Sunday, July 26

Today was an extremely productive day. Muyambi got two out of the three signatures we need from the local commissioners of the Amoro district where we want our project to be based. This gives us the right to finally visit the community, tell them about our project, and have surveys and applications filled in. I can’t stress how vital this step is to all that we need to do here. We are going to get a thorough feel of how we can best help the villages we are in contact with and see what adjustments need to be made in our plan.

Another great contribution to the project was the meeting with Mark who aided us in completing our CBO paperwork as well as suggesting existing CBO’s that we would work with if approval of our application is delayed. We also can’t forget how helpful Alex has been through all of this, giving us a great idea of what’s actually going to happen on the ground and providing us with valuable insight into the local situation. BAP’s contacts have been incredibly helpful. Their knowledge of the area and the communities we plan to work with ensure that we are accepted by the people we are trying to assist and that our transition into their lives goes as smoothly as possible. It gives me great confidence to know that they support what we’re doing here in Uganda and are willing to give time and energy to help our project. I feel as though the more local support we have the more likely we are to succeed and it is very reassuring to know that BAP isn’t a top down organization, but instead receives and depends on the input of people who know all about the current situation.

The most memorable part of the day for me was the meeting with Steven, a new friend that Kevin, Colin, and John made at the wedding we attended yesterday. Steven had been a night commuter, one of the children we have up till now only read about. He, like many others, had been forced to make a nightly commute into town in order to avoid abduction by the rebels. His story was extremely touching, delivering a harsh yet welcome reality to an account that had been intangible to us until now. Steven took us to the place where he and the other children used to sleep. The compound is now serving as a place of counseling for former abductees as well as working on a program to educate people in order to prevent sexual violence. I’m sure we all appreciated Steven’s openness in telling his story and introducing us to his difficult past. Although it may have been hard for him to talk about I’m really glad he did. He is an amazing person and I hope we are able to stay in contact with him throughout our trip.

Although the end of the day was a bit longer then we had all initially wanted, the slight amount of sleep that we gave up to have our student only meeting was well worth it. I feel as though we are finally on the same page, tensions have been released, and we are able to be more confident about our plan of attack. The group dynamic is working out very well and I think everyone feels closer. I hope that the lines of communication stay open and together we can succeed.

- Erika