It’s been about a month since I learned I would be going to Uganda to work with the World Peasants/Indigenous Organization (WPIO).  They will soon to change their name to Central African Association for Indigenous Rights (CAAIR), by the way.  In the interim, I have felt everything from elation to fear, equanimity to frustration… in short, the highs and lows one always seems to feel before embarking on a life challenge.

Already, I am learning the importance of patience, and that one must always expect the unexpected as, already, plans have changed, and changed again.  A few weeks after accepting the position, I learned the WPIO staff will be doing (very interesting and important) fieldwork on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo during the month of June.  They will be working with Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism, studying HIV/AIDS and orphan issues within the Baamba indigenous communities.  However, this means there will be no one in Kampala for me to work with during June.  Thus, could I come out in July instead?  Yikes!  I had already bought my (non-refundable and very expensive to change) ticket.  So, what to do?   The Advocacy Project quickly scrambled to find a solution and a new idea was born… perhaps I could join the WPIO in their fieldwork.   A brilliant idea!  WPIO was all for it, but they had to okay things with all who were involved.  However, as I already felt intuitively, this would not be feasible.  So, back to square one.

Now, however, a happy solution has been found.  I will spend 3 weeks up in Gulu with another AP Fellow, Christine Carlson, who has generously agreed to let me join her.  There, I will be supporting her work with the Gulu Disabled Persons Union.  Then, when July arrives, I will go down to Kampala to start my work with the WPIO.  They will be back with their research, and I am sure it will be full bore from there until I depart in mid-August.

Already, this is turning into quite an adventure!  I leave June 7th, so more soon…