Latest news from Pat

Good morning everyone, am back on line now after some time. What is happening in Uganda at this time?
The city is still on red alert after the threats from Al Shabab, ( Somalia ) when we go shopping the car is searched each time, different guards have different methods, some search the car thoroughly, others get to know you so wave you through, handbags are searched when going into shops, hotels, restaurants etc.

The traffic is even more chaotic, if that is possible, as the amount of cars increases in this very small city. I read in the paper recently that there are 250,000 boda bodas ( passenger bikes) in the city who have even less regard for the rules of the road than the car drivers. They come in front of you to go right and last night I was turning right and 2 overtook me.

This is me driving in town on Christmas Eve, I was in a straight line of cars waiting for the traffic lights to change when the car on the right decided to change lanes and came in front of me ( it is not good to leave any space between yourself and the car in front!!) the car are my left decided he could push into that space from a side road then the car I was originally behind decided that he would change lanes, in all this chaos a Karimojong mother  and baby was begging.

I realised I was in Africa yesterday when I almost ran over a monkey near home, at first I thought it was a cat and then I realised it was a monkey.

As you know I train trainers in health education with an emphasis on environmental issues, last week I was invited to a workshop investigating a new stove that does not create any smoke, so many villagers suffer from the effects of smoke from cooking in a closed environment in their thatched houses. I have been investigating an alternative to using charcoal for cooking, this particular stove uses wood and pellets        made from sawdust, paper and a small amount of flour as a binding agent. The amazing by product of using this fuel is char which the villagers can either burn or use as a fertiliser. I am trying this stove at home and also one of my trainers is carrying out a trail on it in his community. It always exciting to see new innovations that will improve the peoples health.

Will sign off now ,

will write soon

Love and God Bless

Pat