I liked coming across this sign on the main street in Kampala city-center (click on it to see the full image). Maybe it is symbolic of what happens to people when they come to Uganda.
Well, in reference to my last blog entry, I knew I could do better if I had more time. So I went back yesterday (my first free day) and decided to spend as much time as I could with these kids – to find out more about who they really are, what their life is like, and what their real needs are.
Finding the boys
After making the 2 hour journey from Kampala to Jinja I figured I would start by going to the “American Super Market”. Only I did not see a single kid there – and it started to rain, so I was afraid I wouldn’t see any.
Well, on my way to the taxi park one kid popped out of nowhere with his hand outstretched.
I tried to talk to him, but he did not understand either English or the little of Lugandan that I have learned. 
A parking guard came over and tried to help me speak with him. Within a short period of time, three more of the kids came over.
We walked to a little table under an overhang where we could get out of the rain and I could talk a more with them. The guard and a man at the next table over tried to help translate my questions and explain to me more about what they knew of who these kids were and where they came from. The man who was helping me ended up being a teacher at a local primary school – a school with 600 children attending, 300 of which are orphans.
Learning more about who they are
These particular kids I was speaking with (whose names I found out were Mio, Moru, Ocuro, Abra, and Shira) 
actually came from the northern part of Uganda and didn’t speak much Lugandan or English at all, so even these men had difficulty communicating with them. But slowly we were able to get more information. They are from the Karamajou tribe, and came to Jinja either because of the insurgency (where their fathers had been killed) or simply because it was too dry and they could not grow any food. I asked the kids where they stayed and they told me “Masese” – a little squatter camp area out away from town for refugees. I asked them if they would take me to see it, and they agreed to.
The teacher walked with us to help translate. 
As we walked through town it seemed like more and more boys kept joining us until everyone in town was looking at our little parade. Many of the boys followed us to the edge of town, but did not want to go with me to Masese. Later as we were walking the little ones that came with said in Lugandan “The other ones had fear.” I asked why, but they did not give much of an answer, other than that they did not want me to see where they lived.
But five boys walked with us the whole way, 
playing with their “toys” (an old tire and used CDs they found on the street) as we walked. And it was a long walk – through a little squatter camp area, over a railroad track, through a huge field of corn – and during our walking we talked. The teacher found out that not all of them were orphans, as they still had at least one parent, and that some had already been helped by one NGO to be able to start going to school.
Without mentioning that I was the one who was the mzungu (white person), I told the teacher about the M&M story from last week and asked him to see if any of these boys had been there and what they did after the car drove away. I was touched to find out I was wrong about what happened. One of the boys explained that there were not enough M&Ms for everyone, so they broke some of them in half in order to give some to each boy.
Visiting where they live
Finally we reached near the place that they lived. I smelled it before I could see it – as there was a stench from a waste area which we had to walk past.
Shortly after passing it, we came to a crowd of a few adults standing and helping feed a couple dozen dirty little children who were seated on the ground. 
As soon as they saw me many of them gave surprised cries of “mzungu.”
In this house, someone had just passed away, and so they were in morning. It is tradition when this happens for visitors to come, sign the guest notebook, and leave some money – which I did. I then asked them if it would be OK if I took a picture, and they actually loved the idea. They wanted me to take as many as possible, in each place of Masese that I visited (one woman even requesting that I hold her baby for the picture).
We went one by one to each of the homes of the boys and heard a little more of their story. As one example, the boy in this picture lost his father recently, killed while fighting in the army, and his mother was left with 8 kids – some of which are pictured here. 
Everywhere we passed, kids (and some adults) would say excitedly “mzungu” and wave to me from their houses or alleys. We met the living members of the families of each of these five boys, and each wanted a picture taken. Each of them was in a difficult situation. I found the names of organizations that were already helping them. I gave the mothers just a small amount of money, and also this time had a lot more M&Ms – to make sure that each child could have at least one. 
After talking for quite a while with them, it became time to go.
As we walked out of the settlement to the main road, the kids who walked with us kept asking when they would see me again?
“Anytime,” the teacher said – which he told me means you are not committing to anything.
As we climbed onto the back of a “boda boda” (a motorcycle that acts as a taxi) the teacher told me that they were going to miss their new friend.
The boda motorcycle had a hard time getting started with our weight (the driver, the teacher, and me) so the driver asked the kids to help push – and soon we had enough momentum that they waved to me as we drove away.
Reflection
It is still a sad situation, however you look at it.
But I guess at least this time I did not leave feeling like I had made the situation even worse.
– I took a little more time to find out some more about who they really were and what their needs were.
– I acted much more out of concern than guilt or expediency.
– I went into the situation knowing I needed a lot more M&Ms and with a better distribution method (I made them line up one by one).
– I gave money directly to the mothers and the teacher, who would hopefully get them things the kids need the most.
– I asked the teacher to also give me the names of the organizations that seem to be doing the most to help them already – which I can now contribute to.
– I also got the address for the primary school, as one of my friends who is a teacher in the US (VeNicia) wanted to get her kids to put together a package for them. I emphasized to the teacher that it should be a two-way thing and the kids in Africa should also give something to the kids in the US, even if it was just pictures they drew.
– [Here is a link to comments from the previous entry with some initial ideas about how the specific experience might be analogous to development/aid in general]
Still, my heart goes out to them. I realize that my impact may not be great or transformative for them, but I can at least feel some peace in believing there are actually some things we can do to make the situation a little better for them. And, conversely, that their kindness, noble spirit, and hospitality, regardless of their situation, has also made my life situation better too.
Maybe it is strange, but just looking at the pictures again and hearing their voices in my head makes me miss those kids (my “new friends”) already.
You definitely should write a book about your journey. I enjoy reading your posts.
Call it “Mzungu experience”.
It seems like very rarely when we help others do we help them more than we help ourselves. Although I’m sure they benefited from their “Mzunga friend”.
I’m jealous of your experiences. You definitely should write a book…
I can’t find your email, so I’m posting this here: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080727/D926GL6G2.html
It’s an article about big companies tailoring their image for foreign countries. Pretty obvious stuff, but some good examples.
and now you can do something for them that isn’t done enough – you have just told the story of these young men to people who wouldn’t have otherwise heard it. that is one thing that CPT is about – getting the stories out about what is happening around the world. letting those of us in the west – who, unfortunately, have much more access to resources – know what is happening. as with palestine, these stories need to be told. for me i see it not just being about possibly some westerner who can make a huge difference reading the story and then making that difference, but also putting the individual, very human, face on what is often just pictures of anonymous africans, or in this case – ugandans. as you know very well – each time we make that heart to heart, human to human, connection it brings us one step closer to the world we all so desperately want to live in. i’m glad that you have a passion for the african continent my friend, because it takes a bit of weight off my shoulders. it means that i can focus on palestine while someone i trust very much is focusing there. (of course, along with so many other people, but i think you understand).
keep writing – you are an inspiration to me. thanks 🙂
Clint,
WOW! I think you answered your own question from the last post. What you DID is what should have been done. An m&m doesn’t last very long. Though they are great for a moment, I think the experience you had was meant to lead you to the experience that you made. Doing, is the best part. I am so impressed by your desire to help that you reflected on these kids in such a horrible situation, but such a small incident.
That is quite the heart you have there.
I am glad to see that you were able to take the situation and change it around to have at least part of the outcome that you would have preferred.
Compassion is one thing, but charity, and putting that compassion to work is quite another. Hopefully through your work you will inspire others that have the way to give.
I know that you inspire me!
Absolutely, absolutely! Write a book. You know you’d sell 3 copies, at least =o) My heart goes out to those children so much and I love how happy they look in those pictures. Going back was a great thing to do, nice thinking. One of the best parts of that was finding out the big kids didn’t end up scarfing all 11 M&Ms but that they shared them so kindly. Situations like that are the ones at school that really make my “job” (hobby) fulfilling. I can’t tell you how excited I am that my kids this year will get to write to these children! It’s things like this that will change lives (shaping their priorities, developing appreciation for differences and love for people of other cultures and global thinking, excitement for learning about the world, appreciation and humility for all the blessings they enjoy in their family and homes and country, and desire to share it with others!). They will never forget! I love it. Thank you. So much!
I just showed these pictures to Stacie, an 18-year-old girl who has grown up in orphanages her entire life here in China. She had never seen an African before- and I’m not sure if she knew that a people with beautiful ebony skin existed. Your stories are even reaching kids in Chinaland!
By nature of studying public health, I’m often thinking on the population level- what we can do to help the greatest amount of people. It was so fun to read your blog and see a good example of keeping that in mind, while also ministering to individuals with faces and names and stories- one-by-one. Very fun- thanks for sharing!
Hi; I was very happy to read what you did, it both surpsised me and put a huge smile on my face. Great job!
hey clint –
i went to bible study at my church yesterday and the discussion was about Matthew 14:1-21 – the stories of the death of john the baptist and feeding of the 5,000. in church on sunday the sermon is going to be about the feeding of the 5,000 but we talked about the 2 stories together because of the stories contrast each other. you probably know this – but in case you don’t – in the first herod has a feast, kills john the baptist but is left feeling not so full and satisfied. in the second – you do know – christ feeds 5,000 men with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, and then all go home feeling more than full.
as we were talking about this, i thought about the boys and what they ended up doing with the m & m’s. rather than hoarding them they divided them up so that everyone could have a piece. they looked at your 11 m & m’s as being plentiful – for me the parallel to the fish and loaves in the story about christ. ain’t that just great? i think it is.
okay, back to tpck for me. keep doing what you are doing.
I’m glad the chaos in the streets was not as bad as you had anticipated. I also feel satisfied that you have remedied your “mistake” in the best way possible. Thanks for sharing your experiences and reflections!!
Thanks everyone for your comments.
Since my friends at Masese kept asking me when I was coming back – I decided to ask the teacher if he would guide everyone who attended TEDC on a walk around Masese.
I didn’t tell the conference attendees that this was going to happen, until at the end of the day where we did a brainstorming session. As part of the brainstorming session that Esther Nasikye fascilitated, we told them the story (from the first blog entry – about the kids and the candy and me feeling I had done more harm than good) and had them brainstorm in groups what they thought would have been a better approach (assuming I wanted to help), as well as how this situation was similar to and different from the way that aid/development is given and received in Africa.
After we heard a lot of good responses, later in the day I told them the rest of the story and was able to take them to meet the actual people.
It was sobering to take everyone there. It was right towards the end of the conference, and everyone was on kind of a high from having such a good time – and then we saw the living conditions and learned more about these very poor people. One participant seemed troubled and said walking through there is like when someone tells you something you don’t want to hear, but you know it is true and that you needed to hear it. Most of the Ugandan participants also had never seen anything like that before, and seemed surprised that so near to them were people that were living like in these conditions.
Toward the end of walking with everyone through Masese, I was starting to doubt whether it was a good idea or not to take them all there (partly because of how sobering it was for everyone and also because I did not want the people of Masese to feel like they were part of a zoo or something), but I hope in the end it will serve to be a good thing.
Especially if even a few of us to something more to help these specific people, or others who are in a similar situation.
We almost left two participants behind (Tom Lechner and Russell Johnson) – whoops – but then again, maybe that would have been the best contribution we could have made to the people of Masese (they seem like hard workers, and might be of some use?). 🙂