A day surprises and mixed emotions.
I am due to visit Edison, the Director of Nile Vocational Institute. He has phoned to say that he has to go to Kampala, so can we bring the meeting forward to 10:15.
Having learned from our Wednesday experience I ask the Boda Boda to take the road bridge and not the railway foot bridge. I arrive on time and am called in to see the Director just as the previous visitor leaves. Edison is a lovely man, big and friendly. We have only just exchanged greets when Margaret (Deputy Director) comes in and reminds Edison that the students and staff have been waiting for his presence at the Crowning Ceremony since 9:15. We wrap up the conversation and Edison invites me to join him for the assembly. I don’t know what this is but am happy to go along with things (as one does in Africa). We enter through the side door onto the stage and we sit down in front of 1000 NVI students.
The Crowning Ceremony comes at the end of term, just before the main examinations and is where all the achievement awards are given out. The Ugandan National anthem is sung (with passion) and there are some formalities, Edison then takes centre stage to deliver a message (work hard, importance if team work, don’t be led astray…). He apologises for having to leave early but says that Professor Nigel, our distinguished guest from the UK will be pleased to hand out the awards on his behalf. He smiles, shakes my hand and departs.
It is quite nice job handing out awards and medals and fortunately, I am not asked to say anything (all though mentally, I did run through some options). There did seem to be a very large number and it felt like they covered most of the students present. Finally, the award to the best house (there are six, each different colours), this is a composite score based on sports performance and housekeeping in the dormitories. The tension mounted …. ‘and first place goes to red’, one sixth of the hall erupted, waving red flags and chanting. There was a large gold trophy that I handed over, the singing continued outside as the hall emptied.
I managed to find Ambrose the student that my wife and I are sponsoring in electrical engineering. He proudly showed me the three way traffic light system he had designed, we talked about the future, and finding jobs. I was sad that this is his final year and we may not see him again. Lunch had been laid on for me in the visitors lounge. The catering department excels on these occasions. There were some of my favourites; pink G-nut (peanut) sauce with matoke and fish tikka.
It was time to say goodbye and to get a Boda Boda back, into time to meet Rachel and Pastor Alfred. This is my last day in Jinja and so we went through some of the outstanding issues. Alfred shared how a gift of money from Trowbridge had helped Dickens (his young son very poorly in hospital), a student who was destitute and to provide for the hire of a vehicle for the motor mechanics exams (they needed a moving vehicle to practise on). Small amounts of money go a long way in Uganda).
Alfred had one final request. Would I accompany him to the dress shop to purchase me a kanzu as a recognition of our partnership and friendship. This is a traditional Ugandan gown that is worn on formal occasions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanzu. It was a lovely moment and seemed very appropriate for my last day. I will be sad to leave tomorrow and have a long 250 mile drive down to Kisiizi Hospital in the South West corner of the country to visit my friends Graham and Jane.
Had a nice walk back to the hotel for dinner with Rachel and our friend William, my driver. Over dinner were treated to a spectacular thunderstorm with lightning forks across the river. I hope it will not be like this for the drive tomorrow.
Uganda Trip Oct 2019 