22nd June 2004
UPILE
It is always a joy to visit the UPILE Orphan Care. Sometimes in this country, progress is difficult to see. Flooding or drought, storms and disease makes it difficult for people to get forward. And then of course, poverty and corruption make it even worse. Therefore, going to UPILE is an uplifting experience. When going there first time couple of weeks ago I didn’t first recognise the place, so much had been done: playground with new swings and half sunken tyres for playing and two little round, straw roofed houses for kids to gather. All this with practically no existing resources, apart from the human input. But the human input is power. Fifteen united and hard working volunteers are caring for 300 orphan children in Upile. These children are from 9 villages, all under same headman (who is a lady, but nobody is worried about political correctness here) and from the furthest village it can take an hour to get to the centre. But if one makes the trip, cooked porridge is waiting as a reward. These rewards are, however, more and more difficult for the volunteers to give and they have been looking for ways to start making some money for the group. So when the sewing machine arrived to the centre on Saturday, there was explosive joy in the air. The machine was turned around and checked from all directions, thank you speeches were given and the chairman (lady) burst into singing and dancing which the others soon joined:
“Here in Upile we are very lucky; how could we not be happy, as the machine has come; we are so happy in Upile”. And another song: “ Forward, forward, we are going only forward, nothing can stop Upile”.
I do hope nothing can stop them. Problems are huge. I visited two groups of children who have no adult to rely on. The first place was a ramshackle house, apparently occupied by 5 kids - one had gone to work on a tea plantation and two were present. “We can’t go to school as we have no money to buy soap for washing our clothes.” That was easy to believe, as the evidence was overwhelming. They had grown some maize on the field behind the house, but had no money to take it for grinding. I left the place saddened and feeling helpless: what can I do but give them soap and 75 pence for grinding maize? That is nothing, but I felt they are beyond my help; maybe people of Upile can do something.
The other group lived very far. I was following for five volunteers and my interpreter Joseph through fields and yards, stony paths and muddy stream banks. Would there be a similar seen at the end of this journey? I had met the oldest child of the family, 15 year old Madalitso, handsome young man who was now the head of the household. Would he remember that I was coming to visit them today? All this walking, I didn’t want it to be for nothing, as often is the case. But Madalitso had remembered: He was sitting and waiting at the front of the house with his 2 sisters and the little malnourished brother, Gift. Five years ago, this little boy had been a gift to his mother. She had hoped for a bright future for him, but 2 years later there was no mother any more and this year the grandmother died as well, leaving Madalitso in charge. The place was ready for visitors: three chairs under the mango tree and a straw mat on the ground. Everybody was still, only neighbour’s chicken were wandering on the clean swiped yard, hoping to find a forgotten corn from the pile of empty maize corns. Madalitso had also grown some maize, but it was almost finished now and he had a problem for finding food for his family. He would like to go to school like his younger sister Mwaiwawo, now at standard 7, but being a head of the family is a full time job. Mwaiwawo is an intelligent girl and was planning to go to a Secondary school next year. Upile is paying the school fees for those wanting to attend. Twelve years old Effel, wasn’t as lucky as her sister: her school uniform was worn out and ripped, no change attending school. That always makes me angry: what does it matter what one is wearing as long as they can learn, is my argument, but obviously the headmasters don’t see it that way. Ladies of Upile promised to sew Effel a new school uniform and that is now possible with the new sewing machine.
Fabric for it cost only £2 so you can see how far your money is reaching here. And I hope that giving an opportunity for studying is ‘an income generating project’ in the long run. There are three groups of volunteers in UPILE. Until now I have been in contact only with the orphan care group, but they also have a Youth Club and a group of volunteers for the Home Based Care. The very first football will be kicked for this Youth Club, with the accompanying HIV/AIDS information. Maybe the young men and women will sing: “We are so lucky, someone from England sent us a football. We are so lucky in Upile.”