Team work makes the dream work

This morning I woke early to the sound of clapping and flashes of light! It turned out to be a storm. A fabulous tropical storm that washed down the dusty paths and refreshed the flowers. The sky was a warm peach as the clouds reflected the sunrise. The only thing to spoil my mood was the discovery we had no water. The clouds had stollen our showers so it was a wet wipe wash all round which left us feeling less than ready to meet lots of people today. It did however remind me to brush my teeth with bottled water, a concept I've not quite managed to grasp yet and kept forgetting to rinse my brush under the tap, fingers crossed I don't get sick!

 

Today we went to visit lots of mainstream schools known as government schools to meet The Arks former sponsored chilldren. These children had made enough progress with The Ark to be accepted in to schools, it was a fantastic achievement and a great opportunity for us to see how education looks in Uganda. We have been amazed by stories of 200 students to one class teacher in our delegates classes and are trying to fathom how this would even be possible. Before that we got to spend more time in The Ark. Whilst some of us went to help collect the children the rest of us did some painting. We had bought some blackboard paint over with us and there was a bit of a sad looking wall outside which we decided to decorate. We were a little against the clock to have it dry before the kids go there and the masking tape wasn't that effective on the rough plaster but  Fred jumped it to help too and we soon coordinated ourselves; one to hold the tape, one to draw some shapes, another to locate brushes and another to make paint pots from plastic bottles. The shapes looked fabulous, we painted them at different heights so the children who lie or sit have a chance to reach them too. Trying to make a hexagon nearly broke me though, how that tape had any sticky left was a miracle but the slightly irregular sides just adds a sense of 'home made with love.'

The children were excited to see the bus arrive in the morning, running out from their homes to greet us, the carers too were getting used to seeing a Mzungu on the bus. The parents say "morning" and chuckle when we reply "yoga" (hello). We had put some nursery rhymes on in time for the children's arrival and the atmosphere was great as they were greeted and sang to as they came in. They responded with smiles and happy noises, even a few hugs. What wasn't nearly as exciting was the humungous cockroach that had set up camp in the bin. It was almost as big as a (large childs) fist and I have to admit even I was nervous around it. Fred found it hilarious that the team had been screaming at spiders and strange flying ant things all week, our reaction to this beast creased him! 

It was wondorous to see the children in The Ark this morning. We got out all of the sensory bottles we had made and explored them together. The kids were mesmerised by the colours and movements, the favourite was a sock filled by a bottlle which crinkled when squeezed. Fredrick did not put that sock down all day. Rebecca smiled as we hung feathers and bells from her walker and sam took immense pleasure in further decorating the walks with chalk. 

We got Faith sat upright in a chair as she giggled and smurked whilst we stroked her with different sponges and brushes. We suspect she has visual and hearing difficulties but this did not stop her from communicating to us that she wanted her feet tickled by shoving a foot in my lap or reaching her palm out to ask for more "round and round the garden." Around the room other children were responding, engaging and exploring. Nancy was rolling side to side, laughing everytime we sang her name, Wilfred tracked some beads being bounced on a string and attempted to pull himself up, searching each time we hid them. And Cory too sat independently on a chair rocking and pulling at my lanyard to make the badge rattle as we spoke to each other in completely different languages; Cory only speaks Teso, the local language of Soroti.

Oscar was the first child we visited. As we pulled up he was sat in his wheelchair under the shade of a tree. He had recently returned from Kampla where he had been in hospital. He told us how he was told last year that he would not live, then after seeing a neurologist he was given hope that he could have an operation and some physiotherapy to better position his twisted spine. He spoke English very well, and was very open and welcoming, chatting to us about his exams and telling us he has made friends at his new school. David asked him what he would like to do when he grew up and he replied he would like to be a doctor; a doctor like the second one he had seen! It was fantastic to see how David was encouraging Oscar to focus on his future goals, rather than worrying about his health. 

We went to visit Oscars school, although it was mostly closed bar Primary 7 who were taking their exams. It is a boarding school just a few metres away from his home. We were greeted by a lady running across the playground with a pink dress floating in the breeze. She beamed at us, welcoming us to her school and introducing us to the Prinicipal. Florence, the prinicipal, was a vision of calm floating around in a tiger print kaftan. She spoke slowly and clearly and never stopped smiling as she took us from classroom to classroom. She spoke to us about the ramps were installed last year across the school to help Oscar and a number of other students with disabilities. She showed us his work chair and classroom. Each class was adorned with a number line and alphabet, other hand drawn posters were displayed showing body parts, propositions and things that killed Jesus! In the P7 classroom sacks of books lay around the classes filled with the work they had completed since nursery. Nursery, know as 'baby class' in Uganda spans across 3 years. In this school classes were of about 27; this was a high fee paying private school, all of whom sat on tiny wooden chairs or benches. We were amazed by how neat the work was; perfectly coloured green apples and flawless handwriting were celebrated in the reception class. The worksheets themselves were hand written too... 27 times! Laura got to speak to some of the students, they welcomed her and when she said she was from the UK they asked her about the queen.

Next we visited Steven in another of Soroti's private schools. This school was huge! The headteacher informed us there was more than 700 pupils from nursery to sixth form, 43 of which had special needs. The headteacer was eloquaint and spoke sensitively of people with disabilities, he himself having studied special education at university. He talked about autism, paraplegics and even recognised that many of his students had dyslexia, something the UK education authorities find difficult to recognsie. Steven was an absolute delight. He ran out from his classroom to greet us in the corridor,  with the biggest brightest smile and flung his arms around Laura for an embrace. He was beside himself when I asked him where his classroom was and he took my hand and pulled me inside. There was a large group of small children, 47, all sat neatly at their long desks, but shaking with excitement. When the teacher asked them to say hello they chanted "welcome visitor" in unison. We asked them if they liked their school and what they been learning, "books" one replied. Then when it was proposed that we might have a photograph the children popped out of their chairs and began clambering over desks. Up stepped a very proffessional and adamant teacher who soon took control of the situation and sat them all back down before making an orderly queue. We stood outside to get a group shot with the team, Steven, his teachers and his class mates. One of the schools teacher was a Global Care sponsored child. David and Ella-Sophia grabbed the chance to congratulate her on her achievements. 

We drove back through the villages in to Soroti as Charles attempted to over take a motorbike carrying 3 people, we feared for the drivers life as the elderly woman on the back was ielding a machette. On the other side of Soroti we visited a mothers union infant school where Rebecca now attends. As we pulled up to the gates hoards of tiny children dressed in blue pinafore dresses and shorts came rushing towards the fences. We exited the bus as they grasped our hands and ushered us to come and see their school. Some told us their names and others refused to let us go. We greeted the teachers and then urged the children to return to their classes. Despite David's best efforts telling them they would get sweets if they went back they were far too excited. Rebecca, the child who used to go to The Ark hid inside from all the hysteria. Linzi and I were able to briefly engage her in intensive interaction before 2 of her friends came in. They all leapt under a table to hide which bought with it an opportunity for a game of peek-a-boo. We also tried a variation of duck, duck, goose and follow the leader. Back outside they surrounded Linzi marvelling at her blonde hair and blue eyes, David needed to try a diifferent tact to disperse them requesting that 'Aunty Linzi' could sing a song before they go. We filled the school field with a chorus of Row Row the Boat and reluctantly the children went to line up. Our last stop was to visit Richard, Mary's brother. He was reluctant to give us eye contact but shook each of our hands and said hello. His classmates gathered around us at a distance bar one little chap who plunged in to the centre of our circle and began to dance. At that point the heavens opened again and we reboarded the bus. 

Over a lunch of goat stew Hope arrived with our dresses. We were illated as we rushed to try them on. We walked out to many a compliment and happily obliged with a twirl. The bright colours bought a ray of sunshine from our faces. We also bought beutiful clutch bags made with beads which Hope had spent hours hand threading together. We popped in to the town to buy some baskets for The Ark to store their resources in. Charles drove us to a supermarket in a hectic and humid part of town and parked up just outside. We only had 10 minutes to make our purchases as we sifted through the erray of storage options and confused a shop assistant who bought us 4 shopping baskets when we asked where the 'baskets' were. A whisper of Mzungus (or as Collette thought they said Mambos!) had started outside and an armed guard appeared at the shop door. Everyone was friendly and no one much bothered with us as we weaved down the aisle to pay. We jumped back on the bus in record time leaving us with a feeling of Challenge Anneka, a reference we had to explain to young Ella-Sophia, along with a sing of Mambo number 5!

On return to The Ark we continued to race against the clock enlisting staff left right and centre. I sorted out, sectioned and labelled the resources (another dream come true for me 😉) whilst Laura, Brenda and Ella-Sophia blew up a huge inflatable toy. Michael, Sam and Fred placed a crocodile sensory board on the wall; the same one that we have at Two Rivers, and Collette and Linzi helped the rest of The Ark staff to devise a timetable of sessions following on from the training they had recieved. 

Over dinner tonight we met Troy and Mark. Mark came over to our table intrigued by our laughter and introduced himslef and his brother. They are Americans from New Mexico who are in Soroti to hand vitamins out to people suffering with sickle cell anaemia. Much like us they had arrived in the country with 13 cases full of resources. They would be spending the next few days tavelling aorund medical centres and asked us about the work they were doing. They were very supportive of what Global Care was doing and asked if we were going to visit an amazing palce called Amacet. Which we are going to do tomorrow.