Unfortunately, my time in Jinja has come to an end.

I have really enjoyed the contrasting experiences of Magwa, the pleasant suburb in Jinja where we’ve been living, the busy town centre and the tranquility of rural Kyabirwa.  I loved strolling down the lane to Moses’ for lunch. It was such a peaceful spot.  Normally all that could be heard was the sound of the cows, goats, chickens and weaver birds.

I wish that I could give you a real impression of the centre of Jinja but no description or photo can begin to do it justice.  It can be noisy, crowded, busy and polluted but I have loved it!  There are a few smart buildings but generally the place appears rather ramshackle. Individual shops, apart from the supermarkets, are normally very small.  They are often windowless and often have solid folding doors traversing the width of the shop, which can then be drawn right back during opening hours.   The facades of many shops and even some houses are used as large bill boards for advertising single products such as washing powder, chewing gum, Sadolin and airtime. Looking along a street, it can be difficult to ascertain what is being sold unless the merchandise is displayed outside.  However, the more I have explored, the more I have come to realise that just about everything can be bought in Jinja. It isn’t unusual to see items such as laptops perched precariously on tables, and sofas, clothes, even wrapped mattresses sitting on the dusty, uneven surface outside.  Walking past the shops can be something of an obstacle course due to the dilapidated state of the pavements combined with the very crowded forecourts.  In the evenings it becomes even busier as stalls spring up providing hot snacks such as samosas and chicken pieces.

The upstairs of the main market is something to behold.  This is the clothing section. I have never seen so many sewing machines in my entire life.  It looks as though a lot of the clothes are secondhand imports and people seem to be busy doing alterations as well as producing new garments.  I haven’t quite got used to the way in which many women wear beautiful traditional dresses whilst simply going about their normal daily business, even cleaning and cooking.  The dress is full length with pointy puff sleeves reaching nearly to the elbow and has a wide sash tied to the front.  The material may be patterned or plain.

I have definitely fallen victim to the cross-race effect whilst I’ve been here.  Sometimes I have had had difficulty in recognising people that I’ve already met or in distinguishing between particular people. Occasionally this has proved embarrassing although I do feel that it has become less of a problem over time.  There were two teachers at Kyabirwa who I just couldn’t tell apart and I was relieved that the German visitors had a similar problem.  Chloe has the theory that we normally initially focus on hair colour and style, which isn’t very helpful in Uganda particularly when it comes to men and school children as they all have very short hair.  However, I must just mention women’s hairstyles. Ugandan hair simply doesn’t lend itself to being grown long.  Not only do many women have weaves but a lot of them also wear wigs. Red/pink highlights seem to be in fashion at the moment.  This may aid identification but equally it is sometimes confusing as people like Susan only wears her wig intermittently and the two styles make her look utterly different.

I used to think that there were no road signs or street names in Jinja.  This isn’t actually true; there are quite a few around.  It is just that there is so much to tempt the eye and obscure the view.  We eventually managed to determine the address of our apartment.  Firstly, we discovered the address of the Universal Apostles’ Fellowship Church of Righteousness next door (or St Noah to the locals) and later we received some utility bills indicating out plot number.  However, there is no postal delivery here and everybody uses a P.O. box number.

Considerable effort is going into improving the main road into Jinja including added drainage.  It is a major undertaking. I really feel for the contractors as just when they seem to be making excellent progress, there is heavy rainfall and the vehicles damage the surface again.  They regularly close off quite large sections of the road but this isn’t actually possible at the end near our apartment and so they have to work on one side whilst traffic moving in both directions supposedly keeps to the other side. It makes rally driving seem positively tame. On Saturday, we observed a DHL lorry that had become completely stuck in the mud.  I am only sorry that I shall not be here to see the completion of the transformation that is slowly taking place.  They have also recently dug a large trench along the edge of our road and are now painstakingly lining it with irregular shaped paving stones. English local authorities should think themselves lucky that they only have to deal with comparatively trivial potholes.

When I was planning my trip to Uganda, it suddenly struck me that Sauda, who I sponsor through Plan UK lives ‘next door’ in Kenya.  The charity actively encourages arranged visits.  Kenya is a large country and I wasn’t sure how accessible Sauda’s village might prove to be. However, I was amazed to discover that she is also based close to Lake Victoria but on the eastern rather than the northern shore, near Homa Bay.   Plan UK requested a CRB check and then liaised with Plan Kenya to establish whether or not the family would be happy to receive me. Plan Kenya has offices in both Kisumu and Homa Bay and they very kindly agreed to collect me from Kisumu, which is on the main coach route from Jinja to Nairobi. 

I set off first thing on Sunday morning and was under the impression that it might prove quite an arduous journey. The coach starts out from Kampala and when I boarded, just 15 minutes after the advertised time, I found somebody already sitting in my reserved seat. However, Gibson readily moved when asked to do so and we chatted for most of the way to the border.  I was keen to know when I was actually crossing the equator, as I have never before been to the southern hemisphere. I know that it is clearly indicated on at least one road in Uganda but seemingly not in these parts.  Gibson did his best to track our progress on his phone but the signal was too weak.   He also kindly guided me through the various border checks when we arrived a couple of hours or so later.  I had been warned that this might take an age. On the Ugandan side, we had to complete a form, show our passport and have a photograph and fingerprints taken.  We then had a short walk through ‘no man’s land’ taking a ‘short stop’ (toilet break) on route. The whole process was then repeated on the Kenyan side with the added task of securing a visa. It was all achieved quite speedily and so we rejoined the coach in good time.

Initially, there seemed little to suggest that we were in a different country.  The land continued to be covered in maize, sugar cane and banana plants, and there were still the ubiquitous yellow cannisters for collecting water as well as plenty of orange dust.  However, closer inspection revealed subtle changes. Gibson pointed out that even the simplest houses in the Kenyan countryside tend to have some kind of proper boundary e.g. hedging or fence, something that seems to be reserved for the wealthy in Uganda. The taxis, or matatus as they are called in Kenya are slightly different but, more excitingly, I spotted a significant number of original boda-bodas or piki piki i.e. bicycle bodas.

As we approached Kisumu, the landscape started to change with the hills bearing large boulders and the colour of the soil becoming a little more muted.  The road quality was very good until we met roadworks coming into Kisumu.  However, the entire journey only took about five and quarter hours, which was much quicker than I had been led to believe.

It was very hot when we arrived at the coach station.  Initially I was told that it would be a 45-minute walk to my hotel but this was reduced to 30 minutes when I expressed surprise.  In reality it was more like 15 minutes.  I had expected Kisumu to be rather like Jinja.  However, it had the air of a city with a faster pace of life and a dual carriageway running through the centre. There was an indoor shopping mall by the coach station and a proper concrete car park with spaces clearly demarcated. It all looked rather ‘grey’ without the orange dust and mud to which I have become so accustomed. However, there was still an abundance of market stalls and street traders. I have been told that Kenya is more ‘sophisticated’ and less laid back than Uganda.  

I had booked one of the un-renovated, ensuite rooms at the Duke of Breeze Hotel, situated just off the main road.  The street immediately had a much calmer and quieter feel. I was amused to be asked by the receptionist from which tribe, rather than country, I had come. My room had something of a 1970s style about it with lino on the floor.  It was spacious and very well furnished with a wardrobe, dressing table and desk and made a perfect base.  On the first evening I dined at the roof top restaurant, which has open sides and views right across the city and serves international food.  I got chatting to a vet called Abu, who bought me a drink and flattered me a lot.  He offered to show me around Kisumu the following morning but he never appeared again!  The sports bar and restaurant served breakfast as well as a mixture of African and Indian food throughout the day and was kitted out with football shirts and the emblem of Real Kisumu. Both Kenyans and Ugandans seem to be very keen on football and follow English teams as avidly as their own.  Richard, our driver, says that he would like to visit England just for a day in order to watch Manchester United!

I wandered through the city for a short time during the morning but it was rather stifling and so, having enjoyed a lunch of rice and tilapia in spinach sauce at the Green Garden Restaurant, I decided to head for Hippo Point.  I declined all offers from motorbike bodas and found my first bicycle driver.  These men must be fit.  It was a relatively short journey but it was hot and quite hilly, and the well- maintained road soon became a bumpy track.  I explained to the driver about the rather less arduous cycling conditions in Cambridge.  As we parted company he gave me a cheery wave and told me that he liked me very much! From here I took a boat trip out onto the lake. Unfortunately, conditions were not ideal as a storm began to brew and the lake was very choppy.  In fact at times I though that the wooden boat was in as much in danger of capsizing as a white water raft.  Despite this, we were lucky enough to get several brief sightings of a female hippo and her baby in the water and a family of three otters.  We also enjoyed some bird watching and observed a family of zebras in a sanctuary backing onto the lake.

Samson arrived promptly at 8am the following morning to collect me.  I was greeted with a huge bear hug as though a long lost friend.  He’s a lively character!  His family is in Kisumu and he normally only stays in Homa Bay during the working week. We set off in a large 4by4 Toyota and I was surprised to find that it was a simple two-hour journey on an excellent road. Homa Bay was also bigger than I had expected.  The town had a colourful character and, in retrospect, I could easily have made my own way there and stayed overnight. I was very impressed to see that they have recently installed solar powered streetlights throughout the entire town.

We went straight to Plan’s spacious offices where after being briefed, I was introduced to fifteen or so staff by Fred, the manager. I was given a portion of kitheri, beans and sweetcorn, to eat. I set off again with Samson and three of the field staff, Carolyne, Dorcas and Matthew. We paused at a local supermarket to enable me to buy a good supply of basic foods and washing products for Sauda’s family, as suggested by the charity.  On route, we picked up three local community workers and so we were quite a party when we arrived at Sauda’s home about 12km away.

Sauda is an orphan and is normally cared for by her stepmother, Anne. She has several older siblings as well as younger half brothers and sister.  Plan had assumed that we would stop off to greet Anne and then go up to the local primary school to meet Sauda. However, Sauda is currently living with an aunt some distance away and has changed schools. She only comes home during the holidays. This is due to the difficulty of accommodating everybody in such a tiny place.  The house is situated on a hillside.  There was only one other building in the immediate vicinity and I suspect that this might be their kitchen area. We crowded into a tiny room completely filled with comfy chairs and a low table. There was just about room for all of the visiting party, Anne and the youngest four children including Sauda. There was nothing else in the room apart from one religious picture and I doubt that there is any electricity or running water. There was a second area divided off by a curtain, which cannot have been much bigger than the sitting room.

So Sauda had returned from school to greet me along with many other family members.  It was very emotional meeting her having exchanged letters for over six years.  She always looks terribly serious in photos and her correspondence has only more recently begun to give some insight into her personality.    She proved to be softly spoken, utterly sweet and charming and was clearly delighted to see me.  Children learn both Swahili and English in Kenyan schools and so we had no difficulty in understanding each other. 

There are eight year groups in Kenyan primary schools and Sauda hopes to move on to secondary school in January.  I am told that she is hard working and, interestingly, she would like to become a journalist. We chatted for a while and took lots of photos. Anne then served an amazing lunch: two different platefuls of ugali (from maize and sorghum), greens, chicken and mangoes.  Sauda went around with a jug of water and bowl so that every body could wash their hands and we all eat with our fingers.  It is a pity that we were such a large visiting party as it meant that I didn’t manage to identify all the other family members sitting outside.

There were ‘speeches’ from a community leader, Carolyne from Plan, Anne, Sauda, an uncle and me.  The uncle was very keen that I should send him a photo of us shaking hands.  There followed the presentation of gifts including the food.  Plan gives very clear guidance on presents and request that it is kept very simple. It is important not to alienate other members of the community although, in this case, this was not an issue.  I had bought balloons and a Frisbee as suggested by the charity, which could be shared with any number of children, and a special pen for Sauda along with notebooks.  A tea towel of London really seemed to impress Anne and the children.

Plan use the term sponsor child but this isn’t entirely accurate, as donations do not go directly to the individual’s family.  Instead they are used for wider community projects.  However, it is clear that the charity keeps a watchful eye on sponsor children and will respond in times of sickness, for example. There are various safeguards in place and it is not permissible to disclose a sponsor’s contact details.  Instead all communications must go through Plan.  Therefore, it was rather difficult when Sauda asked me for my phone number and I had to decline, but I left it to the charity to explain the procedures. It is unfortunate that correspondence regularly takes months to reach its destination.

After lunch, we went up to the local primary school to see the buildings that Plan have funded. Sauda came too and we sat together in the front of the Toyota.  We had a chance to chat to the head teacher, who was thrilled with the charity’s contribution.  From there it was time to return Sauda to her family and set off back to the office.

I then discovered that arrangements had been made for me to have some food at the local Twin Towers Hotel, as they didn’t expect Anne to be able to provide such a fine lunch. I wasn’t in the least bit hungry but the team seemed adamant that I should eat again.  I ended up with a whole tilapia in tomato sauce and a separate plate of chips but, fortunately, they suggested a doggy bag for the large number of chips that I just couldn’t manage to eat. I’m told that when I return some day, they will teach me to eat fish with my fingers.  There was also some mention of the value of eating the brain… It was then back to the office for a debrief with Fred before I was devein back to Kisumu. Samson seemed rather concerned that Sauda has to travel a significant distance to school and sometimes uses a boda boda.  Boda drivers seem to have a very bad reputation, which may or may not be justified.  However, I suspect that Sauda is sensible enough not to be led astray and I hope that nobody will try and take advantage of her.  Presumably, there will be different arrangements in place once she starts secondary school in January although I will need to find out how this is being funded and organised.

The following morning I visited Kisumu Museum, which was only about a ten-minute walk from the hotel.  The place is rather like Jinja in that the bustle of the town centre is very quickly left behind. There were some very interesting exhibits in the museum relating to the history of the three main tribes in Western Kenya. However, I was less comfortable seeing the cramped conditions of some crocodiles, snakes and fish.

The journey back to Jinja after lunch took longer than the outward journey. This was partly due to the fact that visas had literally doubled in price without warning since Sunday and quite a few people didn’t actually have the requisite number of dollars with them. Wednesday night has always been our evening out and I was determined not to miss this final opportunity. The late arrival of the coach meant that we were too late to see the film but we were not unduly concerned about that, as the recent choice of movie has challenged even our liberal tastes.  However, it felt very sad knowing that it was the last time that we would enjoy a meal together at the Moti Mahal.

There were emotional goodbyes the following lunchtime as I went into town to say farewell to Chloe and Kibibi as well as some of the Ugandan team at the charity.  It is has been lovely to watch Kibibi grow and develop.  She is proving to be quite a character and we both adore her. She became great friends with our neighbour’s cat, who would regularly come calling for her and it was sad when cat and owner moved out. Kibibi’s future is uncertain. We have learnt that the woman who was planning to take her to Kenya has recently acquired two male puppies although she still seems willing to have Kibibi, if necessary. We are conscious that Kibibi has very much become a mzungu’s pet whereas Africans normally only keep dogs for reasons of security.  The dogs live outside and may be neglected, or worse still, mistreated.   Chloe is looking into the possibility of bringing her to England.  This is very costly and regulations mean that she cannot travel until November. The dog minder is happy to look after Kibibi in the interim or will help in the search for a suitable new owner.

I was glad to have Richard’s company as he drove me to Kampala ready for my last few days in Uganda. It was very hard to leave Jinja.