Uganda: One Year Later

A year ago today was my last day in the beautiful country! Even though its hard to believe I actually made the trip there, I miss it every day. It has served as a constant reminder of the blessings I have in my life, and of the fact that I can do hard things! Whenever some daunting task or challenge crosses my path, I think to myself, "If I flew on a plane from Dallas to London to Paris to Nairobi to a country on the other side of the world where I didn't know anyone, BY MYSELF, I think I can do __________ . And then I can usually do it just fine. 

A couple weeks ago a friend who works for BYU radio asked me and a friend (Haley Glenn) if we could do an interview about our experience in Uganda. It was a blast! I don't think I'll ever get tired of talking about Uganda. My "big project" this summer has been to make a photo book of my adventure there. I am inserting all of my journal entries, so it is more like a compilation than it is a photo album. It's been a pretty intense project, but it is a testimony to me that WE ARE SUPPOSED TO WRITE IN OUR JOURNALS!!! There's no way to remember everything that goes on in your life unless you write it down!!

What I really want to talk about in this blog post is an email that I got this week. It was from a contact in Kampala named Elizabeth Mwebaza. We got in touch with her the last couple weeks we were in Uganda, hoping that she could continue the Proud To Be A Girl project while we were out of country. I hadn't heard from her in about a year. As much as I promised myself I wouldn't, life kind of got in the way of my ability to put 100% of my effort into my Uganda projects. It is a hard thing to try to keep a program running from the other side of the world. I hoped so much that the project wouldn't die when we left. Then I got her email this week. It was a "report" of some sorts of the work that she'd been done while we were gone. I was so impressed with this woman, who worked alone to try and further the progress of a difficult project started by a couple of young Americans she only knew for about a week. What incredible faith and dedication she had!  

The thing I got out of it most of all, was that I can make a difference! At the end of my time there, it was just logistically unrealistic that a project like this could continue without Help International in country. There were resources that we provided that would be difficult for the locals to come up with on their own. I doubted that the work would move forward. The email I got from Elizabeth suggested otherwise. She attached a document containing responses from the girls she had taught over the past year, WITHOUT our help. Sustainable development WORKS!! One YEAR later and Proud to Be A Girl still lives!! 

My aunty tells me as long as I know how to cook and read that is what matters in life because in that way I will get married. I did not know how to fight her words and work for my future but the discussions in Proud to be a girl have helped me be strong and talk to my aunt about how as a girl I am the light of the next generation. How I have to work hard to be happy in life and make the right choices. Suzan.

I have painful menstruation periods. I was told it was a sickness and that when you squat all day the blood quickly comes out of your body and that you should not associate with boys who can tell by just looking at your palm in your hand. Whenever I am sick I don’t go to school but stay at my friends place. I now know that this is a normal part of a woman’s cycle and that as long as I take pain killer If the pain is too much and wear a pad I have the right to be in school and continue a normal life while I am happy. Thank you for your help. Nakiyemba Sarah, 15years

My name is Nantongo Sophie and I am 17 years old. I am a different strong girl now. I used to be ashamed of my body especially my breasts so I wore a sweater everyday to class even though it was very hot. I became used to it but now after our discussions with Elizabeth and my fellow girls I have gained the confidence to actually not put on a sweater even when it has rained and go to class because my body is special and to prevent bad body odors I need to take off my sweater and shave. I was told to buy a bra that holds my breasts properly well so that I move with ease and confidence. Thank you for your care. You are very understanding and now I know I am beautiful. Matugga Secondary School

I had sex twice and I was told that as long as I urinate after I will not get pregnant. I didn’t get pregnant but I have realized I was just lucky because that is not true. I was advised to abstain from sex and focus in school. I was also told of the many contraceptive methods available at the clinic and about STD’s.

I cannot stand and talk in front of people because I know that they are looking at my breasts or my thighs. I would rather run away. The campaign has helped me to be more confident because I can now at least stand in front of people and smile. Tumusiime Beatrice, 15 years, Savannah High School

For me I generally don’t like girls because they gossip and lie and are haters. I am a girl but I don’t like girls. This attitude is changing because in the proud to be a girl discussion we are all girls and we are advised to appreciate one another and always fight for each other’s rights. We must stand for girl power. My message to all girls is to be good and be an example. Fiona Nantume, 17 years

I am 14 years old. I thought that if a boy does not tell me that I am beautiful then I am ugly so I used to dress up very much and apply a lot of make up to feel beautiful. The Proud to be a girl class has taught me that my beauty begins from the inside and that to be respected I have to respect myself. Thank you (Matugga Secondary School)