Malua and so on…

Malua is a local brew made by ferment millet and boiling water. Please note the change in my attitude from 2007 (left) to 2010 (right). These pictures pretty much describe my reunion with a country which is so different and exotic and yet feels like my home.

By Malte Moll Wingender, April 2010

In the beginning of February, I took part in an evaluation of the partnership between Danish Red Cross Youth and Uganda Red Cross . But before I tell you more about this, let us turn back time to 2007/2008.

I was a youth volunteer in Jinja Branch, Uganda in the autumn of 2007. These five months were very overwhelming and expressed a gamut of emotions more than once.

Hakuna Matata
It was a real challenge for me to work in these new surroundings with people I did not know and without experience in being a youth volunteer, this brought me some downs. On the other side, it was an amazing experience when everything was working well and it was great when I finally got used to eating matooke (green bananas). Not to mention the experience of getting to know some of the rough stories of the Ugandans life. These stories were typically hidden beneath a “Hakuna matata” attitude and an ironed suit (yes, they do wear suits – even in the villages!)

Always look on the bright side
Now it is time to look at the present time. I was back in Uganda – now as an experienced Uganda volunteer. When passenger number 27 squished in beside me in the taxi with room for 14 people, my reaction was “Jambo” rather than getting annoyed!

One of the fantastic things about being back was primarily that I had had time to digest the impressions and experiences. I had had time to evaluate on my own behaviour and attitude and I returned with renewsed strength and energy as the person, I wanted to be. That is how I felt, anyway.

It was somehow easier to look at the bright side and enjoy the little challenges as the before mentioned experience with passenger number 27 sitting on my lap in the taxi. This way, my second stay in Uganda became something special as I got a really positive picture of being in Uganda and of myself as a guy being in Uganda. Why? Because I was more prepared for the cultural encounter.

What I want to say is that a stay as a youth volunteer really is an extraordinary experience to get a unique relationship to another country. This becomes very clear when returning to the country after a couple of years. And suddenly this really is your second home and of course, “dear stranger”, you are allowed to sit on my lap.

So, I can really recommend all of you to go – and for those of you who went – to go back.

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After the mudslide

There has been a subsidence in the eastern Uganda. This made thousands of people homeless and several people are still missing. Ane, a long-term volunteer for the Danish Red Cross Youth, is telling about life in the camp.

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Visiting Northern Uganda

When the civil war ended two years ago in Northern Uganda, it increased the opportunity for the youth to carry out their dreams. The Danish Red Cross Youth and Uganda Red Cross Society joined together in a project, where the focus is to help the youth construct their belief in themselves and their abilities to take control of their own lives.

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Adolescent in Uganda

Ane is a long-term volunteer in Uganda. She is going to monitor a couple of projects schools, where they for instance are taught Adolescent (changes of the body). The trip to the schools can be an experience in itself, especially if you bring grapes.

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Volunteerism in seven languages

When the Danish Red Cross Youth arranged the course DRCY Leadership Academy, thirty young men and women from seven countries gathered in the north part of Sealand, Denmark for a week of learning, cultural exchange, and new friendships.

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Where should we go from here?

A group of young Ugandans sits together in the shade of a big tree. They are waiting for a break from their daily life. They are going to learn and discuss the topic of the day, which is sexuality and sexabuse.

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The king, the camp and some creative thinking

Iben and Rasmus talk about how it is to be a youth volunteer in Mityana, Uganda - a life that offers a little of everything. Martial law, Ugandan dishes and specialities as well as good ecperiences with Life Planning Skills are just some of the experiences they talk about.

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