UgandAshis 72 Quiet X-mas
Kampala, December 21, 2009
It was half way the year when President Museveni declared that the global economical crisis would have and had no effect on Uganda. We are several months further down the path and it seems mzee was wrong. Droughts have lead to famine. This in a country that is so fertile where ever you drop a seed with out any support a plant will grow. Boutiques are not finding customers and have less than half the sales of last year. Advertisements for X-mas are just starting to be rolled out. Business in Flaming chicken a bench mark as a restaurant in a usually thriving Kabalagala is slow. And the worst sign of all nightlife in a ever busy Kampala in the student holiday season seems to be much less than in prior years.
One wonders what bubble the leaders of this nation live in. ‘Droughts are caused due to the lazy nature of certain tribes’ (Minister of Emergency). ‘Business as usual, no deficit in the budget.’ (President Museveni) It is time to make homosexuality a capital crime (certain member of parliament).
While classes of people are graduating from University their chances for jobs seem to diminish each and every year. All around me I am hearing people are struggling to pay school fees (supposedly primary school is free), rent, water and electricity bills. And then there are the ever expanding scandals, government money lost, bribes, big fish absconding, a judiciary that cannot keep up with the case load.
Museveni and his National Resistance Movement came to power on a 10 point program. One of his famous statements was that he should not remain in power for too long. That was in 1986. He is slated to run again in 2011 and likely in 2016. The opposition have managed to form a coalition. Now to find one candidate to represent all those parties. It is said the results of the election in 2011 are already fixed. The Supreme Court ruled that the prior Election Committee had made grave unconstitutional errors yet was reinstalled with one new member (a school teacher and wife to a NRM politician)
In the land of the blind however one eye is king. When I look at the rhetoric of the opposition leaders I see those that wish to come to power so they can fill their pockets. A peasant once told me that he knew the bag of sugar he got every 5 years and the promise to a road to his village was but a small appreciation for a vote. The road has never been built and he knows no other politicians so he might as well vote on the known one of the candidates.
Uganda has such a bright potential - people are really nice and at the same time you wonder how it is that so many people do not manage to finish secondary school (up to 72% estimates). Choice or chance?
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Monday 21 December 2009
Friday 18 December 2009
UgandAshis 71 The way
UgandAshis 71 The way
Kampala, December 18, 2009
Turaco mischieveiensis aptly named
Take and break papaya’s fruit
Mischievous turaco
Nectarinia venusta a godly delight
Industriously in your blissful flight
Variable sunbird
Canis lupus familiaris of you two
Bhima brings might and passion
Yogi transcend and detach
Milvus migrans shine a light
Bring guidance to the astral path
Black kite
To stumble and bumble
To seemingly lose
Makes you humble
A condition to choose
When all is not well
Friends put you under a wicked spell
With diligent labor
The solution will favor
Unconditional love for One
The world is maya
The way is clearly shining
The way is clear
The way
Ashis Brahma
Kampala, December 18, 2009
Turaco mischieveiensis aptly named
Take and break papaya’s fruit
Mischievous turaco
Nectarinia venusta a godly delight
Industriously in your blissful flight
Variable sunbird
Canis lupus familiaris of you two
Bhima brings might and passion
Yogi transcend and detach
Milvus migrans shine a light
Bring guidance to the astral path
Black kite
To stumble and bumble
To seemingly lose
Makes you humble
A condition to choose
When all is not well
Friends put you under a wicked spell
With diligent labor
The solution will favor
Unconditional love for One
The world is maya
The way is clearly shining
The way is clear
The way
Ashis Brahma
UgandAshis 70 Kids on the street
UgandAshis 70 Kids on the streets.
Kampala, December 18, 2009.
A world wide phenomena and therefore it also exists in Uganda. Street urchins knocking at your windows or pulling your sleeve when on a boda boda in city center for money. A sad manifestation of global inequalities in fact the children we see here are from the North Eastern part of the country. A region called Karimoja with the Karimojong. The people are nomadic pastoralist and notorious cattle rustlers. Living on the fringes of modern society in an age old way of living - some call them thieves another way to look at it is a way of life that is centuries old.
With the climate change some parts of Karimojong region have become so dry that there is no more option to graze cattle. People have packed up and some of the children have travelled to Kampala to eek out an existence by begging. Far away from custom and tradition. Tradition as the use of ostrich shell as money - a female ostrich will defend her eggs so very hard to get a hold of. The rites to get a wife - rustle cattle from a another tribe or even your own. The clothes and hairdo which somehow remind me of the Masai in Kenya. Now exposed to abuse, violence, police raids, drugs, alcohol, sex predators and the sun and rain.
Today I recall the conversation I had with a new found fellow traveller. She told me how she and a group of Ugandans had organized a rally and food collection so it could be trucked to the area that is acutely suffering from malnutrition. Local companies and individuals gathered over 70 tons of food items.
Their next problem was to get the food to the region. Well Uganda is a straight forward place. You go to the Minister of Karimoja region which happens to be Janet Museveni, the Presidents wife and put forward your case. Even if that Ministry may not be able help across the hallway there is the Ministry of Emergencies and Disasters and lo and behold with in 4 hours trucks are made available.
Things can move and shake in Uganda if you know how and whose doors to open. The only ting of sadness about the productive day of my friend was the remark of one of the big fish of the Ministry. He claimed it was an embarassment to the Uganda people that the elders of the Karimojong had sent sent their children to the streets of Kampala to beg. What would all the foreigners think of the rag tag army of youngsters hustling for money. They should be sent back home.
The bubble of ignorance exists everywhere. Home to a draught. Coming from a man who is comfortably cruising in a Toyota Landcruiser with driver. How easy to condemn a man/woman when he/she is down or even a child. Yet this gentleman was seemingly oblivious to his countrymen’s plight.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma.
http://www.bumbasafaris.com/images/008-UgandaMystic.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karamojong
Kampala, December 18, 2009.
A world wide phenomena and therefore it also exists in Uganda. Street urchins knocking at your windows or pulling your sleeve when on a boda boda in city center for money. A sad manifestation of global inequalities in fact the children we see here are from the North Eastern part of the country. A region called Karimoja with the Karimojong. The people are nomadic pastoralist and notorious cattle rustlers. Living on the fringes of modern society in an age old way of living - some call them thieves another way to look at it is a way of life that is centuries old.
With the climate change some parts of Karimojong region have become so dry that there is no more option to graze cattle. People have packed up and some of the children have travelled to Kampala to eek out an existence by begging. Far away from custom and tradition. Tradition as the use of ostrich shell as money - a female ostrich will defend her eggs so very hard to get a hold of. The rites to get a wife - rustle cattle from a another tribe or even your own. The clothes and hairdo which somehow remind me of the Masai in Kenya. Now exposed to abuse, violence, police raids, drugs, alcohol, sex predators and the sun and rain.
Today I recall the conversation I had with a new found fellow traveller. She told me how she and a group of Ugandans had organized a rally and food collection so it could be trucked to the area that is acutely suffering from malnutrition. Local companies and individuals gathered over 70 tons of food items.
Their next problem was to get the food to the region. Well Uganda is a straight forward place. You go to the Minister of Karimoja region which happens to be Janet Museveni, the Presidents wife and put forward your case. Even if that Ministry may not be able help across the hallway there is the Ministry of Emergencies and Disasters and lo and behold with in 4 hours trucks are made available.
Things can move and shake in Uganda if you know how and whose doors to open. The only ting of sadness about the productive day of my friend was the remark of one of the big fish of the Ministry. He claimed it was an embarassment to the Uganda people that the elders of the Karimojong had sent sent their children to the streets of Kampala to beg. What would all the foreigners think of the rag tag army of youngsters hustling for money. They should be sent back home.
The bubble of ignorance exists everywhere. Home to a draught. Coming from a man who is comfortably cruising in a Toyota Landcruiser with driver. How easy to condemn a man/woman when he/she is down or even a child. Yet this gentleman was seemingly oblivious to his countrymen’s plight.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma.
http://www.bumbasafaris.com/images/008-UgandaMystic.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karamojong
Sunday 6 December 2009
UgandAshis 69 Culinary delight: nsenene.
UgandAshis 69 Culinary delight: nsenene.
Kampala, Uganda, December 6th, 2009.
In different part of the world there are various delicacies in the cuisine. The French love frogs, in certain parts of Congo bushmeat (in other words monkey meat) is eaten, in China duck eggs are put in the ground for weeks and once I had the pleasure of eating goat rectum in India - quite rubbery I can tell you. Here in Uganda everybody goes crazy in the months of April and November. These months are the rainy season and bring with it scores of Ruspolia baileyi, nsenene or more commonly known as the grasshopper.
Age independent people collect them off walls, electricity cables attracting with lights, their weakness, as it blinds them they slide down on poles in eagerly awaiting pots making a nice side living and a juicy snack. Originally it were the women who collected them for their husband in exchange for a new gomasi (traditional dress). HIstorically they were not allowed to eat the delicacy as it was believed babies would be born with deformed heads. Another reason was that it could point out to possible infidelity of the woman.
One sign of emancipation in Uganda is the fact that nowadays both men and women are eating nsenene. Some even say it is a huge boost to the economy in the Buganda kingdom. Everywhere where you go in Kampala you find young men walking with a bucket on their head making 200 Schilling per portion and Sch 5000 (2,5 dollars a day)
Recipe for Ugandan chicken-grasshopper-sate.
Purchase
Grasshopper 250 grams
Chicken filet 500 grams
Ground nuts 250 grams
Soy sauce sweet 10 ml
Red chili pepper 4
Maize oil
Rice
Milk 250 ml
Pluck legs and antennas off grasshoppers and ground in a morsel. Then ground the groundnuts and put in a bit of boiling maize oil, add all milk. In a separate pot fry the chicken in oil and soy sauce, red chile freshly chopped. In pot three cook rice for 2. Add the finished chicken to the sauce (on a low fire and let it set for some minutes).
Voila, chicken-grasshopper-sate.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Check out a photo of these lovely and tasty insects
http://twitpic.com/senjk
Kampala, Uganda, December 6th, 2009.
In different part of the world there are various delicacies in the cuisine. The French love frogs, in certain parts of Congo bushmeat (in other words monkey meat) is eaten, in China duck eggs are put in the ground for weeks and once I had the pleasure of eating goat rectum in India - quite rubbery I can tell you. Here in Uganda everybody goes crazy in the months of April and November. These months are the rainy season and bring with it scores of Ruspolia baileyi, nsenene or more commonly known as the grasshopper.
Age independent people collect them off walls, electricity cables attracting with lights, their weakness, as it blinds them they slide down on poles in eagerly awaiting pots making a nice side living and a juicy snack. Originally it were the women who collected them for their husband in exchange for a new gomasi (traditional dress). HIstorically they were not allowed to eat the delicacy as it was believed babies would be born with deformed heads. Another reason was that it could point out to possible infidelity of the woman.
One sign of emancipation in Uganda is the fact that nowadays both men and women are eating nsenene. Some even say it is a huge boost to the economy in the Buganda kingdom. Everywhere where you go in Kampala you find young men walking with a bucket on their head making 200 Schilling per portion and Sch 5000 (2,5 dollars a day)
Recipe for Ugandan chicken-grasshopper-sate.
Purchase
Grasshopper 250 grams
Chicken filet 500 grams
Ground nuts 250 grams
Soy sauce sweet 10 ml
Red chili pepper 4
Maize oil
Rice
Milk 250 ml
Pluck legs and antennas off grasshoppers and ground in a morsel. Then ground the groundnuts and put in a bit of boiling maize oil, add all milk. In a separate pot fry the chicken in oil and soy sauce, red chile freshly chopped. In pot three cook rice for 2. Add the finished chicken to the sauce (on a low fire and let it set for some minutes).
Voila, chicken-grasshopper-sate.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Check out a photo of these lovely and tasty insects
http://twitpic.com/senjk
Thursday 3 December 2009
Ugandashis 68 world HIV day
UgandAshis 68 World HIV day
Fort Portal, December 1, 2009.
There is a lot to think about once we reach the topic of HIV/AIDS and people living with the infection. Today is the day to remember those that have passed away, those that have been infected and those that will be infected in the future. For them some thoughts lined up in the form of a list
1. To navigate the Scylla of prevention and the Charibdis of treatment is not an easy course.
As the Argonauts had to navigate between a storm (I believe) and a terrible sea monster to reach safety so the International Medical Movement is trying to find a course between prevention and treatment. As it is right now there is in my mind more emphasis on treating those with infections than there is on preventing the pool of people that require treatment to become less. Let me be clear both are required and keeping the numbers of patients down is of the utmost importance
2. Religious and moral approaches to life are important and should be engaged in debate to prevent more infections.
How in 2009 a pope and imams can still declare the condom use to be a sin even in discordant couples (one partner HIV positive the other HIV negative) is just unbelievable.
3. The attitudes of many relating to condom use is mind boggling
‘Live sex is better’ and ‘the risk to me is not so big’ Statements of Dutch, American and Ugandan students.
4. HIV/AIDS does not kill any more it is a chronic disease I will take the tablets.
Yup and the side effects of the tablets is a long list some life threatening some just extremely un nice.
5. Vaccine and cure are in the pipeline
Yes and they have been for over 25 years, still no definite answers and in general we can wonder if there has been that much improvement in anti retroviral cure
6. The good news is that more and more of the people requiring Anti Retro Virals in Uganda are receiving.
The sheer number is huge and in a country that has so many people living with HI/AIDS of the 300.000 requiring ARV’s over 50% are getting them and that number is growing every year.
7. The bad news is that the number of people with infections is still increasing
Absolutely seen there are more than a million cases (UNAIDS 2008 report) in Uganda (in a population of 33 million estimated) and the number of cases is rising.
Tomorrow I will take my camera and ask some Ugandan doctors, nurses and perhaps patients how they feel about what is happening with HIV/AIDS in their part of the world. Bare in mind there is an amazing under investment in health in Uganda. Given that the outcome of the different Joint Clinical Research Centers is extra remarkable.
I would love to hear your thoughts on HIV/AIDS make a comment or write a post.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_the_truth_about_hiv.html
Fort Portal, December 1, 2009.
There is a lot to think about once we reach the topic of HIV/AIDS and people living with the infection. Today is the day to remember those that have passed away, those that have been infected and those that will be infected in the future. For them some thoughts lined up in the form of a list
1. To navigate the Scylla of prevention and the Charibdis of treatment is not an easy course.
As the Argonauts had to navigate between a storm (I believe) and a terrible sea monster to reach safety so the International Medical Movement is trying to find a course between prevention and treatment. As it is right now there is in my mind more emphasis on treating those with infections than there is on preventing the pool of people that require treatment to become less. Let me be clear both are required and keeping the numbers of patients down is of the utmost importance
2. Religious and moral approaches to life are important and should be engaged in debate to prevent more infections.
How in 2009 a pope and imams can still declare the condom use to be a sin even in discordant couples (one partner HIV positive the other HIV negative) is just unbelievable.
3. The attitudes of many relating to condom use is mind boggling
‘Live sex is better’ and ‘the risk to me is not so big’ Statements of Dutch, American and Ugandan students.
4. HIV/AIDS does not kill any more it is a chronic disease I will take the tablets.
Yup and the side effects of the tablets is a long list some life threatening some just extremely un nice.
5. Vaccine and cure are in the pipeline
Yes and they have been for over 25 years, still no definite answers and in general we can wonder if there has been that much improvement in anti retroviral cure
6. The good news is that more and more of the people requiring Anti Retro Virals in Uganda are receiving.
The sheer number is huge and in a country that has so many people living with HI/AIDS of the 300.000 requiring ARV’s over 50% are getting them and that number is growing every year.
7. The bad news is that the number of people with infections is still increasing
Absolutely seen there are more than a million cases (UNAIDS 2008 report) in Uganda (in a population of 33 million estimated) and the number of cases is rising.
Tomorrow I will take my camera and ask some Ugandan doctors, nurses and perhaps patients how they feel about what is happening with HIV/AIDS in their part of the world. Bare in mind there is an amazing under investment in health in Uganda. Given that the outcome of the different Joint Clinical Research Centers is extra remarkable.
I would love to hear your thoughts on HIV/AIDS make a comment or write a post.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_the_truth_about_hiv.html
Ugandashis 67 On monkeys
UgandAshis 67 On monkeys.
Fort Portal, Uganda, December 1, 2009.
A friend told me long ago that in case you see a single magpie you need to blink otherwise you have bad luck for ever. Magpies come in pairs and so do the Colobus monkeys. Today as I travelled by chicken route from Kampala-Fort Portal – LINK tends to stop in every hamlet to pick up a chicken or load off one passenger I had a firm wish to see Colobus monkeys. Three quarter of the journey I spent peeping out of the window and just 3 minutes after I let it go two popped up. I nearly blinked in utter joy.
Another friend – to be labeled Mr. S. actually had a pet monkey. As he was working and living in Kabalagala the monkey entertained himself, the next door neighbors and the entire neighborhood. In fact the neighbor used to complain that because is two young children spent so much time chasing the monkey they fell behind in school. This is a joyful existence for the children yet less scholarly. At the local fruit market the monkey to be labeled M. as not give away his truthful abundant nature would take his share of bananas and apples. Whenever Mr. S. would return home he would find anxious vendors demanding cash for the rescued fruits. Yes rescued who after all can deny that bananas belong to monkeys as matooke to the Ugandans?
When Mr. S. would fall asleep with the television still on, M would switch off the apparatus, shake Mr. S. until he woke up, guide him to his bed cover him in his bed sheets and assure that the bed room door handle was closed. Mr. S. confidentially told me that he rarely watched television any more as observing the fracas one little monkey created was much more fun.
Even the flat mate that Mr. S. had eventually came around from sharing the flat with a vile cretin to an absolute and total crush on the mischievous M. The whole neighborhood professed their love to the free roaming M. Then one day the unbelievable happened. Free spirited M. always home at 18.00 sharp to receive his evening food did not appear. Two children at the market had seen a burly man barrel of with M. in is knapsack. Heartbroken Mr. S. remains till today in a saddened state of mind. Of late however he is picking himself together.
Some say a dog is a man’s best friend, Mr. S. begs to differ. He has eyed a new prospect. Once he moves into a new house he shall be finding a new friend to fill the huge gap that M. has left behind. N. will do his magic tricks soon. O and I write about this because Mr. S. asked me to give shelter to his new to be monkey until he finds a new house. I wonder however how Yogi and Bhima, the German/Belgian shepherds would deal with it.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Fort Portal, Uganda, December 1, 2009.
A friend told me long ago that in case you see a single magpie you need to blink otherwise you have bad luck for ever. Magpies come in pairs and so do the Colobus monkeys. Today as I travelled by chicken route from Kampala-Fort Portal – LINK tends to stop in every hamlet to pick up a chicken or load off one passenger I had a firm wish to see Colobus monkeys. Three quarter of the journey I spent peeping out of the window and just 3 minutes after I let it go two popped up. I nearly blinked in utter joy.
Another friend – to be labeled Mr. S. actually had a pet monkey. As he was working and living in Kabalagala the monkey entertained himself, the next door neighbors and the entire neighborhood. In fact the neighbor used to complain that because is two young children spent so much time chasing the monkey they fell behind in school. This is a joyful existence for the children yet less scholarly. At the local fruit market the monkey to be labeled M. as not give away his truthful abundant nature would take his share of bananas and apples. Whenever Mr. S. would return home he would find anxious vendors demanding cash for the rescued fruits. Yes rescued who after all can deny that bananas belong to monkeys as matooke to the Ugandans?
When Mr. S. would fall asleep with the television still on, M would switch off the apparatus, shake Mr. S. until he woke up, guide him to his bed cover him in his bed sheets and assure that the bed room door handle was closed. Mr. S. confidentially told me that he rarely watched television any more as observing the fracas one little monkey created was much more fun.
Even the flat mate that Mr. S. had eventually came around from sharing the flat with a vile cretin to an absolute and total crush on the mischievous M. The whole neighborhood professed their love to the free roaming M. Then one day the unbelievable happened. Free spirited M. always home at 18.00 sharp to receive his evening food did not appear. Two children at the market had seen a burly man barrel of with M. in is knapsack. Heartbroken Mr. S. remains till today in a saddened state of mind. Of late however he is picking himself together.
Some say a dog is a man’s best friend, Mr. S. begs to differ. He has eyed a new prospect. Once he moves into a new house he shall be finding a new friend to fill the huge gap that M. has left behind. N. will do his magic tricks soon. O and I write about this because Mr. S. asked me to give shelter to his new to be monkey until he finds a new house. I wonder however how Yogi and Bhima, the German/Belgian shepherds would deal with it.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Saturday 28 November 2009
UgandAshis 65 Access to knowledge in Uganda
UgandAshis 65 Access to knowledge in Uganda
Kampala, November 28, 2009
Picture yourself in the role as a lecturer of Public Health at Mountains of the Moon University in Fort Portal, Western Uganda. As a young and dynamic teacher you wish to present your students with cutting edge material (the latest online scientific publications), use of modern tools as Internet application (as for existence Global Position System for infectious disease outbreak control and study) and a fundament of knowledge (through open source, free access power point presentations, slide shows, photos and video material)
As you are new to the job and you are Ugandan you do not own a computer. To make matters even easier nor does the public health faculty (the one computer that was available crashed two months ago and was 8 years old at death). Then in the location where the main complex of buildings of the university are there is no Internet. Luckily you teach down town where there is connection however it is irregular and dial up width at best.
Added to your list of teaching requirements is a long distance learning course. Perhaps you can use pigeons to send materials. Given that Mountains of the Moon was founded as a community based college there is strong support from the local community. Perhaps in the near future more computers may be added as for now you are stuck however as your lectures are supposed to be power point based.
You sneak into the student computer science lab and prepare your lectures there. Your preparatory notes come from one of the 100 books that the faculty earns and even if the book is from 1970 books from that age are still valuable is it not. This weekend you decide to visit some relatives in Kampala.
One of them is an Internet techie who organizes an event called TEDxKLA. It is organized by the Ugandan Linux User Group and it is a catchy new way to do work shops on themes relating to the role of Internet in civil society (civil journalism, NGO’s) There you meet a senior educationalist who answers to your response that you are seeking lecturing materials for your students that he has a 500 GB hard disk full of public health lectures from prime institutions as John Hopkins, Tufts, Supercourse and Harvard.
His organization can even furbish you with a used laptop as that is what they do in their mission as a NGO. So you go to the bank take all your money, buy a 500 GB hard disk to plunge into a career that will be very promising. You see where there is a will there is a a way; Let’s roll.
You are enthralled by Supercourse; hundreds of powerpoint presentations on all possible topics in Public Health. For many of you in the USA or Europe this scenario may seem impossible yet often it works this way. Who would know of other methods to get open source freely available knowledge?
Namaskar,
Ashis
Kampala, November 28, 2009
Picture yourself in the role as a lecturer of Public Health at Mountains of the Moon University in Fort Portal, Western Uganda. As a young and dynamic teacher you wish to present your students with cutting edge material (the latest online scientific publications), use of modern tools as Internet application (as for existence Global Position System for infectious disease outbreak control and study) and a fundament of knowledge (through open source, free access power point presentations, slide shows, photos and video material)
As you are new to the job and you are Ugandan you do not own a computer. To make matters even easier nor does the public health faculty (the one computer that was available crashed two months ago and was 8 years old at death). Then in the location where the main complex of buildings of the university are there is no Internet. Luckily you teach down town where there is connection however it is irregular and dial up width at best.
Added to your list of teaching requirements is a long distance learning course. Perhaps you can use pigeons to send materials. Given that Mountains of the Moon was founded as a community based college there is strong support from the local community. Perhaps in the near future more computers may be added as for now you are stuck however as your lectures are supposed to be power point based.
You sneak into the student computer science lab and prepare your lectures there. Your preparatory notes come from one of the 100 books that the faculty earns and even if the book is from 1970 books from that age are still valuable is it not. This weekend you decide to visit some relatives in Kampala.
One of them is an Internet techie who organizes an event called TEDxKLA. It is organized by the Ugandan Linux User Group and it is a catchy new way to do work shops on themes relating to the role of Internet in civil society (civil journalism, NGO’s) There you meet a senior educationalist who answers to your response that you are seeking lecturing materials for your students that he has a 500 GB hard disk full of public health lectures from prime institutions as John Hopkins, Tufts, Supercourse and Harvard.
His organization can even furbish you with a used laptop as that is what they do in their mission as a NGO. So you go to the bank take all your money, buy a 500 GB hard disk to plunge into a career that will be very promising. You see where there is a will there is a a way; Let’s roll.
You are enthralled by Supercourse; hundreds of powerpoint presentations on all possible topics in Public Health. For many of you in the USA or Europe this scenario may seem impossible yet often it works this way. Who would know of other methods to get open source freely available knowledge?
Namaskar,
Ashis
Sunday 22 November 2009
UgandAshis 64 Crowd control
UgandAshis 64 Crowd control
Kampala, November 21, 2009.
Our special guest were welcomed with a proper barbecue and a night out on the town.
Four students from the USA crashed over this weekend and in an attempt to show them a bit of Uganda’s notorious nightlife we took them to Harvester a beautifully located bar where a friend of mine organizes a form of talent festivals for the up and coming bands in Kampala. Yesterday we arrived and found ourselves to be one of the few spectators. It became pretty clear rapidly where the other party people were.
Next to the party was a huge wedding reception. Five tents and plenty of free food, drinks and a live band. Most of the revelers had snuck into the wedding reception. After all who can resist a mountain of meat, bladders of booze and a boisterous band. We on the other hand were entertained by a group of acrobats and fire spitters followed by dancers and the top of the line Uganda hippie-di-hop.
To regroup and make up our mind where to go we stopped over at my favorite hang out in Kampala; the Flaming Chicken. Smoking a sheesha and nibbling away at ice creams we decided to go dancing in the fashionable club Silk. A multi layered, 3 dj’d, 2 bars and 2 dance levels for the who is who of Kampala. A bush taxi was high jacked and off we went with Amir.
Amir and I love to dance like there is no tomorrow. As we bumped and grinded the dance floor it was clear where the fun could be found. An hour or what later and Nick joined us for a bit and then he took us down to where there are the massage chairs, aquarium, fancy bar and ultra chic people. Rubbing shoulders with local artistes comes easy. After exhausting the dance floor we decided to call it a night. A taxi was duly found and we aimed for home to be intercepted by a police control. There it became clear that our driver had no driver license. We walked for a bit an then found 5 boda bodas to drop us home.
And so today can be described as a day with a massive success. Well not really sure; we now have satellite television and Internet connection. Yes both in one day a minor miracle or rather two in one day. A long dreamt of proper connection to the world may finally be found in the house. No more crying over the mediocrity of the Internet connection. Posted videos and down loaded lectures galore. The Mac is humming in my lap. Ready to take on the world. Perhaps we will need some crowd control for both television and Internet.
Both are really tempting yet nothing beats reading and writing (at least for me). With those thoughts I shall leave you. Please write whatever questions you may have. I will try and answer.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Kampala, November 21, 2009.
Our special guest were welcomed with a proper barbecue and a night out on the town.
Four students from the USA crashed over this weekend and in an attempt to show them a bit of Uganda’s notorious nightlife we took them to Harvester a beautifully located bar where a friend of mine organizes a form of talent festivals for the up and coming bands in Kampala. Yesterday we arrived and found ourselves to be one of the few spectators. It became pretty clear rapidly where the other party people were.
Next to the party was a huge wedding reception. Five tents and plenty of free food, drinks and a live band. Most of the revelers had snuck into the wedding reception. After all who can resist a mountain of meat, bladders of booze and a boisterous band. We on the other hand were entertained by a group of acrobats and fire spitters followed by dancers and the top of the line Uganda hippie-di-hop.
To regroup and make up our mind where to go we stopped over at my favorite hang out in Kampala; the Flaming Chicken. Smoking a sheesha and nibbling away at ice creams we decided to go dancing in the fashionable club Silk. A multi layered, 3 dj’d, 2 bars and 2 dance levels for the who is who of Kampala. A bush taxi was high jacked and off we went with Amir.
Amir and I love to dance like there is no tomorrow. As we bumped and grinded the dance floor it was clear where the fun could be found. An hour or what later and Nick joined us for a bit and then he took us down to where there are the massage chairs, aquarium, fancy bar and ultra chic people. Rubbing shoulders with local artistes comes easy. After exhausting the dance floor we decided to call it a night. A taxi was duly found and we aimed for home to be intercepted by a police control. There it became clear that our driver had no driver license. We walked for a bit an then found 5 boda bodas to drop us home.
And so today can be described as a day with a massive success. Well not really sure; we now have satellite television and Internet connection. Yes both in one day a minor miracle or rather two in one day. A long dreamt of proper connection to the world may finally be found in the house. No more crying over the mediocrity of the Internet connection. Posted videos and down loaded lectures galore. The Mac is humming in my lap. Ready to take on the world. Perhaps we will need some crowd control for both television and Internet.
Both are really tempting yet nothing beats reading and writing (at least for me). With those thoughts I shall leave you. Please write whatever questions you may have. I will try and answer.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
UgandAshis 63 Internet glory
UgandAshis 63 Internet glory
Kampala, November 19, 2009.
Yesterday I whirled my way downtown on a boda boda in search for the Holy Grail. In this end of the world that may be something as attainable in the West as a proper Internet connection. One that allows you to upload videos and talk to friends around the world through Skype, Yahoo messengers or other VOIP settings. Finally after five months of UTL disaster, hours spent on a toll free number with the help desk discussing the possible reasons why 1 kb/s was the best I could get, cajoling, pleading, threatening, losing temper, sweet talking something broke.
UTL and I are officially no longer a hot item - history done deal - over - done - bla bla. So Mahdad and I ended up dodging rain on this quest for glory. And yesterday yes yesterday somebody ended up buying the last modem in Kampala in front of my eyes. All for the better because a small splurge on my side later I was informed that a broad band was within target and will lead to an increased way of speaking with friends all over the world. Destiny or not I am happily awaiting the arrival tomorrow of this super fresh and fast connection.
Mahdad followed the flow of the moment and did the wild thing: he bought a beaming Toshiba lap top. And I well I already have the pleasure of tapping away on a Mac. So why all this materialistic babble today. Mmm, just excited to be using this cyber opportunities to start posting podcast, vodcast to the wider world. Finally I hope to launch a proper website talking and telling about this majestic country called Uganda. There is so much to tell and show.
The first idea I have is to shoot a mini video on one of the major issues in Uganda. The lack of access to the health care system for the average person here. However despite meagre funds what amazes me most is something much more positive. Let me give an example. Three hundred thousand people in this country require anti retro viral drugs and over hundred and fifty thousand are receiving it. One can say the cup is half empty one can see the class half full. If you take in to consideration the limited resources it is a great feat. The average person here has to deal with the reality of having one doctor per 15.000 people and most of them are stationed in Kampala.
Time to pick up my HD flip cam go out there and interview people around the country. Patients, nurses, midwives and doctors. To see what their perspective is on what is going on in Uganda.
Yes we can share and see that perspective. One of the things that Africa can overcome is the digital divide. The different under water cables will make the difference. No truck crunching the optic fibre cables can stop that. Hope to hear from you.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Kampala, November 19, 2009.
Yesterday I whirled my way downtown on a boda boda in search for the Holy Grail. In this end of the world that may be something as attainable in the West as a proper Internet connection. One that allows you to upload videos and talk to friends around the world through Skype, Yahoo messengers or other VOIP settings. Finally after five months of UTL disaster, hours spent on a toll free number with the help desk discussing the possible reasons why 1 kb/s was the best I could get, cajoling, pleading, threatening, losing temper, sweet talking something broke.
UTL and I are officially no longer a hot item - history done deal - over - done - bla bla. So Mahdad and I ended up dodging rain on this quest for glory. And yesterday yes yesterday somebody ended up buying the last modem in Kampala in front of my eyes. All for the better because a small splurge on my side later I was informed that a broad band was within target and will lead to an increased way of speaking with friends all over the world. Destiny or not I am happily awaiting the arrival tomorrow of this super fresh and fast connection.
Mahdad followed the flow of the moment and did the wild thing: he bought a beaming Toshiba lap top. And I well I already have the pleasure of tapping away on a Mac. So why all this materialistic babble today. Mmm, just excited to be using this cyber opportunities to start posting podcast, vodcast to the wider world. Finally I hope to launch a proper website talking and telling about this majestic country called Uganda. There is so much to tell and show.
The first idea I have is to shoot a mini video on one of the major issues in Uganda. The lack of access to the health care system for the average person here. However despite meagre funds what amazes me most is something much more positive. Let me give an example. Three hundred thousand people in this country require anti retro viral drugs and over hundred and fifty thousand are receiving it. One can say the cup is half empty one can see the class half full. If you take in to consideration the limited resources it is a great feat. The average person here has to deal with the reality of having one doctor per 15.000 people and most of them are stationed in Kampala.
Time to pick up my HD flip cam go out there and interview people around the country. Patients, nurses, midwives and doctors. To see what their perspective is on what is going on in Uganda.
Yes we can share and see that perspective. One of the things that Africa can overcome is the digital divide. The different under water cables will make the difference. No truck crunching the optic fibre cables can stop that. Hope to hear from you.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Sunday 15 November 2009
UgandAshis 62 A wedding reception
UgandAshis 62 A wedding reception
Kampala, October 16, 2009
Yesterday I spent a greater part of the afternoon in a state of confusion. It does not help if you are invited to a wedding reception and you are the only person present who does not understand the spoken languages; Muyankole and Muganda. Yet in way weddings are the same all over the world. Two families that are beaming with pride over their relative his/her joy. Colleagues that happily gather to watch the feast, food and dance unfold.
As many of the Ugandans this couple is Christian and the groom’s side is saved (by Jesus). Hundreds of people gathered in a hotel called Mulvin in Matete (the neighborhood close to Buganda heartland and near the place the police station was burned only 2 months ago).
Being invited by the bride’s family we were placed near to the very extended family of the bride. Again it is remarkable to see how the rituals and symbolisms of Western marriage blend in with Ugandan tradition. We had the proud relatives who speech until most people in the audience have fallen asleep, the aunt that leads the crowd on to the dance floor, the introduction of the families to one and other; takes a while considering Ugandan families have 6.9 children on average and the older generations up to 14 or even more children.
The Buganda people dance while gyrating their bums in a fast rhythm lead by xylophone and drums in abundance as their backs are covered in feathers of chicken to accentuate the shaking. The previous ceremony had been in Mbarara where they tend to dance with their arms in the air and with nimble steps.
The most touching speech in my mind came from a Muyankole man who in his early 60’s had never visited Kampala. To him it equaled a visit to London or New York. The world of people can indeed be in a radius of 50 or 100 kilometer.
Food at a Buganda wedding consists of brown and white rice, yam, sweet potato, Irish potato, pumpkin, chicken, fish, g nut sauce, vegetables, spinach, watermelon, pineapple and more.
What I noticed about the ceremony is that the format was very formal and that the master of ceremony had a hard time keeping time. Then again what is time in this setting? It is much more important to have the linked families have opportunities to get to know each other.
In the tradition of the Buganda a woman greets her husband on her knees on the floor and given that the bride is from another people (Muyankole) it was a first for her. Feeding her husband cake and letting him drink from a cup in her hands.
The groom was sent to the bride’s side to serve the cake and it ended being the treat of the reception as I managed to get hold of the icing of the cake and savored it then left missing out on likely the biggest dance party.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Kampala, October 16, 2009
Yesterday I spent a greater part of the afternoon in a state of confusion. It does not help if you are invited to a wedding reception and you are the only person present who does not understand the spoken languages; Muyankole and Muganda. Yet in way weddings are the same all over the world. Two families that are beaming with pride over their relative his/her joy. Colleagues that happily gather to watch the feast, food and dance unfold.
As many of the Ugandans this couple is Christian and the groom’s side is saved (by Jesus). Hundreds of people gathered in a hotel called Mulvin in Matete (the neighborhood close to Buganda heartland and near the place the police station was burned only 2 months ago).
Being invited by the bride’s family we were placed near to the very extended family of the bride. Again it is remarkable to see how the rituals and symbolisms of Western marriage blend in with Ugandan tradition. We had the proud relatives who speech until most people in the audience have fallen asleep, the aunt that leads the crowd on to the dance floor, the introduction of the families to one and other; takes a while considering Ugandan families have 6.9 children on average and the older generations up to 14 or even more children.
The Buganda people dance while gyrating their bums in a fast rhythm lead by xylophone and drums in abundance as their backs are covered in feathers of chicken to accentuate the shaking. The previous ceremony had been in Mbarara where they tend to dance with their arms in the air and with nimble steps.
The most touching speech in my mind came from a Muyankole man who in his early 60’s had never visited Kampala. To him it equaled a visit to London or New York. The world of people can indeed be in a radius of 50 or 100 kilometer.
Food at a Buganda wedding consists of brown and white rice, yam, sweet potato, Irish potato, pumpkin, chicken, fish, g nut sauce, vegetables, spinach, watermelon, pineapple and more.
What I noticed about the ceremony is that the format was very formal and that the master of ceremony had a hard time keeping time. Then again what is time in this setting? It is much more important to have the linked families have opportunities to get to know each other.
In the tradition of the Buganda a woman greets her husband on her knees on the floor and given that the bride is from another people (Muyankole) it was a first for her. Feeding her husband cake and letting him drink from a cup in her hands.
The groom was sent to the bride’s side to serve the cake and it ended being the treat of the reception as I managed to get hold of the icing of the cake and savored it then left missing out on likely the biggest dance party.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Saturday 14 November 2009
UgandAshis 61 on Uganda
UgandAshis 61 On Uganda
Kampala, November 2009
On Uganda.
The greater part of this tour of the USA was focused on Darfur and yet increasingly there is time, space and a place to talk about the current issues of Uganda. The trip led to the following states: Michigan, Minnesota, Idaho, Kentucky, Texas, California and New York State. Over the last 3 years and 5 visits to the USA slowly there has been an expansion of themes on which I speak. Shifting from Darfur and the plight of the Darfuri’s; their resilience, humor and dignity to that AND medical presentations, Phoenix Global Humanitarian Foundation, the book Utmost, volunteering in Uganda and Oneness.
Let me give you some examples of people of all ages who wish to visit and support the vision of PGHF. In San Antonio two groups are interested in coming to visit. One group of medical students is interested in doing a month rotation in either the first or the fourth year. One student is even contemplating to stay for several months and she shares the same passion I have for developing of platforms for online teaching and knowledge exchange. The other group is from the Incarnate Word University and I am curious to hear what they would like to do; I know that they have projects in Gulu.
In Boise, Idaho two registered nurses, one with a flying license are eager to come over and help out in a clinic. In Minneapolis a friend is coming back to Uganda to start her research for a doctorate in Public Health Nursing and another friend wants to visit Africa for the first time.
Everywhere I go I invite people to come to Uganda. It is very easy to judge a country or a whole continent from afar and I realize from people that have come that their perspective of medicine and/or of Africa has changed radically. A Dutch surgeon in training called me yesterday. He stayed with me for 6 weeks and his girlfriend came as well for a 2 week holiday. As we often discussed; all is possible in Africa, things that you expect to be easy are near impossible while the impossible can be a piece of cake. Coming feeling, smelling, touching and being in Africa will make an impact on all.
There are those who end up not liking Africa: flies, poverty, corruption, cheating, dirt, war, violence and passivity are their mind images of the continent. All of the above are present here yet there is also: spiritual wealth, honesty, friendship, nature, peace, brotherhood and a dynamic society. The question is always is the cup half full or half empty; both indeed! You see what you want to see.
Friends young and wise will come and visit over the next months; let them form an opinion of a nook of Africa, being Uganda. In my mind they are the bridge builders that will make the world a true global village. Strangers become acquaintances leading to friendship and then a global family.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Kampala, November 2009
On Uganda.
The greater part of this tour of the USA was focused on Darfur and yet increasingly there is time, space and a place to talk about the current issues of Uganda. The trip led to the following states: Michigan, Minnesota, Idaho, Kentucky, Texas, California and New York State. Over the last 3 years and 5 visits to the USA slowly there has been an expansion of themes on which I speak. Shifting from Darfur and the plight of the Darfuri’s; their resilience, humor and dignity to that AND medical presentations, Phoenix Global Humanitarian Foundation, the book Utmost, volunteering in Uganda and Oneness.
Let me give you some examples of people of all ages who wish to visit and support the vision of PGHF. In San Antonio two groups are interested in coming to visit. One group of medical students is interested in doing a month rotation in either the first or the fourth year. One student is even contemplating to stay for several months and she shares the same passion I have for developing of platforms for online teaching and knowledge exchange. The other group is from the Incarnate Word University and I am curious to hear what they would like to do; I know that they have projects in Gulu.
In Boise, Idaho two registered nurses, one with a flying license are eager to come over and help out in a clinic. In Minneapolis a friend is coming back to Uganda to start her research for a doctorate in Public Health Nursing and another friend wants to visit Africa for the first time.
Everywhere I go I invite people to come to Uganda. It is very easy to judge a country or a whole continent from afar and I realize from people that have come that their perspective of medicine and/or of Africa has changed radically. A Dutch surgeon in training called me yesterday. He stayed with me for 6 weeks and his girlfriend came as well for a 2 week holiday. As we often discussed; all is possible in Africa, things that you expect to be easy are near impossible while the impossible can be a piece of cake. Coming feeling, smelling, touching and being in Africa will make an impact on all.
There are those who end up not liking Africa: flies, poverty, corruption, cheating, dirt, war, violence and passivity are their mind images of the continent. All of the above are present here yet there is also: spiritual wealth, honesty, friendship, nature, peace, brotherhood and a dynamic society. The question is always is the cup half full or half empty; both indeed! You see what you want to see.
Friends young and wise will come and visit over the next months; let them form an opinion of a nook of Africa, being Uganda. In my mind they are the bridge builders that will make the world a true global village. Strangers become acquaintances leading to friendship and then a global family.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Tuesday 10 November 2009
UgandAshis 60: Home again
UgandAshis 60: Home again.
Bruno and Yogi my German/Belgian shepherds are roaming through the garden and digging holes. What happened in my absence in the house well Bruno got wounded by a slashing machete and 3 weeks later still has a gaping bone deep wound on his leg. Snakes seem to love it here to. Two cobra's showed up and are no longer with us. Black kite did not take care of it this time but our guard Kenneth did.
Uganda seems to have cooled a bit after the riots in Kampala over a month ago. Yet it is clear that the Buganda are very unhappy with the treatment of their king (kabaka) by the president of the republic. And nothing has changed; from the moment of entry I tourist visum was issued despite my papers for a working visa. Now we have to foolow the line (big fish) to correct that status quo.
It may have been nice of me to have bought a SNow Leopard run Macbook Pro. The problem is the software of the telephone company does not support my sweet Mac. Frustrating and at the same time it may lead in to applying for a proper broad band connection. At the end of the day it is impossible to use Skype here for talking online.
There is some other hardware that will be instrumental: a HD Flipcamera and perhaps, if I find an affordable one a projector. All these goodies may seem slightly expensive and the whole isea is to run several programs from the beginning for 2010:
1. TEDx conference
2. Mini documentary on You tube on HIV/AIDS
3. A mobile health clinic in Bundibuyo
Let us pray for money. Number 1 and 2 are affordable and it seems proposal 3 may get axed. My friends have been around and to qoute Romeo Dallaire: 'Where there is a will there is a way. Let us roll.
And about the past tour of the USA you can read the next post.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Bruno and Yogi my German/Belgian shepherds are roaming through the garden and digging holes. What happened in my absence in the house well Bruno got wounded by a slashing machete and 3 weeks later still has a gaping bone deep wound on his leg. Snakes seem to love it here to. Two cobra's showed up and are no longer with us. Black kite did not take care of it this time but our guard Kenneth did.
Uganda seems to have cooled a bit after the riots in Kampala over a month ago. Yet it is clear that the Buganda are very unhappy with the treatment of their king (kabaka) by the president of the republic. And nothing has changed; from the moment of entry I tourist visum was issued despite my papers for a working visa. Now we have to foolow the line (big fish) to correct that status quo.
It may have been nice of me to have bought a SNow Leopard run Macbook Pro. The problem is the software of the telephone company does not support my sweet Mac. Frustrating and at the same time it may lead in to applying for a proper broad band connection. At the end of the day it is impossible to use Skype here for talking online.
There is some other hardware that will be instrumental: a HD Flipcamera and perhaps, if I find an affordable one a projector. All these goodies may seem slightly expensive and the whole isea is to run several programs from the beginning for 2010:
1. TEDx conference
2. Mini documentary on You tube on HIV/AIDS
3. A mobile health clinic in Bundibuyo
Let us pray for money. Number 1 and 2 are affordable and it seems proposal 3 may get axed. My friends have been around and to qoute Romeo Dallaire: 'Where there is a will there is a way. Let us roll.
And about the past tour of the USA you can read the next post.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Saturday 19 September 2009
UgandAshis 59 Musings
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UgandAshis 59 Musings
September 19, 2009
Dragonfly
Dragonfly
Why?
Do you dip your wings?
In puddles of water
Are they flaming things
Tell me later
Yogi meets a dragonfly
Snap
One less dragonfly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonfly
And they are predators that eat mosquitoes.
One should love them
Less is more!
Pondering peace
Wondering who is
Going to take the first step.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_Ata_Declaration
Health for all by 2000 declared in 1978
OK
Now
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
The assessment, launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Geneva, warns that, despite many successes, overall progress has been too slow for most of the targets to be met by 2015.
Same, same but different?
Namaskar,
Ashis
UgandAshis 58 Congolese dancing stick
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UgandAshis 58 Congolese dancing stick
September 19, 2009
The local mosque has a muezzin calling for the evening prayer. It is almost Eid and many of the people around Kansanga are Muslim. Because of Ramadan and the riots last week night life in Kansanga and Kabalagala has been very quiet lately. The one thing that interrupts the silence are Premiership Soccer matches, then pubs are full and people are cheering.
As I dangle in the yellow hammock I can see three lizards working their way through a cloud of mosquitoes in a stalking yet distinguished style. If only there were more lizards and fewer mosquitoes. Our green yellow black eyed friends are working hard but the odds seem insurmountable.
The black kites were circling the house in pairs today. Wondering what they are messaging? And I recall the title of this story; ‘Congolese dancing stick’. It is a wooden carving from Beni, eastern Congo about 80 years old. I am to trace the history of the artifact but holding it in my hand gives a feeling that it is a powerful symbolic tool. The face is Cubist (but from a pre Cubist era), the hairs are made of beads from Germany, the end of which have Cowry shells (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowry). The body of the lady is made out of blue and white beads and her legs are covered in a leather dress.
One can imagine this magnificent carving being the middle of elaborate dance ceremonies. Congolese love to dance. Perhaps it has a role in fertility rites? If only this lady could sing her song. What she has given me is an appetite to study her history and more general the history of wooden carvings in African. In fact she is the ‘core’ and for now ‘only’ piece of my collection. Given the fact that the Congolese market is around the corner I am bound to start buying more of these lovely pieces. A great thank you goes to my compadre Ecke who is a German bead expert with a collection of several 100.000 beads. As I always joke he can tell you were a bead comes from by smell only.
Given my passion for birds I am going to shop around until I find the right bird mask for the right price. Another thing that I am looking in to is much more practical: seats for my house. There are beautiful carvings waiting to be part of my house. Then as a last area of interest I am looking at artifacts related to medicine. For example I saw a beautiful wooden sculpture of a man representing the small pox. It are questions I would love to ask my students in the course culture and health at Mountains of the Moon.
Enjoy the photo and let me know what you think. Artifacts are still available but are getting harder to come by. It is a good time to start collecting therefore. Always great to learn and embrace art.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Monday 14 September 2009
UgandAshis 57 Riots in Kampala II
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UgandAshis 57 Riots in Kampala II
September 13, 2009
Friends around the world have commented about the fact that so little about what has happened over the last couple of days has made it to main stream media. True there were stories on CNN and BBC. So information did trickle down.
When you Google ‘Kampala riots 2009’ of the first 30 entries only ten are from traditional media (Daily Monitor 3, New Vision 1, Independent 2, BBC 1, RFI 1, France 24 1, Guardian 1. It seems that finding up to date information your best bet is to follow links through Google or on Twitter (#Kampala, #uganda) or bloggers and blog sites.
Google ‘Kampala riots 2009’ news and you get 246 results, ‘Serena Williams US Open 2009’ news 7356. Yes tennis popular and yes having a tennis player shout at a lines woman brings back memories of John McEnroe but really is it that more important?
http://www.techmasai.com/2009/09/11/what-the-african-cyberspace-is-doing-to-monitor-the-riots-in-kampala-uganda/ gives all kinds of information about what has happened in Uganda over the last few days. It seems internet is the place to be to get citizens reports, pundit opinions, gossip, facts, back ground history, academic information, factoids and all other forms of information.
Then again relatively few people in Uganda have access to Internet therefore blocking a radio channel (the prime form of information transfer in Uganda) or filtering Ugandan television channels is extremely effective in giving a ‘rosy’ picture of the events of the last days.
One journalist had been arrested immediately after he blasted the government in a live talk show on a big television station. Arguably one has to consider the incitement that a radio/television station can create (remembering that the conflict will be solved rapidly and that loss of life and goods will stop. It takes only a few bad men to spoil all people in one area. Cohesion intra and inter tribes need to be addressed and media should be given a free AND fair platform remembering the role of the flaming hatred that Radio Mille Collines incited in Rwanda during the Genocide in 1994.
Through my Facebook, Twitter and g-mail account get tens of requests if all is ok and that people are praying for Uganda, my family and myself. That I am fortunate with that is crystal clear.
Images speak more than a thousand words. I can write for you that we saw the police station in Ntete burnt down to the ground. Up to a certain level of violence can be manifested through descriptive idioma. Yet when one realizes that the Batwa (pygmies) are set to suffer from in-equality nothing is doen . There still will be a up-hill battle awaiting those people that have a migratory (hunter gathers versus agriculturalist versus pastoralists)
Awaiting the results of free and fair elections is the story. As for today I think that the violence has reduced significantly and that more or less due to the heavy military presence in town the riots may well sizzle out.
Let us hope
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Thursday 10 September 2009
UgandAshis 56 Riots in Kampala
UgandAshis 56 Riots in Kampala
September 10, 2009
Fairly recently I decided to leave war and conflict ridden countries behind and I settled for Uganda. True it had a patchy recent history in the Northern part of Uganda where the Lord Resistance Army had been terrorizing by a child soldier army and a sex slave army. However compared to my last posting near Darfur in Chad it is night and day. So much that as I type this piece my parents are with me in the car. They have been able for the first time in 5 years to visit me in a project where I am working.
Uganda is an amazing place, kind people and in many ways it reminds me of India. Today a darker side has come to the fore front. As I may have written about in the past: Uganda consists out of about 56 tribes so of which historically have a king or a chief. None of the tribes has more than 10% of the total population and the largest tribe is the Buganda. It is in their heart land that Kampala was built next to their capitol called Mengo.
Today the kabaka (king) of the Buganda was set to visit a neighboring district. There had been some minor riots so the trip was disallowed. That sparked violence and riots between supporters of the kabaka and the police. So far 5 people have been killed. Tear gas has been used in several neighborhoods and cheap elements have taken advantage of the situation to go rioting.
Here we stand stranded 5 kilometer outside of Kampala waiting for the police or military to clean up road blocks to proceed to go home. Underlying the riots of today has been a steady increase of irritation between the government of Uganda and the cabinet of Buganda. One of the core issues is the fact that Kampala has been built on Buganda land and the Buganda feel politically marginalized so that they demand an own city state for their kingdom’s capitol.
If we go back in history all kingdoms were abolished under a previous Prime Minister Milton Obete. Under a lot of discussion kingdoms were reintroduced by the current powers that be. It seems that creating strife between tribes is the common way to keep the current regime in power. Here a group called the Bunyala was supported in their opposition of the Buganda.
It is sad to see the endless manipulation of good people. Some here feel that this situation will fizzle out and others have expressed that this may be the final nail in the coffin of the Buganda kabaka ship. On the radio however all club nights are announced it will be business as usual. The riots have been displaced to the poorer suburbs out of city center. And it quite well understood that the military will step up if the rioters do not stop with their road blocks. Awaiting the cat and mouse game.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
UgandAshis 55 Marabou hits electrical wire
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UgandAshis 55
August 28, 2009
Marabou hits electrical wire
Just as I wonder about a title for this piece I see a Marabou stork fly in to an electrical wire. As he dangles up and down for a moment or two his weight is finally too much and he manages to release himself from the wire. Slightly ruffled yet ever elegant he flies on.
This piece will be about what has been in the news the last week:
Slightly ruffled yet ever elegant he flies on.
This piece will be about what has been in the news the last week:
Universities raise their tuition fees by 40% after not having done so for over 15 years. Students promise to go on strike
A former Under Secretary of the United Nations Mr. Otunno is back in Uganda after 20 plus years to see if he can run against the incumbent president Mr.Museveni.
Droughts in the North and East lead to many cases of adult and child malnutrition. The minister for emergency and disaster does not make a good impression while munching away at a banana and meat claiming those people in Arua and Iteso are lazy.
We reached home and I left the piece as it was
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
UgandAshis 54 - Lecture 1 Half Moon Monkey Mountain
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UgandAshis 54
August 28, 2009
Lecture 1 – Half Moon Monkey Mountain
Tuesday evening and I am sitting in the office chatting away with the head of the public health department. Convinced my first lecture is Wednesday evening we are talking about our new students at the long distance learning program. It is quite an enterprise and exiting to be part of. Students in 5 countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sudan and Burundi) I stroll to the board and to my amusement I see that the lecture times have changed. Instead of Thursday I am lecturing on Tuesday. In fact the third year has just missed 3 hours of lectures.
So Wednesday the students had a new chance. The topic was vaccination and the course is called ‘Control of Communicable Diseases II’. The first hour I am sure I must have flustered some of the students as I was talking of the opportunities of web 2.0 , pod-casts, vod-casts, digital epidemiological mapping of outbreaks, open source texts, pub med, power point and e-mails. Only 2 out of 6 that had showed up had an e-mail address. It is time to change that fact. The lecture we were in had about 15 computers and the next door computer lab has 50 computers available and a reasonably fast internet connection. Then again the lecturers share one computer from 1997 for the 9 public health lecturers as supplied by the university. It is why all lecturers tend to buy their own laptop.
Back to the class I had a blast talking about the constraints and opportunities of drawing up vaccination program point in case the refugee camp in Oure Cassoni Chad. We also discussed the failure of the eradication program for poliomyelitis in Nigeria. The third hour I had the students group and think of the different step to design and implement a vaccination program in a population of refugees. Their contributions were highly sensible and the exercise was fun and educational. As a group they are birds of all kinds of plumage. There are clinical officers, high school leavers, district medical evaluators and a teacher. First class had a turn-out of 50%. Their year (the second year) is 12 people.
With my parents and my house mate Liz we visited the new compound near Saca lake. It is stunning and it shall be a pleasure to be lecturing there from next year. In fact the compound shall be opened with the graduation ceremony of last year’s students. The total number of students should have been around 700 last year and this first year’s enrollment seems to be around 650. These numbers need to be confirmed but the university has a big impact in Fort Portal and the surrounding areas. For many students travelling to Kampala or Mbarara would simply not be affordable and here is a brand new university with a hortus in their backyard. What more could a student wish for?
Perhaps a sighting of a monkey on the mountain.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Wednesday 2 September 2009
UgandAshis 53 A young patient with typhoid fever
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UgandAshis 53
August 28, 2009
A young patient with typhoid fever.
Textbooks describe the progress of untreated disease. My young friend has been in the hospital for over 5 weeks now. Typhoid fever is a manifestation of Salmonella typhi. In the lymphatic nodes of the gut they multiply and can cause ulcers. These ulcers can perforate and that is what happened to my young friend. For about a week he stayed home without visiting a health worker when he finally came he had what we call a peritonitis. Stool and pus were floating in his abdominal cavity. Rapid surgery was performed and he seemed to improve until seeping through the abdominal we saw feces coming again. It was back to theater for our young man and again he did remarkably well. A necrotic part of his gut was taken out and the gut was repaired. This was a week ago.
Since a week he seemed to be improving very slowly until 3 days ago again the incision wound of the abdomen was leaking feces. This means there is another perforation. The surgeons in the hospital have 2 days they operate although for an emergency there will always be a place – so we thought - .
Over the last weeks we have been blessed with 4 new interns doing surgical rotation and 6 fifth year surgical students. One would say enough hands in the house to do all surgery. What you also need for a surgery are operation theater nurses and an anesthesiologist. So the last 3 days we have had surgeons checking in on our patient and pediatricians treating the sepsis and dehydration but we had no anesthesiologist available to do the narcosis.
It is a long time I have worked in Africa and I am sure that in certain ways my way of working has become pragmatic. There are moments that I do get itchy. Tracing the anesthesiologist and the senior surgeon (a complex surgery awaits) was not an easy job and I was not the first trying to do it. Yet somehow I have done my best. All are aware of the patient. Now to pray he is operated today and is not asked to wait till after the weekend. And then that the operation is a success.
Every morning when we do the round he smiles at us and asks us how we are doing. For the amount of pain he is in he hardly complains and his family takes care of him around the clock. At one point 5 of his relatives were admitted in the hospital. He however is the only one remaining. The others are home and healthy.
I have discussed this delay with many doctors and sincerely feel it is not a lack of will or interest. The bottom line is that the anesthesiologist (senior) works for obstetrics and surgery at the same time and he cannot split himself into two people. Patience for the patient is required.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Post Scriptum our young friend died yesterday of a sepsis.
Sunday 23 August 2009
UgandAshis 52 The hawk swoops
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UgandAshis 52
August 23, 2009
The hawk swoops
The balcony view of this house is great. Just in front of my house is a swamp and a half wild plot of land. It must be teeming with life as hawk, egrets and the ibis all vie to be present there. Just now I had a hunch a hawk had seen a snack. Indeed he landed and about two minutes later he/she took off with a 75 centimeter snake dangling from its claws. Must be a munchy feed for its youngsters.
Rainy season has really started and when it rains it pours down in buckets. It explains why this land is so green and has so many lakes, ponds, rivulets etcetera. Planned to start August 15th it started the 15th. Spot on time.
In the mean time my parents are arriving tonight. And tomorrow I shall surprise them with a barbeque for about 20 of my friends. Somali, Iranian, Baha’i, Ugandan, Congolese and Dutch will be eating side by side. As it is Ramadan the barbeque will start after sundown and not to late as three young girls will be running around. Like Lonneke and Nard I am sure my parents will love the country and the people and after so many years they will finally be able to go and do some proper safaris.
In either a Toyota super custom or a land cruiser we will be off on Tuesday where I take on a multitude of new tasks (next blog) and they will be hopping around from volcanic crater lake to chimpanzee park to botanical garden visiting my different employers, meeting my friends, seeing the patients, watching the bees hum and enjoy the view of Ruwenzori mountains.
The next week professor Ekke, Lynnea, Yogi, Bruno, Emmanuel, Ismail and my parents will be staying at the mansion. It is starting to become a real community. Around the corner is my favorite neighborhood restaurant where we will have Ethiopian coffee and enjerra with the crowd of people.
Our garden is delivering massive quantities of fruits and vegetable. Today we harvested a bunch of matooke (plantain), a jack fruit and saw that the tomatoes are getting there. The hamerkop (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammerkop) agrees the strategy and just now flew off. It is time to plant some more trees in the garden and flowers. I am aiming to see the majestic sunbird (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbird) in and out of the garden. Just as in the garden in Fort Portal.
A message for all you birders out there. Uganda is the place to be twitching your heart out. Even those of us who are less inclined to our feathered friends Uganda is the place where you do become interested in ornithology. It is not for nothing Uganda has these phenomenal birds out there to be admired by all of us (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marabou & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Crowned_Crane) Oops I am off my parents shall be landing in about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stroopwafels are on the way!
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
UgandAshis 51 Coming and going
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UgandAshis 51
August 22, 2009
Coming and going
Over the last weeks and months a steady flow of visitors is coming and going. Dr Nard was one of the first to come and after 5 weeks his girlfriend Lonneke joined us for another three weeks. To shake Nard out of the Western cocoon on his first night I took him to some of the more rough bars in town. It was a memorable night where a culture shock could clearly be felt. After some days we travelled to Fort Portal to see the different institutions I worked at. With his every friendliness and remarkable easy going colleague students and patients warmed up to him rapidly. Even if looking back perhaps the so yearned for clinical hands on experience was not as much as hoped for working in such a different environment with lack of resources (simple dentistry tools and basic medication), a different level of theoretical knowledge and practice made a huge impact.
As I hoped for the Ugandan experience led to promises of future visits –with or without the Smile Train an NGO that send teams out to operate and educate how to operate on children with a cleft palate. This is one of the big motivators for him to start training in surgery of everything between the eyebrows and the clavicles to quote him. Besides the medical side of the story we had a blast. From ‘War craft’ to ‘Marabou Squatting Team’ to ‘Spotted Francolin’ to ‘Gorillas’ to ‘BBQ and wine’ to ‘LINK buses’ I am blessed to have had him here for 8 weeks.
The last three weeks of the journey Lonneke joined us and they had an amazing trip around the country with safaris in ‘Queen Elizabeth’, ‘Bwindi’, Murchison’s Fall and a rafting adventure on the Nile near Jinja. Beginner’s luck or not they saw: chameleons, lions, leopards, giraffe, elephants, long crested eagles, spotted francolins, the crown crane, alligators, hippos, rhinos, kobs, water buffalo, green mamba, green velvet monkey, baboons yet Nard missed out on the yellow warbler. Lakes, savannah, mountains, volcano, rivers Uganda has it all.
Yet beyond all the countries beauty what really matters here are the great people. The flaming chicken of the Persian Boyz had become their second home in Kampala. When they left a host of people queued up and one after the other they had beautiful gifts for the new friends. A sheesha was an amazing gift and given the pleasure with which they both smoke sheesha it must get a central place in their new home in Utrecht.
Luckily we will meet again in one month when I visit the Netherlands. Some things Nard and Lonneke have in Uganda; new friends, a medical library, the chicken/sheesha joint of the planet, opportunity to do well, to learn and enjoy.
At one moment when everything that was arranged seemed to be a hoax – some friends stepped up and I am sure the trip was one not to forget.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Saturday 15 August 2009
UgandAshis 50 Fort Portal jazz
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UgandAshis 50
August 14, 2009
Fort Portal jazz
Over the last weeks I have been talking more and more with professor Ecke about the public health school. For its 4 years a lot has been achieved and a lot more needs to be done. There is a team of about 9 lecturers who all have another full time job to assure proper income. Institutional memory is in the mind of the staff and is not available on paper. As I write this we are one week away from starting a long distance course yet a lot of the teaching material is not yet ready.
Coming in as a foreigner and imposing your way of working without considering the local customs and culture obviously will not work and at the same time some of the western mindset is required to assure a proper learning environment for the students. I shall give an example; to streamline the lectures and modules it is of utmost importance all the lecturers come together to discuss their individual preparation of the topics, avoiding repetition and assuring gaps are minimal. Aiming for common methodology and use of materials yet calling a meeting where all show up is near impossible given the prior responsibilities of other jobs.
It is easy to criticize yet to remain constructive is much more difficult. I did not come to Uganda assuming I know everything better. As much as I learn on a day to day basis there are things I can contribute at the same time. And how do you contribute to a teaching module when you receive the goals and objectives of the module after asking for them for 4 weeks? One can say that things arrange themselves in Africa yet for the quality of preparation of lectures it is of the utmost importance that there is clarity in what is required.
What I am doing is what I love doing – teaching and the topics are near to my heart; culture and health and control of communicable diseases in the first semester. With the help of professor Ecke and the local doctors and lecturers I am sure I will have a blast while lecturing.
The house I am staying in right now in Fort Portal is the base for 4 muzungus helping the university to move forward. It is never to be underestimated how much the university as a whole and the public health department in specific has achieved. It is at the same time a state of mind to wish the courses get better and more elaborated. Eventually the university is aiming for different health science related courses as well as well as a master’s level course.
To achieve all those reachable goals there has to be a strengthening of the way we work. A do-able job and one that at the same time is a process that will need to take place over the next days, weeks, months and year to come.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
UgandAshis 49 Fort Portal blues
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UgandAshis 49
August 14, 2009
Fort Portal blues
Zuco 103 is playing in the background and I am reflecting on the day. It started with a ward round on the pediatric ward. One of my patients is a 7 year old girl with chronic osteomyelitis (bone infection) of the right leg. Often we have to ask patients to go to the pharmacy to buy drugs. I never realized that we have run out of canulas (to give i.v. drugs with). Therefore the patient’s family members have to go and buy it. The mother of the child was crying – and as I asked why she told me that she did not have the required 1000 shilling ($0.5) to buy the canula. Clearly I slipped the nurse a banknote so the young child could start her intravenous antibiotic treatment. The girl however has a poor prognosis as the treatment is at least 4 weeks in the hospital and the mother has to hustle for food for the two of them.
Another child has a similar problem. He is crying and shouting while complaining of severe abdominal pain. To rule out some of the possible causes we asked for some lab work to be done. As I returned the next day I realized that the sickle cell test had not been done. To do this test you require a certain chemical which is cheap yet is not available at the hospital. The discussion I had with one of the laboratory technicians was frustrating. He was narrating a story of chronic under supply of many chemicals and supplies. When I then asked him if I could do a blood film myself he became very defensive. It was not really possible unless I would come the next afternoon. In the mean time the patient is not responding to all the different drugs we are giving.
Still in the ward we have an 8 year old girl who had meningitis and is currently suffering from the neurological deficits that have remained after the infection. She has a lack of appetite, cannot swallow properly and is too weak to sit up. Another baby was admitted with failure to thrive, oral thrush and a chest infection. The baby is 1.5 months old and her mother is HIV positive. It is likely the young baby has HIV as well. A large proportion of our patients has malaria with vomiting, convulsions and anemia.
One of the most remarkable things about the pediatric ward is to see how fast children can rebound from potentially lethal disease. With over 100 admissions per week there are 1-3 deaths per week which is a very low number given the late presentation and the severity of the majority of the patients. Every day I visit the ward I learn and aim to teach as much as I can the clinical officers, nurses and young doctors that join me on the ward round. As my colleague is out to a training the work is mine to do and I Love it.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
UgandAshis 48 Online teaching
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UgandAshis 48
August 13, 2009
Online teaching
E-learning or long distance learning is high up on the agenda of Mountains of the Moon University. It is to expand the number of students and to respond to a group of students who cannot come to Fort Portal for all the lectures yet wish to do training in Public Health. It was a good day today as I flipped through a DVD to find that the Oxford book of Public Health was available on it. Preparing lectures has become easier. There were also several other books available to prepare lectures with.
Then during dinner all of a sudden an idea came to find. As the online students are not in classes why not record the lectures of all the lecturers and deliver them either by CD or by pod cast format. In this way all lectures of the public health courses can be made an available at any given time and students can revisit a class as well. In an ideal world power point presentations should be added to the curriculum but it seems that many of the lecturers have difficulties creating them.
It will be about 2 weeks more before classes start and I am starting to find more and more material to start classes with. It also helps that I am staying in a house right now with several of the lecturers of different courses of the University. Remember that a proper access to Internet is lacking and that the library for the medical faculty is very limited. Students here are asked to rote learn, are read to from a text book and questions are seldom asked. I heard today we have at least 50 candidates in the first year. It is another 12 days before the first years start and the second and third years will be starting in 5 days.
Professor Ekke and I are hoping to start with several lectures we will do together. I am much looking forward to it. The lectures will be recorded and posted online so eventually all that are interested can see what is happening at MoM University. We also discussed the role that medical students from the USA and Europe could play in the development of the University over the next years. At first we may aim at several knowledge, attitude, practice and behavior studies of the indigenous tribes as to know which direction our future research should take.
In the mornings I go to the hospital to do some rounds and in the afternoon I return to prepare my lectures. The dogs and my lovely house are a good reason to return to Kampala and first I will have Lonneke and Nard come and visit me in Fort Portal. Right now they are enjoying the mighty park of Queen Elizabeth. What a pleasure it was just to drive through the park. And as my parents will be visiting from August 23 I hope to get in another visit to a nature camp.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
UgandAshis 47 Golden monkeys
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UgandAshis 47
August 13, 2009
Golden monkeys
The king of the monkeys meets his match. After a two hour climb up the mountains though bamboo forest we find a troop of golden monkeys. Their skin radiates in the sun and as they chew on the leaves we get to look at this habituated group. After about half an hour I end up watching one eye to eye from a distance of about 2 meters. I see in the eyes of this adorable creature peace. He is munching away at his leaves assuring the youngsters in the troop are safe and that the tourists get a good opportunity to take photos a plenty.
The park is one of the smaller wild parks in Uganda and lies on the border with Congo and Rwanda. Three volcanoes are home to wide range of mammals, birds and reptiles. Nard and I have declared to be big fans of chameleons so everywhere we go we look for this well hidden reptile. He climbs trees to find the colorful reptile as I lie in the grass to check out the bushes from my hide out.
Being half monkeys ourselves we managed to yet one of our fellow visitors irate. He was focusing on making photos of the monkeys and did not appreciate our jokes driving the monkeys away according to him. Our theory however is that his bad vibes made the golden monkey disappear all the time. Yet he did make some good photos and we pray we will receive them by e-mail. Great new world.
To help us find the monkeys a morning crew of park guards has gone up to track the monkeys so the tourist can find them easily. Some of the camp guards know a lot on flora and fauna in the park. As far as I can see on the map Uganda has 11 nature parks and having seen three I am sure I want to see the other 8 as well. Each nature park has been so different so far and it gives a longing to see more.
One of the sad things about the nature park is that the original inhabitants of the park, the Batwa (pygmies) have been booted out of their cave home in 1990. As compensation they received homes and lands outside of the park. Yet not being used to houses led them to sell for a very low price to the local population. As it is today several of the families live a homeless existence. Unfortunately the same thing has happened in Bwindi Park. Not for everybody the setting up of a nature park has been a big success. Yet it seems to fall in a tradition in the world where the hunter gather lifestyle is having a hard time to remain on this planet.
One day we will look back and see we have preserved certain groups of monkeys and that the humans that used to live in those areas have disappeared.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
UgandAshis 46 A long journey
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UgandAshis 46
August 9, 2009
A long journey
A nine hour drive from Kampala through Mbarara, Kisooro led us to the Rwandan-Congolese-Ugandan border. The park is known for a group of mountain gorillas and several groups of the Golden Monkeys. Once again this country surprises with a variety of natural beauty. Towards the end of the end of the journey we have seen the African eagle, long horn cattle in Muyankole land, impala and the yellow warbler.
The stretch of highway from Kampala to Mbarara is the most deadly road in Uganda. Potholes pop up every 100 meters and the driving of the average driver can be called reckless. Our driver Gad is a well experienced one and luckily so as we are pushed off the road on one or two occasions. The further we drive to the South West the more breath taking our view becomes. The road’s tarmac has disappeared and the last 60 kilometer takes us a long time as the road winds its way up and down through the mountains. We can see volcanoes, rain forest and soaring eagles in the air.
On the road I am reading Dian Fossey’s book: ‘Gorilla’s in the mist’. Most people have heard of the movie with Sigourney Weaver in the lead role. The story is about the region. Although she worked in Congo originally with the war lord’s and the increase of violence she eventually had to flee to Uganda. Her work had to be restarted in Rwanda where she encountered a lot of activity of poachers. Today one of the major sources of income for the three countries in this region is gorilla tourism. There are less than 500 mountain gorillas to be found in the world and all in this region and the neighboring Bwindi national park.
Dian Fossey’s object of study, the gorilla’s eventually where poached and killed. To satisfy the need of certain zoos around the world gorilla babies were captured. Gorillas however protect their youngsters to death so capturing one baby gorilla can easily lead to the death of 10 adult gorillas. It is horrifying but true. Dian Fossey’s live also ended in drama – it is not clear who killed her – but she was killed after having studied her gorilla groups for over 15 years.
Back to the journey I can only say one thing about Uganda – what a magnificent country. From savannah to rainforest to mountain range to hill land, lakes to river land. All is available here. It is not for nothing that one of the highest densities of plants and animals in the world are found in this country. Draped across the equator ancient forest is the home of the varied flora and fauna.
If you have the chance; come and visit this country. As far as the safari goes I have a feeling it is better than Kenya. And if you love birds you cannot miss out. Chameleon lovers – fly in straight away – chameleons are a plenty.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
UgandAshis 45 Three birds
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UgandAshis 45
August 6, 2009
Three birds
As I came home yesterday three brown ibises were perched on my roof. I stopped and admired these flying creatures. No bird can top the marabou and yet this one gives it a run for its money. Their conversation felt like the muppet show’s old grumpy men. Haa haa haa aaa – aaa haa haa haa. In Uganda it is whispered that these majestic birds can put children to sleep with their loud yet remarkable sounds.
While observing it was as if one of the birds wanted to fly off while the other two wished to remain longer. Finally after a long discussion – 15 minutes – with decreasing daylight they flew off to their nesting place.
My home in Kansanga also has a kite swooping near the balcony and then a bit further off are the marabous. The birds are in my mind as Bob Marley just sang his ‘Three little birds’ on the computer. Often I have patience for slow Internet connection – these last days however – I have lost it.
Trying to send an e-mail to interested people about my forthcoming tour has been a near impossibility. Let us forget downloading power point presentation or articles on the two topics I will be teaching classes on starting August 17th. Culture and health is class 1 and class 2 is control of communicable diseases. Over the last weeks I have been plodding along to make sure I have some information on a power point format so the long distance students can also learn along.
It seems so easy – Internet is a world-wide phenomena yet proper broad band does not really exist in Uganda. Yesterday’s newspaper did not make matters better. As parliament reviewed the budgets they were astonished to see that the cost of extending the cable that runs under the ocean is three times as high as in Rwanda despite the equivalence in distance to Mombasa. The following was decided as long as the costs are not clarified the budget will not be cleared. This leads to a delay in Internet connectivity.
The digital divide is clear and evident. One of the current things PGHF and its volunteers are doing currently is making video interviews with people who are making a difference in Uganda. There is a website on hold in the USA because uploading information is such a hard pain in the neck.
Complaining does not add to suffering – it can however explain to people why simple things on the World Wide Web are just not simple.
On a high note this time tomorrow we are off to Kisooro and eventually Rwanda to see gorilla’s. It feels like a good time to take a break. A lot of good things have happened over the last months and it is time to appreciate the beautiful nature and landscapes of Uganda. Now things are settling I can plan more trips around this phenomenal country. Beware I may be able to upload some nice photos.
Namaskar,
Ashis Brahma
Monday 3 August 2009
UgandAshis 44 Bruno and Yogi
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UgandAshis 44
August 2, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
Bruno and Yogi
The two mixed Belgian-German shepherds are growing like crazy. Even Bruno is turning into a chubby potato. Of the two Bruno is the one that is more active and who loves to bite all day while Yogi is mellower and also much bigger than his brother. Thanks to the hard work of Nard and Ismail they now have a doghouse to call home. It is labeled as the Yogi house with lotus flowers and on the back of the house is a label of secret society called the Marabou Squatting Team and an L.Y.S.I.A.S. emblem.
The two of them play all through the garden and it is a joy to observe the canines. After about 2 months Amir will come back to Uganda and Yogi will have to get used to being the only canine in the house. As always Nard and I are very busy to find him a Marabou friend. We have offered up to 60.000 shilling and have sent several squads of MST members out to collect the golden Marabou egg. Yet so far we can use some help in our quests.
As to the other animals in and around our compound there are the ever present kites; yesterday one swooped down and caught a rat. After due consultation we were assured that our dogs are too big to catch. Then there are the ever present frogs which have Nard enthralled. To date I cannot understand why and I know that Nard does a victory dance after seeing them. Anecdotal historical evidence shows that there are snakes in the garden, small and to make it dramatically poisonous.
Bruno and Yogi in the mean time rule supreme, adored by all, peeing everywhere, nosing around. Yes these two remarkable fellows are indeed brilliant. They give the house a feeling of a home.
Talking about homes given the fact that I spent about 4 days a week in Fort Portal nowadays I am bound to find myself a nice place there. As it is there are some accommodations for guest lecturers and I shall sign up for them the next time I come. It seems the Internet is ok there so I will give it a shot. Another advantage is that there are great people living there as Prof. Ecke. He invited me to a 2 day walk to the area of the Bakonzo, a tribe of small sturdy people living near the Ruwenzori Mountains. It is a beautiful area and there may be a lot of traditional healing taking place there.
The Bakonzo are also isolated from mainstream Uganda so it will be great to get to know some of the people working there. I was told that at one time in history the hospital was working very well with expatriate doctors but that currently the hospital is out of drugs a lot. If we forge links and connections there we may be able to help.
Namaskar,
Ashis
UgandAshis 42 Newspaper Clippings
UgandAshis 42
August 2, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
Newspaper clippings
Man steals bag from muzungu (white person) and gets 5 years prison versus police high ranking officer steals 175 million shilling ($80.000) from the pension funds of his staff getting 4 years. Talk about class injustice. In the first case the judge reasoned that the thief may bring a bad name to Uganda abroad and therefore must be punished severely. The police officer well...it is as it is.
There is an ongoing discussion in the newspaper about the benefit of the 1.5 bonus scheme on application for females introduced in 1990 at Makerere University for public sponsorship to assure higher percentage of enrollment. From 1990 to today the percentage has shot up from 25 to 49%. However girls still lag in mathematics and science, yet dominate arts courses. (If I recall correctly 80% of the first year law students are females). Critics talk about the discrimination against boys. Positive discrimination or affirmative action has always been scrutinized. Yet on the basic level when a family has 4 girls and 3 boys (Ugandans fertility rate lies at 6.9) and cash is lacking it will be the boys sent to school and the girls kept home. Girls have many more hurdles to jump from primary education onwards to even have a fair chance at education.
The issue of Bunyoro is getting front page coverage. The issue is about the oil rich region which for decades has had influx (migration) of many tribes so much that the original inhabitants (Bunyoro) are now a minority. President Museveni after long deliberation has now come with a report recommending all leadership position in the region to be secured for Bunyoro tribe members. Uganda has 64 recognized tribes (3rd schedule of the Constitution February 1, 1926) and the country is slowly being divided in more and more districts (from less than 20 in 1986 to over 100 today). Intertribal tension in certain districts is on the rise, especially in resource rich or resource poor areas. The report has inflamed the migrants to Bunyoro as they claim it is their constitutional right to be represented as Ugandans where they live by their own candidates.
Elections for 2011: the scene is heating up as the opposition seems to be uniting with as one of their main attempts to propose one presidential candidate for all parties. Also they want to highlight the failed promises of the NRM (National Resistance Movement), the greed and corruption by those in power since 1986.
Kampala lies in the heart of the Buganda kingdom. For years it has function as the seat of both the kingdom as well as Uganda’s parliament. Of late there has been a move to wrest away Kampala from the kabaka (king of Buganda) and make expansions to Kampala City Council. This has lead to tensions between the parliament of the Buganda and the central government. Currently the Buganda parliament is raising a petition hoping to get 1 million signatures.
Namaskar,
Ashis
August 2, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
Newspaper clippings
Man steals bag from muzungu (white person) and gets 5 years prison versus police high ranking officer steals 175 million shilling ($80.000) from the pension funds of his staff getting 4 years. Talk about class injustice. In the first case the judge reasoned that the thief may bring a bad name to Uganda abroad and therefore must be punished severely. The police officer well...it is as it is.
There is an ongoing discussion in the newspaper about the benefit of the 1.5 bonus scheme on application for females introduced in 1990 at Makerere University for public sponsorship to assure higher percentage of enrollment. From 1990 to today the percentage has shot up from 25 to 49%. However girls still lag in mathematics and science, yet dominate arts courses. (If I recall correctly 80% of the first year law students are females). Critics talk about the discrimination against boys. Positive discrimination or affirmative action has always been scrutinized. Yet on the basic level when a family has 4 girls and 3 boys (Ugandans fertility rate lies at 6.9) and cash is lacking it will be the boys sent to school and the girls kept home. Girls have many more hurdles to jump from primary education onwards to even have a fair chance at education.
The issue of Bunyoro is getting front page coverage. The issue is about the oil rich region which for decades has had influx (migration) of many tribes so much that the original inhabitants (Bunyoro) are now a minority. President Museveni after long deliberation has now come with a report recommending all leadership position in the region to be secured for Bunyoro tribe members. Uganda has 64 recognized tribes (3rd schedule of the Constitution February 1, 1926) and the country is slowly being divided in more and more districts (from less than 20 in 1986 to over 100 today). Intertribal tension in certain districts is on the rise, especially in resource rich or resource poor areas. The report has inflamed the migrants to Bunyoro as they claim it is their constitutional right to be represented as Ugandans where they live by their own candidates.
Elections for 2011: the scene is heating up as the opposition seems to be uniting with as one of their main attempts to propose one presidential candidate for all parties. Also they want to highlight the failed promises of the NRM (National Resistance Movement), the greed and corruption by those in power since 1986.
Kampala lies in the heart of the Buganda kingdom. For years it has function as the seat of both the kingdom as well as Uganda’s parliament. Of late there has been a move to wrest away Kampala from the kabaka (king of Buganda) and make expansions to Kampala City Council. This has lead to tensions between the parliament of the Buganda and the central government. Currently the Buganda parliament is raising a petition hoping to get 1 million signatures.
Namaskar,
Ashis
UgandAshis 41 Exams
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UgandAshis 41
July 29, 2009
Fort Portal, Uganda
Exams
Trembling hands, stuttering candidates, patients that escape and marabou’s that disturb the silence. It has been a hectic three days. One hundred and forty candidates in our department have been reviewed. Twenty minutes for a long case (one patient: history taking, physical examination, laboratory and treatment) and fifteen minutes for a short case (any question goes)
The great thing about taking exams of a long list of clinical officers (about 70 so far) is that you get to review the entire history taking process, physical examination and differential diagnostic thinking yourself. Some candidates are confused or nervous and some shine. After a long day of exams questions as: “What is the seat of the soul?” rise. These questions are to the general bewilderment of the candidates.
There is a very serious side to the exams as well. Unlike medical students who after qualifying after 5 years of study need to be supervised for at least a year the clinical officers will be in charge of a health center without close supervision.
That means that the first criteria to judge are: “Is the candidate a risk to the population at general? “ Then we look at the relative strength of the candidate as compared to the others, a mediocre, good or excellent candidate. After that the two doctors discuss what their score of the candidate is.
Some of the students have spent their three years reading their books and rarely came down to the wards. It shows during the exams. Others are so good they present the cases with confidence without reading their clerked notes and that is a pleasure to experience.
Once again reviewing over 50 patients it becomes clear that HIV/AIDS and malaria are major issues in Fort Portal. Despite a government program supported by the international community patients are still without their antiretroviral drugs and essential anti-malarial drugs are often missing.
Our students were examined in a pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics, medicine and public health. This is a healthy and extensive mix of the different disciplines of mother medicine. Friday their exams are over and I know there will be some heavy partying.
As soon as their results are out those that have passed their final exams are off to their respective new posts all over the country. This is a good reason for me to visit them wherever they are and to see more of this beautiful country. I think that at least 130 out of 140 will pass their practical exams. Congratulations to all of them. Tomorrow morning 8 exams remain. A piece of cake and at last rest for our patients, some of them have been clerked by over 6 students. It was also the reason some of our patients ran away from the hospital.
Namaskar,
Ashis
ugandAshis 39 Medical Apartheid
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UgandAshis 39
July 27, 2009
Fort Portal, Uganda
Medical Apartheid.
In the LINK to Fort Portal today I read 200 pages of Harriet A. Washington’s book Medical Apartheid: The dark history of medical experimentation on black Americans from colonial times to the present. (ISBN 978-0-7679-1547-2 and www.medicalapartheid.com) It is a lively book and after coming off the bus (reading with my headlamp as the bus had left 2 hours late) I was affected by its wealth of information and calm description of a long history of mistreatment of groups of people. In a way it reminds me of the book ‘Mismeasure of man’ by Stephen Jay Gould. It is sad to see how the powerful position that medical professionals have can be used against entire population groups.
Here are some topics the book addresses:
1. Imaginary black diseases as drapetomania (insane tendency to fleeing slavery), hebetude (laziness leading to mishandling the owners property), dysthesia Aethiopica (desire to destroy slave owners property), struma Africana (so called African TB), cachexia Africana (eating clay, earth, dust)
2. Polygenism or the belief in separately evolved species
3. Dr James Marion Sims who experimented on seventeen female slaves with genito-vesicular fistula without anesthesia despite it being available in the 1830’s to the 1840’s
4. The circus Africanus (showing a pygmy in the Bronx Zoo together with a gorilla and a orangutan and the St. Louis world exhibition as late as 1906 and 1910
)
5. The institutional grave robbing and body snatching for decades for the medical schools (1770-1973)
6. The Tuskagee Study where between 1932 and 1972 at least 399 were told they would be treated for syphilis but in fact where given no treatment to follow up their progress of disease
7. Mississippi appendectomy, an unnecessary surgical procedure leading to uterus amputation (and defacto sterilization) on healthy black and/or mentally challenged women. This was done on thousands of women in the USA until the seventies.
8. Injection of plutonium-239 to unknowing patients to test the most dangerous chemical we know. Done from 1945-1994 by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
It makes me think about how medicine can be used to keep a certain power construct in place. Keep the people barefoot, knocked up and ill. It is a way to control people. Sad thing is that as we speak today vulnerable groups are being used for large scale experiments, testing new drugs in Africa and Asia (remember the Constant Gardener). I cannot wait to complete this book and just wanted to share a tip of the iceberg of problems this book addresses.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Saturday 25 July 2009
UgandAshis 38 Mad Professor
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UgandAshis 38
July 23, 2009
Fort Portal, Uganda
Mad professor.
Yesterday I met Professor Ecke. A German pediatrician and public health specialist with 100’s of years of experience in Africa. He has worked in at least 30 countries and is currently attached to the Mountains of the Moon University. As we were swopping stories I was informed that hunger makes the devil eat flies and if you are in Congo rats and cockroaches become delicacies. The fat of the cockroaches is highly nutritious and is called embryonic fat. He hops around Africa and Germany. Nowadays he spends 4 months in Africa a year.
His latest affiliation is with the Mountains of the Moon University. And yesterday we started off by chatting in the Tooro golfclub. It is the oldest golf course in Eastern Africa and a beautiful one. We talked about African art that he collects, the methodologies of teaching and the acceptance of the difference in reasoning in the Western and African mind. Proper cross culture reasoning and his way of making it all work: no more questioning, blanking the mind and accepting what is.
When you work in Africa as a European it is very likely goal will want to change everything, make things more efficient, smooth and polish things up. You can wonder however if what you achieve is sustainable as mentalities differ; saying yay and acting nay is a piece of cake. As you leave the scenario what you perceived to be a permanent change is often temporary. Then you start questioning everything and seeking for the answers. A new stage of confrontation following this can be a letting go. To paraphrase the professor: “It will give your wings wind and make you fly.”
Back to the school he is infectiously positive and has asked me to prepare for 5 lectures with him. He prefers paper and pen, hands and feet instead of power points and it can work. What should be fun is the dual presentation one coming from the clinical angel and one from the public health angel. His biggest strength is grant fishing. He is labeled the grant shark in Germany. He was a professor by 32 has a multitude of degrees and in the end is a very humble, wise and funny gentleman. It should be great to learn from him.
Today we put him in front of a camera and we talked about art, medicine following our common passion the river Nile. He is like an encyclopedia of Africa. We talked and talked about malnutrition, schistosomiasis, tuberculosis. Onchocerciasis, rural Africa and how to remain positive in a setting often seen as so dark and violent. To end with another quote: “When you come to Africa you love it or leave it!” He came at age 16 with a car through the Sahara and has never left it.
Namaskar,
Ashis
UgandAshis 37 Yogi's BBQ
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UgandAshis 37 Yogi’s BBQ
July 20, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
Friends, food and music make a magnificent evening. Saturday night Nard and I decided to throw a party. The house and garden make it a great place to have one. And the main reason was to reveal the name of my furry ball of hair. An occasion as such merits a hosts of guests so we settled for a barbeque for about 25 people. It ended being a mix of Persians, Dutch, Indian, Ugandan and French people living in Uganda. The plan was simple emulate ‘la grande bouffe’.
Local fruit and vegetable vendors, the bakery and butcher were all emptied of stock. There was beef, lamb minced meat, boerewors, chicken, tilapia, a pasta salad, potato salad, fruit salad, sheesha and more. To assure large quantities of meat could be prepared at the last moment I had to rush out to acquire a Ugandan style mega barbeque.
From 18.00 Joy, Nard and I were in the kitchen marinating the meat and fish, preparing the salads, organizing the tables. Guests started arriving around 20.30 with DJ Nard manning the turntable, chef cook Ashis on the BBQ and Joy assuring all food preparation churning meat by the kilo. To be on the sure side tons of food was prepared and we will be eating a while from the remains.
Around 23.00 I picked up the guest of honor to introduce Yogi to the crowd. It must have been an impressive event for the 26 day old puppy. The charmer was passed around like a hot dog and received an overdose of hugs and kisses. At around 00.00 I took a shower and put on my black suit. On the way out I kidnapped the dance hungry people for a night of wild dancing. Dom bolo, afro beat and Michael ran smoothly. I had never really barbequed but food is food. Given the help of my friends I enjoyed Jackson tributes were on the menu. I hear that the party in the house lasted till about 05.00.
It was great to see how doctors, film makers, accountants, travel agents and restaurant owners mingled. As the party was impromptu we did forget to invite some friends and there will always be a next time. Specially now there is a barbeque in the house the house feels more and more like a home.
As contacts were exchanged people like doctor Dickson met Debra and Joy who will be filming his work in Mubende soon hooked up. I missed my friend Joseph dearly he was in Hoima for work. This is another reason to give a barbeque soon. Today we spend recuperating, some had a hang-over and the party was great. For Monday and Tuesday planned a visit to the Red Cross Uganda Youth Section is planned and then off to Fort Portal to continue with the clinical work and the teaching. Staying in Kampala is also required to download teaching materials from the Internet. Well keep the fingers crossed even now it is very slow.
Namaskar,
Ashis
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