The Shanti Uganda Society

New Blog

2009-06-13T21:15:00.001-07:00

Blessings Friends!

Thank you for supporting The Shanti Uganda Society and following the work we do in Uganda! Over the last while, we have slowly been moving this blog to our new website and hope you will join us there!

For updates and postings from the last few months visit www.shantiuganda.org

In light,

Natalie

Off The Mat Into The World

2009-03-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

The Shanti Uganda Society has been selected as one of the beneficiaries of the OTM 2009 Seva Challenge - Bare Witness: Humanitarian Tour. Here is an AMAZING video of who they are and how they are making change in our world!

Here is the link to the 2009 Seva Challenge page, how the funds will be used by The Shanti Uganda Society to build our Birth House and Learning Centre, support the children we work with at New Hope School and improve the lives of the women in our income generating group. We are looking forward to having the 20 OTM participants join us in the building of our birth house - each one of them has committed to raising $20,000 by November 2009! They are an amazing group of sacred activists!

http://www.offthematintotheworld.org/sevachallenge

Abayudaya Fundraiser Cafe

2009-03-08T17:47:00.001-07:00

Please visit the Shanti Uganda table at the following event!

Abayudaya Fundraiser Cafe
Help support the "Delicious Peace" Interfaith Coffee Co-op of Ugandan Jews, Muslims and Christians, The Shanti Uganda Society and other worthy projects

Sunday, March 15, 7:30 p.m. at Or Shalom
710 E.10th Ave. at Fraser. Minimum $10 donation at the door

Videos, Slides, Abayudaya Recordings,'Delicious Peace' coffee plus tea and treats, CDs and Shanti Uganda jewelry

The Abayudaya are a Jewish community in eastern Uganda. Lorne Mallin is going there in April as a Kulanu volunteer for six months and is raising money to support projects.

More info at orshalom.ca/march15.htm
and www.kulanu.org/abayudaya/index.php
and www.shantiuganda.org
604-222-3379 • lorne.mallin@gmail.com

Grace

2009-03-06T08:37:00.001-08:00

This is Grace - she is a recent graduate of our training program and now has a certificate showing her membership in The Shanti Uganda Women's Income Generating Group! She also makes incredible crafts made from banana leaves - we love these beautiful wallets and recently bought a 'supply' from her to bring back to Canada. Here we are sitting on the porch of the volunteer house with the new wallets she just completed. Grace's son William is supported by the Just Like My Child sponsorship program which means unlike many ugandan boys, he gets to go to school. The foundation has decided to focus on encouraging the sponsorship parents to play a more active role in their children's education - which we LOVE!

Grace has decided that she wants to use the money she makes from her jewellery business with Shanti Uganda to pay the transportation costs to be able to visit her son at school during the year. We couldn't agree more that this is a great way to use her income!

Transform Your Life With Meditation

2009-03-05T10:25:00.001-08:00

Blessings Friends!

Last year I was invited to be a part of an exciting project to support communities in Uganda, addictions in BC and individuals looking to improve their lives! Together with Wendy Weymann I recorded The Light Within: Guided Meditations For The Beginner And Beyond…

Our guided meditation CD has 5 different meditations/visualizations guided by 2 different voices! There are 2 silent meditations with a guided introduction where you can ease out of your relaxation to the sound of a gentle chime! The other three introduce you to the power of grounding & centering, deep abdominal breathing and a white light visualization.

A daily meditation practice WILL change your life! Not only will the CD make a difference in your own life, but a portion of each CD purchased will be donated to The Shanti Uganda Society and various addiction related charities in BC!

Reduce your stress level and ENJOY your life! Meditation knows no boundaries. Regardless of religion, age, or lifestyle, the practice of sitting 'with yourself' has the potential to heal and transform individuals from the inside out. When you strip away the outer layers and turn the focus within, you will find not only the path to self-awareness, but the beauty and truth at the core of your heart.

To listen to sound clips, or to purchase the CD visit www.wendyweymann.com

To purchase as an MP3 file, go to http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6614541

$2 from every CD purchased will be donated to The Shanti Uganda Society and $7 from all purchases made at Shanti Uganda events will be donated to the organization.

To purchase a CD or for wholesale inquiries, contact Natalie shantiuganda@yahoo.ca or Wendy wendyweymann@telus.net

In light,

Natalie

Board of Directors!

2009-03-04T11:03:00.000-08:00

Blessings Friends,

The Shanti Uganda Society is looking for amazing individuals to join our Board of Directors in Vancouver BC. Shanti Uganda improves the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of communities impacted by poverty, war and HIV/AIDS in Uganda .

If you are passionate about sustainable community development, holistic health, conscious birth and natural building, send us an email! Board Members have experience fundraising, believe strongly in seva (selfless service) and are able to attend board meetings in BC, Canada. We are looking for individuals to be a part of our growth over the next year as we begin building The Shanti Uganda Birth House and Learning Centre in Uganda. Join us on a journey to reduce maternal and infant death rates and support women in a rural community in Uganda!

For more information about the role of a board member or to meet with our existing board, email shantiuganda@yahoo.ca Elections are this coming Spring.

In peace,

natalie

Nansubuga Rose

2009-03-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

This is Rose - she has 7 children, is HIV+ and is the most beautiful, hardworking, inspiring woman I know! Since joining the Shanti Uganda Women's Income Generating Group, her life has changed and the impact of those changes will be passed down to her 7 children - most of them girls. The impact will continue in this way from generation to generation.

She also makes beautiful multi colour long beaded necklaces. Here in Uganda, they are known as 'bubblegum' - The women in our group have named it katogo (which means mixture in luganda). Katogo is also known as breakfast matoke (a mixture of bananas, gound nuts and veggies eaten for breakfast). They all think that this is very funny and roar in laughter at the thought of calling a beautiful beaded necklace 'katogo'. If you are wearing your long multicoulour necklance, there's a good chance it was made by Rose. During her jewellery and business training she learned the value of focusing on what she does well. We love her 'katogo' necklaces and she can ALWAYS be found down at the hut working away at cutting paper, rolling beads and then stringing different shapes, sizes and colours to make the 'katogo' necklace.

Rose and I have a special relationship, because she knows that the multi colour necklace just happens to be my favourite necklace. Each buying day, she carefully unrolls her fabric pouch to reveal a new pile of beautiful, colourful paper beaded 'katogo' necklaces. I have seen them a thousand times, but each time she does this its as though I have never in my life seen a multi colour necklace. My eyes widen and a smile creeps over my face - she thinks that this is hilarious because she knows the same thing happens EVERY time! It always causes her to laugh and the two of us giggle over the 'predictability' of the whole situation!

The day before I was scheduled to leave Uganda this time, I walked out of the volunteer house to go talk to the sisters and found Rose, rolling away on our porch! The women don't often come to the volunteer house unless they have something to ask or share with us, but there she was- content - sitting there, rolling her beads. As soon as she saw me, we exchanged the typical series of greetings in Luganda, but she continued chatting away - intent on communicating to me something that seemed very important. This was well beyond my comprehension and I went to get Maria to translate.

Rose began to share with me all of the ways the project has changed her life, her new-found sense of empowerment, her ability to feel proud of who she is and her faith in the future and the future of her children. By now, she had a huge smile on her face and tears began to well up in her eyes as she reached into her fabric pouch to reveal a beautiful, colourful 'katogo' necklace. She carefully placed the necklace into my hand and we sat there with tears rolling down our cheeks holding hands on the porch. A gift. Webale (thankyou) she repeated over and over, turning her face to hide her tears. And then she left. I wore the necklace on the plane ride home - a reminder of Rose and all of the women who inspire us to trust, to have faith, to carry on.

Birth House and Learning Centre - meetings, partners & planning!

2009-03-03T08:57:00.001-08:00

About an hour outside of Kasana in the District of Luweero, on a bumpy road into the bush, is the community of Kakira-Soweto (pronounced kacheera). Just getting there is a journey and once you arrive, you'll find the town trading centre - a few mud huts and a handful of run-down brick rooms where a local woman sells candles, soda and sugar. It is a passionate community made up of many families who tend to cattle, and rely mostly on a diet of milk. There are children everywhere - there is no school, so they run around and play and by the time they are about 12, have no education and no means to leave, usually marry and start a family. Many of the men have turned to the local home made alcohol, young boys stand around with nothing to do but drink and the women are surrounded by babies, children, and girls who will themselves soon start their own families.

Children are dying of malaria, there is no source of employment, no opportunity for children to go to school, no health clinic or doctor and no clean water. The women in the community have a very poor diet and therefor, have many complications during birth - the closest health clinic is over an hour away. By the time they reach a doctor, they have often died. Maternal and infant death is common and change is deeply needed! After meetings with the community, we found that their primary concern was health. For this reason, we are working with the community, the handful of traditional birth attendants working in the area, the sisters of Bishop Asili Clinic in Kasana and the elected leaders to create a project that can address these issues!

The Shanti Uganda Birth House and Learning Centre will do just that. The Birth House will focus on preventative care and work with local birth attendants to improve the health of women, their babies and the entire community of Kakira-Soweto! Not only are we able to work with and support a very dedicated community who are more than ready to participate and create programs that improve the health of the women and children in the area, but we have also partnered with a fantastic BC based organization!

The Earth Rising Foundation promotes healthy communities through sustainable building practices and natural building. They use natural building techniques and local, reusable and sustainable materials. With a focus on developing self-sufficient initiatives, they use local labour and are committed to embracing local customs, the environment and people in the building of projects! www.earthrisingfoundation.org

Adam Perry, the founder of the organization, just happened to be in Tanzania working on another project and took the LONG bus ride to Uganda to visit the birth centre site and meet with the community to discuss natural building - what it is, how it is different and the various ways the community wants to get involved! The meeting was a huge success! We have the support and participation of both the men and the women, the traditional birth attendants AND the community leaders. The TBAs shared with us the ways they want to get involved and their needs and assured us they would stand behind the project to make sure we work as one! Even the women in the community want to get involved with the building and learn new ways to build sustainable homes!

wAteR WaTer wATer

2009-03-03T08:32:00.000-08:00

The community we are working with has no water source or power. This means that we have to decide where, on the 228 acres, to lay out the birth house. We had the great opportunity to walk around the land with the sisters, with the Earth Rising Foundation and with the men who sold the land to search for the best possible place based on where water gathers, where its dry, where there is a potential to clear a road etc. At the end we decided on a general location which will soon be tested for water to find the best place to drill. This is one of our main priorities, not only to provide a clean source of water for the community using the birth house, our staff and volunteers, but also to have a water source available during the building process which will soon be needed!

Along The Way!

2009-03-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

As we were driving to meet with the community for another meeting about the birth house and learning centre, there was a woman carrying yams on her bike to the market on the road. When she saw the car and attempted to move towards the side of the road, she lost her balance and the yams went rolling all over the road.

Without a second to think about it, all of the men in the vehicle jumped out to assist the woman - She had the largest smile on her face while surrounded by shanti uganda's project coordinator, the founder of The Earth Rising Foundation, the community mobilizer and the film man from the Earth Rising Foundation. The yams were carefully tied back onto her bag and she made her way towards the saturday market.

The real measure of success

2009-03-03T08:21:00.001-08:00

We have been trying to find a way to measure the success of the women’s income generating group over time and therefore have come up with intake forms, conducted needs assessments and set in place a very organized system to monitor the success of the program.

On Monday, many of the women stopped to share with us their individual stories of how life has changed since joining The Shanti Uganda Women’s Income Generating Group.

In a town where paper beads had no presence, there is now a ‘beading buzz’. The community leaders have stopped in to visit the project [these are usually men who are shocked by the women and their very successful new business!], women in the village are buying the jewellery from the women in our group and in addition to the jewellery we sell in North America, they are busy planning ways to sell their jewellery to the local market here in Uganda.

There are stories of saving money for school fees, of investing in making house improvements and of searching for additional ways to earn an income. Lydia has bought her paper-cutting machine and for a small fee charges the other women who do not want to wait in line to use the machine we bought them at the clinic, will cut their paper for them. Ivone has shared with us that after putting her money aside from jewellery sales, she has been able to purchase the materials to cement her dirt floor, which will reduce the amount of bugs, provide a much cleaner place to eat and sleep for her family and most of all give her a sense of pride! Grace, who’s son is currently in school has decided that she is going to use some of her beading money to pay the transportation costs so that she can visit him – she knows that playing an active role in his education will improve his ability to succeed!

And so above all of the procedures we’ve put in place to monitor success, we’ve found that the best way is to listen to stories, watch the twinkle in their eyes and hold their hands as they proudly stand tall – for they are not just women with HIV, but strong, courageous, creative women who have lost loved ones, raised grandchildren, been child mothers, lived in IDP camps and now know what it means to move on, to believe and to step forward in life.

Although each bead that she rolls carries with it her story
Every woman has walked a different path
And now together they all make beads
With love
From Uganda.

For more information about the women or to learn how you can hold your own jewellery event, send us an email! shantiuganda@yahoo.ca

New Hope Updates

2009-03-03T08:12:00.000-08:00

New Hope School has now finished the chicken coop, the chicks are quickly growing, the children are already talking about eating eggs and the day when they will begin to lay is fast approaching! They did a fabulous job building the coop with the funds that were donated when the project began in July and we have organized the project so that there are enough chicks to supply the children with eggs to eat as well as to sell for income for the school and to purchase everything needed to sustain the chickens and their new home over time. By April the project will sustain itself and provide the much-needed nutrients to the nutrient lacking diet the children currently have!

Anatomy of the pelvis

2009-03-03T08:08:00.000-08:00

Last week at the staff development workshop we went over ways to encourage an active birth and avoid being flat on the back on the vinyl labour table with legs in stirrups while birthing. Its interesting because in Uganda, women are encouraged to walk around and be on their own for most of the birth process, but the moment they feel like pushing, their instincts are silenced and they are pulled up onto that big, black, metal labour table. Things usually go downhill from there.

I knew that I needed to come up with something tangible to combine with what we had discussed last week and remembered one night when we made a pelvis out of paper in our midwifery study group at home. So yesterday I bought a few large pieces of hard paper and this morning we took the paper pelvis I had brought, traced it onto the new paper and during the workshop all of the staff traced, cut, taped and folded their own paper pelvis. That was all that was needed! We all used our pelvis’ to understand the various positions we had practiced last week and point out the elements of the pelvis and how they are involved in the birth process. As I was leavings the workshop, I ran into a few of the midwives who were not able to attend and together with them made more paper pelvis’ and again we got down on the floor and compared the many ways a woman can birth. It really helped with so many of the reasons that are used in Uganda to blame the mother for any problems that come up in the birth process – statements like ‘her pelvis is too small’, or ‘she is too fat’ are often comments used to justify a cesarean section. The paper pelvis helps to show what is actually happening!

Just today Sister Ernestine mentioned a conversation she had with one of the student midwives who had had quite a challenging birth the night before, but made a comment about how she still had much of what she learned in the last few staff development workshops fresh in her mind which made a big difference in her ability to support the birthing mama!

“In Africa You Are Never Alone”

2009-02-12T05:21:00.000-08:00

After the workshop we got ready to visit the land where we will be building the birth house. The funding proposal we sent Seane Corn was approved by Off The Mat, so we are working with The Earth Rising Foundation to get things moving! There are no words to explain this day. First of all the land is smack in the middle of nowhere. The drive there was incredible....on what could be called roads, but more like using the power of the 4x4 to push through the dense bush. The plants and trees scraped their way along the sides of the vehicle. I kept joking with the sisters about the need for a birth house where there are no people and they assured me that they were there..."In africa, you are never alone" they said. We stopped at what is known as the town-trading centre, which was one run down shack and a small brick building with a few things for sale. The community here relies mostly on what they can grow themselves to survive and raising cattle - they grow as much as they need to survive and it pretty much ends there. In the town we stopped to pick up a few community leaders - exchanged greetings and then made our way towards the land. Along the way John emerged out of the bush - it was his land that the sisters bought which we are using to build the birth house - 228 acres.

He guided us towards the land and we all got out of the vehicle to greet his wife who emerged from her tiny mud hut. And then we walked and walked and walked. Over time what was red clay became light sand and the vegetation also began to change. We jumped over moving lines of safari ants (which, after being attacked by these little guys last week, I attempted to FLY over them!) Through swamp and cows and cow poo and then more land. John's sister in law was with him - she was waiting to birth and had come to stay with his wife (her sister) to birth in their mud hut in the middle of nowhere. After our visit, he decided that he would sell one of his cows and bring her to Bishop Asili to birth. One of the TBAs in the community had just left on a motorcycle (along the most bumpy road you can imagine) with a mama who had complications - they were trying to make their way towards the closest clinic (there in nothing in this village – which is why they have requested our presence here). Usually the women die by the time they get to the closest clinic - we never did find out if this woman was ok.

We finally convinced John and Sam, who we were walking with, that we had a lifetime to walk the land and perhaps we should head back for our meeting with the community. My thoughts that there was nobody there were proven wrong and slowly by slowly over 115 community members began to emerge – literally out of nowhere!

The meeting was incredible – they put forth the problems in the village – high maternal + infant death rates, no schools so a large amount of youth with nothing to do were turning to drinking, increasing HIV rates - the list goes on. The women all sat on one side – at least every second woman had a baby on her hip or at the breast! – and the men on the other side. We met with the TBAs and scheduled another meeting with them on Saturday to further discuss their needs and how we can work together as we build the birth house. Many of the men were drunk (there really is nothing else for them to do) – it was devastating – the women put them in their place quite fast – it was an interesting process to watch. Most of the men present had cattle which is what they spend their time doing and the women have babies which is, for the most part, what they spend their time doing. We have our work cut out for us here, but although the challenges are high, this community truly needs, wants and is ready to take part in this project!

We were here for the rest of the day, the sun began to set and we discussed creating a letter, which would be taken by scooter to one of the village leaders who we want to be present on Saturday when adam comes and when we meet with the TBAs – apparently, the only way to request his presence is to deliver a hand written letter into the bush – and after todays meeting – I’m quite certain he will appear!

Supporting The Birthin’ Mama

2009-02-12T05:20:00.001-08:00

Tuesday morning I woke up early and ran a staff development workshop for Bishop Asili staff. I've been chatting with the man in charge of staff development about their needs and what to focus these workshops on and tuesday we looked at breathing, different ways to support a birthing mama and tricks to deal with things like sciatica, back pain, leg cramps etc. We all had fun and it was hilarious to watch the staff start to understand that these workshops will be participatory and not just being 'talked at' - the education system here does not involve any kind of participation, so its a barrier we are working at breaking when it comes to these birth related workshops

Four Sets Of Hands Are Better Than One!

2009-02-12T05:19:00.000-08:00

Monday was a buying day - there is always an incredible energy around these days. The women ALL show up! This time we also had quite a few things to chat with them about. They all organized themselves into mini groups based on their closest friends and then within that mini group chose one person to be the official supply person who comes to kampala to purchase paper etc with Julius. We all decided that this would work better than just having one person do it and it also gives the women the opportunity to really think about who they trust to keep their interests in mind!

There are two volunteers here from Germany right now who came to help Julius and I - I'm not sure what we would have done without them because it took FOREVER and was very tiring even with 4 sets of hands! Its definitely a role future volunteers can help Julius with because having him run a whole buying day on his own will be almost impossible. We were exhausted at the end of the day!

Birth Kits and Staff Development

2009-02-12T02:37:00.000-08:00

Since I arrived in January, Sister Ernestine and I have been talking about the continuing education workshops that happen every Tuesday morning for Bishop Asili Staff. These workshops are for all of the staff who work at the clinic – midwives, nurses, counselors etc. There is one man who is responsible for coordinating the continuing education program and will be organizing and helping us lead these workshops over the next few weeks.

One of our objectives as an organization is to improve maternal and infant health in Uganda – there are many ways we address this goal, one of them being workshops and educational opportunities for existing birth professionals in the Luwero District. Our first workshop was to discuss the birth kit project with them, which is another way we work towards this goal – We assessed needs, what they believe the most essential elements are to add to the kit and how we can set the project up with the best results possible. In January, I brought all of the birth kits that were purchased by our donors in Canada so far – each one with everything a woman needs to safely birth her baby!

I went over each item with the staff – explaining its use, answering questions and getting their feedback. Bed pads, cord ties, prep pads, gloves, vitamin supplements are just a few things in our birth kits. I also brought the donated birth related books, which have been added to the previous birth books we brought in July. This growing library will be managed by George, the continuing education coordinator.

When brainstorming birth kit contents with Nikiah, who sits on our board and organizes the birth kits, we decided that it would be important to add a reusable pad to each kit. We both agreed that this would be a special gift each woman would be able to take home and use again and again – she contacted the women at Lunapads and one of their pads is now added to each kit! The midwives were thrilled at the idea of a reusable pad that wasn’t as costly as disposables and was much more secure, safe and hygienic than the rags that many women use – this can be particularly dangerous when used by a woman who has just given birth and may still be healing open wounds that then come into contact with a dirty rag – infection is common. We practiced snapping the pads into place and learning how to teach the new moms how to wash them properly.

As the workshop was taking place, there was a woman in the birth process in the birth ward – With this $15 purchase made by one donor in Canada, we used the very first Shanti Uganda Birth Kit today!

Bead meetings and reaching goals!

2009-02-12T02:19:00.000-08:00

Julius has started school again and although we have worked out a schedule for him to come for meetings with the women, this Monday I was one my own. I had scheduled to meet with the women in the round hut that has become our meeting place from 2-4pm but by the time I had showered and sat down for breakfast, Maria informed me that some had already come to start working and see where I was. After breakfast, I went down to the hut and found at least 6 women already working away. Watching them put so much time, commitment and care into this project is such a gift! Although it wasn’t a buying day, I had told them I’d be there to help, answer any questions and remind them about measurements, check beads etc. For the most part, they are fine on their own, but there are still a few who sometimes need a little confirmation that they are doing just great! It was a relaxing day sitting there in the hut through the sun, the rain, the grey skies and then the clearing. Each time a new woman arrived, she proudly emptied her beads for me – some carried them in empty water bottles, others in pieces of fabric carefully tucked away in their dresses. Each one with a sparkle and laugh at my exclamation of how hard they had worked and how many beads they had carried with them. Some of the women threw complete necklaces down onto my legs, laughing at my mouth, which dropped over how hard they had been working since our last meeting!
There are currently two girls from Germany who are staying at the volunteer house and volunteering in the clinic – this is part of their volunteer period in between highschool and university. Both of them took time away from their work at the clinic to sit with us in the hut, sorting beads, removing beads that were not good, praising beads that were. They enjoyed spending some time doing something different and even learned how to roll their own beads!
Ever since we bought them the large paper cutter, one beader, Lydia has been telling us her goal of buying her own machine and using it to cut paper for other women in the group as an additional form of income. She proudly announced that after our first buying day, she was able to add to her existing savings and purchase her own paper cutter. Now she will be adding ‘paper cutter’ to her new business of making beads!

Asante Sana!

2009-02-12T02:14:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday the women began to learn how to take their beautiful beads and create jewellery and on Wednesday, they learned some of the more challenging jewellery designs and we had our graduation ceremony. They are so excited about this new project and continually dance, and clap – its beautiful to see the sparkle in their eyes and a new sense of hope return. Many of these women have walked a journey that most of us will never have to face and being a part of their unveiling and new sense of power is something I will never forget. This training period has given us the opportunity to truly get to know them – their names, their stories, the way they each smile and laugh and the amazing way they all deal with difficulties, confusion and misunderstanding – there is always one woman who clarifies everything for the rest, or steps up and takes another under her wing to help her with something that is challenging.

As we were nearing the end of the day, the women took time to thank and honour Teopista who had given so much of her time to train them. There was much singing and clapping and a special thank you where all of the women clap together and yell “ASANTE SANA!”

We began to organize their graduation ceremony. For many of them, it was the first one of their lives. They were so excited about the certificates. While we were getting ready, one received a phone call from a friend and told her all about the certificate - “and we are even getting certificates.” Before we began each woman received her jewellery package of supplies including important things like clasps, jewellery string, varnishing string and the little glass beads used on the necklaces. Julius read out the certificate in both English and Luganda – there was more celebration. Each woman was called up one at a time to receive her certificate and in order of the amount of beads they made over the 5 days, pick a prize. Each woman got a prize no matter how many beads she had made and the top 17 women received an additional package of glass beads. They all wanted photos with their certificates and the jewellery they had made and began speeches expressing their gratitude for the training and how it will change their lives.

The most exciting part of the day was our buying time. We had told them that at the end of the graduation ceremony, we would be buying their training jewellery from them. Each woman came up one at a time, Julius went over her jewellery and if it was well done, it went into the bucket and she was given money for her jewellery. I have never seen such a lively, joy-filled event – some woman danced around the room and did their own version of a victory dance, others cried out in joy, other women fell down onto their knees. The wealth of this project goes far beyond receiving their own income and can be seen right into the depth of their eyes.

The Girl in the Purple Dress

2009-01-25T02:30:00.000-08:00

Before training began, the women sat around talking, sharing stories, discussing their challenges, and taking attendance. In talking about the women who had been selected for our group and the other HIV positive women supported by Bishop Asili, one woman said to another, “There was a young girl who used to come to the clinic who was dying and I haven’t seen her for quite some time”. She went on to explain that the young girl had to be wheeled in on a wheelchair by her father because she was so weak, thin and near-death. “That was me!” Said the now glowing girl in the purple dress. (seen in the photo on the far right) In such a short period of time since receiving treatment at Bishop Asili, what was becoming the end of her life here, had become a new beginning. Becoming a member of our income-generating group is an opportunity for her to take on this new life journey and drastically change her path. As is turns out, she has become one of the best beaders and has taken on a leadership role helping the women who still need extra support with their bead rolling. She brings a whole new meaning to the word strength…

Rolling and Varnishing

2009-01-25T02:18:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday we continued with bead rolling and on Thursday began teaching them to varnish their beads. The women worked so hard this week and took in such a huge amount of information! It was incredible to watch their determination. Each morning they arrived just a little bit earlier than the day before – trying to come well before the training began at 9am so that they could begin rolling their beads. By Thursday, many of them had shown up by 7am and were coming to our door one by one to pick up their paper and needles. By end of day Thursday, they were competing with one another and had transformed 6kgs of paper into beautiful beads!

We are slowly getting to know one another, share stories, exchange laughter and begin our journey together. It is such an honour to share this path with them and be a part of their new sense of hope. They inspire me beyond words – their courage, playfulness and love for each other will carry them far on this journey!

Now the beads are hanging in the sister’s convent to dry. Everyone is beginning to talk about the women and their jewellery – and the women are turning the heaviness they brought in with them on the first day into a beautiful, proud light! They established a varnishing schedule this weekend and Julius and I have left for Kampala for one last paper purchase before the women learn to make their own purchases. This time we bought 9kgs and were able to go back to the women who had wanted so badly to sign our ‘receipt’ last time….for the first time EVER in Uganda, I received a discount….its seems we are regular paper customers now!

First Training Day

2009-01-25T02:04:00.000-08:00

The women began to gather into the round hut we had cleared as the training space - many of them were late; apologetic, they explained that a girl had been raped and killed in Kasana last night and they had been in town trying to find out what had happened.

They brought with them an excitement guarded with a bit of apprehension - I don’t blame them. As is so often the case, many of them had been promised exiting new initiatives in the past and were hesitant to trust this wasn’t one of those ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ projects. Julius introduced Topista, our trainer and she suggested we begin our training with a prayer. Ivon, the woman who had been elected as the group leader offered thanks and asked that the women be blessed - It was a beautiful way to start the week.

Quite soon into the training it began very clear that with a group of 30 women, the entire step of drawing the lines on the paper and cutting each strip of jewellery was one that could be eliminated. Many ‘beading women’ take their paper to a paper cutter in kampala after purchasing their paper. You either do this, or cut it yourself. Julius and I realized how much easier it would be for the women if they had a paper cutter and were able to cut their paper as a group whenever they needed to. We decided that some of the grant money should go towards this so that the women have their own machine.

So off we went! Once the women were well into their first training day, Julius and I took off for Kampala in search of one LARGE paper-cutting machine! It had been raining that day, so by the time we were finally able to catch a matatu and make the journey to Kampala, the roads in Kampala were a muddy mess. My flip flops splashed mud up the back of my legs – I was trying to walk as careful as one can in these conditions, because mud in Uganda has been known to steal flip flops and suck them apart. We finally found the street where all of the stationary stores are and Julius went in to see what he could find. I stayed outside so that he could negotiate a Ugandan price that didn’t double when they saw me. I was happy when I finally saw Julius coming towards me carrying a huge box – not only because I knew the women would be so happy to have a break from using scissors, but also because I was able to escape the conversation that was ensuing with a security guard who was trying to convince me to sit on a chair with his friend.

Because of the rain, this all took far longer than it usually would have. By the time we got back, the women were nearing the end of their first training day.

Paper: recycle, reuse, renewal

2009-01-25T01:51:00.000-08:00

Our thoughts were to leave our initial meeting and then later learn the secrets of purchasing supplies, the best place to buy them and purchase enough to bring back for the women towards their initial start up supply. Well, our meeting turned into a full day experience because she wanted to go straight from there to purchase the supplies. There are so many things to think about when making the jewellery – scissors, pencils, rulers, glue, varnish, a pin (to roll the paper over), strings to hang the beads while drying, strings to make the jewellery, clasps for the necklaces and most importantly PAPER to make the beads.

We were introduced to what seemed like every possible corner and market in Kampala, back and forth ALL over – I kept asking Julius if he needed to write down the places we were visiting, but I suppose after a lifetime of living here, what seemed like the world’s largest maze to me was his backyard. Each supply was found in a different place – by the time we got to our paper search, we were so loaded down with bags of varnish, pins etc. and were drenched in sweat. She guided us through a well known market in Kampala, past the squabbling chickens, over bags of beans, through a maze of spices, dodging the men carrying heavy bags of beans on their shoulders and finally to the paper market.

I have never seen anything like this in my life. It was the largest barn imaginable with stacks taller than us of paper – books, magazines, old scraps, old calendars. Perched on top of each stack was the woman selling that particular stack. Our trainer moved through the stacks with a wisdom that can only come from years of jewellery making, sorting through colours, showing us what to look for, what to stay away from and what colours to look for on the papers to determine the colour of the necklaces.

The process was far more difficult than I ever imagined. The women thought my presence there was quite funny and would continually grab handfuls of their supply to offer me. Paper is purchased per kg – there were scales hanging from the beams.

One of the difficulties of keeping our spending on track is that the concept of a receipt is obviously nowhere in the picture here. However, it is required in order for us to maintain our finances. I have come up with our own version for these situations and pulled it out for the woman to sign. This caused quite the commotion because all of the women wanted to sign something and were quite upset that we had bought paper from just one woman. Laughter filled the barn at this very ridiculous requirement! After spending an eternity there and ‘purchasing’ the paper that would soon be used by the women in our group, we left with both paper AND receipt in hand. I’m not certain how we managed to carry all of those supplies back to Julius’ house, but I can say that I had no problems falling asleep that night!

The Training Program

2009-01-25T01:49:00.000-08:00

After the meeting on Monday, Julius and I left for Kampala on Tuesday expecting to spend the better part of the week finalizing the training program and purchasing supplies. We lucked out and found an amazing woman who is not only incredibly talented, but has experience teaching groups of women around Uganda. We set a meeting time to discuss the training program, what it would entail and what her needs would be to lead the training. Part of the idea behind the training program is to ensure that the women receive a high level of training, not only in the actual making of the beads and jewellery, but also in the knowledge needed to plan, organize and save – the business skills of budgeting for supplies and reaching their own financial goals which were discussed at our initial meeting.

Not only does the training support the women in the income-generating group, but it will also provide a considerable amount of income for the woman who is doing the training. The total amount we are giving her is well above local wages, includes all of her travel costs and lunch during the days she is here – she is an amazing woman and feels as though this is a way for her to pass along the craft that at one point also saved her!

The training program will consist of 5 whole days over a series of two weeks. Many of the women are traveling quite far each day to participate, so each woman will receive lunch as well. They will be broken up into groups, which will form a support network over the next weeks once the training has ended. These support networks will initially meet to support one another in the skills they have learned. Both Julius and I will also be present during the training and over the next month to monitor any challenges that come up. Once they are established, Julius will be meeting with the women regularly. Each time we purchase from the group, each woman will contribute a portion of her income to the leader of the group who will make her way to the city with another member to meet with Julius and purchase supplies. Buying in bulk with allow the women to reduce the travel costs of all going into Kampala, as well as offer a discount on the supplies when purchased in a large quantity.

The Shanti Uganda Women's Income Generating Group

2009-01-25T01:39:00.000-08:00

Another world is possible – on a quiet day I can hear her calling…

Julius and I keep saying if we accomplish one thing during the day, we’re happy! The most exciting thing so far was our meeting with the women to discuss the income-generating group. Sister Ernestine has been working to gather together 30 HIV positive women who are currently supported by the clinic. All of the women are in the HIV support program at Bishop Asili and receive treatment. Most of these women have at some point become very ill, lost their jobs and are in desperate need of renewal – both to financially support their families, but also to feel capable now that they are on treatment, feeling better and wanting to move forward with their lives again. It is about empowerment as much as it is about financial sustainability. These women inspire me. It was all I could do to hold back my tears - officially registering them in the group has been a long, beautiful journey.

These 30 women are the first to register in our official program. Although we have been supporting another group in Kampala, this new group is our first attempt to create a set program developed by the women themselves with a set process to monitor success. The women clapped, spoke up, took turns sharing their stories, expressed their happiness over the opportunity to join this group and their frustration towards the lack of support beyond Kampala for HIV positive women. After much consideration and advising with existing organizations and well-respected researchers in the field, the program was designed to give grants in the form of business and skills training, supplies and the first order of jewellery. Much of the existing development practice of giving loans, which require payback, has long been connected with the same economic model that has guided mainstream development practices limited by the focus on economic progress. In consideration of these limitations, we have chosen a model that does not loan money, but provides skills, education and materials which foster sustainable social development – we are not asking that this money be paid back, but rather that these grants provide the skills, training and materials needed for the women to support themselves in a way that reinforces their ability to contribute to their families and communities. Not only will this improve their lives, but it will also address the stigma they face as HIV positive women who are rarely given the chance to show what they are capable of.

The women were all present as was Sr. Ernestine – Julius led the meeting. We assessed their needs, expectations, set guidelines and elected leaders. We went into the meeting expecting to face certain challenges accomplishing all of our goals and instead everything fell into place exactly as it should. Collectively, we established criteria – each woman must be from the existing support program at Bishop Asili, be HIV positive and have a corresponding number representing her health history at the clinic. We set membership guidelines with regards to support from other organizations and decided that all purchases will first go through Shanti Uganda so that we can properly monitor the success of the program to determine the possibility for growth– other organizations wanting to support the women will purchase the jewellery through Shanti Uganda at our wholesale cost. This was done because there are so many women who want to take part, that it will be difficult for us to establish the program and monitor success unless there are set guidelines. We established the guidelines for growth and addressed questions and concerns. Before Julius needed to answer questions (the whole meeting was in Luganda), the women themselves spoke up to provide what they thought were the best operating practices for THEIR group – he made sure to guide the meeting while at the same time provided opportunities for the women to make it their own. Part of the program at Bishop Asili has been to train many of these women as leaders in the community, so they are used to working together as a group and supporting one another. Electing a leader was unanimous and took less than a minute – The woman who was chosen is also an HIV counselor in the program and will represent this group of women and our income-generating project on our Ugandan advisory board.

Photos from 2008

2009-01-02T14:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Below is a photo presentation of some of our 2008 projects. Thank you to everyone who has made this past year such a success!

In January 2009 we are starting up a new income generating group with 30 HIV positive women in Kasana, Uganda. Each woman will receive a start up grant, training and will form their own group where they decide how their money should be spent. Each grant is $100 - if you would like to make a donation towards our goal of raising $3000, send us an email shantiuganda@yahoo.ca

We now have land in Kasana and are starting the planning stages of the birth centre which will be made with natural building materials. This community initiated project will provide a safe place for women to receive care and birth their babies in an empowering, home-like environment. It will also provide space to hold our training workshops with local midwives and TBAs and give the women in the income generating group a place to meet and work. If you are interested in gathering family or friends to fund one part of this project, let us know. Options include funding the herb garden, a chicken coop, individual birth rooms etc.

Interested in hosting your own Shanti Uganda craft party? Our new shipment of jewellery will arrive the first week of march. Book now to host your own Spring event at home or work and we'll bring everything you need. Not only will it support the women in our income generating group, but it makes a great gift!

Be well,

natalie

A Conscious Christmas

2008-10-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

Many people have asked us where they can buy some of the beautiful jewellery made by our women's group! Below is just one event we'll be at in November. If you are interested in organizing your own event, send us an email shantiuganda@yahoo.ca

A Conscious Christmas at Heart Centre Yoga

A socially conscious craft fair with local products, natural gifts and jewellery from around the world! We currently have vendors selling herbal teas, essential oils, yoga-inspired bracelets and candles, paper jewellery made by women in Uganda and handmade cards.

Saturday Nov 22 2008
3-6pm
3978b Hastings St.
Burnaby BC
604.294.4954
info@heartcentreyoga.ca
www.heartcentreyoga.ca

Goddess Yoga and Healing Circle Fundraiser!

2008-10-30T22:52:00.000-07:00

Blessings,

A friend of ours is hosting a fabulous workshop throughout November with donations going to The Shanti Uganda Society! We'd love for you to come!

be well,

natalie

**************************************

Goddess Yoga and Healing Circle
Noon Saturdays Nov 1 - November 29 (doors open at 11:30am)
"Chai Gallery" www.eastiseast.ca 3243 W. Broadway, Kitsilano - Vancouver
Drop- In, Free or by Donation - all donations go to www.shantiuganda.org

For girls, teens, women of all ages, pregnant & postnatal mothers

Yoga, dance, energy healing, breath work, deep relaxation, meditation, toning and affirmations. Open your body through practicing this series of rhythmic yoga stretches and experience the joy of movement, flexibility, and dance.

Our focus areas are the hips (womb) and the chest (heart). The exercises stimulate detoxification, rejuvenation, emotional healing, self esteem, strength and flexibility of the muscles, nerves, organs & glands of the pelvis, abdomen, back, chest, neck and length of the spine. This practice releases stress, tensions, toxins and deepens relaxation.

These movements are similar to the sacred dance of the goddess, the divine feminine, womanhood, moon-cycle, fertility, conception, motherhood & birth: blossom your hips, belly and heart. After the yoga, dance, deep relaxation, meditation/toning, we complete our class with affirmations and a talking circle, taking a moment to listen to and reflect on the stories of our community sisters, their challenges and successes.

Please send this email to all your lady (maids and crones) friends whom you think will be interested in experiencing this circle and learning more about the other classes by donation at Chai Gallery. All donations are given to charities.

With love,
Roxxanne Faye
"I choose love, I choose peace, I choose joy."

www.womenofwellness.com
778. 846. 2229(BABY)
604. 879. 7891
whyyoga@gmail.com

Global Mala Event

2008-09-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

HEART CENTRE YOGA presents…

A GLOBAL MALA EVENT

Join us for 108 Rounds of the Maha Mrityanjaya Mantra – a sanskrit prayer for personal and global healing. In honour of World Peace Day, yoga studios around the world will form a ‘global mala’ and collectively focus on bringing peace to the world. All are welcome!

Saturday Sept 20th 2008
7:30pm (doors open at 7pm)
$10 donation to The Shanti Uganda Society

Heart Centre Yoga
3978b Hastings St. Burnaby BC
www.heartcentreyoga.ca
www.shantiuganda.org
www.globalmala.org

for more information contact natalie shantiuganda@yahoo.ca

Supporting the birth process...

2008-09-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

Two new beautiful, calm eyes appeared from under the blanket in the nursing ward. Mama held her first born baby boy tight to her chest, glowing with love and a sense of triumph! He was born the night before after hours of walking, drinking, physical support and most of all strength! What made this birth special was that this one baby made his way into the world just as he was meant to. There was no cesarean section, he wasn’t taken out with metal forceps, the mother didn’t wear a sense of defeat after being told that her body was not capable of birthing her own child. Although just one birth, experiences like these confirm how important our work is and how many women and children can benefit from a renewed sense of power.

After hearing the long list of reasons to justify a cesarean birth the day before, I realised that it wouldn’t take much for this birth to be taken from its natural course. There were multiple women in active labour who took turns climbing onto the labour table (complete with garbage bag cover), a line out the door of pregnant women waiting for a check up and one very dedicated head-midwife who was holding the entire process together. At the other end of the courtyard, there were tears, moans and a family in mourning over the loss of their mother – her body was wheeled out on a metal cart. Most of the women in the birth ward held anything they were experiencing so far within that it was often difficult to tell from just walking by who was actually in labour or not! We were able to bring this one woman outside to help her face some of what she was experiencing! We pressed on her hips, got her on her hands and knees, danced at the wall, and spent as much time outside as possible. The midwives even got involved and soon began to use some of the simple suggestions we offered to support the birth process. She birthed her baby boy at 9pm with a deep sense of accomplishment and pride!

The maternal mortality rate in Uganda is horrific. Each year more than half a million women around the world die during pregnancy and birth and reducing child and maternal mortality are now two of the official Millennium Development Goals. This time around we were able to talk to midwives who told us stories of women with complications being transferred from their small community birth centres to the local hospital on a 45min bumpy scooter ride, we learned about traditional herbs and ceremonies performed at a birth such as ‘Etwatwa’ where the baby is bathed in the tea leaves from a beautiful purple flower for wisdom and good luck and we were introduced to harmful misconceptions involving using cow dung on new babies to avoid HIV.

We are honoured to work with the midwives in Luweero! Sister Ernestine runs a very special clinic and has spent her life dedicated to her community and place of service. The head midwife Sister Teddy, is looking forward to our return and was so appreciative to receive the textbooks, pamphlets, baby products and birth education supplies we brought to the clinic this year.

In addition to our existing work with birthing women, midwives and traditional birth attendants in Uganda, we have recently started a new project to bring birth kits to the women birthing in Luweero. The kits cost $15 Canadian and include everything a woman needs for birth including a reusable pad and liner for after she has given birth. They are available at www.mamagoddessbirthshop.com

Updates From Uganda

2008-09-02T22:29:00.001-07:00

The previous photos were recently sent from Julius, our Project Coordinator in Uganda. One is the finished sign hanging at New Hope School, the second is a photo of the chicken house in progress. Our building plan includes 300 chickens which will provide eggs for the children each day.

Menstrual Pads For The Girls

2008-09-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

Before leaving for Uganda this summer, I sent an email out to Lunapads and Goods 4 Girls asking for their support in donating a few pads for the girls we work with in Uganda. My request for a few pads was more than responded to as both Lunapads AND Goods 4 Girls sent us over with hundreds of pads for the girls we support! We were thrilled to be able to bring such a large supply to Uganda!

So many girls in Uganda face challenges every month due to a lack of supplies, sanitation facilities and money. All of the girls we support are orphans and have experienced such a great deal of poverty and loss already in life. Many of them miss classes and end up feeling disconnected from their bodies. The girls use old rags which can not be attached properly – this means that they avoid any movement which might cause the rag to fall out of their skirts. They can not be washed properly and easily soak through into the clothing they are wearing. These pads were life changing for them! There were tears, questions, clapping, singing and dancing – but most of all, the girls were happy to have a ‘girls only’ meeting. For the first time ever, the younger girls actually wanted their period to come so that they could receive a kit as well. We made sure to give the matrons (the women who take on the role of mother for all of the girls and sleep with them at night) at both schools a kit as well – they were also in tears after experiencing a lifetime of difficulty surrounding their period!

The kits were taken to two very different schools. It was beautiful to watch the various responses the girls had to the pads. We took the pads from Lunapads to the girls at one of the local highschools in Luweero. It is a catholic school and we came during a rain storm. We gathered all of the girls we could find (most of them leave with the rain) and brought them into a dry room. They were shy and reserved while talking about the pads (something that is not often discussed at their school), but their eyes began to twinkle when they came to understand that they could keep these pads forever! They voted one girl to take the extra pads for the girls who were not present that day and show them what they had learned about washing and drying them. It was such a wonderful experience to watch these girls slowly unfold, become comfortable talking about their own bodies and finally hold a gift in their hands that was brand new and their own .

We brought over 50 kits (with 5 pads in each kit) to the primary school we support in Entebbe. It took a while to gather all of the girls and the matron into one room -the boys tried to get in, but the girls let them know that it was ‘girls only’. They were quick to offer up the multiple reasons why they ‘didn’t like having their period’. So different from the first school, there was a short silence as the girls tried to process exactly what ‘reusable’ meant, but as soon as it was understood, they were yelling and singing and clapping. The matron began a speech, but ended up in tears as she tried to explain what a difference these pads would make. Later, I stumbled into the girls room to find them practising attaching the pads to their underwear and coming up with a washing and drying plan that wouldn’t let the boys run off with their new gifts!

Yoga Wear

2008-09-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

In order to completely participate in the yoga classes, the girls need clothing to wear instead of the restrictive skirts that are worn to school. While this seems relatively small compared to the many problems they face in life, their ability to participate in the classes enables them to relax, breathe and build self-esteem!

Our problem was solved this time around – we were given a large donation of yoga clothing from Breathe Yoga Wear! The girls were all thrilled to receive a beautiful new outfit that wasn’t falling apart! Not only did this allow them to make their way into downward dog and other partner poses with ease, it also gave them the opportunity to dive, jump and lose all inhibition while playing soccer! By the end of our yoga classes this time around, the girls were creating their own poses, feeling empowered and most importantly taking time to breathe!

Some exciting updates...

2008-05-29T22:32:00.000-07:00

The last few months have been ones of incredible growth and inspiration!

We have recently released a fabulous new Shanti Uganda shirt which was designed by Kim and made by Me to We Style. Made from 100% organic cotton, all proceeds go to Shanti Uganda. To purchase the shirt online visit:

www.metowestyle.com/Men_Women_Shanti_Uganda_s/107.htm

We are also pleased to announce the release of The Light Within – A guided meditation CD for the beginner and beyond! $2 from every CD sold is donated to Shanti Uganda. To listen to sound clips and purchase the CD visit:

www.wendyweymann.com

It is a great honour to introduce two new members to our Board of Directors: Nikiah Seeds and Bryan Gooden.

Nikiah has spent the last 10 years of her life dedicated to working with birthing families. She is also the owner of Mama Goddess Birth Shop and will be organising an online option to purchase birth kits which will be donated to the birthing women we support!

Bryan is an experienced counsellor and works to support children, their wellbeing and ability to heal. His passions in counselling are attachment, anxiety and trauma, which he will be integrating into our programs this summer while he spends time in Uganda!

In July, we will be hiring our first paid staff in Uganda! Julius Lubwama will act as our project coordinator in Uganda. He will monitor all Shanti Uganda projects, coordinate the work of the income generating initiatives and support volunteers.

In addition, we are pleased to continue working with Tamara White, our US Coordinator. Our paths crossed paths with Tamara during our first year in Uganda! Tamara is a motivating Social Studies teacher who inspires youth to raise global awareness and has established partnership projects between students in North America and Uganda.

Nsambya Women's Craft Cooperative

2007-12-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

Nsambya is a slum in the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda. The women who have joined the project all have HIV/AIDS and make beautiful jewellery from recycled paper.

Group membership has more than doubled since August 2007. The women have opened a savings account which they use to save money for treatment, to support their children and to support the children who have been orphaned since the project began.

Despite their struggle, the women continue to support their families and community. Their strength, compassion and commitment is an inspiration to us all.

The Children

2007-05-08T18:07:00.000-07:00

Each one with a story, a dream and the most unforgettable twinkle in the eye. These are some of the children I was honoured to cross paths with in Uganda. May they always know love, peace and laughter.

2007-05-08T18:01:00.000-07:00

2007-05-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

2007-05-08T16:54:00.000-07:00

2007-05-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

The following photos were taken during the last class I taught in Kiboga. The boys on the mats were the ones I most connected with at the school during my time there. Some of the funding money was used to pay for Innocent's (far right) school fees for the year. Their beauty and strength was an incredible lesson as was their desire to grow and inspire. You'll notice in the pictures that more and more children from the village began to make their way to the field, the smaller ones loved to join in and follow; always bringing with them a trail of giggles and wide smiles.

Opening the Heart....

2007-05-08T15:26:00.000-07:00

Yoga in Kiboga

2007-05-08T15:14:00.000-07:00

The Path...

2007-04-17T22:58:00.000-07:00

A wave of pink.....

2007-03-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Rebecca and I took the softpower truck up to a remote area about 45min outside of Bujagali to visit a local primary school. We went up with some of the day volunteers and did a little painting to fix the outside of the school and make it beautiful and fun for the students. Rebecca and I also went into the Primary 7 class and taught english; they welcomed the break from math.

The school uniform was a bright pink colour and there were hundreds of children running around when we first came. After their lunch, they were able to play for an hour and many of the children began to crowd around to see who the visitors were at the school. It was quite easy to round up a group for yoga because the children would follow you as soon as you stood up! We began to join under the shade of a tree and watch as the group began to grow and grow....

Soon, we came to realise that we needed a bigger space, so I was taken out to the school field, hundreds of children running behind to see what was going on. There was a wave of pink flowing over the field as the children began to arrive. Slowly they were able to form in the largest circle I have ever seen - each student holding hands with the next - we made circles within circles until finally everyone was connected within. The children were incredible - all wanting to see and hear and experience what was going on!

We did some standing stretches and a roar of laughter made its way through the field. As they all joined hands, slowly each child began to use the suppport of another to move into a balancing pose - then bending at the waist moving back and forth until finally coming back to centre. It was a beautiful sight - hundreds of children - circles of pink holding hands moving back and forth in a moving tree pose on the big green field. With each stretch, there was a moment of hesitation. One would start, then another, then more would catch on. We opened the heart that day - raising the arms up to the sky and opening up the chest to the big bright sun. The director came bounding down the field, a big jolly man with a smile that went from cheek to cheek. I promised him that I would be back to teach again - with a few extra hands perhaps!

The Breath of life

2007-02-28T23:56:00.000-08:00

YOGA IN KIBOGA:

Looking back at the story, I can now see how it unfolded like the petals of the lotus flower opening the heart. It started slowly, a gradual opening - revealing an incredible need to introduce the breath, a relaxing of the shoulders and a softening of the heart.

THE BEGINNING:

Bringing yoga to Kiboga began with the odd conversation, a late night discussion of the history of yoga under the mass of stars in the sky. We read passages from the books I had brought, stopping after each one to discuss their meaning and application to life. And so it began like this - the word 'yoga' was passed from one to another, sometimes with a laugh, sometimes with a question, always with big curious eyes. From here, I started to introduce asana. Very slowly, with one pose at a time. The women in the town watched the teachers and laughed as one or two made their way into downward dog, or attemped a balancing pose. I gave out a yoga dvd and a mat and watched as the recipient then taught a pose or two from what he had learned late at night in the privacy of his home. Sometimes we discussed the yogic life over dinner and spoke of how it would be introduced to the students once they made their way back from holidays.

TEACHING THE TEACHERS:

The first yoga class in Kiboga was held for the teachers of Uganda Martyr's Highschool. The red earth was swept out the door of the office and the mats put down under the soft light that came into the room powered by the generator outside. We started with a discussion and then found the sitting pose that would soon open to a new realisation of tight hips, a hardness held in the body and the location of the breath. The teachers moved through the class flowing from one pose to the next - at one point the night guard came in curious as to the movement coming from the small building. Finally, there was stillness as the students brought their bodies into a laying position on the floor. Relaxation was a process - as was trying to 'let go on the mat' The teachers held their arms tight above the ground, not quite touching the mat. The neck muscles were engaged and the feet held firm. After quite some time, they began to find their bodies - slowly an arm would release, a foot would fall and they relaxed into the mat - as much as possible for the first time.

As they made their way out of relaxation and back up to sitting, there was a softening, a light had come into the room and right into the heart. We discussed 'the feeling in the body and mind' - It was beautiful.

THE STUDENTS:

Once the students came back from holidays, I was introduced to the classes and spoke briefly about why I was there, what yoga was and my excitement to be there. Many came up and asked me questions after their classes. One afternoon, the mats were collected and walked down to the field; students began to gather and a wave of conversation spread out over the crowd. The first class involved eight boys who one by one, placed themselves down on the mats. A wall of students began to build around our space, all curious to see what 'yoga' looked like. Again, we began with a discussion - first about sitting and the strength needed to sit in stillness. We moved into a meditation to bring awareness to the body - shoulders, long held up to the ears, began to release and the tightness in the face softened. There was laughter and a gentle sound that made its way over the field that day. The transition from tightness to the ability to witness the body was slow and curious - the odd arm would straighten, a heel would release. I have never been able to watch this process unfold as slow and gentle as it did with these children. At the end, we discussed the meaning of namaste and the idea of the light within. Slowly, they began to rise and the crowd stepped away to reveal a whole new group of children who came with questions and the desire to participate in the next class. Over the next week, girls and boys of all ages asked questions and wanted to join in.

My last class with the students in Kiboga was held in the early evening. The group consisted of a number of students who I had connected with over the previous weeks - most of them around 15 years old. It was a small class out in the field that night, in addition to the handful of local children who gathered around. The field was quiet as we spent the first while exploring the breath. They moved from one breathing excercise to the next and slowly each student began to find their breath. They went from moving their shoulders up and down to finding the beginning in the belly - Their small fingers falling up and down on the belly with each breath. I introduced the use of a focal point and watched them as they explored what happened when they lifted an arm and a leg - slowly, they began to find and accept their edge and come back up when they fell. I will never forget that last class in Kiboga - under the red setting sun with the mountains and great green trees behind us and handful of children finding their peace within. We took a moment to honour each other in stillness and the class came to an end.

One of my students explained the meaning behind the colours of the Ugandan flag. The red and yellow and black representing the unity of the Ugandan people - so similar to the universal connection that exists within us all - The rise and fall of the belly and the breath of life that unites us all.

English and French in Kiboga

2007-02-25T00:19:00.000-08:00

Teaching at the school is an incredible experience! My french class is senior 1 students (which is grade 7 for us) Most of them are around 13 years old, but they range up to 20 years. There are roughly 60 students in the class (lots of marking!) The students love learning french and are starting to use it outside of class - it took them a while to get used to my teaching style! They are not used to participation, or any activities that involve anything other than listening to lectures. We have been playing games in french, did presentations and even took a step into some group work (which took a while for them to understand) The other students peak through the windows wondering why on earth students in a class are laughing! The students love the warmth and attention - a few of them have taken me back to their homes to meet their families, it was such an honour! So far we have done numbers, greetings and introductions; the other day, they used everything they have learned so far and put it together in a short play. I was able to video one of the groups on my camera which they thought was hilarious!

The english class I teach is for senior 4s (grade 10) The first class I had them take out a piece of paper and write down 5 things they wanted to work on in the class - they thought I was crazy! The older students are just as wonderful and like all kids tried to push my boundaries a little when I first started - they soon learned that they couldn't. I've been able to pull a little goal setting and readings on peace and compassion into the class which has been great. They did a paragraph on their dreams and then a few came to the front of the class to read it out loud. The other teachers were peaking through the office windows to see what was going on!

The students at the school have nothing. I've begun to connect with quite a few and really feel as though I have a handful of children! It is normal for students to leave mid-class due to stomach aches, headaches (there is no water at the school to drink, so we are using funding money to set up a water system), malaria - there are many very sick children! A lot of the children at the school are orphans - many came from Rwanda during the genocide: a lot of the students have missing arms and legs, stab wounds and parts of their bodies that have been burned. They are very inquisitive, gentle and warm. As I make my way through the school grounds in the morning, there is always a path of students to welcome me with "goodmorning madame" The students and teachers are full of love and compassion for each other - you can feel the heart energy when you enter the property.

The Kiboga Hospital

2007-02-12T02:43:00.000-08:00

Jackie and I headed to the hospital in Kiboga to visit her friend who was giving birth. She had been in the hospital a few days already, so I was curious to see what was going on. She has since been 'allowed to leave' (after spending more that a week 'in labour'...ugh!)

The hospital in Kiboga was unlike any I had seen - In all reality, it was just a large structure with walls. Jackie and I went looking for her friend in the birthing room. As soon as we walked in, I was overwhelmed at the amount of women! There were so many beds in the room and many were on the floor waiting to meet their babies. We were directed to another room, where we found her friend along with the friend's mother-in-law. In Ugandan culture, the mother of the husband is now the wife's mother and must support her through birth.

She was in a little discomfort, but definitely not ready to give birth. She really shouldn't have been in the hospital - I think she felt the baby moving and thought she was having sensations. The nurse had told her that she had to stay in the hospital because she was in labour and had no water in her body which was why her water had not yet broken! (So, she was convinced that she was in labour and there was something wrong) - It was a way to keep her in the hospital paying the fee. There was no water anywhere in the hospital to drink.

I brought out my massage oil and massaged her back and legs, then got her out of bed for a walk in the fresh air. Once we were back in the room, she had many questions which Jackie translated. She was worried that the baby wasn't coming because she had had sex while she was pregnant (Here, many midwives tell the women that they will kill their babies if they have sex during pregnancy!) So, the poor woman had sat there for a few days thinking that she had killed her baby! Jackie even said that many birthing women have been yelled at when their babies come out with "white stuff" - the nurses say it is a result of sex during pregnancy! I explained to her that all babies are born this way - the baby was kicking. Once I finally found some water, I added a vit supplement to the water and we left.

She has since come back home...it appears she is not yet in labour : ) She lives just around the corner, so I have been able to visit adn see how she is doing.

A day in Kiboga

2007-02-10T08:23:00.002-08:00

Blessings,

Many of you have been asking me what the average day is like here. Though it changes all the time, this is my current schedule:

Monday: OFF
Tuesday:
morning: I teach french
afternoon: I teach english
evening: Yoga for the teachers
Wednesday:
afternoon: I run a frisbee game
late afternoon: Yoga class with the students
Thursday:
morning: I teach french
afternoon: I teach english
Friday:
morning: I teach french
afternoon: I teach english
evening: Yoga for the teachers
Saturday:
afternoon: I run a girls healing circle using group counselling, art, goal setting, breathing, affirmation work....
evening: I do individual healing sessions with students
Sunday: OFF

I also visit the local health clinic, or hospital in Kiboga and at any moment have hundreds of young children to play with in the village! I would love visitors if any of you feel like doing some work in Uganda for a while!

live, laugh, love...

nA+

Current Needs

2007-02-10T08:13:00.000-08:00

The following are some of the needs of the highschool, clinic and baby home. Please contact me at shantiuganda@yahoo.ca before sending for directions and a mailing address.

Uganda Martyr's School

-Yoga mats
-Science lab supplies/equipment
-textbooks: math, biology, physics, chemistry, languages, English, history... (high school level)
-Dictionary
-Encyclopedia
-Sports Equipment
-Running shoes - for playing sports
-Solar power system
-Medical supplies for first aid room
-Money
-Sponsorship: It costs just under $225 per student including tuition/room/board/uniform
-Volunteers: teaching, health, building

Medical Clinic in Kiboga

-Medical books
-Supplies
-Medicine
-Birthing Supplies
-Vitamin Supplements
-Birthing Massage Oil
-Volunteer midwives, doulas

Amani Baby Cottage

-Infant to 4yrs clothes: socks, shoes, underwear, clothes, cloth diapers
-toys
-books
-Baby Carriers: slings, backpack carriers
-medical supplies
-strollers
-Volunteers
-Someone to tackle the Canadian adoption system!
-GOOD HOMES!

The Amani Baby Cottage

2007-02-10T07:57:00.000-08:00

"Since all living beings - animals, birds, insects and human beings - are worthy of compassion, the realm of compassion is very vast. The pilgrimage to the domain of compassion is an auspicious one, because compassion also embraces strangers - not just those close to us" Swami Shri Kripaluanadji

The moment you walk through the gates of the Amani baby cottage, you can hear laughter float through the yard. Amani is home to the many babies, toddlers, house mommies, garden keepers and volunteers who share their love in one family. It is run by an American woman who has made Uganda her home and opened her doors to over 60 babies ranging from newborns, to babies with AIDS, to young children with developmental disabilities - everyone is loved. Many of the children come in severely malnourished and ill and find medical care, love, food and a home. The gardens look out over the Nile River in Jinja - a beautiful oasis! The drive to Jinja was like coming home - somewhere I had seen before in my dreams.

I spent a few days in Jinja last week visiting my friend Rebecca who is volunteering at Amani. It was an honour to meet the babies and learn their stories. Many had been left behind, some had parents in prison, one baby was recovered after the mother had tried to put her down the toilet. Steven, a young autistic child ran through the garden trying with all his heart to communicate through sounds - his father left him once he found out he had a developmental disability. All run on donations, they try to find homes for all of the babies.

The children are beautiful - as soon as an adult comes their way, they try to get their attention - a result of severe neglect...most of them suffer from extreme attachment issues! One day we took a couple of the babies and toddlers and Steven down to the Source of the Nile - They love getting special attention.

Many of the babies have gone to good homes in the US, however, it is currently very difficult for Canadians to adopt children (unless you have a lot of money, or connections in the Canadian system) As of now, a Canadian must live for 3 years in Uganda with the child before they are able to obtain adoption papers. A few Canadian families have managed to find loopholes in the system and avoided this residency.

The babies at Amani really need someone in Canada to sort this out and change the Canadian system. It is possible with enough dedication! The more babies they can find homes for, the more babies they can bring in.....they are waiting at the gates!

Rain in Uganda

2007-02-10T07:09:00.000-08:00

Last night the rain came. It fell upon Kiboga like a painting in the sky and sent everyone running for their buckets to fill (free water!) and then away into their homes. I too brought out my bucket, then found a place to sit outside to watch the beauty of it all. I was in awe; sitting there, looking up at the storm.

The lightning lit up the sky, each time spreading through the darkness like the branches of a tree. I have never seen lightning like that in my life! So I sat outside in the stillness of a village-in-hiding, listening to the rain pour down and wash through the streets. Through the stillness, came the thunder and in the darkness, came the light in the sky. A reminder of all that is Uganda- In darkness, there is always light...

Once again, the peace talks have come to an end. Ending the hope in the north and through much of Uganda. So the war rages on - the killing, the suffering, the hurt, the children who carry the burden on their bodies and in their hearts. All because the Lord's Resistence Army wanted the peace talks to be in Kenya or South Africa instead of Southern Sudan and the government wouldn't budge. (In the past, talks in LRA territory have meant an attack by government forces during meetings for peace - so the LRA have since learned to demand the talks be elsewhere, somewhere government forces won't attack) The players fit together like the pieces of a puzzle - the leaders, the past tensions, the politics, the arms dealers, the so-called american war on terror - exect the last piece is missing - the one which represents the children. All those forced to kill, all those killed and tortured and assaulted and taken as wives, taken from their families, forced to kill their families - the ones who wanted nothing to do with the puzzle in the first place.

When you walk through the streets of Kiboga, there are children everywhere - because most don't go to school. After many late night talks with the locals, I've learned that the government implemented a program for free primary education. Which sounds good in theory, but in reality is not as powerful. On the ground, the average family can not afford to send their children to school - even though the schooling is free, the shoes and books and uniform are not. Costs that are far too high for most. When I asked the teachers about percentages, their guess was that only about 10% of Ugandan children graduate from form 6 (grade 12)

As a result of hte well-known structural adjustment programs that ran through Uganda at the hands of the World Bank, Uganda has become largly privatised. Even water has been controlled. During times of drought, costing up to 1100sh/per fill (a container about the size of a gas can) - more than most make in a month. Even in Kiboga, it costs 50sh - the impact is seen everywhere. Even in the local hospital, there is no water available due to costs. And now the government is trying to implement a program which will destroy traditional agriculture and wipe out the small-scale farmers. The government has been approached by a major corportation wanting to make mandatory the use of DDT!

And yet, everywhere in Uganda there is light. Everyone has a story: the teachers, the students, my friends. The stories are haunting - lives of neglect, death, loss and stuggle. But always there is strength, courage and inspiration. Everyone here has a dream - for a better Uganda, that future generations not experience what they did. They have nothing, yet still give to help the next generation of hope. From the struggle comes hope and through the darkness, light. It is an honour to hear the stories, love the people and see the glimmer in their eyes - for here they truly live and breath the light.

....And today the nurses finally let our friend leave the hospital. It seems they have agreed...she is not in labour : )

LIGHT + LOVE...

nA+

The Health Clinic

2007-02-03T06:05:00.000-08:00

The Agape Health Clinic here in Kiboga is run by a nurse and her husband who opened the clinic in memory of the daughter they lost a few years ago. When I first arrived in Kiboga, I explained to the director of the school what a doula was and my desire to work with the birthing women in the community. He brought me to the directors of the clinic and first introduced me as a doctor. After trying to explain that no, I was not in fact a doctor, I realised that in a town like Kiboga I would be more involved than I had originally intended.

I spend much of the day at the clinic - the director called in the local midwife and nurses and together we sat and discussed birth in Kiboga. Though traditional birth was at home squatting, the birthing culture in Kiboga has been very much influenced by Western practices. However, the learning process stopped many years ago and what remains is a birthing culture which reflects many of the medical practices and mistakes which were forced into our own medical system some time ago - minus the equipment, supplies and available treatment.

Women in Kiboga come to the Agape clinic for prenatal care (a program they have recently been encouraging) and go to the hospital for birth. Far too many women experience birth by cesarean section and there are no drugs available at the hospital while performing the operation. When I asked the midwife why there was such a high cesarean rate, she explained that it was necessary because many women were not built to deliver and were too small! My heart fell a little. (they either perform an episiotomy or cesarean for each birth, so either way the birthing experience involves cutting)

I brought out some sheets I had brought on prenatal anatomy, we talked about the position of the pelvis and even used a piece of paper and scissors to show the integrity of the perinuem once cut VS left intact. We discussed the movement of the baby's skull bones and the natural adaption of both baby and mother. I then invited some of the nurses to move into a variety of birthing positions (including on the back, strapped to the table-which is used in Kiboga). After taking quite some time to go over all of this a silence fell over the room...followed by much discussion in the local language and finally the director responded, "Women's bodies were made and adapt for birthing. Are you saying that intervention is not required for every case?" It was a beautiful moment, one which I don't believe I will ever forget.

I took out some of the personal lubricant from the birthing package donated by mama goddess birth shop back home (http://mamagoddessbirthshop.com/) and explained how to use it during birth. I also gave her the pregnancy calculator and together with the nurses, we played with it using various conception dates.

Later, we went over some breathing suggestions and even did a little prenatal yoga. The midwife was unaware of the importance of pelvic floor excercises during pregnancy and had only been instructing women to use them after birth. I left some of the vit + min supplement packages with the midwife along with a package of gloves.

As our day came to an end, the director who ownes the clinic came in a said in fun, "didn't you bring anything for men?" I reached into my bag and pulled out a photocopy I had made on an information package I got from Gloria Lemay on the importance of an intact penis. I handed it to him telling him that he might find it interesting and said goodbye to the staff. I left the information package with the director to read over and decided to leave that topic for my next visit. I am hoping to work with the midwife once a week at the clinic and at the local hospital.

Blessings,

nA+

First Week in Kiboga

2007-02-03T05:41:00.000-08:00

Blessings!

I have now been in Uganda for over a week and am amazed by the beautiful green landscape, the gentle nature of the Ugandan people and the creativity of the children here in Kiboga. Starting monday, I will be teaching french, english and a morning yoga class at the highschool I am working at. I will also start a healing circle for some of the local children and work at the local health clinic.

The last week has been spent preparing for the new school term. I have used some of the funding money for the school and they are constructing another building for classes. I have also paid for an internet connection at the director's house that the teachers can use to help prepare for classes and further the growth of the school and their own learning. Their ultimate goal is to construct their own community surrounding the school. Most of the teachers at the school were either neglected, or orphans themselves, so they have come together to give back to the community and children who live here. It is a beautiful, heart centered place!

We are coming to our last month before the beginning of the rainy season. The first day of rain was a shock as it fell so hard on the roof (made of sheet metal) that I couldn't hear my friend talking! The teachers thought it was quite funny when I ran outside to stand in the rain! It was unlike anything I have ever experienced!

While on holidays, the days here are quite relaxed so it was a good time for me to come - learn some of the language, get to know the area and the Ugandan way of living. I spend much of the day preparing meals with the director's wife (which will change come monday when we will eat at the school) In traditional Ugandan culture, women make all the meals, go to the market and sit on the floor to eat.

The teachers at the school are mostly men in their 20s and 30s. We spend a lot of time going to the market, taking long walks to find ripe fruit on the fruit trees, playing cards and frisbee and talking about Ugandan history and politics. In the evenings, we sit under the moon, or walk around town.

The children in Kiboga run bare foot, are incredibly creative and are slowly starting to lose their fear of me. We now play games and colour - I usually wake to a group of children under my bedroom window yelling "muzungu" (white person)

I have been teaching some yoga to the teachers - some of them want to learn to teach once I leave. We have spent many nights talking about the history and philosophy of yoga. I am certain the students will also enjoy learning about yoga as a lifestyle - we even did some candle gazing the other night

love + light,

nA+