The Rescue! and fundraising update.

Hopefully you have heard of Invisible Children's worldwide event "The Rescue". Yesterday, in 100 cities in 10 countries, thousands of young people "abducted themselves" and camped out waiting to be rescued by media and "moguls". The idea behind the event was to bring attention to the actions of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and attempt to get governments around the world to work toward 4 goals:

1. Rescue the child soldiers and apprehend the top LRA leaders.
2. Support the protection of civilians in LRA-affected areas
3. Provide humanitarian support for displaced persons
4. Support recovery and reconciliation initiatives in Northern Uganda

Here in Toronto, hundreds of people met at Dundas square and marched in groups of 20 holding to a rope to Queen's Park. Unfortunately 3 hours into the event, a severe thunderstorm rolled in. The sky darkened so quickly! Organizers handed out garbage bags which people wore to stay dry. The group were "rescued" by Olivia Chow, Jack Layton, and Rick Mercer.

Here is a brief video of the Rescue event in Gulu earlier this month.

It is hard to believe that I will be in Uganda in nine weeks! The time is going to fly by. Thanks to generous donations from friends and family, I have raised $3400 USD to date -- only $600 short of the $4000 USD originally to be submitted by Friday, May 1st. Since everyone at Invisible Children was busy with the Rescue event, we have been given until May 7th to submit our funds.

It is funny to think that hearing about the website freedocumentaries.org has led to me spending 6 weeks in Northern Uganda. I've been looking at photo albums of past participants in the Invisible Children's Teacher Exchange. I am so excited.

Second Submission of Funds and Itinerary

On April 1st, a further $1000 USD submission was due to Invisible Children. Thanks to generous donations from friends and family, I have raised exactly $3000 USD to date, and these funds have all been submitted. I am only $1000 USD away from the final goal!

My flights to and from Uganda on British Airlines have been booked.

To Uganda
depart 10:30 pm 27 June: NYC-London-Entebbe arrive 7:45 am 29 June

From Uganda
depart 9:05 am 10 August: Entebbe-London-NYC arrive 10:30 pm 10 August

I am still waiting on final word regarding my flight to/from NYC from Toronto. It will likely be 11 August when I get back to TO.

A few weeks ago I made a doctor's appointment to get my shots. I feel like superwoman right now -- impervious to all kinds of diseases. I just have to double-check that I am vaccinated against polio.

Uganda and Invisible Children are always on my mind. My sister gave birth to my new niece this week. While she was in the hospital getting the top care, I couldn't help but imagine how it must be for women in the IDP camps. My little niece came into the world and all our minds fill with the opportunities she will have in life. I think of how lucky we are to have access to excellent free health care and education and to generally expect a life with little threat of violence or disease. I noticed the life expectancy rates this past week, ~51 in Uganda vs. ~81 in Canada. A difference of 30 years!

For International Women's Day, I went to see Eve Ensler speak. She is the author of the Vagina Monologues and has been working to support Dr. Denis Mukwege in the Democratic Republic of Congo as he tries to save the lives and souls of women who are raped as a tactic in the ongoing conflict there. Read the article she wrote for Glamour magazine last August: http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2007/08/rape-in-the-congo

It may sound like she would be a depressing speaker, but it is just the opposite. She is inspired by these women who have lived through hell but still have hope for the future. It is her belief that the best way to help people living in such situations, is to support them in helping themselves. From everything I've read, Invisible Children takes this same approach. I am very interested in their Mentorship program for students in schools in the Gulu district.

On top of helping fund the building of new schools and providing scholarships for students, Invisible Children provides salaries to mentors for the students. Many students are orphans due to the war or AIDS. The mentors monitor students performance in school, monitor their health, and simply talk to them about life, the past and the future. The mentors also work to educate the students regarding Acholi culture and traditions.

Of course as a participant in the teacher-exchange, I will also be working to support my partner teacher and partner school in the work they are doing there. It is expected that my relationship with my partner teacher and school will continue beyond the six weeks I spend there. I can't wait to find out to which school I will be assigned.

I've included an earlier video produced by Invisible Children which highlights the desire to support the people of Gulu in helping themselves.

"Meeting" fellow participants and submitting documents

Well, I've submitted the first $2000 USD to Invisible Children. My fundraising total to date is $2450 USD (that's more than $3000 CAD)! The next date for submission of funds is April 1st, for another $1000 USD. I've signed all the waivers, acknowledging that travel in East Africa is inherently dangerous due to factors such as bad roads, disease, and political instability. A little different from the waiver I signed last week to go downhill skiing with high school students.

I've got my new passport in hand, with requisite embarrassing photo. When they tell me that I am not allowed to smile, I can't seem to avoid opening my eyes really wide like I am really surprised.

I finished the first book on the required reading list. "Confessions of an Economic Hitman". What a crazy book about the exploitation of a country's resources through financial loans for infrastructure. I thought it was very interesting, but I would like to read another book on the topic now. It certainly gives me the feeling that I have a lot to learn.

I think I will watch the movie "Last King of Scotland" this week. It is the story of Idi Amin from 1971-1979 in Uganda as told through a fictional personal doctor and confidant, Garrigan. In "Confessions of an Economic Hitman", I learned that Amin lived out his life in extravagant comfort in Saudi Arabia, after being exiled from Uganda for all the atrocities he committed there.

I've started to make contact with other teachers participating in the exchange this year. There is a total of 37 teachers going in three different groups. I am in the third group with twelve other participants. We all leave New York City together on June 27th. That is two days after school ends, I guess I better finish the yearbook on the last day this year, instead of spending 10 days of the summer vacation doing it. Although the three groups leave at different times, we all overlap for the International Teaching and Learning Conference.

One of the participants started a "group" on Facebook for IC Teacher Exchange participants. I am amazed at how many people are returning for a second or third year with the project. It has been wonderful to read their blogs of past years. Here is a sample:

Matt Michelin: http://www.ugandamatt.blogspot.com/ (returning for a second summer)

John Magee: http://mageeinuganda.blogspot.com/ (returning for a third summer)

It is great to see photos of the schools and read about the relationships formed.

I spent this past weekend near Algonquin Park with a group of cross-country skiers. One of the men there has been to Uganda three times volunteering to help develop computer databases for the government. It was so nice to hear his impressions of the country. His wife mentioned a high school in my neighborhood which is interested in projects in Africa. She is hopefully going to connect me with the principal there.

These things just confirm my idea around taking advantage of all opportunities presented. I've always been amazed at the connections and common ground I've found with people either through my travels, or even just books I've read. I talked with another man on the ski trip. He is originally from Hungary and we talked about the Somogy region, where I travelled in 2006 and 2007 with students for an environmental service project. I spoke with another woman there about the service project in Costa Rica comparing my experience travelling there with students with those of her son who teaches at a private school in Quebec.

I am so looking forward to meeting all the participants in this year's exchange, as well as my teacher-partner and students! I wonder where this adventure will take me and how it will shape me.

Thanks again for all your support!

Melody

More information from Invisible Children and fundraising update

Ko pa di? (How's life today? in Luo language)

New fundraising total: $2150 USD (using current exchange rate). The exciting thing is that this means I've met the first goal due March 1st.

I received the 48 page information packet from Invisible Children. It contains everything from a packing list to language guide. The dress code for teaching is very similar to the dress code at school in Toronto.

It all feels much more real as I read about the vaccinations, accommodations and security, and itinerary.

The level of detail in the information packet confirms my confidence in the organization. It includes information about visiting people you meet in Gulu, eg. unscheduled visits are common and in those circumstances you should not bring gifts, and when invited for dinner gifts of mangoes or tea are appropriate. There is also a section on faith, emphasizing that Invisible Children is not a faith-based organization. They indicate that most people in Gulu will identify as Christian or Muslim and encourage participants to engage in conversations of faith as it is a very real and important part of everyday life in Uganda.

I enjoyed reading about establishments in Gulu such as the markets and local eating joints. One place, Bomah, is described as the place to go for a nice dinner or massage. The Kope Cafe shows movies on Friday nights. And at Abola Lapok, you can get a plate of chicken, cassava, and cabbage for under $2. Malakwan (don't know what it is yet) and sweet potatoes is supposedly a local delight.

The package included required reading / listening. I have the books now and am almost finished "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" by John Perkins and then will move on to "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" by Paulo Freire. I am amazed at how many people I know have already read the Freire book. I was also instructed to listen to "The Ethics of Aid: One Kenyan's Perspective" http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/2008/ethics_of_aid-kenya/.

I also picked up a book about the history of Uganda ("Uganda: Tarnished Pearl of Africa") and "Girl Soldier: A story of hope for Northern Uganda's Children". I know that I will learn so much more in my six weeks in Northern Uganda than I can ever learn from books, but I hope that by demonstrating an interest in their history, and an attempt to move away from ignorance, I will communicate a respect for my partner teacher, students, and people in the community.

Acito Dong (I am leaving now.)