Gertrude and other Suubi stuff

It’s hard to believe that I left home 4 weeks ago today! The time has been flying by, and I feel so lucky to have been introduced to so many amazing people so far.

The past week has been busy with Suubi stuff. Rachel and I started the English class this week. It went fairly smoothly, and I think it will get even better when we’ve had a little more experience and can determine what is important for the women to learn. There were about 15 women there, which was the perfect amount. A few of the Suubi women are very proficient in English (reading, writing, and speaking), and they were nice enough to help us translate. The women that came were so excited to be there, and really enthusiastic about learning not only how to speak, but also how to write, which is great! We also go to Walukaba every Tuesday afternoon for Luo (I've been spelling it Lual...that's embarassing) literacy class, which is what the picture of the women sitting in a group is.

Rachel and I were able to spend a few afternoons with a lady named Gertrude (the woman in the picture...it's not very good, so I'll try to get a better one soon). She took us around Walukaba to 8 or 9 of the women’s houses to visit. It was so neat to see where they live and to spend a little time with each of them. The plan is to spend more and more time with the women in Walukaba and Danita (the villages where they live) for the rest of my time here, which I am very excited about!

I want to share a little bit of Gertrude’s story with you. She is probably in her 40’s and has 6 kids. Her husband died of AIDS about 9 years ago, and she has been responsible for all 6 children since then. In many cases when a husband dies, the husband’s brothers will take in the widow and her children, but that didn’t happen in this case because all of Gertrude’s husband’s brothers have also passed away (most from AIDS). Before her husband died, he was able to buy a house for his family. I have not seen the house yet, but from hearing Gertrude describe it, it sounds like it’s pretty big and in good condition, which is kind of rare for here. Shortly after he died, a tree fell onto the house and completely demolished it. She and her children are now living in a room that is about 10 feet by 8 feet. She has been trying hard to get her house repaired, but has not gotten far. Based on what I’ve observed of Ugandan efficiency, I would guess that it will be years before she will be able to move back in. Her children should all be in school, but she can only afford to send 4 of the 6 because school fees are so expensive (probably about $100-$200 per kid per term, and there are 3 terms per year) and she has a limited amount of income. Suubi provides a consistent income for her, and she is able to sell some of her crafts in stores around town, but it’s still not quite enough. Stories like this make me want to withdraw all of my money from my account and give it to these people (until I remember that I wouldn’t be able to eat for the next 2 months if I did that), but pity is the last thing that these women want. They are so incredibly talented, giving, and hopeful in the face of such difficulty…it’s really amazing and very humbling! For me, these women are unknowingly giving me such great things, simply by being so generous and joyful, and allowing me to be a small part of their lives!