a few days to go...

well it's nearly time to go, can't believe this time next week I will be in Uganda, and will have had my eyes opened up to the situation out there.
Starting to think about how I live my life and how much I take for granted. Just this morning I got up, went to the loo, washed my hands, made a cup of tea, had a shower and brushed my teeth before putting some clothes washing in. boring, mundane activities for me, but something that thousands, maybe millions of people pray they could do every day.
Starting to get really nervous about going now, I have packed, and repacked, and I am sure there is something I have forgotten! typical me, still got a few bits and bobs to pick up.
Some of the group have been emailing, apparently it is raining and very humid so really not sure what we all need to take! I've struck up a bit of friendship with a lady called Caroline who works for Anglian Water, she has been great, and we have even organised to pack a few things between us (she's taking hair straighteners, I'm taking a hair dryer!), well us girls still need the odd luxury! Sure by the end of it I won't care what my hair looks like mind you! If anyone does have any packing tips I'd love to hear them.
Some of the guys at work have been talking about ways we can raise money when I get back, which I am really pleased about. I am really determined that when I get back I am going to try and get everyone on board! Anyone with any fundraising ideas please let me know.
I will try and update this before I go, if not I will speak to you when I get there!!!!!!

a bit about wateraid

A few of you have asked me about what wateraid do, so here is some info about them...
the picture on the left is a boy collecting water from a contaminated stream in Nsooba in Uganda. It breaks my heart that children have to drink water this dirty, who knows what is in that?

Water

Clean water is essential for life, but one in eight of the world's population does not have access to it. This, and lack of safe sanitation, result in over two million people dying from water-related diseases every year. The lack of clean water close to people's homes also affects people's time, livelihoods and quality of life.

Sanitation

Sanitation can be defined as access to safe, clean and effective human urine and faeces disposal facilities. Worldwide, 2.5 billion people live without this essential service and the resulting diarrhoeal diseases kill almost 5,000 children a day.

Hygiene education

To gain the full benefits of safe water and sanitation communities also need to know about the links between diseases and unsafe hygiene practices. Hygiene education focuses on issues such as personal hygiene - the simple act of washing hands with soap and water can reduce diarrhoeal diseases by a third.

Disease

Poor sanitation and bad hygiene can result in the contamination of water sources with millions of disease causing micro-organisms. These micro-organisms work in different ways to incapacitate infected individuals.

Poverty

The most obvious benefit of access to safe water and sanitation is a reduction in disease. But the economic position of poor families is often dramatically improved when they gain access to these basic services.

Problems for women

In developing countries poor water and sanitation affects the lives of women and children the most. It impacts on women's time, health, education and family relations.

Problems for children

Without safe water and sanitation, life for children in developing countries can be very hard. They are often at risk from disease and are unable to attend school.

Problems for the elderly

In many of the African countries where WaterAid works life expectancy is frighteningly low. Those who do live into old age face increasing problems as collecting heavy loads of water puts further strains on their health.

Problems for the disabled

The struggle to gain access to clean, safe water and basic sanitation facilities is even greater for those contending with physical disability. Collecting water is so much harder, and often impossible, for those in wheelchairs, the blind or simply frail and infirm as a result of illness or old age.

WaterAid and the Millennium Development Goals

The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are international targets to halve world poverty by 2015, agreed upon by all 189 United Nations member states at the UN Millennium Summit in 2000.

Our work makes a significant contribution to reaching the goals especially through actions to halve the proportion of people without access to safe water and sanitation, which are specific targets within goal seven.

Itinerary

Here is what I will be doing during my stay in Uganda....

Day One

Arrive early in Entebbe, acclimitisation in morning then briefing with WaterAid Uganda in the Afternoon

Day Two

Drive to Masindi. Briefing with WaterAid partners and protocol visits.

Day Three

A day in the life of a rural community in Masinidi with no access to clean water or adequate sanitation.

Day Four

Visit to Rural projects in Masindi

Day Five

Drive to Wakiso - project visit in Wakiso and return to Kampala

Day Six

Day Off

Day Seven

Project visit in Mpigi

Day Eight

Visit to Urban Projects in Kampala

Day Nine

Debriefing with WaterAid Uganda and partners

Day Ten

Return to the UK

Any questions/thoughts???

Less than 2 weeks to go....

So with less than 2 weeks to go, I thought I ought to get around to getting this set up so I can document the whole experience. I am SO looking forward to my trip, but am also really scared too. I don't know what to expect and I don't know how much the things I see are going to affect me. I am more bothered about how being able to engage people when I get back. If one more person asks me if I am looking forward to my holiday I will scream! The fact is, I am going to one of the poorest countries in the world to see how bad the situation is there, and I will be coming back to talk to you all about it. I'm not going on a jolly from work, and please don't expect me to come back chilled out and suntanned! I find it absolutely disgusting that in the year 2008 a child dies from water related illnesses every 15 seconds. how can that be happening? Clean water and adequate sanitation should be something everyone has access to in this day and age. We are so lucky to be born here in the western world. I can't wait to see the difference the money raised by WaterAid makes. I am going to be flying to Uganda on Sunday 31st August, and coming back on 10th September. (yep I will be celebrating my 25th birthday out there!) While I am there I will be spending a day in the life of a village with no adequate water supply or sanitation. We will be walking to collect water, and spending the day with a family to see how they live without being able to take water for granted like we do. I think that will really hit home for a lot of us. We will also be visting projects and getting involved with all the amazing work wateraid do. I had a briefing in london at wateraid HQ a couple of weeks ago where I met my group, they all seem really nice and have similar hopes and fears to me. Its weird to think I barely know them at the moment but in a couple of weeks we will be pretty close! I will post the itineray on here closer to the time. I am hoping to update this blog every other day while I am there. If anyone has any questions at all about the trip please mail me or post comments on here and I will do my best to reply! I will try and update this a few times before I go as well. I really appreciate everyones interest in what I'm about to do! If you would like to find out more about the charity, please visit http://www.wateraid.org/ you can donate money there as well, to put it in to perspective, £15 can give someone clean water, sanitation and hygiene education for life. So the price of a decent bottle of wine can save a life! how mad is that!