Sunday, June 20, 2010

KWDT, kampala update

This week marks our fourth week working for Katosi Woment Development Trust! By the end of this week, we will only have one month left. Crazy!!

So far I've worked on worked on filling on grant applications and doing some editing and research here in the office. On days we don't have internet or electricity, I read past annual reports and project summaries to try and get a better background on the various successes and challenges that KWDT has to cope with. Here's a sampling of some of the grants I've written for domestic rain water harvesting programs,
- Germany International Climate Change Initiative
- DFID Development Innovation Fund
- Japan Embassy (GGP) Grassroots
- Pepsi Co. Foundation
- Mama Cash
- Rockefeller Foundation

This week, it's back to more grant research and also officially starting my intern project! On Tuesday, KWDT is holding a follow-up leadership meeting for all the leaders among the women's groups. I plan on giving a presentation on essential leadership skills and conducting an activity to re-enforce cooperation among leaders instead of competition. I am also donating three bio-sand filters using my internship funds and presenting them to the best three leaders in the community. The criteria for selection is based on nominations from other leaders, book-keeping skills and commitment to projects. I'll post an update later in the week with how the conference goes!

In July, I hope to go out to the Katosi field site for a few days to help build a bio-sand filter with some of the women construction masons and visit a hygiene and sanitation club at one of the schools in Katosi.

Side note:
There are a ridiculous amount of bananas available in Uganda. I really don't know if I'm ever going to eat bananas again once I get home. I don't even want to know the nutritional facts for a banana, because I eat at least 5 a day (when I say at least…I mean, it's more like I eat 7-8)

Here's a small sampling of the types of bananas available:
- Matooke (steamed and mashed bananas), served literally every day. Sometimes twice a day.
- Small sweet bananas
- Large "normal" bananas
- Medium sized yellow bananas (sorry im not a banana expert, I don’t know the technical names for all of these)
- Roasted plantains (I actually LOVE these)
- Steamed plantains (I was only given one bite of these, and it was torture. I wanted to eat 3 full servings)

I've heard there are sweet potatoes here (love those), but I have yet to see/eat one. I may shout for joy and buy 10 if I ever see them at one of the produce stands near our house.
Scarlet and I are experimenting with different things to cook for breakfast and dinner, maybe sweet potatoes should be our next mission!

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