HAITI TO UGANDA

Its always interesting to take a pause and see how fast time goes when you are busy. Seems like i have been busy for the past few years that i have forgotten to notice how old i am getting. Anyways, i guess i never finished writing about my Haiti experience and here i go.

The last few days in Haiti were very busy as i tried to make sure that i had everything covered. Generally the deal is that we have to come up with an attractive design to attract the users of the current back-breaking cart. I traveled to Leogane on the second last day in Haiti and met with the directors of the NEGES foundation one of whom had just flown in from USA a few minutes before. They gave wonderful and constructive critism and advise on what i presented to them and they were willing to actually help in every way they can to make it come true.

Fortunately they pointed us to a member of their organisation, a trustworthy genetleman that agreed to acting as our field manager. The tasks ahead include developing a survey that our field manager can use to find out what obstacles are currently faced in the current mode of transportation. This small survey should also be useful in finding out what the size of our new innovative transportation cart should be. I am hoping both students at Bucknell and Brown would be helpful in making these designs possible.

On my last day, i hurried to the city very early in the morning to look for some gifts for my host family. They had been incredible at taking care of me given the few pounds i gained on the trip. As i jumped on the tap tap (taxi) that evening, i realized that my work in Haiti had just began and wished that it would continue until i get to see even the slightest change in the transportation system in the country. The chaos in the city center reminded me of Uganda and after successful securing all the gifts i found appropriate, i headed back to pack and get ready to fly to the USA where i would stay one day and the fly to Uganda.

In 4 hours i landed at JFK where Kevin saved me from the cold outside the airport. I constantly pondered whether it was really gobal warming that caused the great temperature difference between Haiti and USA or just one of those things well crafted by our creator.

After getting a days trip in NYC by Nicole and Kevin (who tried really hard to impress me with NY pizza), i found myself sitted on Emirates airline (enjoying ICE AGE) headed for Uganda. After a few days in the capital visiting family, i now sit in an internet cafe in Gulu where our BAP pilot project was implemented only a few months ago.

keep posted, more about the trip in the next post.
Muyambi