FROM THE PERSONAL BLOG OF LISA LAI - Volunteer for Whisper in Uganda - May - June 2012

"Lisa forgive me", but I want to share about your experience in Uganda on Whisper blog.
It means so much to me personally like nobody can imagine!

I am so pleased to read those things especially from someone, who found about Whisper via Google search, and who comes from far Minnesota, and who is only 21 years old and was saving for her trip to Uganda for the last 12 months (for the first time - she messaged me about wanting to volunteer - it was last year in June). Veronika 


So here it is:

ARRIVED IN UGANDA

05.28.2012  87 °F

So I've been hear for about a week now and I have so many stories to tell. Unfortunately I can't sit at this internet cafe all day, so I'll try to sum it up as much as possible. also, I forgot my usb cord for my camera so no pictures until I get home 

I love the villages of Uganda so much. I especially love staying at the orphanage! The children here are absolutely adorable!! They are always so happy and well behaved. I haven't had to discipline one child yet which is amazing compare to the children in America! The children at the orphanage love to cuddle and give kisses! I've only been here for a week and I have already left a big portion of my heart here. The children here call me Auntie Lisa, which melts my heart into pieces every time because it makes me feel more like I'm part of their family. I haven't felt this much love in a very long time. It amazes me how even though the living conditions here are completely different than home, I am so much happier and I actually feel like I belong here. I've experienced a lot wonderful things in the last couple days but here are some to name a few...

1. I met Uncle Eddie who is a physical therapist here. I got to observe him work the other day and he has inspired me so much! I already knew that I want to go into physical therapy, but after meeting him I have a new goall! My new goal is to become a physical therapist and make yearly trips all over Africa where I can put my skills to good use in the villages. Uncle Eddie explains to me how there are numerous of people in Africa with disabilities due to malaria but can't afford medical care. This sickens me to death. If people are sick, they should be able to get help!

 

2. I got to help remove jiggers the other day in the villages. It shocks me how terrible the conditions would get, to the point where people would get fleas and their eggs implanted into their skin. I also can't believe how horrible the living conditions are here in the villages. Walking through them makes me want to seriously take a break on school and spend some time cleaning them up just to help out. what's even more disappointing is how the people here are the most sweetest and hard working people I know. It's a shame that people like them had to suffer while people in the US are too spoiled to even realize what's going on on this side of the world.

3. I got some nice sight seeing done already including the pyramids in Egypt and the Nile river here in Jinja!

4. I absolutely love the mamas at the orphanage! They are so warm hearted and I couldn't ask for better Mamas. They treat me as if I was their own daughter so I can't help but smile every time I see them.

Overall I am so blessed to be here and also so blessed to be surrounded by such marvelous people. I have so many more great stories to tell but unfortunately I have to get going.

I hope everything and everyone at home are doing well and I will update this blog again sometime soon!!

Community Work - Improving Sleeping Conditions

Whisper's Community Outreach team has continued caring out an activity of improving sleeping conditions. As dated above, the team believed beds, mattresses, blankets and nets to the family of late Kataka now headed by Babitab Joy - the mother of sev er children whose sleeping conditions has been very bad for a number of years most especially the three youngest ones - Kigo Brian, Brenda and Kotaka Junior.

We had to carry the beds on our bicycles, because a car or even a motorbike cannot get to those village far  ends.

There is great happiness and exceeding joy left in this family for a tremendous sleeping conditions change made in this family.

Beds 90.000 (£23)

Mattresses 90.000 (£23)

Blankets 30.000 (£7)

Nets 20.000 (£5)

This is how the family lives.. their kitchen

sleeping conditions for a family of 7. not anymore!

IMPROVING SLEEPING CONDITIONS - Delivery of Bed, mattress, mosquito nets and blankets to Flavia

On the 25th of April 2012 the Whisper Community Work Team set out to Flavia Kembeda's home.




This day was a day of extreme excitement as Flavia couldn't believe she is this lucky amongst so many.

She began to cry when we handed her these items; a new bed, mattresses, blanket and mosquito net. She felt like her life had began getting a brand new twist, at first, she thought she was deserted and totally forgotten but here we are coming to her rescue.

Flavia is currently employed under our Whisper employment scheme and she is currently being one of our best employees.

We are very happy to have her with us.

Flavia is also caring for orphaned 2 year old girl - we wrote about her situation about a month ago the blog bellow:


Blog from 01/04/2012:http://www.blogger.com/blogger.gblogID=2751428433723213595#editor/target=post;postID=6346429162626349948



Cost Involved:

Bed                    45.000 Shillings (cca £11)
Mattress             55.000 Shillings (cca £14)
Blanket              12.000 Shillings  (cca £3)
Mosquito net     10.000 Shillings  (cca  £2,50)

Community Work - BIG IMPROVEMENTS! Visit to Felix and Sowedy's extended family, where the father is William - one of the Whisper Staff

On the 1st of May 2012 at around 2pm we set off to visit this family as aprt of our routine follow up under community work schedules and programmes.


I was very amazed to find a very huge and remarkable improvement in the hygiene and level of cleanse I found in his home.

Record has it that this family is one of those that were worst hit by jijgger infestation and illness related to hygiene right now.

You can even see the little grass patches that William is trying to grow in his garden to minimise the mud.


After Whispers interventions, there is a lot to show for the energies, time and effort infested by our programmes.

To all our donors, I must say we are very delighted by how much your support has been able to reach in changing the lives of many dying children and communities where they have come from and will eventually get back to.

We are now very strong that by the time these children get back to their original homes, they will get back to empowered guardians that will continue to look after them with a lot of care and knowledge in ares of health, hygiene, living conditions and nutrition.

Cost involve: none

Mutaasa Mugereza Ayub