Friday 13 March 2009

Royally Rubbish Rebecca Reporting Right from Rukungiri Town Centre


Ok so I've been Royally Rubbish at updating my blog whilst in Rukungiri over the last 3 weeks. But the internet access here in not all that easy - there's 2 internet cafes and the first one I went to today had failed to pay their subscription so there was no network!
Oh well I'm here and have a few mins while I ignore the long list of emails I've received and not replied to. Many apols to all who've I've ignore so far. Hopefully all responses will come in the next couple of weeks - I'm now completely on African time!
One of the most interesting things is the proliferation of mobile phones. A technology that has raced past the flush toilet, the fridge and the traffic light to be in the hand of nearly every earning Ugandan.


So this is one way for me to communicate with you! Through the sheer joy of Twitter, I can text in an update while I'm out in the field - view my latest efforts here: http://twitter.com/chillichildren

Apart from earthquakes, rats in the living room and thunderstorms, there's also lots of work going on: meetings, camps, chilli visits and accounts work. Even the effort of hand washing clothes takes up a day - but it's my equivalent of yoga on my leg muscles so I consider it my fitness training! Photo above is of Isaac an 18 yr old boy(/man?!) who has been part of the Project for a long time: cleft palate op at age 4 and chilli farming since age 10. He's now got 200 bushes and brings in about 10kgs per season which gets him 45,000shillings (about 18quid) with which he's bought recently - a bike and a goat! It's a big help when there's very little employment around and he's still at school. It was great fun visiting him and building a chilli dryer - I even tested it out my getting inside and lying on the top shelf! So it's strong enough to carry me and with all this starchy foods - that's strong! (Photos to follow)


Right I better get back to those emails. Thanks for all the birthday texts/calls and even I received one card! So the post totally works - just takes about 20days.
My address is: Becky Thorn, North Kigezi Diocese Orphan and Disabled Children's Project, PO Box 23, Rukungiri, UGANDA, East Africa.


I hear the UK is cold again but some are planting spuds already - so hope you're still enjoying the outside. It's my total joy to nip outside just after and before bed to look out over the valley, see the mist, hear the animals and children singing and smell the wood smoke! I aint in Hackney anymore!