Mostly Harmless

I recently had another opportunity to work at a youth camp for young Ugandan boys. Northern Camp B.U.I.L.D. is gear towards young Ugandan boys between the ages of 15 – 25, similar to National Camp B.U.I.L.D. held in Entebbe (see post titled ‘Two Caravans’), but rather than work with boys from all over Uganda, this camp was focused on boys from the greater northern region of Uganda. The camp was held in Gulu, one of the key areas during the northern wars and one of the key areas targeted by Joseph Kony and the LRA. Gulu is currently going through great rehabilitation, which camps like Northern Camp B.U.I.L.D. are a part of. 

During the camp, sessions focused on building leadership and life skills, teaching about entrepreneurship and business development, strengthening team work and understanding between people of different tribes and communities, and improving and maintaining one’s health. 

The day at The Recreation Project, a ropes course in Gulu, was quite inspiring. Many of the boys were nervous and feared the heights and obstacles that were ahead of them. However, you could see the change within each boy, how they took that fear and channeled it to overcome what lay ahead. All my boys attempted every task. All were successful. Some of the PCV staff and counselors weren’t as successful as the campers were, which was amazing to see.

The day dedicated to HIV testing was also inspiring. The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) came to assist in testing and counseling, as well as perform traditional dances for the campers. Each member of the TASO team shared their personal stories about when they were testing and they found out they were HIV positive. The testing was completely voluntary, but all the boys were encouraged to get tested. Knowing your own status is the best way Uganda can control the spread of HIV. Some boys were very resistant to getting tested, as were many of the Ugandan counselors. I decided it was important for me to set a good example for my camper group, so I stepped up as the first one from my group to get tested. One boy in particular seemed to be motivated by this as he requested, almost demanded, that he go immediately after me for testing. I was happy to hear that he would be tested, and in the end all buy one of my boys were tested (that I know of). After the testing was completed, we found out that out of those who had been tested, there were no positive results. I think this was great news for the campers as they could feel inspired not only that they had led a safe and healthy life so far, but they now have the knowledge and tools to continue doing so. 

The day the Northern Camp G.L.O.W. (Girls Leading Our World) campers came to visit the B.U.I.L.D. campers, we had the entire day dedicated to Gender Equality. This is certainly a topic that needs addressing within the youth of Uganda, however sometimes it feels as if this topic needs to be touched upon slowly. As a female counselor, it was hard hearing some boys from my own camper group strongly protest the idea of women wearing trousers. While I understand that some people have the opinion that it is not feminine for a woman to wear trousers, we were trying to get the boys to understand the different between what is one’s opinion versus what is a fact, in this case the fact that women can wear trousers. One of my boys in particular was very insistent that women should not wear trousers. He suggested it was disrespectful for women to wear trousers. After the session, I confronted him with the fact that his own counselor was a female and in fact was wearing trousers all week. I asked him if he felt this was disrespectful, seeking an honest answer and hoping for the ability to have a conversation about the difference between ‘should’ and ‘can’. When confronted, he suggested using violence against women, including me, in order to prevent them from wearing trousers. I found this very alarming, as he is really the future of Uganda. While I believed his threats were mostly harmless, I spoke with some staff members, even the PCV who nominated this particular camper regarding the incidence and what the proper reaction should be. It was suggested that I didn’t understand where this camper was coming from culturally. In fact, I almost completely understand where this camper is coming from, culturally. The fact is that we were trying to make him understand that one should not use violence to make his or her point and also that he needed to understand the difference between the opinion he had and the fact and ability of females. The day was somewhat resolved in the end, however a part of me feels like there wasn’t any real progress made. I would like to think that what happened that day made a difference, that the young camper finally understand that what he believed did not relate to the fact of a woman’s physical ability, but a part of me honestly thinks it made no difference at all. Unlike at Camp G.L.O.W., where you can really see how strong and empowered the young girls become, at Camp B.U.I.L.D., it is really hard to make young boys understand that both genders should have equal ability. I guess it’s true that anything worth fighting for isn’t going to be easy.

The Malawi Flames showing off our flag

The last day was just as challenging for the boys and myself as the rest of the week. Struggles getting respect and understanding from the boys seemed to be a common thing. In the end, I felt just as happy and almost as impactful as I had after National Camp B.U.I.L.D. While I may not have changed anyone’s life drastically, I do believe that by showing the young boys that women are strong and will demand respect, that I, as a woman, will not allow men to walk all over me, their minds have changed a little bit towards realizing that men and women should be given equal opportunities. 

One of the most interesting boys I met was a young boy who was part of a group called ‘Breakdance Project Uganda’. This boy was very outspoken and helped make huge strides during the Gender Equality sessions. He presented his ideas of progress and equality in such a way that I think the other boys really learned something. Having a young Ugandan boy validate things that were being taught really helped the overall message become solidified. 

Breakdance Project Uganda itself is a very progressive group, promoting gender equality and empowering youth through drama, breakdancing, and graffiti. The group encourages youth to take personal responsibility for their lives, suggesting they can change their future by getting tested, empowering themselves and their communities, and working together towards a brighter future. During the camp, the group did a breakdance performance centered on gender equality. It was really neat to see the group in action and I can really see how something like breakdance, which initially has been stereotyped as a cause for so many problems in youth, can now be used as a solution to many problems the youth face. Organizations like this give me hope for tomorrow. I really believe that youth like the ones I’ve met here in Uganda really will change the world, one small step at a time.

“Gender equality does not mean both genders are the same, but that they have the ability to be.”

GORILLAS IN THE MIST

This weekend's adventure took place at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. A merry band of misfits and I decided to go gorilla trekking. Bwindi is one of three places IN THE WORLD that you can actually interact with gorilla families in their natural habitats. The other places are in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gorilla trekking takes quite some time to plan. You have to go to the local wildlife authority and get permits, which cost $350 in the off season and $475 in the high season. When you get the trekking permits, you also pick the family you are going to trek. When I say 'trekking' I mean we actually go find a family of gorillas. The family we chose was the Rushegura group (commonly called the R group). This group is supposed to be the easier of groups, the one that is the most habituated with humans. This group is also supposed to be one of the groups that is closest to the rest camp we stayed at. The other groups tend to be further away, leading to a very long, strenuous hike. Our hike wasn't terrible, it was steep at some points but it wasn't exactly impossible. The worst part was the fire ants or safari ants. They are big, red, and evil. When they bite, you know. It's really painful and the pain lasts.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

When we finally got to the gorillas, we couldn't see them clearly at first. They were mostly youngsters who were in trees. Eventually they came down and we got to sit and watch for a bit. We took plenty of pictures. At one point, one of the girls in the group was posing for a picture and the silver back came down the path. It passed behind her by a mere 4 feet.

The REAL kings of the jungle

The silver back went down and posed for many pictures along with a mother and some babies. After a while they all started heading up. We followed them a bit, until the silver back decided to charge one of
the younger gorillas. At this point I froze and threw my hands up in an 'I didn't do it' type action. Of course if the gorillas had seen me, they would have thought I was being aggressive and would have charged me. Thank goodness they didn't see me.

BANANGE BANANGE BANANGE (translation: OHMYGOD OHMYGOD OHMYGOD)

I got really close to a mother and a baby and at this point the silver back had gone back up the hill. When I was posing for some pictures, the silver back started coming back down and passed behind me by a mere few feet. I freaked out and of course the guide keep trying to reassure me to stay calm and I'd be fine. I did and I was, but it was a bit scary while it was happening.

The time felt shorter than it was and we had to leave. We got back to the rest camp safe and sound. It was truly an amazing experience. Now I understand why Diane Fossey got all hyped up about these Gorillas (though she was in Rwanda, not Uganda).

The Cupcake Diaries - Ssula Biri

Let the baking adventures continue!

Rice cooker prepped and ready

As you may remember, some time back I decided to test out this whole ‘rice cooker cake’ theory. Essentially it was a success, with a few minor setbacks…namely my rice cooker overheating and shorting out. Fortunately, this time around, I was smarter about my baking via rice cooker. Also, this time I decided to attempt the rice cooker cupcake. Yes, this is a real thing.

Prepping for the GLORY

The instructions to make a rice cooker cupcake are as follows:

Mix cupcake mix according to box instructions. Place cupcake cups in molds. Add cupcake mix. Place cupcakes in steam tray and close the lid. Allow to steam according to box baking instructions (30 minutes typically).

Using caution, open the lid and check cupcakes for doneness. If ready, add frosting and enjoy!

Cups filled!

Rice cooker on - notice I did NOT tape it on this time. 

So, with this in mind, I armed myself with a box of Betty Crocker Super Moist Milk Chocolate cake mix (judge away, but I did not want to go through the motions of making cake mix from scratch if it wasn’t going to work) and a jar of Nutella for frosting. After my trusty sidekick, Alia (the vanilla buttercream frosting to my red velvet cupcake), mixed the cake batter and poured them into the individual silicon cupccake cups (fill each cup about half-way), we filled the cooking bowl about 2/3 with water. We used foil cupcake wrappers for half the batch, to test out how they’d do in the steam bath. We flipped the rice cooker on and started the waiting game. The water took some time to start boiling, but once started, the baking was on! After a few minutes, I carefully checked the status of the baking and to my amazement, it was actually working! That’s right folks, rice cooker cakes are completely and 100% feasible and delicious (and if you use the foil variety, wrappings are a viable addition).

Look at that steamy goodness.

 

NOM NOM NOM!

Cupcake GLORY!

Moist and delicious

Foiled perfection

Success!

The cupcakes are much moister than when I made the full cake in the rice cooker and more airy compared to when I used an oven. I almost prefer the airy, moist rice cooker cupcakes to the normal oven-baked variety. The combination of the deliciously moist cake and the deliciously creamy Nutella makes for a diabetic’s nightmare and a sweet lover’s dream-come-true. All in all, I’d say the rice cooker cupcake is a win.

With Nutella frosting!

On a final note, I highly recommend rice cookers to PCVs and younger, single, oven-deprived individuals. They are versatile and currently my best friend (you know, besides my human friends).

Now begins the road to ‘fat Aditi’.

Happy Easter!

Paradise Lost

For the past week, I was in Zanzibar, an island off the coast of Tanzania. Initially, I wasn’t really sure what to expect except fun in the sun. Little did I know, I would enter a world of not only sun and sand, but giant turtles, coral reef, various fish, dolphins, and hilarious Tanzanians (or Zanzibarians, since they are fighting to get independence from Tanzania apparently).

The first day in Zanzibar was mainly to visit Prison Island. So, the history of this island is as follows:

A prison was built on the island but it was never used as a prison. After completion, it was used as a cholera quarantine facility for tradesmen coming in from highly endemic areas (Egypt and India mostly). After that, it was used as a general health inspection island for immigration. After another bit of time, a hotel was built and the prison was renovated into a restaurant and hotel. During that time, the Seychelles, another set of islands off the coast of Africa, gave giant sea turtles (second only to those found in the Galapagos Islands) to Prison Island (where they are still present). Let me just say, when they call them ‘giant’, they are not kidding. I’m fairly certain that there are a handful that were at least 4 times the weight of me. I was quite afraid to go near them since I heard they tend to snap at people’s fingers. At one point I was attempting to go near one and it started to charge me (and when I say charge I mean it just started moving in my general direction). This caused me to panic and almost step on a smaller turtle that was crossing the pavement. The prison was interesting to see. The view from the prison was amazing, making me think I wouldn’t mind spending a life sentence in that prison.

Zanzi-Water

The beaches on Zanzibar are beautiful. I’m talking crystal blue water…like the adverts for Sandals resorts (but IT’S REAL). We went snorkeling the next day and saw so many different fish from Finding Nemo, it was like I was in the movie (minus the shark chase scene). We also saw so many different coral, it was amazing! Most of the coral you could see without even getting in the water, the water was so clear! We even got to see dolphins. It was funny, all the snorkelers decided they wanted to try and follow the dolphins so whenever they were spotted, they jumped out of their boats in heard. We also made it to an island off the main Zanzibar Island where we got to walk out onto a sandbar in the middle of the water. It was pretty cool. Unfortunately, all the time in the sun caused me to get burned over most of my body.

Zanzi-SPLASH!

The next few days were spent relaxing and just hanging out on the beach. We caught some epic sunrises and during low tide we’d walk out to the sandbar in the middle of the ocean. Unfortunately, we were always met with a minefield of sea urchins with spikey stingers so we didn’t make it to the sandbar successfully.

We also sneaked into a high class resort to use their pool which was in a shaded area. That was refreshing since the ocean was hot. Not warm…HOT. I’m telling you, it was like being on the sun, minus the whole melting literally aspect.

The last day we went on a Spice Tour which was cool. We got to see the different plants and guess what spices they were. I, of course, guessed the curry leaves (brown-power). We also went on a tour of an old slave chamber/slave market. It was pretty creepy because they kept the slaves in a cellar underground. I was almost too freaked out to go in. They have a monument now with stone carved humans chained up to represent the slaves. It was a little saddening, but overall the trip was awesome.

Some funny things that happened on the trip…every street vendor sang songs to us trying to sell CDs. The song always went ‘Jambo Bwana, Abare Jani, Mzuri Sana’. It was hilarious and by the end of the week I was singing it. Also, we had a cab driver called Mr. Jumba Jumba and whenever we’d go around the town he’d just randomly start laughing or he’s say ‘THANK YOU MR. JUMBA JUMBA’ and go on to explain some time. Also, there was a huge street food market (it was like the Zanzibarian version of a food truck bazaar) where you could get ridiculous amounts of food, from meet to veggies to fruit to PIZZA! It was awesome. 

Zanzi-YUM!

Overall it was a good vacation. It was good to get away from Uganda and see different things and just overall recharge myself. I even ventured out and tried calamari (it was actually good). I think I’m now reset for another 8 months in Uganda (though I hope to leave again on vacation before heading to the U.S. for good).

Zanzi-Sunrise

 

THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU

My latest adventure started when I heard about a set of dormant volcanoes near the border of Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC. Who wouldn’t want to be in three places at once?

Yeah, I should have really thought this thing through.

So, as a very belated birthday gift to myself, I decided to get a merry band of misfits together to tackle this whole idea of three-places-at-once thing. Little did I know, not preparing would come back to bite us all in the behind. 

I began my disjointed journey at 6 am when I headed into Kyotera and found a taxi heading to Masaka, where I was to meet Allison on the post bus (the only way to travel relatively efficiently in Uganda). Of course, the POST bus wasn’t going to the POST office (clearly my logic was not shared by the individuals who were driving the post bus) so after waiting for a while I had to take another vehicle out to Nyendo where I was able to successfully catch the post bus. After a very long time (and a zebra sighting) we got to Kabale where we picked up the final part of the trio, Alia. After another hour (where we passed through an airfield and got to see an actual UN Refugee camp) we made it to the hostel in Kisoro just in time for a rain storm and no power. Oh Uganda, may God uphold thee…

While at the hostel, we noticed the immense mountains surrounding the area and we wondered which we would be climbing (clearly, we hadn’t done as much research as we should have). When we were told which mountain we would be hiking, the fear struck us like a bolt of lightning (it also didn’t help that we were told we would have to climb ladders towards the three peaks of the mountain). We went to bed that night with dreams of ladders and great heights swimming through our heads, as well as a very strong hope that we would be successful in our endeavor.

We weren’t.

When we started the hike, we quickly realized how unprepared we were. The initial slope to the base of the mountain was at such a steep incline, it took us twice as long as usual to make it to the base. From there it only got worse. Not only did we get our shoes stuck in mud (knee deep in some places), but the incline and altitude combination hit us so hard, we had to stop every few minutes. It also didn’t help that a lot of the trails were on the steep slopes of the mountain, making me think about the possibility of falling to my death. I’m sure the guide did not appreciate this. When we got to what the guide considered the ‘real’ incline, it was death, true and simple. After about 15 ladders I had to call it quits. It got to a point where I was on all fours, crawling across this ladder and all I could see around me were steep sides (forcing me to picture myself plummeting to the gorge below) and white fog (or clouds). I realized I could go no further and slowly climbed off the ladder and sat on a rock for a while, allowing myself to calm down for the descent (during which we never stopped to take breaks causing me to have Machu Picchu-like issues). At least I wasn’t the only one that had this problem. 

Me climbing one of many ladders to the first peak of Mt. Sabinyo.

Epic fail.

A promise was made to follow a training regimen and make a second attempt. Hopefully that one is a little more successful.

After the failed hike, I went up to Gulu to visit Michelle’s (another volunteer) site, Clean Water Initiative. Some amazing people back home decided to donate money to her organization and I thought I’d check up on the progress of the projects to which the money was going. 

The travel to the site was long and the road very dusty and bumpy which really showed me how remote the area was and probably how far the community members had to walk to fetch water. When we got to the site of the bore hole, there were mostly community members working on the pumping mechanism as well as the cement around it. It was really amazing to see how invested the community was in the project. Out of all the people there, only two were not members of the community, and those were supervisors and contracted workers who were merely watching the work to make sure it was done correctly. 

 

After they finished putting together the pumping mechanism, they pumped some water and it was just plain awesome. I don’t know how else to put it, really. The community members let me pump some water and while I knew I probably looked like an idiot, but it was cool to see progress in action. Knowing that the community had a cleaner and safer water source really made me happy.

Making a fool of myself pumping clean water.