Leaving Kampala

08/24/05

My fingers are still crossed, my hopes are still high. My many thanks to everyone who has already contributed and/or publicized the project.

I am so sick of eating chicken and fries. Its all you can get after 9pm if you don't want goat liver.

I interviewed Abu, the Communications Director of Ashoka today. It was great. I really like that organization. They have a wonderful approach. They fund people, not projects. But the people have projects. Socially responsible ones. That make money. And are therefore expandable. Its just great. Their philosophy is that everyone has the power to be a changemaker in the world. I love it. Check it out www.ashoka.org

I'm ready to leave Kampala. The trip, while productive, took longer than I had hoped (gee, just like everything else in Africa?) I am ready to be back in Kanga and getting down to work. I'm going to take shared taxis back to Kenya, maybe stop for the night in Jinja.

As of last night, there was $2276 raised for the Kanga kids. A good start, but I really hope that there will be at least $3000, if not more. My fingers are still crossed, my hopes are still high. My thanks to everyone who has already contributed and/or publicized the project.

A quick recap of Kampala:
- Visited Mulago Hospital, Pediatric Infectious Disease Clinic, spoke with the Director, interviewed the head councilor, Cissy Ssunna.
- Visited The Hunger Project, spoke with the a Project Coordinator, Susan Katushabe.
- Visited Visions of Youth and interviewed members. Visited German Boy's Home and interviewed the kids. Visited Entebbe Road slum and interviewed the homeless.
- Visited and filmed at Kisenyi slum, YCOBA meeting, Cornerstone house, and Uganda Heritage Roots Performance.
- Visited CDC in Entebbe, interviewed Project Coordinators and talked with Directors.
- Visited Ashoka's East Africa HQ and interviewed Abu, Director Of Communications.
- Made valuable contacts through the National Organization of Trade Unionists, the CDC, and Ashoka for a possible return trip.
- Read I Dreamed Of Africa, The Last King Of Scotland, and Oboke Girls, all three of which are highly recommended.
- Made a few friends, met a few cool travelers, and swapped some fun stories.

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