Other Ugandan Friends

In the last few days, I've had time to look over some of the photos taken by Joan and by Trudy, and wanted to share some of these with you. The first photo is of Resty, who has a shop in one of the craft markets in Kampala, and who sells some of the best quality batiks available. She also works with the National Arts Organization, and has accepted articles made by the Bitengye Designers for sale in her shop. The next photo is of Nightingale, who was our translator this year. She was wonderful to work with, always anticipating where she might be needed

and keenly interested in the Bitengye women. In

fact she has offered her home in Mbarara to anyone who has need to come to town, whether for health reasons or for new fabric, as her children are now all grown up, and she has extra space. Next are the leaders of the Mutual Benefit Society in Kikagati, including Recheal and Lydia. Elly was our guide and a wonderful resource while we were visiting in that area. He is an amazing man, who made a radio station from parts of a calculator and other parts. He worked for ACTS for some years, but now he has been discovered by the UN and is one of their IT people. But he made it a condition of his

employment with them that he be able to take regular time off to work with the widows and grandmothers group in his home of Kikagati. Lastly are the group of elderly widows in Kikagati. They are too old to work in the fields any more, so the younger widows support the older ones, sharing what little food they have with them. As you can probably tell, all of these courageous folk are often in our thoughts. When we said goodbye to the Bitengye members they said to us "Please don't forget us." And we won't.

More Photos from the MBS meetings

Joan and a widower member of the group. Note the walking sticks they have in common.

Children inside the Church where the Kikagati meeting was held (the coolest place around).

Widows clapping to the traditional dancing that was performed before we left the gathering. (The dancing itself is much like the imitation of a crane dancing, and is very hard to photograph. It consists of much leaping in the air while arms are outstretched on either side and the head is rotated to a soft hissing sound. Quite something to see.)

Mutual Benefit Societies

I am so excited I can hardly contain myself. I've been loaned the use of a high-speed internet, on which I can post more than one picture at a time. Which means that I can tell you about our meetings with the Mutual Benefit Societies in both Rubingo and Kikagati. These are the groups into which the widows and grandmothers have organized themselves, and it is from these groups that the members of the Bitengye Designers were chosen. They garden together, raise goats together, and share their meagre resources amongst themselves. In Rubingo we met with the leaders of the eight smaller groups (they have a


total of 190 members in all eight groups), and they gave us a little history on all the activities they have been engaged in together, reported on how much money they have saved in order to renew the lease on the garden they have rented, about told us their concerns regarding such things as school fees and access to treatment for those who are HIV positive. In Kikagati over 200 women came out to meet us with singing and dancing, and then gave reports on all their activities. These are brave and courageous women, who are willing to do almost anything to give their family a hand up in the world.