I received an invitation to attend a regional seminar on reintegration of young girls who have been involved in sex work or sexual exploitation sometimes back last month. This came as a surprise not just to me but to my organization too. I was to go back to the pearl of Africa Uganda where i first went when i attended the international workshop on resource mobilization a year ago.
I had been booked to fly with air Uganda and come Monday, i was delayed due to traffic but luckily i still managed to board the flight just before time for take off. This is a 50minutes flight to Kampala and by 3pm i had arrived. Surprisingly, here i got to meet other Kenyans who i had not met before but were attending the same regional seminar with me. During this particular time, we became brothers and sisters in foreign land though having come from different parts of Kenya.
The first day of the seminar was quite welcoming as we got to learn what Ugandans were doing in their rescue missions. It was interesting to conduct observations through the projects that we visited. Some projects just sounded unique from the presentation but observation gave a different story. One project however was amazing. A project that rescues young girls and boys from the streets, shelters them for a period of six months during which the young people go through a series of trainings, counseling including vocational training. This facilitates their rehabilitation and reintegration back to society. As we visited the projects, it was amazing to watch the countryside of the land of Museveni, to listen to the sweet voices of the people and just walk leisury. We went shopping in the afternoon and i was surprised that those shopping areas are just as overpopulated like our own Eastleigh, Githurai and Kayole. Its difficult to tell that you are in a different country because all Kenyan supermarkets, companies are there. Kariuki and Karuri are already making a kill in the land of thousands. I say in the land of the thousands because my Kenyan money quadrupled into thousands once i got there. I did not know the worth of my bob until it turned into 30UG shillings. Anyway a few things here are way cheaper than Kenya and i left with a few of my favorite dresses.
I do not enjoy seating and listening to presentations, and Wednesday morning was really boring and i looked forward to going for the cultural dance event in the evening. Hmmmm i must say i it was awesome at Ndere centre with the young dancers of Uganda expressing themselves in dance. This is an event that happens every Wednesday here and it attracts very many tourists as well as locals. I think this is the most memorable event to me because i also had an opportunity to shake a bit too.
Thursday had been planned that we would be treated to a cocktail plus a visit to the source of the Nile. I never went to see the source of the Nile owing to my preference to go back to Nakasero for shopping. I ended up realizing that i did not have enough money to do as much shopping as i wanted and went back to my room to await my flight home.
This morning, i was awake by two am to allow time to prepare for my flight. Got ready and the driver who was to take us to the airport was too sleepy i thank God we safely got to the airport.
Uganda, it was nice being there. You are hospitable people and am willing to come back anytime. For now got to be here, home as a mother, breadwinner and back to my daily work and challenges.
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