Moving On Up

Before I left to meet my family in Europe, Peace Corps decided that it was finally time to switch me to a new organization. My old organization, GOCAPU, had run out of funding and from what I gathered had no plans to acquire funds in the future. Without funding it was impossible to do outreach and therefore there was no longer work for me to do. My old organization quickly became disinterested in me as soon as they realized that I am the only muzungu (pale face whitey) in the country that has no money. The concept of a volunteer is lost on the majority of Ugandans - they always ask me, "but why would you come and live here?" to which I usually respond "that is a great question that I ask myself everyday."

Fortunately for me, there was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the next town over whose organization was willing to take me on. My new organization is called Brick by Brick. [brickbybrick.org] It is an American NGO based in NYC whose mission is to improve the lives and futures of children in Uganda by supporting the delivery of quality education, improving the physical infrastructure of school communities and encouraging sustainable economic development. On a day-to-day basis I work at Brick by Brick Construction with John Trimmer (Peace Corps Volunteer) and Max Ssenyonga to plan and coordinate the infrastructure developments of school communities.

Brick by Brick Construction is unique in its use of a new construction technology called Interlocking Soil Stabilized Bricks (ISSB). The innovative technology provides an environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional construction method. Traditionally, buildings in Uganda are constructed using burnt clay bricks. Clay bricks require a large amount of clay to be removed from the wetlands and as a result there has been significant destruction of a fragile ecosystem. Additionally, after the clay is dug and molded into bricks, the bricks are then stacked into kilns and burned, a process that requires a large amount of wood. Uganda’s deforestation is already well documented, and if the use of burnt clay bricks continues to increase, the country’s loss of forests will only become worse.

Working for an American NGO certainly has its perks. My living conditions drastically improved and I am happy to say that I am no longer a “slumdog.” There is no rat and/or cockroach infestation, the walls are not falling down, and the most drastic change is that I now have indoor plumbing and electricity. My house has two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen (with a sink), and a bathroom! I almost cried tears of joy when I saw the toilet and makeshift shower. I no longer have to bucket bathe and/or use a latrine. Ahh the simply pleasures of life… I also have internet access in my house and will therefore be able to update my blog more frequently.

Life is great here in Uganda.