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Heather Plett visits LAKER Memorial School

Mrs. Heather Plett from Canada visited our project to celebrate our 5th anniversary.
Here is a small report of this visit.

I left the snow behind. After two days of travel, I'm in Uganda! After a short stay in Kampala, we are going to Kitgum district to visit Nestar's family and the school that many of you have supported.
Today (15/11/2018) is more emotional than I expected. I do not yet have the right words to explain what it was like to make our first visit to the school and to be welcomed so warmly as a member of the school family, so I will start with pictures. Perhaps more words will come later. These children have captured a piece of my heart.

Today (16-11-2018) we visited a resettlement camp for refugees from South Sudan. I had images in my head of people living in tents, close together, but this was not that image. Look closely at those huts - some have even planted flowers to make their (hopefully temporary) homes more welcoming. There are 32,000 people in this camp, and yet we happened to surprisingly end up in just the right block where Nestar's relatives from Sudan live while they wait for peace in their country so they can return home.

These are bicycles lined up for distribution at the refugee camp we visited. One of the things we learned while we were there is that the intention in this camp is to house people here until they are able to return home and not resettle them in other countries. The EU is sending money to keep people in this camp, which may be partly protectionist (i.e. keeping them out of our countries) and partly sensible (i.e. probably better to help them stay close to home, in case they can return some) day). Now ... I admit I know little about refugee and resettlement issues, and this camp is far from the perfect answer (ie sane people have complained about the lack of opportunities to earn money for their families by doing things like making bricks for sale), but it begs the question - why wouldn't the U.S. send money to support the caravan of refugees traveling through Mexico instead of sending troops to the border?

Today was a remarkable day. I had the privilege of being a guest at the kindergarten at Laker Memorial School in Kitgum District, Uganda, and it was unlike any kindergarten I have ever experienced. It was a day-long community celebration with many speeches (including yours), dances, songs, a spelling bee, a brass band, gifts and a big party. There was even a hilarious “being a fool for the white woman whose hips can't move like that,” dance that I may or may not show you later. I will share more photos and video as soon as I have more data to upload.

To be honest, I have been somewhat reluctant to post photos of this trip on social media, for fear of looking like the tired cliche of “a better white woman saving Africa.” Know this - Africa does not need saving and I will never come here for it. The only things I have to offer here are friendship and financial resources to support their leadership and vision. I am here, resolute, with humility and an attitude of learning, receiving with deep gratitude the wonderful hospitality of the people of Kitgum district. I believe in finding ways to support a more equitable distribution of resources, but I do not believe in the need for Western interference.

Es war ein Privileg, diese Woche in einer Gemeinschaft mit Nestars Familie im Bezirk Kitgum, Uganda, zu leben. Ich war gut ernährt und gepflegt (sogar meine Wäsche wurde erledigt) und ich nehme glücklich ein Glas voll Erdnussbutter von ihrer Farm mit nach Hause.

(19-11-2018) Nestar erzählt mir, dass ich jetzt die "wahre Erfahrung Afrikas" habe.
Nach einer zwölfstündigen Reise, die sechs hätte dauern sollen, erreichten wir unser Ziel in Kampala, als die Sonne aufging. Zu sagen, dass die Nacht ereignisreich war, wäre eine Untertreibung. Dazu gehörte ein kaputtes Auto am Straßenrand mitten im Nirgendwo in der Dunkelheit eines Gewitters (in einem Gebiet, von dem bekannt ist, dass es Straßenbanditen gibt), viel kreatives Denken und Verhandeln über Mobiltelefone, um zu finden uns eine andere Lösung, eine lange und enge Busfahrt, die uns um 3 Uhr morgens in die Innenstadt von Kampala brachte, war aufgrund der fehlgeschlagenen Technologie der Transport, den wir arrangiert hatten (weil Taxis in Kampala mitten in der Nacht möglicherweise nicht vertrauenswürdig sind) nicht gekommen Wir treffen uns, zwei weitere Stunden im Bus zu sitzen (weil es sicherer war als anderswo zu warten), auf einen Fahrer zu warten und sich schließlich auf dem Weg zum Haus unseres Gastgebers zu verirren. Am Ende sind wir alle in Sicherheit (einschließlich der lebenden Hühner, die wir mitgenommen hatten), und wir haben eine interessante Geschichte zu erzählen.


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Bank information : BIC/SWIFT : ABNANL2A - IBAN : NL26 ABNA 0603 5870 54
KvK / Chamber of Commerce registration : 57166250 - ANBI / Registration 8524.65.178

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Chairman
W. Apokowat/Germany
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W.J.B. van Wegen/The Netherlands
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Ed Grassère, Bocholtz, The Netherlands
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Nestar Okella Lakot/The Netherlands
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DONATIONS
Bank information : BIC/SWIFT : ABNANL2A - IBAN : NL26 ABNA 0603 5870 54
KvK / Chamber of Commerce registration : 57166250 - ANBI / Registration 8524.65.178
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