the stff student ratios are, of necessity, very high meaning of course the basic running costs are very high compared with income. A few million dollars would totally transform the situation, even a few hundred thousand would make a profound difference. Any ideas? contact info@mmu.ac.ug .
Coming now to the end of the school terms and two of our 'children' have come with problems of food for the holidays. One borrowed 15,000shillings about $8 to set herself up to trade for the holiday period bring vegetables to her village; The other will I thinl work on the garden/farm but needed money to buy sheets of roofing, she had gone home to her sister inlaw to find that her room whch she shares with her brother had lost its roof, not good with tropical rain: 50mm in 30 minutes. also not so good at keeping out the mosquitoes and Malaria, even with a treated net she has had three attacks since May. If not treated malaria is often lethal.
A wonderful day on Sunday with a family we know quite well and have been able to help. Their two children 4 and 6 were being baptised, among 35 others, and then a meal with them and a couple of nephews in their tiny house, what you see is the lot except for the bed space behind a curtain and the cooking in the yard. It is grass hopper season, really good to eat and worth a visit to Uganda but only for a few days around this time of year. It also turned out that the father is to be baptised in March which will then allow them to regularise their marriage and al that that means in terms of security for the wife and children. Without marriage the wife and children can be thrown out if he dies as the property, even if given to the wife it is seen as the propety of the husbands family.
I expect many have been wondeing about the political situation here. It certainly gives cause for concern but contrary to some reports in the media there is no comparison at all, at present, between the atrocities and permanent fear that charactarised the times of Amin and Obote and the present. The treatment of the courts and use of the Courts Martial is certainly very worrying, the way that high profile corrupt politicians and others survive to continue needs to change totally but to equate, as some do the present with 30 years ago is a travesty, at present.
We leave on Thursday for Christmas in Ireland with all our family, Four, Spouses: three and Grandchildren: six. also fundraising and education as much as we can. Swapping sandals and a sun hat for wooly socks, gloves, anoracks and a fur hat.....
posted by Patrick & Kathie at 10:02 PM
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