And then there was one

Today is my last day in Uganda. Lyanne and Sarah flew out on Friday morning and Carolyn left early this morning. Tomorrow I fly to Casablanca to meet my hubby. What does one do with her last few hours in such a remarkable country? Well, she does laundry, on-line check-in, seeks out some waxing services (I have some serious hair growth after two months which seems fitting here in Uganda but unfit for someplace as glamorous and Casablanca) and then I will go to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre to see the few animals who evaded us on safari (hyenas, mongoose, and the giant shoebill bird).

There is so much to catch you all up on. Carolyn and I had a very rejuvenating last few days. On Thursday morning we took a matatu to Kampala then to Luwero town on our way to volunteer at Shanti Uganda. Getting there was an adventure as we didn't yet have an address or phone number- we guessed that it was in Luwero town (since Luwero is a district). When we arrived in Luwero town we set about asking boda  boda (motorcycle taxi) drivers if they had heard of the place while we searched for an internet connection. After 10min we found someone who new the place.  I wanted them to tell a car taxi how to get there but they didn't want to give up the fare so for the first time we gave in and got on the boda bodas with our 40lb backpacks on our backs and our daypacks on our fronts and Carolyn's drum resting on the handlebars. Off we set riding on a motorcycle down dirt roads in the village- what a thrill! The boda boda driver was true to his word and delivered us safely.  The only hitch was that Carolyn was in a skirt which she had to hike up to her thighs to ride the motorcycle which resulted in her scandalizing a quarter of the village.


Upon our arrival we were given the tour. There first structure is a waiting room, prenatal exam room and a 5 bed postpartum dorm room in a cob house painted a sunny yellow with recycled glass bottle windows.  The next building has two birth rooms with lovely double beds, shelves for birth equiptment and a shared bathroom with a sink, western toilet and a small but deep tub. There is also a small lab in this building where instruments are boiled daily, supplies are stored and bloodwork is done. They can test for pregnancy, malaria, HIV and blood group. They gave us a tour of their demonstration gardens planted with food crops (corn, watermelon, pumpkin, gooseberry) and medicinal birth plants (aloe for heartburn, hibiscus for anemia). Finally there is a large open air banda (a round building made of mud with a thatch roof) and it is here that the teen girls group meets, prenatal mothers do yoga and HIV+ women meet weekly to make beads and sew bags.

We taught the two midwives about shoulder dystocia and they taught us baby massage which we had both heard of but had never seen before. We then had the pleasure of meeting with the HIV+ womens group to colour signs to welcome the new director Sadi, who is arriving next week. After colouring the women changed into their pants and we got in a circle to do yoga. This was a RIOT! The most fun yoga class ever. A volunteer led the class and the local women are welcome to jump in and suggest a pose. Their favourite poses involve animal sounds- cat and cow was hilarious. They especially loved it when Carolyn taught them lion and they got to roar!

Yoga with the women from Shanti Uganda's income generating group

Carolyn demonstrating rebozzo techniques at Shanti Uganda

Unfortunately you will note I didn't mention accomodation on site so it was back on the boda boda with all our luggage and into town for a night of very stimulation conversation with Kristen (Shanti Uganda site director), her sister, a volunteer and a man from Free Trade Vancouver who was researching the sustainability of Shanti's products.

The next day we taught the midwives about hip squeezes, counter pressure and rebozzo techniques and they taught us a prenatal yoga sequence. We reviewed shoulder dystocia with them and made posters about shoulder dystocia management and the hip squeeze/rebozzo techniques so they could teach the other midwives. It was so lovely to see such a compassionate and holistic example of birth at the end of our trip.

Thursday night we went back into Kampala. We stayed at a great hostel, Tuhende, where we met a woman travelling from the Netherlands who joined us for dinner at an Indian restaraunt. While there two chaps from UBC also joined us (small world) and then Jennifer, Prossy's daughter came along after dinner. Again- wonderful stimulating conversations!

Friday morning we had breakfast with our friend from the Netherlands and a new friend from New Zealand and we all traveled together to Entebbe. We spent the afternoon by the pool and had a wonderful last dinner together (with creme brullee and martinis).

Posted by Alix