Feb-March_news
FEBRUARY/MARCH NEWS - STORIES BEHIND THE BEADS
February was more like “tooth fairy”, at least for Akullo Evalyn.
A little over a year ago, Evalyn was struck in the face by her husband, with devastating results. Not only did her two front teeth suffer from the severe blow, but so did her emotional and mental wellbeing. As a very cheerful and lively young woman, the unpleasant experience pained Evelyn and quite often she would find herself daring to dream that one day she might get her smile back.
Last November, as we were holding a farewell party, Evalyn said with a twinkle in her eye: “Don’t forget to send me those new teeth from Finland ”. And wouldn’t you know it! Our intern Milka discussed the matter with a friend and in February the tooth money arrived from Finland , bringing back laughter and restoring the beautiful smile on Evalyn’s face! Thank you to the donor!
Medical bills and people taken ill
Many of the men, women and children at Caring Hands are HIV-positive. This immunodeficiency virus causes all kinds of sickness and disease but despite the constant health battle, the beginning of this year has so far been a victorious one for the entire Caring Hands team.
Let’s take for example Nampijja Christine. Her ill health began at the end of January and dragged on until eventually it drove her to the hospital bed. Nampijja is not only HIV-positive and on ARV medication, but she also suffers from lung trouble on top of being in the middle of cancer treatment. While Caring Hands offers help and support, what is more precious than gold for those in hospital care is being surrounded by loved ones, because the presence of family and friends and their participation in caring for the sick is not always guaranteed, and so that is something we at Caring Hands strive to offer and encourage.
Nampijja is once again in good health and every day she seen at Caring Hands, helping out with the bead making.
Children have also been suffering from various illnesses. There are constant cases of malaria, rotting teeth, pox-like diseases and awful rashes. At Caring Hands we are doing whatever we can to support these families, but help is always appreciated as many of them are in need family sponsorships.
Changes in living conditions and living at the mercy of the weather
Lots of families have been helped so far and the quality of life has risen for many from being on the floor to sleeping in a bed. Nevertheless, there is still plenty of work left to do.
Home visits are always a great opportunity to get better acquainted with and to really see below the surface into the daily lives and routines of families.
In the rainy season as the storm clouds gather, lighting rips the sky, the ground shakes with thunder and the rain blows sheets of water in every possible direction, the destruction can be devastating as clay houses and mud huts fall apart and suffer water damage. While some people have already been able to relocate into sturdier homes, quite a few families are still waiting for such an opportunity or have begun building a house of their own.
Our latest home visits have been made to families living in the countryside, giving us a chance to admire some of Uganda ’s lush and beautiful landscapes in the process, such as fields upon fields of tea growing on the hillsides and the many forests full of matoke/banana trees. Quite many living in these remote areas are able to grow at least a portion of their own food, and have various fruits trees and vegetables in their gardens. Sometimes even the houses may be bigger and in better condition than those of the people living in city slums, but even so, living in the countryside does comes with its own, different set of problems. Take for instance, the obstacle of distance. Sometimes the closest clinic offering health care may be many kilometers away and difficult to reach. Even going to the market and visiting the village can be a struggle, and something as simple as getting your cell phone recharged or buying and transporting a 50kg bag of posho flour will require some planning and preparation.
Still, it’s been wonderful to see the different backgrounds that our Caring Hands families come from!
Stories behind the beads
At the moment, Caring Hands has one man and 50 women making beads, but when you also include their families along with all of the workers we have into the count, the number is already in the hundreds- talk about a big Caring Hands family! And while the paper beads are indeed gorgeous and temptingly delicious on their own, and though the work that happens around them and through them is fascinating too, what many people are really interested in are the stories behind the beads. On Milla’s blog http://milla.sauna.org/ you will find many of these stories along with news and other remarkable tales which we are writing and adding all the time, so please do stay updated!
Stella Atal and Caring Hands- creating stunning artwork together!
While Ugandan artist Stella Atal has worked together with Caring Hands for quite some time now, her latest wall cloths and paintings, filled with an array of bright African colors and rhythms have found a new flavor in the mix, the Caring Hands beads! And we have to say, the end result is captivating! The cloth artworks can be found in various different sizes and are now finally available for purchase.
Soccer Volunteers
The soccer/football project, that was started last April for the orphans and underprivileged kids in the area, came to a triumphant finish when the tournament finals were held in December. Both the children and adults were so excited about the experience, and as the teams established in the three different areas became well unified, the project has been able to continue voluntarily every Saturday. Thanks to the new footballs, pumps and ball bags donated by Jim Burruss and his family, from Salt Lake City USA, this soccer season has certainly received a great kick start! A huge thank you to the Burruss family!
Well, that’s all folks, this time around. This is Caring Hands Kampala signing out, until next time!