Uganda Update - October 2010

Dear Uganda 2010 Travelers, Families, and Friends,

I recently received an update on the chicken coop our sons helped to build at the Daughters of Charity in Kampala in January 2010. Charles Lugemwa, our Ugandan friend who so helped our sons while they were in Kampala, sends his best to all of the STA travelers and their families. 

After our sons left Uganda, the building on the coop continued on. The roof was completed, and windows and doors were ordered. After the windows were installed, it became clear that a smaller mesh was needed as neighborhood birds were moving in and setting up their households, so small revisions were required. Electrical wiring and fixtures were installed, and Charles' wife, Maria, who is a veterinarian, consulted with the orphanage director on how to start their chicken project. It is with great pride that Charles reports that the first 300 layers are healthy and doing well. The staff and children are learning about how to care for their charges, and more chickens will be added as the project develops and the caretakers gain experience.

What a great successful project and a substantial and sustainable benefit for the children! Our sons should be very proud.

~ Kristin Hoelsher-Schacker

Kampala, Uganda
January 17-30, 2010

This year offers a new service opportunity for a group of students to travel to Uganda and work on a building project at the Daughters of Charity Orphanage on the outskirts of the capitol city of Kampala. The orphanage is home to 80-100 children ranging in age from two years through their teens.  These children are able to attend school (for which the orphanage must pay) only because they bake biscuits every day and sell them at local markets.  They earn enough so that a few of the children can go on to secondary school (the equivalent of our high school) and some even go on to receive a college degree.  The orphanage could send more children to school if they could increase their revenues by selling more biscuits.  Currently, the limiting factor is a reliable, inexpensive source of eggs.  Our project will be to build a chicken coop on the grounds of the orphanage large enough to house several hundred chickens.

Our students will work side-by-side with students from the University of St. Thomas who are in Kampala for the month of January.  STA and UST students will live together in a retreat center run by the Archdiocese of Kampala, located approximately 1/2 mile from the Daughters of Charity Orphanage.

Students: M. Deasey, R. Gontarek, S. Hegedus, Z. Johnson, B. Jordan, S. Loufek, S. Mascia, P. O’Neill, R. Peters, J. Plunkett, T. Rossmann, J. Schacker, S. Schacker, R. Schumack, P. Siebenaler and T. Walser. Chaperones: Mr. Solmon and Mr. Tangwe.

Thank you to Dr. Tim Schacker '73,  Mr. Solmon, J. Schacker '10, S. Schacker '12 and R. Peters '10
for the more than 200 photographs in the slide show below.
Please click on a photo for a larger image.

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Monday, January 18

We started our first full day in Uganda at the ARU Secratariat, but changed to our new retreat center, St. Augustine Retreat Center, led by the Sisters of Charity, at 11:00 a.m., walking through several side streets and taking in the sites around us.  There were clothes, empty water bottles, tires, plastic bags, and other debris scattered all over the road (which was more like a dirt path with wheel ruts in it).  There were wooden and sheet metal shacks erected along the sides of these roads, advertising hair salons, pubs, convenience stores, and minute clinics. 

After we arrived at St. Augustine, we ate a pretty large lunch and then left to go visit the children at the Daughters of Charity Orphanage, located about a 5 minute walk away from St. Augustine.  There, we met the children and the staff of the orphanage, and spent a few hours conversing and watching a dance performed by the children, who were very excited to meet us and talk to us. 

After we left the orphanage, we went around Kampala to various religious sites, touring the streets and traveling around the city.  Then, as the sun began to set, we went down to the shores of Lake Victoria and stayed there awhile, relaxing and taking in the lakeshore.  Eventually, we returned to St. Augustine and ate dinner, and begun preparations for our first full day of work tomorrow. - J. Schacker

Walking to the orphanage on Day 1

The boys meet the kids at Daughters of the Charity Orphanage

Chicken house foundation

Walser jumps in and mixes cement for the first course of bricks

At the end of Day 1, the boys travel to the edge of Lake Victoria to enjoy the sunset

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Tuesday, January 19

It's Tuesday and we woke up bright and early at 7:30 a.m. After a breakfast of toast, melon, coffee and tea we set off for the orphanage. Upon our arrival we were welcomed by a swarm of exited children, all interested to know our names, what grades we were in, and what music we listened to.

We then started our work on the walls of the chicken coop, or chicken mansion as we like to call it based on its size. We used cement made of sand, red dirt, cement mix and water as mortar to hold the 5x4x16 inch bricks that weighed about 60lb apiece. We worked diligently until 1:00 p.m., and then returned to St. Augustine’s for lunch.

After lunch, on our walk back to the orphanage, it started to rain and hail heavily. We took this opportunity to play games with the orphans including using a long string of trash bags as a slip-n-slide and using our wrapped up wet shirts to play catch. The University of Saint Thomas students are a lot of fun. Half of the STA students soon played soccer with the boys and girls of the orphanage while the other half returned to clean up after a fun and tiring day. - J. Plunkett

Progress on the coop

Soccer game #1

Soccer game #2

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Wednesday, January 20

Because of the rain yesterday, the afternoon was spent with and getting to know the orphans.  Though we received more rain than we had hoped, we did receive another gift.  Our UST friends took the day off and rested our newer friends from the orphanage pitched in to help.  The kids pitched in and helped carry bricks, mix cement, and made the day fun.  During breaks Ryan, Spencer, and Tucker taught kids how to play American football, Ryan, Sean and Pat answered questions about American life, and I hung out with my new friends - two-year-old Percy and Silvey (who is handicapped).  Everyone has made good friends.  We have completed four rows of the Chicken Mansion and we think we will get it finished before we leave.  We are all gateful for our families and friends love and support.  We love you all. - B. Jordan

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Thursday, January 21

The boys had a very strenuous morning at the orphanage and in the afternoon they went to the King of
Buganda's palace, the Bugandan parliament, and the burial grounds for the Bugandan kings. They got back to the residence about 8:00 p.m. and went right to bed.

Palace of the Bugandan king

Prison beneath the palace where Idi Amin imprisoned and killed thousands of people

Burial grounds of the Bugandan kings

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Friday, January 22

This morning there was no power.  We could not toast our bread or have hot coffee.  We then went to the orphanage and work was slow because we are not allowed on the scaffolding to lay bricks.  Many of us played with the children.  We are all becoming close to the children.  The more we bond with them the harder it will be to leave them.  The afternoon work was also slow so we played a large game of soccer.  After we came back to St. Augustine's, washed up and had a meeting about HIV and AIDS.  I would also like to wish my girlfriend a happy two-year anniversary today. - R. Schumack

From Dr. Schacker: Everyone is fine and really looking forward to leaving for the safari tomorrow. It will probably be Monday before we send more postings because there is limited access to the internet upcountry.

Taking a break from setting bricks

Break time

The South wall goes up

These are our companions during the walk to the orphange.

This is the road we walk down every day to get to the orphanage.
Every day the kids come out to greet us.

Some of the guys inside the Chicken Mansion

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Sunday, January 24

Well, we’re at Murchison Falls National Park and contrary to our initial belief we have internet access here!  Bright and early Saturday morning we were picked up from St. Augustine’s by a group of safari cars.  From Kampala we traveled eight hours north to where we are now; Paraa Resort in Murchsion Falls. 

Our rooms overlook the Nile River and all the animals that live among it.  We have gone on four safaris, one on Saturday night, one Sunday morning, one boat safari on the Nile River after lunch on Sunday, and one Sunday night.  Though its a lot hotter here than in Kampala, we are all amazed by the beautiful landscape and animals such as lions, elephants, giraffes, hippos, and crocodiles.  This place is amazing and we were glad to have this incredible break.  We travel back to Kampala tomorrow and get back to work finishing the chicken palace. - B. Jordan

We just crossed the Nile on a barge and are waiting for the cars to line up.

On Safari

Waiting for the elephant to cross the road

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Tuesday, January 26

Today, we got up at a leisurely 8:00 a.m. We stayed the night at  the Case Western University house. We had arrived from Murchison Falls National Park last night, and the ARU Secretariat was full, so we stayed there for the night. The shower was warm, for a change, and the meals were excellent. When we were ready to leave, a 14 passenger van showed up to bring 15 people to the Secretariat. After we crammed 12 of us in the back, we learned that the van was meant for the UST students, who would have easily fit. Our bus, which had gone to pick up the UST students instead of us, arrived after we all got out of the van, and we loaded up and went to the Secretariat. After we dropped our bags, we walked to St. Augustine’s and piled up our bags for pickup. Once that was done, we walked to the orphanage and worked for an hour before going to lunch. We worked the rest of the day and walked back to the Secretariat, where we are sleeping until Friday. - S. Schacker

Crossing the Nile on Monday morning for the trip back to Kampala

Murchison Falls

The Chicken Mansion is almost ready for the roof

Taking a break

Carrying cement

On the drums...

Taking a break from filling water jugs

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Wednesday, January 27

Today it was very hot. We woke up, ate breakfast and departed for the orphanage. We began working on moving the lumber needed for the rafters and once that was done we began digging holes and constructing the scaffolding needed for the workers to pour the concrete needed to put the roof on.

The scaffolding is made of wood sticks around 20 feet high connected by wood boards, we are not allowed on the scaffolding. Next, we filled wheel barrows with sand, rocks and fine dirt to make the concrete. We put them all in a pile, added water and began handing the contractors on the scaffolding the concrete.

Part of our group helped make the cupcakes the orphanage sells in the market. After working, we went to meet the Cardinal for Uganda, only one of 12 in all of Africa. He was a very nice man and was polite and answered our questions. Overall today was a very successful day. Mom and dad, I love you and I’m doing great! - P. O’Neill

Chicken Mansion, Day 11 - almost ready for the roof

His Eminence Emanuel Cardinal Wamala (center) and the Rt. Rev Christopher Kakooza (left),
Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Kampala pose with the group during a visit to
Cardinal Wamala's home in Kampala.

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Friday, January 29

Earlier this evening I dropped 16 very tired and excited young men off at the airport in Entebbe.  They are happy to be coming home and also sad to be leaving an experience they will carry with them forever.  You should be proud of each of them and what they accomplished.  I could give you the statistics about moving 3 tons of bricks, mixing and carrying 3-4 tons of cement, and building an 800 square foot building to house 1200 chickens.  But they did so much more than that.  They touched the lives of 80 young people in Uganda and changed them forever.  These children will now have better food, more money to have a better education, and a brighter future.

They will have stories to tell you about travels through Kampala, fluctuating power supplies, 20 ways to prepare bananas (that all taste the same), 9 hour car rides in very hot weather, and crossing the Nile River on a barge.  But, they will also tell you the stories of these kids, orphaned by AIDS, who are trying to find their way against some very long odds.  Listen to what our boys have to say about this, its important.

On behalf of our hosts His Grace Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, Archbishop of Kampala, and His Emminence Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, Kristin and I want to thank the parents for letting their sons travel to the other side of the world to help these children and to each of the young men for taking the risk to come to Uganda.  You have given an amazing gift to these children.

- Tim Schacker

Mr. Tangwe greets the chldren and the group is ready to distribute the gifts brought from STA

The kids line up to receive their gifts.