From a volunteer at Chekalini

I am going to be honest. I don’t want to have children, I never wanted to and I think I never will. That doesn’t make me less of a woman (although in Africa people think you are less of a woman if you are not a mother; and it is still a looong way until this will change). Maternity should be an option, not an obligation.

Nevertheless, the children at ‘Madeleine Home School’ have changed my perception of children. Yes, I was often afraid of children. I have been working in rural places in Africa for more than 4 years and I met lovely children but also mean ones. I was a very sensitive kid, so I was often the target of the strong ones. So I developed a bit of a fear of children.

To work in a rural hospital here is not easy, especially when it comes to children. You often see severely malnourished children coming to the Health Centre and people expect a miracle to happen. When that kind of case arises, I just want to run away and never come back. But later I reflect and I always come back. This is what Africa has done to us. People full of contradictions with love and hate on the same coin. Yes, this article is maybe a bit tough, but I am just telling the truth. I am tired of ‘joy and meaningfulness’ articles about African volunteers that only stay less than a  month. So the truth, the hard moments we all go through, also need to be told.

The first day I crossed the pathway to meet children with special needs at ‘Madeleines Home’, I felt a bit scared. I was scared of not to being able to handle the situation well and not being able to reach out to those kids. Life here often surprises you in ways you cannot imagine, and this was one of this cases. All kids greeted me with a big smile and also hugged me very tight. I automatically felt safe with them. They never called me ‘muzungu’ (the Kenyan word for white person), they called me always by my name. I am Nerea, the girl, woman, who carries toys for them and has a strange colour. They even call me ‘mamma’ which really melts my heart.

Another thing that has stunned me is how happy they are. They are truly happy, I feel so small and weak in comparison to them as I wouldn’t be like that at all. They are giving me a constant lesson of maturity and happiness, and show me how to cope with what life can bring. If I have a rough day at the Health Centre, I just walk over there and they always welcome me with big hugs and smiles.

My work at the Health Centre is also very good as it is more focused on the mobile patients, so there is never too much workload or stress and there is a very good atmosphere. I have been here now for more than 8 months and what I like is that my colleagues accept me the way I am. Yes, I am not always an easy person. I have a temper at times, and after losing it I always regret it afterwards but it is my nature. None of them seems bothered, in fact, I think they like to see that I am a person like any other with my weaknesses. In my own country I don’t have this freedom. Some of us live here at the Health Cente; so we share our life challenges and we have become very close. I also have say that without their friendship I could not manage my life here that well. The people of this area are called the Luhya. A very quiet and understanding people. I just feel so comfortable with them, they are so very easy going and always greeting me like I am not a foreigner any more.

And finally, I cannot finish this article without mentioning our little farm here of which I am the food and health care provider! I am actually doing a veterinary nursing training online and trying to put some of the theories into practice. Farm animals are quite a lot of work, but they are truly grateful especially for an animal lover like me! We have 6 goats, 40 chickens with a lot of smalls chicks born each week, two parish dogs and a wild cat that sometimes comes for food. I truly enjoy the animal care, they don’t ask for anything, they are unjudgemental and very grateful.

Every day here is different and new. Come and see. There is such a mixture of tough things and beautiful things. It’s life like you’ve never seen it before. You will get addicted.

Nerea Monge

St. Bernadette's Primary School

In October we had an enjoyable time with the pupils of St. Bernadette’s Primary School. Calendar, hat making, creating artificial bugs were all part of the activities.

Primary Seven pupils were busy preparing for their public exams and since then we heard that 70 of them achieved 1^st grade, 12 got 2^nd grade and all qualified to attend secondary school.

When the students of St. Catherine’s College heard that they would write exams without breakfast, they made a donation to help them have meals in school on those days. Perhaps this contributed to their success!!

Unfortunately some were unable to travel in October but they will be happy to hear that the money that would have been used for their accommodation has helped build much needed toilets for the pupils in the Nursery school.

 This is a photo of the new toilet block that is under construction at present.

2014 HUG Trips to Uganda and Kenya

During 2014 two visits were made to Uganda and Kenya by H.U. G. participants.

The first one in June including a visit to a place called Kalungulu where a well had been sunk with financial assistance form people in co. Armagh.  The beneficiaries of this gift of running water organised someone to compose a song ‘Giving thanks for this gift’.  A group of students sang it for us.  It is particularly appreciated as the area is so dry. As students go home in the evening they are carry 20 litres to their family thus making the cooking of the evening meal easier.

Visits to different schools followed with a welcome reception in each location and the promise to return to do Arts and Crafts at a later date.  On the way there were stops at the Equator sign which was recently turned green to mark St. Patricks’ day.

In both Laini Saba (Kibera, Nairobi) and St. Bernadette’s Primary School in Nakibizzi, Uganda there was a busy time. First to prepare posters that would be displayed when the new school at Laini Saba was officially blessed on 18 July, then to teach pupils how to sew on buttons, make bean bags etc.  While the tasks were demanding they were also fun.  Visits to the Giraffe Centre, the Elephant Orphanage and a ride on a camel and to the schools music festival added to our enjoyment.

The children loved the activities and are very proud of their new school.

Summer 2013 A Warm Welcome in Kalungu for the Newcastle HUG Group

On 14^th July fourteen students from Sacred Heart High School in Newcastle (UK) set off for their long awaited visit to Saint Charles Lwanga GTC, Kalungu. The girls had been preparing for over 12 months, raising money, discovering about life in Uganda, hearing from Sister Carmel about Kalungu ~and even trying to master some basic Luganda. There was great excitement, but at the same time apprehension and nervousness: would they get on well with each other and with the Kalungu students and staff, would they miss home, would they get ill, eat the new kinds of food… cope with the insects??

Then suddenly they were there: the long flight over, the long dusty roads crossed and the gates of St Charles opened: to be followed with the warmest welcome from the community and the school.
The girls were made to feel so much at home. The first day Sister Liz suggested the girls spend the day with the prefects, shadowing them for a normal school day… with the exception of not having to get up at 4.a.m., a fantastic way for the students to get to know each other. Good conversations took place from the beginning, a preparation for more informal meetings and chats. The nerves and apprehensions disappeared! They felt at home.

The next day there was an invitation to help Sister Mary and the librarians catalogue and sort all the books. A mammoth task, there were over 9,900 books in all!This was an eye opener for the Newcastle students as they realised the value of educational resources that for them are generally taken for granted.

There were a couple of painting projects too: the pool and sitting areas as well as the stage. Hopefully these helped brighten up the surroundings for everyone.The teachers from Newcastle worked with some staff on ICT skills and made plans with Sister Liz for further collaboration. More diversions happened,  when groups from Ireland, based at Kyamusansala, and Austria, based in Mbikko visited Kalungu. After a “Splendid Lunch”, the four nationalities took part in a mini “Sacred Heart Olympics”!The first challenge was a netball tournament, a challenge especially for the Austrians who had never played the game before.

  

All groups from Austria, Newcastle and Ireland.

The visit to Uganda finished with a couple of days in Mbikko where again all were welcomed warmly both by the community and everyone at St Bernadette’s. The Newcastle girls saw the sizes of the classes and gasped, all the more so when they saw the level of attainment of the older pupils. A real moment of truth came when talking to the nursery teacher who had recently dismissed her class of 120 3-4 year olds. Try to imagine the beginning of the school year!

The atmosphere experienced so briefly at St Bernadette’s and Mbikko reinforced the strong impressions noted at St Charles. So much was done (including all the extras for us the visitors) and there is much that was not seen. We also saw how it was done and how this was led by so many: the dedication to study, the ability to live without all the “add ons”, a desire to want to make a difference, the humour of  the girls at their efforts at hand-washing clothes, the transcendent singing at mass, the dancing, the drums, the poverty in the surrounding areas, the similarities in life as well as the contrasts, the pulling together, the skill and passion in the debate, the head teacher playing netball so well, the way appreciation is shown! These are but a few examples.

What will be the lasting memories and lessons for our young people?

RSCJ:  their calm and quiet manner, their wisdom and humour, generous spirit, their dedication and prayerfulness,  graciousness and gentleness, and their attentiveness to each person.  For our girls who rarely meet RSCJ or other religious, the communities and Carmel have left a deep and lasting impression.

Janet Erskine Stuart RSCJ, an English country woman whose anniversary will be next year, said,

“Your life is a sacred journey.
It is about change, growth, discovery,
movement and transformation.
It is continuously expanding your vision of what is possible,
stretching your soul,teaching you to see clearly and deeply and 
helping you to listen to your intuition."

                                                This was shared with the group on their last night in Africa:

The  Newcastle students, their staff  have been so enriched, challenged and inspired by all they experienced in Uganda and promise to hold all the students’ sacred journeys in their hearts and prayers as they return to their families.Thank you so very much.

2013 Update

2013 is turning into a busy year for H.U.G.

Already we have had a reunion of those who travelled to Africa in 2003- a full ten years ago!!!

Ten years on……. Reliving the memories of time in Kyamusansala

In January - we had an orientation day in Ballmacarbry with those from Clonmel who will travel to Uganda in July of this year.  It was a good chance to meet their parents too. More to report when we meet again at the end of March.

In the meantime those from the Presentation Convent Clonmel who spent time in Kenya last year did us proud. They shared their experience of being an Easter people- volunteering- with their school and a video link to all of Ireland on Friday 15 March. Their testimony to the local community who supported them, to the impact the stories of the children whom they met in Kenya  were amazing.  Comparing their school to the two locations where they were in Nairobi, they said both reflected faith and community values, where people looked out for each other even when the buildings were as different as chalk and cheese. As each one spoke about the time in Kenya and what they had learned one realised the potential for leadership among the group. At the end of the presentation that was amplified by their power point one person said that while they had gone there expecting to make a difference in the lives of others, the real difference had occurred in themselves. Watch out for those girls. They are special and will do great things.

BENBURB      Early morning activity – cleaning a pond! Fun!

 Preparing to work with the Scouts in Laini Saba, Nairobi

 

Group from Sacred Heart  Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne who will travel to Uganda in July.

Applications

We are now accepting applications for Summer 2013 - please submit the form to Sr. Carmel Flynn.

Application forms can be downloaded - here

HUG in the papers

The nationalist published an article with a great description of the latest HUG excursion written by Emma Lacey, you can check it out on their website:

http://www.nationalist.ie/news/local/clonmel-girls-travelled-to-kenyan-slums-to-change-lives-and-found-their-own-lives-changed-instead-1-4118663