Bigodi

We went back to Bigodi to conduct group interviews and for me to interview my first for my part of the project—KAFRED.  KAFRED stands for Kibale Association for Rural and Environment Development and is funded also by the UNDP (United Nations Development Program). KAFRED was created by a Peace Corps Volunteer back in the early 1990s.  It’s actually doing well. They protect Magombe Swamp which is next Kibale. They receive visitors from the park and from tour agencies in the area. At the swamps, you can see a lot of the primates that are in the park and you can see them a lot easier.  Tourists go to Kanyanchu which is close to the wetland to go chimp tracking and what they don’t see there of the other primates, they can see at Bigodi. In addition, all the money goes to the community to keep the secondary school up and running as well as other projects.  Further, the women do a lot of crafts like basket weaving, jewelry making, and wood carving—and it’s some of the best crafted items I’ve seen in Africa. So I talked to Johnson who is on the board for KAFRED, but I still have to go back and talk to him some more. He’s really great and his English is excellent so in the next couple of weeks I’ll come back to get more stuff.

So after that, we went back to Nkingo Library for a program. We met the adult literacy class and they recited the ABC’s in Rukiga and in English. While we were doing this, Kate had volunteered to read to the kids. Well, we didn’t realize that this “program” was going to be as big of a deal as it was. Allen (woman), the librarian, had orchestrated the entire town to come and so Kate was reading to 50+ kids. After that, they sat us all outside and we were “welcomed” by the town. There were speeches given and Joel was asked to give a speech too. Somehow Kate and I got out of that but Abe had to get up and speak. Then the art class which had about 8 kids in it, sang us a welcome song that was so cute. I have it on video but I don’t think I can get it uploaded in Africa fast enough. Then the adult literacy class sang us a song. After that, we got to see the traditional Batoro and Bakiga dances! The Batoro dance with grass skirts and the boys have gourds on their legs that make noises. It was so neat. Then after that the women from the adult literacy class came out to dance and they do this choreographed jumping dance that was amazing! Again, we have video that I can share when I get back. The entire program was amazing! They were so welcoming of us and really appreciative of the library in their town. I hope to help Joel and the foundation as much as possible in the future.