week in mubende

This week I’ve been in Mubende, helping the F/CBOs here update their databases and assist them with data entry. On Tuesday I spent the day in the field, helping measure and register a LOT of OVCs for school uniforms; we also conducted one focus group discussion with OVCs. It was a long day, but we got a lot done (and I got an unexpected sunburn… I guess that’s what happens when you’re a fair-skinned girl taking doxycycline on the equator).

On Tuesday night we had one of Mubende’s infamous potlucks… “potluck” is really a loose term, because we just chipped in money for a few people to make food. But we had the best goat I’ve had here so far – usually it’s really tough and I can’t gnaw it off the bone (I’m sure I look really graceful when I eat it, too) but this time the goat was roasted on skewers and it was really good. We also had pumpkin, chicken, chapatti, rice, pineapple, Irish potatoes (that’s what they call regular potatoes here) and even a cake that Joel brought from Kampala. It was really a farewell dinner for Katie (the program manager) and her husband, Renzo, who announced about a month ago that because of unexpected personal reasons they have to return to the U.S. earlier than planned (they were initially supposed to stay until around November). They are really sad to have to leave, but the reasons they had for leaving were really out of their control. We’re really going to miss them! I spent many nights playing board games with them when they were in Sembabule or when I was in Mubende. It’s unfortunate that they have to leave so early, but I’m glad I got to know them while they were around. The search for the new program manager (PM) is already almost complete; I’m not sure who it’s going to be, but we should be finding out soon. Unlike in the past, WellShare is now hiring a Ugandan PM rather than an American PM. Staff transitions are always a challenge here, and for many reasons we’ve had a lot of this over the past year or so. Luckily there shouldn’t be too big of an interval between Katie and the new PM. There’s a pretty steep learning curve when someone first starts working here, so initially I’m sure it’ll be a challenge, but I’m sure whoever fills Katie’s shoes will have a lot of experience and learn quickly.

Today I’m going to another one of the F/CBOs here to update their databases, and then tomorrow I’m heading back to Sembabule. Yesterday was a public holiday (Liberation Day) so the office was closed. It was nice to have a day off in the middle of the week, but now I’ve lost track of days and think that it’s Monday.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Ugandan presidential elections are on February 18, and in order to avoid any pre- or post-election fallout (which probably won’t be anything serious, but is always a possibility), I’m going to be spending about a month at WellShare’s Tanzania office in Karatu. I leave next Friday already! I’ll spend some time helping out at the office in whatever way I can, and for the last two weeks of my time there, my parents will be visiting! I’m extremely excited. It’s kind of like a vacation within my vacation… I’m excited to spend time in Tanzania, learn a few words of Swahili, see what WellShare’s programs in TZ are like, and go on a safari adventure with my parents. Of course, I’ll write more about this once I’m there. Oh, and my goal/challenge is to see if I can find a place to watch the PACKERS play in the Superbowl in TZ…

One last bit of exciting news: I got into grad school! I got accepted to the University of Minnesota’s Master of Public Health Nutrition program. I’m very happy, and it’s a big weight off my shoulders. It’s a two year program that will start in the fall. Things are falling into place!