Who are you to end a war? I'm here to tell you who are you not to?

Ready for April 20, 2012?

Educate! Preparing Uganda’s Next Generation of Leaders

This Care2.com post I wrote went up yesterday. Re-posting here!

I got to meet social entrepreneur Boris Bulayev while covering SOCAP11 for Care2. I loved hearing this story. 

In 2002, Boris and Eric Glustrom co-founded Educate!, a Boulder, CO based nonprofit that is developing the next generation of Ugandan leaders. The organization’s Ugandan Mentors spend two hours per week in each classroom, reaching a total of 1,400 students at 24 partner high schools across Uganda. The mentors are all implementing the organization’s leadership-focused curriculum which involves classroom learning and experiential learning. In addition to the classroom instruction, the students, known as Educate! Scholars, create and implement community projects with the support of their Educate! Mentors. 

At the conclusion of the two-year Educate! curriculum, the Educate! Scholars and Educate! Mentors become members of a nationwide alumni program. The network and Educate! continues to serve as a resource to these amazing young people as they scale their ventures and build their careers. Educate! Scholars have already created 100+ businesses and community initiatives, impacting 15,000+ lives in Uganda. 

To read the rest of the post click here - you'll be taken to the original post on the Care2.com website.

East Africa: Who What Where Why?

This post is an attempt to summarize what I have begun to refer to as my "self-funded, self-directed fellowship" ... otherwise known as my "East Africa Summer" - May 14 through Aug 22, 2011.

It all started with my Lehigh Comparative Politics class. Our TA Brian had spent a semester abroad in Kenya, and used to meet with a small group of interested students once a week, to show us photographs and tell us stories about Kenya. Years later two close friends, Sharon and Eric left at about the same time for Tanzania, to volunteer for extended amounts of time. I got to experience Tanzania vicariously through them. Then in January 2010 I watched the first Invisible Children documentary about the Lord's Resistance Army and Joseph Kony. I was really touched by Jacob's story, one of the Ugandan boys in the film, and started following Invisible Children's work. Over the course of the rest of 2010, things just kept piling on top of each other. I read Jacqueline Novogratz's book The Blue Sweater, and began going to Acumen Fund events. I started meeting people from San Francisco's social entrepreneurship community, while also reading about other young social entrepreneurs. I wanted my own experience, and I wanted to meet the social entrepreneurs in East Africa and hear their stories in person. Fortunately things culminated in my life in such a way that I was able to just jump in with both feet, and I began to plan an East Africa Summer.

The next part wasn't quite as easy. Invisible Children doesn't have a volunteer program in their Gulu, Uganda office. I had missed the Kiva Fellowship Program application deadline. I hadn't been to East Africa before and didn't have any friends there; I needed to plan out where I would be volunteering, and my return date. I remembered that the Daraja Academy of Kenya had invited me to volunteer at their campus in Kenya, after the successful athletic shoe drive that Caitie and I had organized the previous summer. I applied to volunteer at Daraja for a month beginning on May 14, and was accepted. Next, I needed to propose a project to be completed during my month's stay on campus. I am very interested in access to higher education and love mentoring my Level Playing Field Summer Math & Science Honors Academy students, so I proposed serving as a guidance counselor on campus, for the month. Daraja had a better idea - they needed help researching post-graduation opportunities for the students. Daraja is a young school - the oldest students are in Form 3 (high school juniors). So I would get to do some planning work, which sounded exciting! While I was quitting my job and giving up my San Francisco apartment, I figured that I might as well stay in East Africa for the summer. I reached out to one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, who I had met several months prior to see if he had any suggestions. Garang said that he could use my help with a particular project in East Africa, and we decided that I would return to the USA on August 22. So I was all set! I gave notice, gave away a lot of my stuff, packed what was left, drove that stuff and my dog to my mom's in NY, and then I was off to the airport.

I lived on Daraja's campus outside of Nanyuki, near Mount Kenya from May 14 through June 14. I spent most of my time conducting online research, interviewing civil servants (Nanyuki is the Laikipia District seat so there is a government compound in town), helping students prepare for the Music Festival competition, attending Sunday student-run religious services, ran a Blue Sweater Book Club using twenty-five copies of the book that had been donated by the Acumen Fund, participating in the sports program, sitting in on the Women of Integrity Strength and Hope (WISH) classes, and in general trying to get to know the students and the Kenyan education system as well as possible.

I had trouble reaching Garang of New Scholars while I was at Daraja, due to poor telecommunications infrastructure in South Sudan. So at this point it was time to re-invent the summer plans! From Daraja I proceeded to Jinja, Uganda to visit an old friend, Meghan who was volunteering with Light Gives Heat for the summer. I spent about a week in Jinja learning about Meghan's work and meeting her fellow volunteers and the organization's staff, went to Sipi Falls, Bujagali Falls, went white water rafting on the Nile, and spent a lot of time meeting staff and guests at the hostel where I was staying, which is where I learned so much about Ugandan culture, the education system, credit, and development. From there I headed onto Kampala, the capital of Uganda where I was invited to stay with a fellow Pace Law Environmental Program alum, Elaine who was on a Fulbright and was living on the Makarere University Campus. Thanks to Elaine and a Kiva Fellow I met, Michele, got to know the expat community and life in Kampala. I also got to meet the founders of one of my favorite social ventures, AFRIpads! While in Kampala I also explored the city, and learned that Jacqueline Novogratz had tweeted about me! I left Kampala for a few days, to track chimps in Kibale National Park. While there I realized that the water filter that I brought with me from the USA was not working and began to drink bottled water, not realizing that my body was already fighting water-borne illnesses. I'd met two Australian travelers on my first day in Uganda, who had invited me to go up to Gulu, Uganda with them to visit the Invisible Children office. I'd also met Tom, a Ugandan who attends university in Michigan and is active with his campus' Invisible Children Club but was home for summer break, at a coffee shop in Jinja. Tom had introduced me to someone who works in the Invisible Children Gulu office. Visiting Gulu, meeting the Invisible Children staff, staying at one of the Invisible Children staff houses, going to Krochet Kids' compound ... I learned so much! I wrapped up my three and a half weeks in Uganda with one final Nile rafting trip, and goodbye-for-now's to my friends at the hostel, and Meghan. Leaving Uganda ... crossing the border back into Kenya ... that was hard. I loved Uganda.

I headed right back to Nairobi, to begin the third and final part of my East Africa Summer. I stayed at a hostel (Upper Hill Campsite) that had been recommended by my Australian friends, as well as a San Francisco Surfrider friend Jules, who had been through Nairobi recently. I met some people who had been traveling all over Africa, and had interesting stories to tell. Thanks to Michele's roommate in Kampala, I quickly found a room in a Western apartment to sublet, in the heart of Nairobi. I spent most of the next six weeks in Nairobi itself, doing work. Even though I had technically already finished my project for Daraja, I decided to continue my research, independently. I felt as if I was just beginning to scratch the surface of understanding, when I left Daraja. There was (and still is) so much to learn. But it wasn't all work - I took side trips to Maasai Mara National Park "on safari", up to Daraja's campus for a quick weekend to meet Daraja co-founder Jenni who had been out of the country while I was living at Daraja, and to Mombasa and Diani Beach on the Kenyan coast. I met some great fellow travelers white water rafting and on safari, who I later caught up with in Nairobi - Maria, Elien and Jan. I also did a few "day trips" within Nairobi's city limits - to the David Sheldrick Baby Elephant and Rhino Orphanage for the public daily milk feeding and then for the tuck-in, and to Nairobi National Park. I got connected to two Georgetown alums in Nairobi, Angela and Laney, and another American living in Nairobi, Karen. I had so much fun hanging out with them, getting advice about health care when my illnesses started keeping me down, and helping Angela out with the Amanai Art Club that she started for Nairobi street boys. I got to meet two of my friend Sharon's Kenyan friends, two Kiva Fellows in Nairobi, Richard and Nila, and my friend Sowmya's friends from her International Peace Masters Program, Wilson and Edith. I also got to meet Acumen Fund Nairobi office team member Suraj, who invited me to the launch of the Acumen East Africa Fellows Program where I got to meet Jacqueline Novogratz, and to TEDxKibera. Lehigh young alum Freedom warmly welcomed me to Kenya, and helped me plan and run a Lehigh Alumni Happy Hour in Nairobi. I mentioned that one of my plans for my summer was to meet inspiring social entrepreneurs, and to get to hear their stories. I got to meet Jessica Posner, who has been an inspiration to me from the time that I first learned of her work with Shining Hope for Communities. I also got to reconnect with Garang from New Scholars, while he was in Nairobi from South Sudan, and learned how I can help him with his work. I remain so passionate about the work that needs to be done - and opportunities - in South Sudan.

In addition to all of these activities, and learning Nairobi I continued on with the research that I began at Daraja. While touring social ventures in Uganda, I noticed that every venture had social workers on staff. I began to consider that bursaries (college scholarships) were not quite enough - the students need mentors, too. While in Uganda I got to meet with a US Embassy employee who helps Ugandan students access US universities, and then got to meet staff in Kenya who are doing a similar thing. I set up appointments and dropped in on nonprofits and corporate operations that empower Kenyan students via both bursaries and mentoring programs, including Akili Dada, KenSAP, and Equity Bank. (I was invited to attend the two-week long second annual Equity Bank Congress on Kenyatta University's campus, which was an amazing experience - got to meet inspiring students, and was able to collaborate with fantastic bank employees.) While conducting my research at Daraja I learned about some of Kenya's top students, and found that many attended two "national" boarding schools for girls, both located in Nairobi - Precious Blood Riruta and Kenya High School. I was invited to visit both campuses, and learned so much from meeting the Precious Blood students and Principal, and staff at Kenya High School. Meeting John, one of the current Acumen East Africa Fellows, turned some of my thoughts upside down. Wow - one of the best things from my summer was people's willingness to go out of their way to teach me, and help me with my work.

I left Nairobi on August 22, to fly back to the States feeling as if my work was just beginning. I'm still trying to draw conclusions from all that I saw, experienced, and learned this past summer. I remind myself of Jacqueline Novogratz's keynote at the East Africa Fellows launch event, when she reminded us that she has been doing this work for twenty-five years. I can't expect to have figured everything out in three and a half months. And yet ... the best thing is just to begin. Thanks to Sanergy, a eco-sanitation solution social venture in Nairobi, I found out about Kevin Starr's PopTech talk.



It's given me a lot to think about. I also learned a lot from a conversation that I had with Saul Garlick at SOCAP11 (Social Capital Markets Conference) last month. What do I care most about? What is the problem that I want to solve? Forget about the rest of it. Just start with this. I'm working on it, and will update here when I'm ready! But the main theme is empowering young East African women to create change in their communities through mentoring, education, travel and extended service learning.

Thanks to everyone who followed along with my adventures by reading my East Africa blog posts, and checking in with me. It meant a lot!

East Africa: What I Wish I'd Known Before I Left the USA for East Africa - Part 1: What To Pack

If you spoke with me before I left the USA for East Africa earlier this year, then you'll likely remember that I had a list of questions regarding what to expect and pack. Please don't remind me of the questions I was asking - so embarrassing! Also, I neglected to ask some questions simply because I didn't know enough to ask them!

This is the first in a series of blog posts that I've been meaning to post for the past month. A summary of what I wish I'd known, before I left. Some people may disagree with me - this is just my two cents, based on my own experience.

PART 1: WHAT TO PACK

1. Luggage -
a.) Travel Pack. I brought a 60 liter pack, though I wonder if I could have gotten away with something smaller/less clothes.

b.) Day Pack. I used this for short overnight trips, and left my travel pack in a secure location at my home base.

c.) Some sort of shoulder bag to carry around with you, during the day. Make sure it's big enough to carry a bottle of water, at least. It should have a flap or a zipper on it, to keep it secure. Tote bags are not good > pickpockets. I brought this one - the Timbuk2 Click in solid black. And Sports Basement had the best price.

d.) Some sort of lightweight, packable second bag that you can use to carry souvenirs , or for times when you just don't feel like trying to jam everything back into your pack. I looked all over for the "right" bag, and decided upon the REI Stuff Travel Duffel.

e.) I brought a few of these space bags for my clothes. Stick them inside the bag, squeeze the air out by hand, close the seal, and you can fit more clothes in your travel pack - the Stoic WPF Compression Sack. They aren't supposed to keep your clothes dry if you drop the bag in a river, but they seem like they'd be water repellent. Luckily I never had cause to find out.

f.) I put my travel pack inside of one large bag, for airport transport. I wound up with the Osprey Airporter LZ Pack Duffel, which I also got at REI. I brought my bag up to the bag check in counter and then zipped it into this big bag, before putting it down to be weighed. Yes, this meant that I had to carry it around in my pack when I wasn't on a flight, but it was worth it to protect my bag - so that the straps and/or belt wouldn't get caught in the airport machinery, and get ripped off. I took a quick look at packs in Nairobi, and they were expensive and there wasn't a big selection. You don't want to have to replace it while traveling.

g.) I brought a TSA-approved luggage lock and security chain. I only used the chain once - to secure wardrobe doors closed in a hotel room while my pack was inside the wardrobe. But I used the lock a lot - at hostels to lock up my valuables in a drawer in the dresser in the dorm rooms, or for a locker that I rented in the hostel lobby. I used it to lock up the Osprey Airporter when I checked it in, at the airport. TSA has the key, so the airport staff won't cut your lock off to look inside of your bag. I brought the Eagle Creek 3-Dial TSA Security Lock & Cable.

h.) One of those travel pouches that you can put your passport and yellow vaccination card inside of. I prefer the one that straps around your hips like a belt, as opposed to the one that goes around your neck, and is worn under your shirt.

i.) I brought a handful of Chico bags. I used them all of the time. For grocery shopping, to keep my dirty clothes separate from my clean ones in my pack, to hold my clothes and bathroom supplies when I went into the bathroom in the hostels to shower, etc. Some of the best things I brought with me.


2. Clothing & Shoes -
a.) One pair of trail runners. They do not need to be waterproof. If you are a runner, you do not need to also bring road runners. Even if you are living in Nairobi where there are a lot of paved roads, you will not want to run on the paved roads near the cars because the exhaust fumes are so bad.

b.) One good pair of flip flops to explore in. I brought the Chaco Flip in solid black.

c.) If you bring flip flops with webbing like my Chacos, then they will get smelly if you wear them in the showers every day. So bring a second pair of cheap flip flops, to wear in the hostel showers that will dry between uses. If you forget them or don't want to pack them initially, then you can easily find them at a market or in a store in East Africa for a reasonable price.

d.) If you think you might spend more than a day or two in one of the slums then bring a pair of rain boots. The kind that everyone wears in the USA is fine - plastic, tall, brightly colored. It's just because when it rains, the dirt roads in the slums can get very muddy.

e.) If you are climbing Mt Kenya or Kilimanjaro, then you'll need hiking boots. (Obviously.) If you are not climbing, then you do not need hiking boots. If you are bringing hiking boots, then I think that they should be water proof, because of the altitude and climate - snow at the top - but double check elsewhere.

f.) You do not need an umbrella. You can buy one in East Africa, if you think you need one. But a lightweight, simple, packable rain jacket is sufficient. When it rains, it doesn't fall for very long and it's not that heavy. I brought rain pants, but never wore them.

g.) I brought Patagonia underwear and running socks made out of a blended fabric that didn't take forever to dry. I would bring more pairs next time, because I rarely stayed anywhere long enough to leave my stuff out to dry. In Uganda, there are mango flies that lay eggs in the seams of your clothes when the clothes are laid out wet, to dry. When the eggs hatch, the flies burrow under your skin. So you need to iron all of your seams (at the very least) after washing your clothes, before you put them back on your body. Clearly this is a hassle. The more underwear and socks you have, the less often you have to deal with this. You can pay the hostel staff to wash your clothes. I assume they iron them, too but I don't know - I was lucky enough to have friends I could stay with, who let me wash my clothes in their sinks and use their irons.

h.) The back of the knee is supposedly the sexist part of the woman's body. You cannot wear shorts that expose the backs of your knees. Not even in Nairobi, though of course you'll see tourists doing this. It is difficult to find shorts that don't expose the backs of your knees, but if you can find them then bring them for Uganda. It's hot! If you're staying in Kenya and aren't going to the coast, then I don't think you need shorts. Capri pants would be fine. I wore these shorts - Lole Pursuit 2 Bermuda Shorts. Whether they're long enough or not probably depends on the length of your thighs. Try em on before packing them. They just covered the backs of my knees.

i.) Same rule goes for skirts - you cannot show the backs of your knees. I had trouble finding skirts that were "short" but not "too short." I wound up with this one - Carve Designs High Point Skirt. If you go to Uganda, then you will be traveling around on the back of motorcycles. It is improper for a woman to ride straddled, so you will need to sit sidesaddle. Personally, I felt safer straddling the motorcycle, so I never wore my skirt on days when I knew I'd need to get on a motorcycle (which was most days). So perhaps skip the skirt entirely. A downside to my skirt, too was that it did not have any pockets, though it did dry quickly. I didn't wear it that much. I don't see any reason why you'd need/want a dress.

j.) You cannot show your shoulders or your chest (no deep scoop neck or deep v-neck shirts) in Kenya. This isn't the case in Uganda. If you are going to Uganda then bring at least one tank top. It's hot - you'll want it. Otherwise, for Kenya just bring short-sleeve shirts. You can wear tank tops on the beach in Kenya, which you'd probably want to do because it is hot. Though when at the beach I just walked around in my bikini top and my skirt, which you can also do - but only on the beach - not in town at the beach. Most of my wardrobe was black, so that it would not show dirt. I don't recommend white. The dirt is a red-brown, and if you are in a dusty environment ... well, your shirt won't be white any longer. Black is boring, at least it looks clean even when it's not:)

k.) Ugandan and Kenyan men wear button down shirts a lot. If you're a man then you might want to bring one. Women do not need button down shirts when "dressing up" is called for.

l.) I brought one pair of jeans, even though they take a long time to dry. I was happy that I brought them - I wore them often. Other than that, I wore a pair of black cotton yoga pants a lot, and a pair of very lightweight cotton cargo-style pants with straps and buttons that could be rolled up into capris, and a pair of generic every-day, cotton cargo-style pants with a decent number of pockets which came in handy. I also brought a pair of light brown khaki (dress) pants, and a pair of black cotton dress pants for business meetings. If you don't really need "dress" pants, then obviously don't bother bringing them. I didn't wear them very much. But if you think that you might need a dressy outfit, then bring it with you. You can find dresses and such in Nairobi in the western malls but the selection isn't going to be what you're accustomed to, and prices are high/geared towards westerners. However if you need dress shoes, then those are easy to find. In Nairobi you'll want to visit Bata, which is pretty much the equivalent of Payless for the best selection.

m.) It gets colder at night. Bring a wool sweater.

n.) I brought a black polyester zip up jacket intended for yoga or cycling, without a hood. I wore it a lot, with a t-shirt underneath. Was a must-have.

o.) I had a lightweight jacket that was water resistant. I wore it often enough. Perhaps you can leave the sweater home, if you bring a jacket like this.

p.) I did bring a beanie, because I'd been told that it could get cold at night in the highlands, but I never wore it. No need for a scarf or gloves, either:) But bring a few cotton handkerchiefs - you'll use them. I also brought a baseball hat, which I wore occasionally. And of course sunglasses.

q.) I brought one pair of short running shorts, but never felt comfortable wearing them in public. It's really hot to be running in long pants (which is what I think you are supposed to wear if running where other people can see you). As a result I didn't run that often. You might be able to find a modern gym that you can join, or at least pay by the visit. I assume you can wear short shorts in there ... ? Maybe stick with longer lacrosse style shorts?

r.) I brought a few long-sleeve cotton t-shirts, and one poly long-sleeve shirt that I wore rafting on the Nile. It was good for sun protection while rafting, but I otherwise didn't wear it. I mostly wore the long-sleeve cotton shirts at night - during the day a t-shirt and the zip up poly jacket were sufficient. At sundown and when the sun is down, you'll want to cover up as much of your body as possible, to avoid mosquito bites. So the long-sleeve shirts, pants, and socks are good. If you are planning to enter a mosque and you are a woman, then you will need to wear a skirt, cover your hair (with a scarf), and I think you need to cover your shoulders/wear long sleeves.

s.) Jewelry - don't bring or wear anything that looks valuable, even if it isn't actually valuable.


3.) Electronics -
a.) Perhaps the best thing I brought was a netbook. I bought an ASUS eee netbook on eBay, after much shopping and asking savvy friends for advice. I downloaded my photos onto it, used it to get online for personal reasons and for internet banking purposes. I heard that your digital camera can get a virus, if you connect it with a public computer in order to download photos. Not sure if that's true, but I think you'd get sufficient use out of your netbook to warrant bringing one, anyway. It's definitely worth it to bring a netbook as opposed to a laptop, especially if you are going to be traveling a lot/carting your computer around with you. My Timbuk 2 day bag was big enough to hold my netbook, which made things very convenient. However, people don't really go to movie theaters. There is only one commercial theater in Uganda - it's in a western style mall in Kampala, the country's capital, for example. Instead, people buy DVD's from street sellers, and watch them on their laptops. But my netbook didn't have a CD drive, so I couldn't watch any DVD's. Which really wasn't a big deal, but if you are going to be in East Africa for a long time then you might want a CD drive. Your computer's operating system MUST BE WINDOWS. Mine ran on Linux, and it caused problems because it was not compatible with the internet system. I had to have computer techs change my operating system over to Windows before I could gain access to the internet. Bring a neoprene case for your netbook, and an adapter for the outlet. The adapter you'll need for Uganda and Kenya is the same one that you'd use in Britain.


b.) I brought a digital camera, and looked after it. Never felt like it was in danger of being stolen. I didn't flash it in public, though by taking photos on the street, or in places where I'd draw attention to myself. I heard that I might want to bring an extra battery. This might be the case for you, if you feel that you HAVE TO take a photo of every single animal that you see in one day of a safari. There were a few cameras on my safari trip, and almost all of our camera batteries ran out by the end of the afternoon. But you can get photos from someone else on your safari trip (share photos), or just enjoy the view without needing to take a million photos. I don't have much of a zoom lense on my camera, and as a result my photos aren't that great, anyway - just nice memories. The hostels and the lodge that I stayed in when on safari in Maasai Mara National Park had outlets and power strips. So you can charge your batteries on the power strips. In some cases the building might run on a generator, and if that's the case then you might only be able to charge your battery on the power strips at night when the generator is turned on to power the lights. I personally would not leave my battery charging on the power strip unattended.

c.) If you are bringing a netbook or a laptop, then I don't think you need extra memory cards for your camera. Just be diligent about emptying the memory card when it gets full so that you have space for new photos. I brought a few thumb drives, and used them to back up my photos. I kept these thumb drives in a safe place. That way, if my computer had been stolen, I would still have my photos.

d.) You can bring your cell phone with you to Kenya and Uganda if it's a tri-band that runs on 900 and 1800. To check to see if your phone is compatible with Kenya and Uganda, remove the battery from the back of your phone and look underneath the battery. It should say something like "900/1800". Even if it says that, your phone must accept a SIM card. Even then, your phone must be "unlocked" so that you can put a different company's SIM card in your phone. You can have your phone "jailbreaked" but I looked into it, and it's a pricey endeavor. I have heard that you can sometimes get your iphone to work in East Africa, but you'll need to take care of that before you leave the USA. And even so, I've heard that the phone still doesn't always work. I wanted to have a cell phone on my person, when my plane landed in Nairobi. I bought one on eBay that I thought was unlocked and compatible (900/1800). However it must have been dropped in water, because once I got to Kenya it would not work. So that was not the best plan. People will tell you to just buy a phone when you get to East Africa. This is definitely the way to go!!!! Do not buy a phone at the airport - you will pay significantly more money for it - I looked into it, and it was twice the price of what the same phone cost at the stores in the city. Cell phones in East Africa are pre-paid, like Europe. No contract. There are a few competing cell phone companies. The most popular seems to be Safaricom in Kenya, and MTN in Uganda. So you'll go into a Safaricom store, and buy a cell phone. The cheapest one was about $10. You'll then have to buy a SIM card for your phone, which is only a few dollars. This is essentially your phone number. Each SIM card is a phone number. The cell phone company team member in the store will take the phone and SIM card, and activate it for you. If you remove a SIM card from your phone and it goes unused for 180 days, and it's a Safaricom SIM card, then it'll go bad and your number will be recycled - given to a new customer. Just FYI. Some Kenyans have multiple SIM cards/phone numbers. You can pop your SIM card/phone number out of your phone, and pop it into a new phone, or a friend's phone at any time. Once you have your phone and SIM card, and your phone has been activated, then you will need to buy minutes. You buy a scratch card - they're sold all over the place. The seller gets a commission from Safaricom, so I tried to buy my scratch cards from independent businesses. They can be purchased in a variety of cash values. I tried to keep at least a $5 balance on my phone at all times. The instructions for how to add minutes to your phone are on the scratch card - ask anyone to show you how to add the time to your phone. You buy the scratch cards in dollar amounts, not number of minutes. So you'd buy a card worth $5, for example, as opposed to a card worth 500 minutes. The price per minute varies based on where you are calling, and the time of day. Calling within East Africa from Kenya on Safaricom is something like 20 cents a minute. But calling the USA is something like 4 cents a minute. That's the same price as inter-Kenya calls, amazingly. I think you get a slightly cheaper rate if you make calls between 9pm and 4am. But of course like all cell phone companies, rates and promos are subject to change. If you travel outside of Kenya, then buy a new SIM card in your next country. As I mentioned, MTN is the biggest company in Uganda. If you use your Safaricom SIM card in Uganda, then you will be charged a roaming rate. I don't know what this rate is, but it's so easy to buy an MTN SIM card once in Uganda, that I just went with that. The phone system works the same way in Uganda. I don't recall how much it cost to call the USA, but I think it was relatively inexpensive from Uganda, too. In both Uganda and Kenya, you only pay for outgoing calls that you make from your phone. You are not charged for incoming calls - whether they are local or international. Same with text messaging - you only pay when sending messages, not receiving them. I think it's about 12 cents a text message to the USA, but it's really cheap if you are texting someone in Kenya. Don't buy a fancy phone, by the way - it'll make you a target for theft. Another good reason to leave the iphone in the USA. Even the most basic (cheapest) phone that I purchased had the necessities - text messaging, calculator, alarm clock - and flashlight. Yes, the Safaricom phones come with flashlights. You WILL use the flashlight!! Amazing feature.

e.) Internet in Uganda and Kenya - If your hostel offers free internet, then it's likely going to be wireless. So you don't need any contraption to get online - just the name of the network and password, just like the USA. Same with some coffee shops that cater to westerners, but I found them few and far between. Even when I found them, the connection was sometimes very slow. Easier to find internet cafes with cubicles and desktop computers, where there is a space where you can pay for wireless access for your laptop by the minute. If you do not have access to wireless, then you will need to buy a modem for your computer in order to get online. Again, I suggest buying one from the company Safaricom. (Though some people say that the company "Orange" has better access if you're working out in the bush, but not as good if you are in town. And Orange is more expensive than Safaricom - same with the phones.) The modem is about $22.

Once you have a Safaricom modem, you'll need to buy a SIM card for your use in your modem. Just like with your phone, you'll have to give both the modem and the SIM card to a Safaricom store employee so that the staff person can activate them. Once it's been activated, you will need to insert it into your computer in one of the same jacks that you use for your camera and ipod. You'll then need to download some software onto your computer, in order to use the modem. I think it'll pop up automatically on your screen, the first time you insert the modem into the computer jack. Then, you'll need to buy airtime to use the internet. The airtime you'll buy is the same airtime that you'll buy for your cell phone. You just apply the scratch card to your modem SIM card instead of your cell phone SIM card. I don't remember how to do this, but I'm sure that someone can explain it to you. I only used a Safaricom modem and purchased airtime for the first month that I was in East Africa, while living and working on Daraja's campus. After that, I used wireless at hostels or internet cafes. So there's a good chance you won't need a modem at all. I'd buy a phone, first, and then wait and see if you want/need a modem, instead of buying both when you first arrive in East Africa. If you are using a Safaricom modem, the internet speed varies based on where you are located when you are trying to access the internet. You are not charged by the minute that you are on the computer, but by how much "action" you are doing on the internet, and how fancy the web page is. Each time the page re-loads, you get charged by Safaricom. So steaming music from Spotify, videos on Youtube, or Facebook's home page which is constantly updating itself all cost more money. It is amazing how quickly you can burn through airtime if you are streaming or on Facebook.

f.) I brought my ipod, but only used it on the airplane. I did use the headphones, though - at hostels when watching videos or listening to music. While I'm thinking of sound, I'd bring earplugs and an eye mask if you are staying at hostels and are a light sleeper.


3. Misc to Pack -
a.) A journal and a few pens

b.) camping style clothes line - I brought this Coghlans Pegless Bungee Clothesline.

c.) Headlamp and extra batteries. The name brand batteries sold in Kenya are expensive. The cheaper ones run out really quickly. Even though your cell phone will have a flashlight built in, some places are so dark that you'll really want the headlamp.

d.) The Rough Guide to Kenya (better than Lonely Planet), and The Lonely Planet Guide for Uganda (Rough Guide doesn't make a book for Uganda). I would buy the most current edition, even if you can get an older one for less/free. Things like phone numbers change quickly in East Africa - you need the most current info. A novel to read. There are book stores in Nairobi and Kampala, but don't expect to find what you're looking for in more rural areas. There are book exchanges at some cafes and hostels, but I still say bring what you want. I read them on bus rides, mostly.

e.) You do not need to bring a mosquito net. Every place I stayed - with the exception of one hotel - had mosquito nets over the bunk beds in the hostels and over beds in hotel rooms. They were in perfectly good condition - no gaping holes.

f.) Sleeping bag liner. I won't sleep in a hostel or hotel bed without one - protects you from bugs. I looked into making my own, but it wound up to be cheaper and easier to just buy this one - Sea To Summit 100% Premium Silk Sleeping Bag Liner. It's also easy to hand wash in a sink, and air dries quickly. You don't need any other bedding - including a sleeping bag, unless you are planning to camp instead of staying in hostels, obviously - or if you are planning to climb Mt Kenya or Kilimanjaro. Even still, you can rent sleeping bags etc from expedition companies once you are in East Africa.

g.) Note: next time, I WON'T bring Bug spray - I brought a bottle of Adventure Medical Ben's 100 Max Deet Tick & Insect Repellent. Never used it. I don't like chemicals. Just covered my body with cotton clothing, instead.

h.) Hand sanitizer. I kept a little bottle in my bag, along with toilet paper, every where I went. I never expected a toilet stall to have toilet paper, or a sink nearby. Even if there's a sink, there may not be soap. You can buy little bottles of hand sanitizer at the grocery stores, too. Don't overload your travel bag with these things:)

i.) Nail Clippers & a nail file, hair brush and bands, tweezers (if you can't live without them, like me), a pair of scissors or a Swiss Army knife. This should be obvious, but if you use a hair dryer or any other electrified hair things, get used to living without them. I guess if you're living in Uganda for a while, then you might want to bring a very small travel iron for the mango flies in your clothes? You can probably find razor blades for your razor at the grocery store, or just buy a new razor. I brought extra blades with me, so I never had to look. I know you can find dental floss and other dental health items in the grocery stores:) The big grocery store chain is Nakumatt - in both Uganda and Kenya. But they aren't in every community. If there isn't a Nakumatt in your community (I'd look into it) then you might want to bring extra bathroom stuff if you have particular preferences.

A view of the inside of a Nakumatt - this is what it looks like if you just checked out. Looking back at the cashiers and rows of merchandise for sale, behind them - looks like a US grocery store. PS - if you are vegetarian or vegan, and if you are in Nairobi, then you will find the best selection of fake meat products and assorted other items that you might have a taste for at the Nakumatt located in the Westgate Mall. In my opinion it's the fanciest and nicest mall in Nairobi. You can buy organic bulk items (couscous, etc), the soy milk that you're used to, etc at Healthy U chain stores - but expect to pay much more than you'd pay in the US for the same items.



j.) Bathroom stuff - you will not find chemical-free, organic soaps, shampoos, lotion, lip balm, toothpaste in the grocery and beauty supply stores, no matter how much you are willing to pay for them. In Nairobi, there is a health food store chain called "Healthy U". They sell organic body products, but of course at a premium price. I was told that women's personal hygiene products - name brands - are more expensive in East Africa, so you should bring your own supply with you from the US. Maybe they were a little more expensive in East Africa, but given how much room that could take up in your pack, I don't think it's necessary to bring a huge supply of the items, with you. You can pick up what you need at Nakumatt.

k.) Sunscreen - I was under the impression that it'd be hard to find and/or expensive in East Africa, but as long as you can get to a Nakumatt then you can buy it there. But I'm glad that I brought one bottle of it - you'll need to wear it when you're outside for an extended amount of time.

l.) A nalgene bottle and baking soda to keep it clean. Be VERY CAREFUL with water consumption. You CANNOT use a water filter of any sort (no matter how expensive, how good, no matter WHAT the company says) to purify drinking water in Uganda or Kenya. You MUST drink bottled water, or boil water over the stove before drinking it, or cooking with it. If you boil water over the stove, then it must come to a rolling boil before it's safe to drink. I would not use any water purifier tablets or chemicals, to purify water. I bought large jugs of bottled water at the grocery store, and then poured some of it into a nalgene to make it easier to carry around with me on day trips. Kenya and Uganda DO NOT recycle, by the way.

m.) Towel - I brought a medium sized Sea to Summit microfiber quick-dry camping towel. It still takes some time to dry, but is the best you'll find. You really do not need one any bigger than size medium. It's just more to carry.

n.) Clif bars (never saw them in East Africa), and a set of utensils. I like the bamboo ones from To-Go Ware. They're lightweight and enviro-friendly. When you return to the USA do not put them in the dishwasher - it'll ruin the finish on the utensils. I didn't see plastic, disposable utensils at fast food joints in Kenya. oside from the Clif bars, I don't see a reason to bring any other food with you.

o.) Bring a photocopy of your passport. If you are trying to enter a government building, then you will need to leave your ID with security in the building lobby. They might accept a photocopy of your passport. A hard copy of important phone numbers. I scanned my passport, drivers license, vaccination immunization record yellow card, bank cards, health insurance cards and emailed the PDF documents to myself. That way I could always access them from any computer in East Africa, if I needed them. I also emailed important phone numbers to myself, so that I could also access them from any computer.


4. Medicine Stuff -
OK, I read and heard so much about this - what to pack. In the end, you can probably buy it in East Africa when you need it - assuming you'll have access to a Nakumatt in your community, a doctor, and a pharmacy. But don't rely on me - I'm not a doctor or a health care professional. One of the heaviest parts of my pack was my bag of medical supplies, which I almost never used. But some things I'd pack -
a.) A few bandaids

b.) Anti-itch cream

c.) hand sanitizer, as I already mentioned.

d.) A multi-vitamin and a B-complex vitamin.

e.) your anti-malarial. I took Malarone. Best price turned out to be "order by mail, in bulk" through my health insurance company. After that, Costco has a better price. Something to know is that Malarone only protects you against certain strands of malaria. Not all strands. So you could still get malaria, even if you are religiously taking your Malarone. I assume this is true for all anti-malarials. I don't know about Malarone, but you can buy Doxycycline at pharmacies in East Africa. You might need a prescription from a local doctor - not sure. I don't know if it's cheaper than buying it in the USA or not - I didn't really price it.

f.) DO NOT bring your own supply of cipro (antibiotic) with you, from the USA. My amazing doctor in Nairobi told me that for some reason the cipro from the USA does NOT work on East African diseases. You will need to buy cipro from an East African pharmacy.


5. Documents & Currency -
a.) Passport with a few blank pages (and a photocopy of it)

b.) Drivers License (just for photo ID purposes)

c.) I was told to bring a few passport-sized photos of myself, which I got at Coscto. However no one ever asked me for them.

d.) Yellow card - a record of your vaccinations proof on it that you've had the Yellow Fever vaccine

e.) You really DO NOT need US dollars in East Africa. The only time you will need US dollars is when you enter East Africa, and need to buy your first visa - most likely at the airport. Bring exact change. Check the current price in US dollars before you leave the USA.

f.) You do not need to bring foreign currency with you, purchased from a broker in the USA. You can just pull out some cash in the local currency, from an ATM at the airport. I crossed into Uganda from Kenya in the town of Busia, on the Uganda/Kenya border. There is a Barclay's ATM right there at the border, so you don't even need to bring the other country's currency with you. But I can only confirm that for Busia - I don't know about the other border crossing locations on the Kenya/Uganda border.

g.) Your US-based health insurance card. I don't know how that would work, since I didn't have reason to use it. Proof of Travel Insurance. I looked around a lot, and went with World Nomads. When seeking medical care in East Africa you will not be seen by a doctor, have your lab work done, or get treatment until you have pre-paid. You can pay in cash - just get your receipts. I never presented proof of health insurance - just paid over the counter, out of pocket for care.

h.) ATM card & credit card. Call your bank in advance and tell them your travel plans, so that you will be able to withdraw money and charge things in East Africa. I never used my credit card, nor used my ATM card as a debit card to pay for things. I always paid in cash - withdrew money in local currency from the ATM's. The ATM's you are most likely to see - Barclay's, Equity Bank. I tried to patronize Equity Bank ATM's because the Equity Bank Foundation does a lot of good things, and the bank was established to provide services to low-income East Africans who would not otherwise have access to a bank.

White Water Rafting on the Nile

I meant to post these a while ago ... a progression from the first time that I went rafting on the Nile. I'm in the turquoise blue long sleeve shirt.

East Africa Day 59 (Mon July 11): Leaving Uganda

I was up late last night packing up my things for the last time, and saying goodbye to Charlie, Annette and Nikki. Nash let me switch dorm rooms, so that the four of us could stay together in our own room.

Nikki and Annette were up at 5am today, and were then picked up by a private hire (taxi) which took them back to Kampala. From Kampala, Nikki took the Post Bus back up to Gulu to finish up her Invisible Children internship, and Annette headed to the Entebbe, Uganda airport (the main airport in Uganda) to catch her flight back to Australia. Annette’s next semester begins in a matter of days. Charlie is staying on in Jinja for another two weeks, before returning to Australia to continue her studies. So we all parted ways early this AM. I hope that we’ll meet again – I really enjoyed traveling and hanging out with them.

I walked through Backpackers’ doors for the last time at 7:30am, and headed via my last Uganda boda ride to the Jinja Akamba bus station. I met a Catholic Nun there who was also waiting for the bus. The bus, which was supposed to pick us up at 8am, finally showed up a little after 9am. Africa time! I took the Akamba “Royal” bus this time, which was 15,000 UGX more expensive than the regular bus (approx $7), because I was hoping that it would be a shorter trip, thereby getting us into Nairobi before sundown. Ah, no such luck, though the bus was more comfortable than the “Executive” (regular) Akamba bus that I took to Uganda last month. We didn’t pull into Nairobi until 9pm.

Our first stop from Jinja to Nairobi was Busia, for the border crossing. Now, I had been under the impression that the Kenya visa that I received when I arrived in Nairobi on May 14 would not get me back into Kenya from Uganda – that I would need to purchase a new Kenya visa, for $25. Firstly, when I got to the Kenya Immigration Center window, the Kenya Visa Officer told me that I did not need to get a new Kenya Visa – that the visa that I received when I landed in Nairobi on May 14 was still good. However, that visa expires on Aug 14, and I don’t fly out until Aug 22. So I still need to get a new Kenya Visa at some point before Aug 14. Secondly, I learn that just like the Uganda National Park Admission Prices, the Kenya Visa prices went up on July 1 (beginning of the Uganda and Kenya fiscal years) from $25 for a Single Entry Visa, to $50.

So with a long line behind me, I was given the option of either walking across the border using my original Kenya Visa, and then renewing it in Nairobi at a later date for what I was told would be 2,000 KSH (approx $25), or paying $50 and getting it over with a the border by buying a new Kenya Visa. Very conscious off the lack of time between this moment and when my bus might depart for Nairobi, from the other side of the border fence possibly without me (I’ve heard this happens), I made a split second decision to get this whole thing over as fast as possible, and to just walk through with my initial Kenya Visa. So I handed over the paperwork that I’d completed on the bus, and got my passport stamped with the Kenya re-entry Visa stamp. I then had to show a man dressed in a doctor’s uniform my (yellow) Yellow Fever card. Hum I guess it’s a good thing that I had it:) I then walked across the border with heavy steps, focusing my gaze on the “Welcome to Kenya” sign, wishing I could take a photo but not wanting to stop and do it. Wishing I didn’t have to leave Uganda today, yet knowing that I can always come back – and definitely will. I then ran through the crowds of buses, matatus, and vendors selling snacks and water, in search of my Akamba bus. I found it, and jumped on board to find that ummm there were many East Africans who were still not yet back on the bus:)

Having that extra minute to think about the Visa situation, I decided that I’d made the wrong decision, and ran back to the Kenya Immigration Center to purchase my second Kenya Visa. The Immigration Officials remembered me from a few moments before (the benefit of being a young muzungu, I think) and kindly gave me a new Kenya Visa Stamp, without making me re-complete the paperwork. I then got back on the bus perspiring but with my second Kenya Visa Stamp!

The bus ride through Western Kenya is absolutely beautiful. The bus window was dirty, but I snapped a few photos of the scenery before we arrived at our next stop, the Western Kenyan city of Kisumu.




photo: roadside shops - likely selling an assortment of non-perishable goods, and perhaps perishable goods, too - often shops selling raw meat look like this. On this route from Uganda to Nairobi I was struck by the number of small buildings with signs painted on them that advertised the building as a butchery and a hotel.


photo: roadside fruit and vegetable stands, at an intersection with the main road.

The birthplace of President Obama’s father is north of Kisumu. In May I had considered getting off of the bus here in Kisumu on my way back into Kenya, to visit his father’s village, but at this point I was just ready to get back to Nairobi. Unfortunately I picked a slight head cold up somewhere, and wasn’t feeling great today. Itchy throat, and sniffling. So when we got to Kisumu for our 15 minute break, I just ran to the grocery store to purchase some juice and according-to-the-ingredients-printed-on-the-box vegan cookies (oh, the essentials.)

The bus conductor kindly came and told me when we were 30 minutes outside of Nairobi, at about 8:30pm. Since my cell phone now lives at the bottom of an eco-toilet in Kampala, and I was waiting to buy a Kenya phone when I got back to Nairobi, the Catholic Nun sitting in front of me let me use her phone to call the hostel where I am staying tonight, to ask them to send a private hire to pick me up at the Akamba Bus Station. The bus conductor, Catholic Nun, and the owner of the hostel were so helpful and nice – I have met such wonderful people!

When I got off of the bus on River Road, it didn’t appear nearly as sketchy as I’d anticipated it would be. There were a good number of people exiting Akamba buses, and waiting for rides. The private hire driver that the hostel had sent immediately found me – I only saw one other muzungu outside of the bus station, and it was a man, so I guess I was pretty easy to find! We threw my stuff into the trunk of his car (not within view, on the back seats!), I rolled up my window, and we were off.

The guard at the hostel compound’s gate let us onto the grounds, and the driver carried my pack inside for me. At this point I noticed that my legs (I’d been wearing shorts) had collected more than a handful of itchy, raised bug bites. I start hoping that it’s true that you cannot get malaria in Nairobi, and wondering if these are in fact spider bites. (I asked the hostel owner the next morning, and yes they are spider bites, I am allergic to them, and I finally had a reason to use the Benadryl that I’ve been schleping around with me:) I then spy a plump-looking dog asleep, curled up on the couch, and I decide that I’m in the right place:)

East Africa Day 58 (Sun July 10): Rafting on the Nile on my Last Day in Uganda

Woke up this AM and checked out of Kampala Backpackers, got on the NRE white water rafting shuttle, and headed off to the Nile for rafting ... again! Meghan didn't make it - was just me this time. We stopped off back at NRE Backpackers in Jinja to meet up with the rest of today's rafters and the crew. Sat on the benches outside of the building and got our intro from a woman that I hadn't met before, but that I'd seen around the office. I met a group of five friends who are interning together in Jinja for the next two months or so. They just arrived 2-3 days ago. One student is from London, another from the Netherlands. After our briefing we were fitted with life vests and helmets, picked up our take-away breakfasts, and jumped onto the shuttle buses. Drove off about 30 minutes to the Nile, where the rafting starts! I joined the group that I'd met back at NRE, and so we had six people in our boat. Our guide was Henry. Unfortunately Juma wasn't there, so I couldn't be in his boat again (which was my plan:)

We did the same course as the last time I rafted, but it was a much different experience this time. Much gentler, and we only flipped over twice. I only wound up underneath the boat on the last rapid, which is good because I was apprehensive about it. We had a great time swimming in the Nile near the boat, when the water was calm. Hard to say what the highlight of the day was, but I really enjoyed swimming down the center of the Nile by myself, holding two paddles, after we'd capsized on the last rapid. It was so peaceful and beautiful - I was reminded of how much I love to be in the water. The water wasn't cold, but the air was - there were some dark clouds in the sky, and it started to rain about 10 minutes later (fortunately once we'd gotten out of the water and were under a canopy.)

We passed about forty cranes - the national bird of Uganda. Wow, they are beautiful. If I had ever seen a pterodactyl in flight, then I'd say that that's what they look like when they spread their wings and lift up into the air. I so enjoyed watching them lifting off, flying, and landing on the rocks in the water. I didn't take this photo ... not sure who did ... found it online ...



We also passed some weaver bird nests, which Henry tried to tell us were pineapples. He got a kick out of the fact that I actually believed him - but why wouldn't I? :) We also talked about the Ugandan government system - I learned a lot.

When we got to the end of the course and into the pavilion for our BBQ, we were approached by a dog that must belong to a neighboring village. I saw the same dog last time we were there, rafting. I think this dog must have it figured out! We had six boats on the water today. I heard that there were twelve boats out yesterday. I hope that the dog is getting some good food - he looked better than many of the other dogs I've seen in East Africa. I gave him some bread and I saw someone else give him a bone with presumably some meat on it. He was chomping on it, so it was hard to tell:) He was a friendly dog, though when I talked with him he didn't wag his tail - just looked at me, asking for food:) I was really happy to see Juma at the BBQ. He said that he had just finished up a two-day rafting trip. He sat next to me on the ride back to NRE. I got to catch up with him and ask him more questions about effective ways to make a difference in Uganda. I have learned so much from him.


photo: Meg, Juma and I outside of NRE Backpackers.

I realized today that even though I have only spent 1/3 of my three weeks in Uganda in Jinja, staying at NRE Backpackers, when I think of Uganda this is the place and these are the people that I will be thinking of, when I say how wonderful Uganda is.

When we got back to Backpackers, Meg was there waiting for me! We went back to her house, I said goodbye to her housemates/fellow volunteers, and then we came back to Backpackers to hang out and take some final photos.


photo: with Gerald, behind the bar at NRE Backpackers.


photo: Last night hanging out together in the NRE lounge


photo: Meg and Nash, NRE staff

I'm staying in a room with Charlie, Nikki, and Annette. We are all parting ways tomorrow. So sad, but the perfect way to spend my last night in Uganda. I'm sure I'lll be back - just don't know when.

East Africa Day 57 (Sat July 9): Tour of Kampala Houses of Worship Part 2 & AFRIpads

I woke up this AM to find that the electricity was still out. I caught up with my journal, and then caught up with Sophia by phone. We made plans to meet at Nakumaatt at 1pm for lunch. I then headed to the city center again on a matatu. The matatu let me out near the Gadaffi (SPELLING????) National Mosque. I had brought clothing to cover my head and pants, and was able to enter the mosque for a few minutes. I don’t know the last time I was in a mosque. It was really interesting. I walked around the grounds for a few minutes – it was very quiet. Then left and hopped on a boda headed to Nakumatt.

I found Sophia at a different coffee shop, where I got to meet AFRIpads’ new hire, Helen who had arrived in Uganda about two weeks ago to handle Sales. Sophia’s partner Pauls was there, too – working on a presentation in preparation for their upcoming trip to Nairobi.



Sophia and I had vegetarian sandwiches and talked about how we both wound up in East Africa, what we are doing, and generally just had a really nice time talking. I have been a fan of AFRIpads since November 2009 when I discovered the venture while researching for another blog post. So it was SO EXCITING to get to meet Sophia, and to hear her story. She is even more amazing than I thought – I was so impressed.
In sum, she’s from Connecticut and went to McGill in Canada. While at McGill studying environmental issues, she spent six months in East Africa with a McGill program. She spent a little bit of that time in Uganda. After college she and Pauls traveled a lot, and then decided to spend a year in Uganda. Through a childhood friend of Pauls', they found a volunteer placement in Masaka, the community AFRIpads currently operates in. Towards the end of the six months, they met another McGill alum who was about to leave Uganda. The woman gave Sophia and Pauls twelve reusable menstrual pads, to distribute to the girls in their community. They started to see the impact that this product was having on the community, and decided to spend their next six months in Uganda developing AFRIpads!

I learned a lot about their business plan, aspirations for AFRIpads, and the challenges that they’ve faced and the ways that they’ve innovated their ways past those challenges. In addition I learned that students who have their periods during exam periods cannot take their exams, meaning that they have to repeat the grade in some cases in order to wait to take the exam again! Currently, AFRIpads seems to distribute most of their pads via NGO’s. They sell the pads in bulk to NGO’s all over Africa, who then provide the pads to African women through the orgs’ own programs. One of those NGO partners is BRAC Uganda, which has many sites all over the country. Each BRAC Uganda office has women from the community who act as door-to-door educators and saleswomen. They visit the homes in their communities and talk to their neighbors about things like AFRIpads. This is obviously a very different way of getting the product out into the marketplace. It reminds me of a video I saw within the last year or so, of D.Light working with Indians who go door-to-door selling the company’s solar lanterns. I think I read that D.Light didn’t always do their sales this way, but that this method is working very well. I’m excited that AFRIpads is following this model, too – I love watching other people innovate for purposes like this! Sophia said that our lunch was one of the first times that she had met someone in person that she had first connected with via social media. LOVE IT! I’m still so amazed that I actually got to meet her – she’s so inspiring! Who would’ve thought that I’d actually get to have lunch with her in Kampala, when I first learned about AFRIpads in November 2009:) We realized that we might be staying at the same Nairobi hotel this coming week, so maybe I’ll get to see them again this summer:)



After lunch I took a boda to the Baha’I Temple on the outskirts of Kampala. I’d heard that the grounds are beautiful, and that it’s one of four Baha’I Temples in the world. How could I miss it?!? It was in a suburban location with a lot of green, perched on the top of a hill. Very beautiful. When I arrived a few wedding parties were leaving the grounds. A caretaker allowed me to enter the Temple. It was very pretty and also beautifully constructed. I then circled the building, looking at the gardens and views.




Fortunately I ran into some other interns who are staying at the hostel, who had hired a matatu to take them to the Temple. They let me jump into the matatu with them. They were so nice, and I had a great time riding back to the hostel with them. Half of the interns are working on their Masters in Public Health in the USA. The other half are med students at Brown and U Mich, working on a HIV-related research project in partnership with the Ministry of Health. Towards the end of our trip, the driver got a little lost. Amazingly I knew where we were, and was able to direct the driver back to the hostel.

Got back to the hostel and found the electricity working, but the internet is intermittent. Caught up on the blog posts. Tomorrow is my last full day in Uganda. So sad – hasn’t set in, yet. I’m going back to Jinja to go White Water Rafting, will catch up with Charlie, Annette and Nikki at Backpackers in Jinja tomorrow night, and then Monday I head back to Nairobi.

East Africa Day 56 (Fri July 8): US Embassy & Dinner with Kiva Fellow Michele

I had been looking forward to meeting up with Michele, a Kiva Fellow tonight. She works with BRAC Uganda in the organization’s Kampala office, plus a microfinance institution (MFI) that Kiva partners with in Uganda. I had read a Kiva blog post that Michele had written about her Fellowship, and reached out to her to see if she’d meet up with me in Kampala. Tonight worked out the best.

I was able to get online at the hostel this AM. The electricity was working! Elaine had mentioned that the USA Embassy in Uganda has a program that helps Ugandan students apply to university in the USA. I did some online research and finally found a direct phone number for Alexis, who works for the program. I called her and she invited me to stop by the office. I jumped on a boda and headed to the US Embassy. Getting through security alone was a lot of fun – reminded me of working on Capitol Hill – metal detectors, badges, etc. Felt like home:)

We met in her office. She is from Houston, TX and has been in Uganda since March, I believe. Her husband works for the State Department, and they came over together. She works in the Education Advising Center, specifically with the USAP program as an Education Advisor. She receives applications from Ugandan high school students who want assistance gaining admission to USA universities. The Embassy doesn’t provide funding – just assistance with the admissions process. The students are expected to either find their own funding in Uganda, or to secure full scholarship from their USA university of choice. One Ugandan student successfully went through the program this year and will leave for college in the USA next month! I nearly cried with happiness, and I don’t even know this student. Alexis helps the students with SAT prep, “life prep” for university, purchasing plane tickets to fly to campus, vaccinations needed for university, study skills, etc. She said that there are USAP Education Advisors working in USA Embassies in other countries, and that once a year they meet in the USA on a college campus. The USAP students in the USA pay their own ways to attend the conference and make suggestions for how to make the program even better. This past year it was at Yale. I can’t wait to try to learn more about USAP in Kenya!
After parting ways with Alexis, I took a matatu into town and found my way back to Nakumatt. Had a veggie burger again at the same coffee shop, for lunch. My waiter from yesterday recognized me and said hello! I was sitting there reading “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius” when I heard a familiar voice. I looked up and saw two roommates from Austin, TX who I had met at the hostel in Jinja – Erin and Tracie. I joined them at their table and we caught up on our adventures that had transpired since we last saw each other in Jinja. It was so great to see them!


photo: Erin, Tracey.

We parted ways, not expecting to run into each other again until we’re back in the USA. I then went over to the Akamba bus office and purchased my bus ticket back to Nairobi.

From there I hopped on a boda and went up to Michele’s house in the northeast part of the city that I hadn’t been to, yet. We hung out at her house, which she shares with a few other international interns. The house was really nice! Also in a compound, just like Meghan and Nikki’s houses. I met one of Michele’s roommates who is from Ridgewood, NJ. She graduated with Connor Donohue. She said that wherever Connor went, he was well-loved. It was really nice to meet her. Especially since I had been thinking of Frost Valley when I was at the Embassy. Alexis had posters from Connecticut College, where Connor went to school, and Wesleyan on the bulletin board behind her desk. I kept staring at them, wishing that I had been allowed to bring my camera into the Embassy buildings, so that I could snap a photo of that pair of posters:) One of Michele’s other roommates walked by, and one of that roommate’s friends also walked through the living room. After they left the house I learned that they are both Princeton in Africa Fellows. Ah funny! Given that I was just at Hillary’s house in Gulu! The women were on their way to a Princeton in Africa BBQ in Kampala, when I saw them at Michele’s. Funny, funny!

Two of Michele’s roommates joined us for dinner. They both found the group house through the website www.internations.org,, which I definitely have to check out! One roommate is from South Korea, and is volunteering in Uganda for a year as part of her undergraduate degree program in Australia. She’s working for an enterprise center that helps single mothers. Her focus in school is international development. Michele’s other roommate, Lucy, is an American working on her Masters in Public Health at Emory. Lucy has lived and worked in DC – including for the Aspen Institute. I’m on their e-newsletter list! How funny! We had a great time hanging out over dinner, talking about our life experiences, past jobs, and what brought us to East Africa. It was a really, really nice night. A private hire (taxi driver) that they often use dropped them off at their house, and then took me back to the hostel. When I got back to the hostel, the electricity was out again. Fortunately I was tired and it didn’t matter because I went right to bed!


photo: Lucy, Michele, roommate.