Wards Under African Skies - wardsunderafricanskies

Beasts of Burden...


Bring on Mt Merungula


Taking a break (with a million ants)


The Ike





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This past weekend, the last of the current para vet trainings was held, for our new 'animal first-aiders, in our villages.
It was such a fun day, they participants love to come, lots of interaction around their training from Dr William, and this time, also Lucy, with fly traps and mosquito trap demonstrations. These are a really simple idea, which we are encouraging every participant to have at least 4 of, around their homes/cow pens, all made from locally available materials recycled... thanks Lucy:-)
Then.. highlights included.... the handing out of the wonderful well stocked vet kits,  the presentation of certificates, and..... lunch of course!!!

We are really excited about this area of the project developing, already we see so much of an improvement in general animal health, in the villages, and the ownership of responsibility being taken up, by all involved... thanks everyone, who have supported and helped us to make this happen.

The last two weeks, John has completed a round of visits to most of our recipients, in their villages...always so satisfying, actually seeing how, where and with whom this project is making such a positive difference... a favourite this time round, was visiting juliet, mother of 4, who received a cow, in Muriisa village, 2 years ago... now, they share 2 litres of milk amongst their family each day, along with selling NZ$600 worth of excess milk, paying all of her children's school fees... her wide smile, immense delight and pride... now THAT is what the heart of this project is all about! :-)

plenty of fencing going on, and also, the installation of the solar panel, to run all our precious electric fencing ( thank you, Gallaghers, NZ!! it makes a real difference here, and already, the changes in grasses from pasture managerment are so obvious)
Exciting developments include Tony, our great manager, spending a day using his diverse skills to create a Spinning Jenny, much to Lucys delight, often being the wire handler!
Other recent additions include two new ponds dug, and some young beef cattle purchased from a local sale day.... check out the photos in the recent work album.
Currently, the days end with tired hole diggers and post carriers returning, looking for their stoneys and cokes!

Last week, Lucy turned 19... a great chance for us to celebrate our wonderful daughter, an outstand-amazing young woman, currently living and working with us here, in Mbarara, on this project.....

we love you lucy, and are sooooo proud of you! Your work here, both on the project, with children in need in Mbarara, are deeply valued and appreciated....it really makes a difference! We also appreciate the way you live out the 'work hard, play hard!' philosophy, that your Dad also lives by, so well.....all the fun we get to have together is ...fun!!

Go well, into this next year, Lucy, we look forward to seeing what unfolds in your life....

We celebrated with a wonderful time, Saturday evening party around our new fire pit, with bbq food, especially wonderful chicken, curtesy of our good friends, Pravin and Neha....
Thank you everyone who helped us celebate...well! Bless you Lucy...and thank you!

last night, coming back from a visit to our favourite look out hill, we discovered that some of our friends here, had not yet experienced the delights of grasshopper season! so...a wee detour with John, who always seems to know amazing things around town, such as.... what the huge patches of bright lights are actually for...and how to find them!
What happens is.... in a specific area, many bright lights are put up high on stands, sheets of iron are then propped semi vertically.... ending in some large drums... the grasshoppers come to the lights, hit and slide down the iron sheets, into the drums...and voila, a delicious delicacy is ready to be packed, sold, fried, and enjoyed.... go Rachel, I am sure John Lettuce is looking forward to cooking for you!
There are 2 grasshopper seasons, corresponding some with the wet times here, but apparently some people make enough from catching and selling at this time of the year, to earn a good living! Not quite like crunching on pringles... but hey, when in Africa....

big excitement on the farming front, with Tony again demonstrating his skill and initiative.... check out the photo here, of the 'Spinning Jenny', he has created, after looking in a brochure with John...amazing!!! Lucy's smile is also wide, as this also makes laying out new fences on the land, a whole lot easier/faster.....Go Tony!
In the usual diversity of life here, it was also an interesting week with wee ones here....this wee premature... perhaps around 9 weeks early, wieghing 1.3kgs, was left by her mum, 24 hours after delivery, at the hospital...so far, she is holding her own, while we wait for Social Worker to addres the paper work for her transfer....we hope for, soon! We have named her Leah, meantime....

we are back again, from a wonderful time in New Zealand... loving being here, catching up with friends and work, missing NZ family and friends....enjoying fresh guavas,, gnut sauce, accapella music around us most of the time, and .....seeing how this amazing project continues to THRIVE!
highlights of returning.... along with people and fresh food!! include...
- seeing the huge loooong line of fence posts Tony has in place, ready to go for wiring and electrifying....
- seeing the response in the pasture already, just from these months of 'resting'
- seeing the broad smiles and delight, of Tony and his family, as they love their new home in the village, and life managing the farm
- hearing great update reports, from the villages, especially the work of the para vets, our animal first aiders.

well, within a brief time of returning, the sad reports of wee ones in need here, abandoned as babies, began to come in. So far, we have cared for Colin, 1 day old abandoned, 2.3kgs, and very sweet... now thriving at Watoto Baby
-we supplied formula etc for wee Christine, at the local hospital... this wee ones mum died as a result of head injuries, but she is fortunate to still have a Dad who is involved with her care... along with his responsibilites for his 8 other children. The outlook for her, in  village life, starting out at 1.3kgs, is.... concerning, yet we admire his commitment.
-today, an older wee boy, of some years...severely disabled, left at the hospital. His options are challenging.
- and ,a delightfully well grown wee girl, of some months, removed by police, from her Dad, using too much alcohol, it seems. She is 'neglected' healthwise, right now, but we hope to see that change quickly....thank you to each of you, who assist us with much valued resources to keep on providing immediate care for each of these....we apprciate!
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african life
special times in Mbarara

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