Caroline in Malawi

Friday, June 27, 2008

Uganda Stories

Back from Holiday

We are back from our holiday in Uganda and I only have 6 weeks left before returning home for good! The holiday was nice and it was good to meet lots of Jonathan’s family. We spent a week with his mum, staying at the house where Jonathan grew up as well as touring the west of the coutry. We visited a national park where we were lucky enough to see lions, got caught up in an army operation against suspected Congolese rebels and got stuck in mud on the way to one of the lakes – nothing much different, still the wonders of Africa!

Uganda is very different from Malawi. Obviously I have lived and worked in Malawi for almost 18 months and I just visited Uganda for 3 weeks so the impressions that I get on Uganda are not as accurate! Jonathan and his friends gave insights as well! When working in Malawi for a while I think your judgements can change and at times I really struggle to imagine how Malawi is in the ten poorest countries in the world. Working in a rural centre, driving a NGO vehicle, living in a nice house with running water and electricity leads you to forget that just around the corner poverty is every where.

Back to the differences; there are so many young children and babies here in Malawi. Almost every woman is pregnant or has a child strapped to her back. In Uganda there are far less. Having a large family costs more to keep and feed and drives a struggling family into more poverty. No government child benefit in Africa!

Also there are far less NGO (Non Government Organisation, posh name for charities) vehicles driving about and many more private cars in Uganda. This shows that Uganda is much more developed as people can afford to run and fuel a car and the fact that there are less NGO interventions required also says the people can sustain themselves better.

Really Malawi relies far too much on other people’s help and handouts so much so that the people are used to this and have become complacent.

Anyway enough of the boring development chat! Time in Uganda was good. Kampala, the capital, is a crazy city. Thousands of people everywhere, millions of mini-bus taxis and constant traffic jams. We must have wasted almost a full day sitting waiting in traffic jams. The style of driving there is also very scary. No lanes, ignoring traffic lights and that is before having to watch for people crossing and the many hundreds of motorbike taxis who are weaving in and out to beat the jams! On a plus point I did go to the cinema twice to watch Sex in the City and the new Indian Jones movie. Shopping was also much better than Malawi! Not sure how I will get all my tourist stuff from Uganda, Malawi and Zambia home. Thankfully I think the new allowance in Kenya airways is 45kg. I will need it!

A very busy 6 weeks lie ahead with lots still to do. I am sure that time will fly…. Enjoy the summer holidays. See you soon

PS As far as I am aware Jambo is settling into his new home in Mzuzu and is putting the whole dog bite incident behind him!

3 Comments:

  • Great update about Uganda and so interesting to learn about the differences in the two Countries.
    Can't believe you are nearly home and all of us here, but especially me, are looking forward to your return.......it's been a long time since we have seen you.

    Enjoy your last few weeks, take care , aand have a wonderful birthday.

    Love Mum xxxxxx

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:20 pm  

  • Many happy returns for your imminent birthday. With all our love and looking to see you very soon.

    Emma, Ross and (Uncle)Ian

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:39 pm  

  • Happy Birthday!! Hope you are having a fantastic time, cant believe that you are going home so soon - bet you are gutted!

    Enjoy the rest of your time :)

    Jillxx

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:03 pm  

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