Was it a Crocodile?

With slight sadness I returned to Uganda but was uplifted by catching up with friends from Uganda Lodge who are now at another project here in Jinja.  It is a usual gently decaying post colonial town located at yet another source of the Nile.  It is also a hub for white knuckle activities for this part of Uganda.  So it was good to have a little touristy pampering of, Mediterranean roast veg and hummus sandwiches and smoothies as a change from the high carb local fare.
I trekked out to Bujugali falls where much of the white water rafting takes placed and watched the local throw themselves down, attached to plastic jerry cans, or in kayaks.  I decided to take a trek down river towards a new dam being constructed, which will dramatically change this area shortly but provide much needed power to the country.  As usual I set off in the general direction, relatively easy as the mighty Nile on one side and construction site visible ahead.  I managed to get with in about 1 km when I ran out of path and as it is so large, visibility too when I decided to turn back and as usual managed to loose the return path, at one point leading me to a 5 m sheer drop with only a tree to hang on to to break my fall and then I got too close to the river and into the reeds, when I saw a large tail slither towards the water and heard a loud plop.  Initially I thought wow that was a large otter, but then began thinking was a crocodile, or even snake,  so I made a rapid retrace of tracks and got back to some sort of track, eventually  I got back to the falls; although not without having to negotiate my way around a local fishermen's drinking/ganja den by having to climb over their boats.

I visited the school my friends are now working in, I helped in classes of more than 100 and the largest is 167 students, all squeezed into a fairly normal sized class room.  What is amazing is that good quality, by local standards and even some UK schools, was taking place.  Students hardly have access to writing space to make notes or be able to see the board they do not have many text books so every thing has to be laboriously copied down.  They are quiet and attentive and will continue to work unsupervised to get tasks finished.  All of this whilst learning is English as a second language.  It certainly underscores one of my major frustration in my work with recalcitrant young people in Huntingdonshire.  Give them all a week in one of these schools and a week in the shamba and I am sure they will begin to appreciate the opportunities they have been given.

I am now back in Ruhanga at my original project.  It has grown enormously in terms of the numbers of volunteers.  Not surprisingly as the university holidays have started.  We were up to 24 this week.  It has highlighted my previous concerns about lack of organisation to cope with this growth; but hopefully meetings between the directors will acknowledge this and changes will be made.  There have been meetings with the School Committee and Community Board Organisation, to enable them to takeover the community and volunteer projects  which should ensure better use of funding, donations, resources and volunteers within the greater community.  Also that the community can determine what projects they need and can use and so lead to greater ownership and sustainability.

I am also catching up with some of the many friends I have made here.  They are so pleased to see me return and it will be even harder to leave this time.  So a big thank you to all: the lodge staff, Denis, James, Gerald, Robert, Didas, Resty, Justine, Beth, Sarah, Mode, Rove, for looking after me so well; Volunteers, too many to list, you know who you are; School staff Jamir, Alinda, Merril, Eunice, Kedrine and co; George,Gertrude and family,  Craft ladies, Jennifer and co; Solar Sisters; CBO and PTA Levi; Osbert and family and of course all the children and students of Ruhanga and Team college and everyone who has made me so welcome I hope to return.