Quick Update

Had the day free so I came to Kamuli to get some messages sent out. The main one was to a guy we met when Dad and Cian were over. Stevo from Dublin. Absolute legend who had a bunch of fotty jerseys his nephew donated and needs somewhere for them to go. We'd long chats and many beers that day in May so although I remembered all about the jerseys which, for some reason are in Kampala, I'd lost his email...good job! Found it yesterday though so all is back on track just a few weeks late...Africa Time!!

Last week was extreeemmmeeellly heavy for many reasons which we best not go into. Let's just say we'd problems coming up in the community, with a friend out in town and a lot of work. Just as Anna reassured me ' Well the week can't get much worse really can it? ' I had a call from Edgar to say that two of our students passed away. They were out at a netball competition the school had gone to and despite not being allowed to go, they went under their own steam. On arrival everybody was warned not to swim. It's a notoriously dangerous spot because of the way the fishermen dug the river bed it get very deep as soon as you step in. Still, they decided to swim..So Nawanyago has been a little under and the school is finding it difficult to cope with their loss. Two great kids, good students and good friends to the school and to SPW Volunteers. It's a real pity. Take care Henri & Magidhu.

That cut short a visit to Buwaya (Emily's placement) which is a lot more rural than my own but they can't complain!! They're put up in an outhouse to a boarding school where they've a brand new computer lab, electricity aaand Emily's just waiting for them to install wireless...village life ey ? ;) ! It was good fun though. All of us headed out there and Megs n Em had baked a cake & cookies for our arrival.

Otherwise we're picking up well work-wise. Been working so so hard over the last month mainly with help from Edgar and we've hit our targets early. Just over hitting now. I set up a Music competition where the kids compose a song in any language/style about 'problems facing the youth'. Poems are allowed and I've been told that a Primary 6 kid is coming over to recite his poem today! cuuuuuuuuuuuute! We've got a lot of interest and frankly a lot of wasted talent so it should be good fun hearing and recording the entries at next weeks Talent Show which we've also set up at the school!! Music, Dance and Drama and as it will be on my birthday I think we'll get some visitors tooo!! Then I've also set up an Art competition for the kids interested in Art. We'll pin up the winners in our Youth Resource Corner (where kids come to chat/relax/learn about health etc...) Entries are based on three topics chosen by the teachers:

(1) Something for Something Love - giving sex for phones/money/school fees etc..
(2) Cross Generational Sex - a huge problem inUganda in general but the teachers say it's rife in our community.
(3) Teenage Pregnancy - also causes a lot of problems out here with children dropping out of school and not having the knowledge, money, time to care for a child or go back to school etc...

They can design a poster, paint, draw...whatever they want. We're hoping for entries and we'll see how it all goes down. Winners of the music competition should appear on the next 'Shpops Uganda edition CD'..For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about basically my fundraising to come out here was done by making a CD with a load of friends (all styles, languages...) and I'm hoping to raise more funds by creating a Ugandan edition of the same types of project. All the art work, design, music, promo etc is done by young people and all free of charge to get maximum profits to donate back to a worthwhile project. It was a lot of work but great fun so I hope the Ugandan CD will be up to scratch! I've recorded quite a bit so far and Thursday should bring some good tracks too!!

Hope you are all well back home. Give us a call if you're ever feeling that way! WARNING: When you call you'll hear music (ugandan music)...that means it's ringing through! Instead of hearing a dialtone you now hear music - one of the many fantastic pointless Ugandan inventions. Love it! It'll either be Bebe Cool - Bogola Ko or Chameleon - Basiimo Ogenze. Enjoy! +256 785 899 485

World Cup craic is savage in the videohall! I spend my time in a wooden, bin bag lined shack sweating from the heat and general smells of other men's sweat, rubbish and farts. But the craic is mighty and we're all backing the African teams. Portugal got lucky to take the draw I reckon...Good to see France getting nowhere to, I wish them all the worst this year :) Off to watch Spain tonight I think and I'd better be getting back to hear some little cute kid's poem! Can't wait!!

All the best!