Update from BHW Uganda Partnership Facilitator Following Phone Conversation 19th September

Recent Events

Children

In terms of HRC Anna said that there are six or seven of the children still living there finishing off the studies. It was hard to get full details over the phone and some of this will need to wait until I visit and am able to review matters more fully. The ones that are still there that Anna was able to mention off hand were Maurice, Elvis, Yeko, Tom, and Jen. I am pretty sure that that is not all of them, but they were the ones that she mentioned. 

Some of the others have finished their studies and are now living their own life, either in Lira or away working elsewhere. Those who are working mainly seem to be in probationary or voluntary/ internship type roles, pending obtaining “real” work, which has a salary.

I indicated to Anna that when I was there, we are going to need to have some significant discussions around the future of HRC, particularly now that there are considerably fewer children. She understands this.  

Grinding Mill

The mill started operating but because it had been lying in limbo for so long it needed some repairs and replacement parts. These issues are being addressed at the moment by Simon and they have been utilising funds that are being held, including some of the funds set aside for the transformer. 

At the moment the mill can operate using a slightly smaller transformer and the engineers are currently working on the larger transformer to install. I understand that Simon is in the process of sorting out what is needed to ensure that the mill can work.

One of the other issues though, is that there has been a disastrous maize crop in Uganda this year. Prices have doubled, and there is a significant shortage. I have heard this from a number of our partners.

My understanding is that there will be business for the mill once it is fully and finally operational. One of the mills in the local area has shut down, leaving only one other.  

Loan Programmes (Mbale UGA05 and Lira UGA06) 

I did indicate to Anna that we would also be wanting to work with her to reactivate the loan programmes in both Lira and Mbale, both of which are still continuing and still being reasonably effective. The model going forward, however, cannot be along the existing line. I see the downturn in Uganda as providing the opportunity to reconstitute these programmes, perhaps with a bit of seed funding, into table banking schemes. 

In conversation Anna mentioned that the loan programme that Judy and I saw in Ngora 3½ years ago had to close up because people ran out of resources, and they needed to use them simply for survival. Encouragingly however she said that that the programme has started again. She does understand that table banking might be a better alternative going forward. 

Personal

“Terrible, too many challenges in sickness and death.” 
Anna's only consolation is that she has to put her trust in God. She has had major health issues, even though some of these are improving a little bit. Each year that I go to Africa I take medication for her, enough for approximately one year. She has had some setbacks, but Bright Hope World provided for further medication last year and earlier this year. Both she and Penninah (and her other sister Hope) have some health issues around swelling in the legs which definitely needs further investigation. 

Recently we received a distressing message from Anna to say that they had been given notice to vacate both the house in Lira which is occupied by the children and Penninah, and also the house in Mbale where her and Simon live. She said that the landlords were experiencing difficulties. 

There have been significant increases in costs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the other things that has happened is that both Lira and Mbale have now been designated as cities by the government. Apparently, this is supposed to trigger further government investment in infrastructure which is not likely to happen. But it does cause significant rises both in house prices and rental.  

Anna told me that the landlords had imposed some conditions. They have until November to agree to an increased rental on the Lira property to 900,000 UGX per month ($236 USD) and the Mbale property until October to agree to a rental increase to 800,000 UGX ($210). This is actually less than the landlords were seeking as I understand that the rental on both properties were approximately anticipated at around 1,000,000 UGX per month.

Personal Stories

Emmanuel Ocen, who we have reported on previously and who is a fine upstanding young man, had to sell his pig business and has now relocated to work in Dubai. Anna was quite sad about this but recognised that many people have to go overseas for work these days. Apparently, Emmanuel is not finding the work environment particularly good, and there is already evidence of employer abuse. However, he is using this as an opportunity to save and hopefully acquire some resources so that he can return to Uganda.

Current Issues and Challenges

The country is still faced with a considerable amount of violence. Previously I had reported on the fact that Simon and Anna in Mbale had suffered a very violent and nearly tragic break-in and robbery. Anna believes that they were only rescued through the power of God. Subsequently there was violence and robbery at the local resort hotel, and the people came back to Simon and Anna’s place as well, as they were the same people. The robbery was only averted by the use of firearms by the police. So obviously this is a very serious situation.

On a more positive note, Simon and Anna have been doing some growing, even in the difficult growing conditions. They got 5/6 bags (100kg) of maize, but the flooding was also bad. Many people lost all of their agricultural products and often an individual’s 3 or 4 acres were completely destroyed and washed away. This was in Mbale and eastern areas of Uganda which had very serious flooding and rainfall, and significant loss of life.  In the northern part from Lira to the northern border there are drought conditions and not enough rain.

Comments

When we go to Uganda shortly, we will be very seriously looking at the future of HRC. Anna knows, and we have made it clear that Bright Hope World will want HRC to be self-sustaining through the mill very quickly. This is extremely important, as Bright Hope World does not want to be continuing to fund HRC, once the children have all gone.