Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Lasting Impressions of Uganda

Saturday, June 16, 2007 7:51 PM

Here are some of my lasting impressions of Uganda:

Narrow roads, full of potholes, with many people walking along them. Woman carry a basket on their head full of mangos or bananas or carrying a jug of water or a bundle of wood, often with a baby on their back. People on pedal bikes carrying bags of charcoal, or a goat or bunches of bananas. Lots of friendly, smiling children. If we stopped any place for more than a few minutes we would be surrounded by children. People out in their fields with nothing but a hoe to till the soil. Friendly people, asking how was your night or how was your day. Many mud brick dwellings with thatched roofs (we were told people prefer thatch to metal because the buildings stay cooler, I would think cost would also be a factor). Long lineups of women at wells waiting their turn to fill their jerry can with clean water. Huge trading centers where people were selling their goods, such as mangos, bananas, dried fish, tomatoes, dried fish, cassava , dried ants, goat meat, fabric, pots, pop bottles full of kerosene, etc. Truck taxis with the box full of people getting transport to somewhere. Cows and goats tethered along the road to graze the grass.

As for the SACCOs that we visited at Koboko, Panyimur, Zeu and Packwach, I was very impressed with what they were doing with the limited resources that they had. All of the staff seemed very committed to trying to help their members. They had huge turnouts at their annual meetings (500 to 600 people) that often lasted two days, one day for training and one day for the actual meeting.


Jeff Mark,Manager
Bruno Savings and Credit Union Limited
Bruno, Sasktachewan

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