Greetings to you all,

I hope that you have been well.

The week has been good down here with scattered showers in and around Kampala. We have some minor floods in some areas, but no fatalities have been registered. The sun has also been kind to us ensuring that we get the balance for both animals and plants.

Ebola is continuing to threaten the public here and we are on a serious campaign to sensitize people to wash their hands and also go to the hospital in case they are presented with fever, body aches, bleeding, and other unfamiliar symptoms. 

This week, I visited the following Mamas:

Lorna K continues to perform well with her chapati stall and restaurant. The restaurant has been doing well and her customers have kept showing up but just like Rovence, the food prices have been high, especially sugar and charcoal. Sugar has increased dramatically about a week ago and it is affecting her porridge and tea sales. Otherwise, everything else seems well and she is happy. The only challenge was that her youngest son broke his leg at school so he was brought back last week. He has since returned to school. The older son stubbornly refused to return to school saying that school is hard and he doesn’t understand what they teach. He would like to opt for vocational training but Lorna doesn’t yet have the money saved.

Florence A is also doing well. Her challenge these past weeks has been cooking oil which has refused to reduce in price. She fries chips every evening and I found her cleaning her equipment in preparation for the evening job. The Irish potatoes have been coming in and that is a good thing. The salon is not doing well but like I have explained over the last few reports, she says she has a grand plan for December. She is going to restock all the hair and chemicals in preparation for the festive season. This is one of the best times of year for her.

On a sad note, Jane’s old house has continued to flood because the developers added more dirt blocking all the waterways which caused the water to back up in her house. I have been in touch with her to find out how the family is doing and if they are okay. Luckily enough some of the kids are in boarding school so she only has a few at home. The construction of the new house is also in progress so they will move soon. She is locating the gentleman who built the wall around the tank to help remove it so we can have it transported and rebuilt at the new site.

Aidah is adjusting well. She is also teaching her daughter to make chips too. She often comes back from school early and joins her mother in peeling, washing and attending to the chips as they fry. This is a good way to mentor the child and also helping out with some chores ensures that the child is participating in paying for her school fees. It helps them grow up responsible and not take school for granted.

Hamida is working hard to set up her chicken coop and is also saving money for the chickens. She has finished wiring the house with electricity and has put a board on one of the windows that was broken. She has so far saved 200,000/- to help in the purchasing of chicks when the time is ready. 

Immaculate M is also doing well with her clinic. She still works evening hours from 6pm till midnight. It looks like those few hours actually help to keep the clinic afloat with all the bills. The stock looks good so I am happy it is working for her at the moment.

Irene L is also starting to pick up on her business. It is still slow but at least she has managed to pay some of the school dues including her two candidate class boys. The salon doesn’t look out of stock and also the smell around the market has seemingly reduced. I guess it is because of the rain that is moving through the gutters around her salon. She is still looking for an option for the salon which is a good thing.

Rashida S is doing very well. She is diligent with her stall and ensures it’s all packed and stocked with goods. It is always a joy to see her smile in her vegetables. All the girls are now in school, and the fees have been paid. The season has been good for Rashida. The school also looks kindly upon her children because they know it is because of Rashida’s children that the water Purifaaya ended up in their school.

Thank you for following us yet again this week. We never take your following for granted. It encourages, motivates and energizes us each time you reach out and respond. It is a joy for me to put my fingers on this keyboard each week knowing that you are always waiting to hear about the Mamas. This week was not bad at all, yes, two people struggled a bit but we were able to sort it out. Please continue to spread the word, we still have a few Mamas to relocate and boost so we need all the help we can get. 

Report by;

Andrew Echel

Director of Programs, Uganda.

ISEE Solutions Society.