Monday in Uganda

I have not seen passion like there is here anywhere else in my life. From the way the women work to provide to how Haril and Andrea and all the other Musana staff are so determined to build a better community. Before our tour of the school this morning H told us the background of Musana and how it began. Haril and Andrea's constant work in the community is so inspiring.
Andrea and Haril really take the saying of "give man a fish and he'll eat for a day, but teach a man to fish and he'll have food for everyday." to heart and you can see it coming to work in their training program for women to learn profitable services. We were able to have a tour of that too. They have three trades women can learn, knitting, sewing, and cooking in the bakery. One of the wonderful leaders named Juliet told us that in Uganda many know a skill but they don't know how to run a business, Musana prepares women in their vocational training program how to do this so the can sustain themselves after the graduating the program. They even further go beyond this in teaching the women how to make,use, or find resources they will need for their business out of Musana. The women in the bakery class learn how to make a brick oven so they can cook the bread or other food they prepare. I love how they have such innovative ways of solving problems
Musana is continually working to solve problems and have many projects to do this. They are currently building a secondary school for children that graduate their primary school. This school will be a three story building with classes of 50 or so and have a science lab. The dorms for the children who board and go to the school have semi private rooms to give as a reward to boys and girls that show leadership in the school and community.
Musana is a community invested school and one of the ways they do this is by granting loans to aspiring business owners in the village. We were able to walk through the village and visit three of these businesses/homes and see the work they are doing. It amazed me that it was all women who we met today that were working and aspiring to grow their business. Ugandan women have a work ethic like no other.
I'm inspired by the women and kids and how they work together and lookout for not only each other, but us. Today after returning from the village Justine and I were hanging out in the community field where the village boys were paying us close attention. Young boys from Musana took notice of this and told us to go back up to the school because someone was calling for us, they later explained that they boys were from the village and weren't good and they took us away to protect us. I love, upon many other things, the selflessness of this culture and am humbled to take teachings from such young children on how to care.
The day was filled with many treasures among the wonderful tours we took. Chimba, our driver, was a walking encyclopedia picking up every plant and pointing out every tree telling us exactly what it was and how it grows. My personal favorite thing is driving through the villages and waving at the kids as they chant "munzogu!" I love noticing how they will smile and wave and as soon as you do the same back their smile grows about 10 times.
Joyous time as our team closes the day listening to the talented Robin and Glen as they play the flute and guitar and sing for us. We are all growing and learning together.
with love,
Grace