Ever since I can remember, I dreamed of going to Africa. I thought I could save, or at least make a difference where ever I went. What I learned though, is that Africa does not want or need to be saved. In fact, Africa changed me. It changed me forever in many ways.
On a high note, I met some extraordinary people in Uganda who have shaped my life. They taught me about the human capacity to overcome enormous obstacles. Their stories are of great, great loss. Even today, the sadness continues for some as their difficult life continues. These amazing friends have endured impossible suffering and loss, yet they never lost their sense of life, purpose, or dignity. They will forever be in my heart.
The people of Uganda have so many obstacles to overcome; poverty, lack of health care, malaria, nodding disease, HIV, a very corrupt government that is not addressing their needs, and a suppressing dictator that won't step down. Poverty is a reality no matter how hard they work because there are SO many obstacles to overcome! My thoughts and prayers will forever be with them.
I can't begin to express the things that I witnessed. Some days were filled with overwhelming joy and love and appreciation for life. Some days were filled with fear, grief, sadness and despair. I have lost some of my ability to communicate my feelings because I am overwhelmed. It is going to take me awhile to process this experience before talking about it more.
I learned a lot by actually living in Uganda. I learned that our traditional giving society (giving food and money) has left the people in the same or even worse condition than they were before. By giving them fish, they failed to learn how to fish for themselves. We created a corrupt society where the money never reaches the poor or victims of war; a society where almost everyone accepts and practices corruptness on a daily basis. A friend of mine said, "I am a poor man. I don't mind corruptness. I need it to live." In such a corrupt society, you cannot just wire money and expect it to do any good. You must have a very trusted person with feet on the ground to ensure your money is not wasted. Instead of sending money, we need to focus on education, safe water, health care, housing, and solar energy.
I became a trusted conduit of money for many individuals and charities. I made sure 100% of their money got to the recipient. That is a rare thing. Many charities and individuals skim or pocket some or even all of the money, leaving nothing for the person in need. Be very careful investing your money in Uganda right now. Many countries have recently stopped sending aid there for this very reason.
In my personal quest to set up accounting controls where I worked, I was sometimes met with threats of black magic, poisoning, and worse. It was hard not to give up and quit trying, but I kept at it. It may all fall apart upon my departure, but at least I know I made a difference.
I attended meetings and mingled with a group of professionals who were both givers of charity, yet participated in the taking of funds for personal gain. An organization, even a charity, is only as good as the people operating it. Even good people are forced to do bad things to put food on their table. Those are cold hard facts I had to accept and live with.
I am soon starting a new chapter in my life with the US Peace Corp. I will, of course, continue to write of my adventures. My dream is to help create a world where every person has access to the basic resources of life in order to live a life of dignity.
On a high note, I met some extraordinary people in Uganda who have shaped my life. They taught me about the human capacity to overcome enormous obstacles. Their stories are of great, great loss. Even today, the sadness continues for some as their difficult life continues. These amazing friends have endured impossible suffering and loss, yet they never lost their sense of life, purpose, or dignity. They will forever be in my heart.
The people of Uganda have so many obstacles to overcome; poverty, lack of health care, malaria, nodding disease, HIV, a very corrupt government that is not addressing their needs, and a suppressing dictator that won't step down. Poverty is a reality no matter how hard they work because there are SO many obstacles to overcome! My thoughts and prayers will forever be with them.
I can't begin to express the things that I witnessed. Some days were filled with overwhelming joy and love and appreciation for life. Some days were filled with fear, grief, sadness and despair. I have lost some of my ability to communicate my feelings because I am overwhelmed. It is going to take me awhile to process this experience before talking about it more.
I learned a lot by actually living in Uganda. I learned that our traditional giving society (giving food and money) has left the people in the same or even worse condition than they were before. By giving them fish, they failed to learn how to fish for themselves. We created a corrupt society where the money never reaches the poor or victims of war; a society where almost everyone accepts and practices corruptness on a daily basis. A friend of mine said, "I am a poor man. I don't mind corruptness. I need it to live." In such a corrupt society, you cannot just wire money and expect it to do any good. You must have a very trusted person with feet on the ground to ensure your money is not wasted. Instead of sending money, we need to focus on education, safe water, health care, housing, and solar energy.
I became a trusted conduit of money for many individuals and charities. I made sure 100% of their money got to the recipient. That is a rare thing. Many charities and individuals skim or pocket some or even all of the money, leaving nothing for the person in need. Be very careful investing your money in Uganda right now. Many countries have recently stopped sending aid there for this very reason.
In my personal quest to set up accounting controls where I worked, I was sometimes met with threats of black magic, poisoning, and worse. It was hard not to give up and quit trying, but I kept at it. It may all fall apart upon my departure, but at least I know I made a difference.
I attended meetings and mingled with a group of professionals who were both givers of charity, yet participated in the taking of funds for personal gain. An organization, even a charity, is only as good as the people operating it. Even good people are forced to do bad things to put food on their table. Those are cold hard facts I had to accept and live with.
I am soon starting a new chapter in my life with the US Peace Corp. I will, of course, continue to write of my adventures. My dream is to help create a world where every person has access to the basic resources of life in order to live a life of dignity.
