Two of the leaders of the Ngenge water project are Rev. David from the local Church of Uganda diocese and Rev. Rusty from Christchurch in Alabama. These two individuals and their churches have worked together for several years to contribute to community development in Ngenge. For example, during my recent visit, a dentist (Bubba) and his assistants (Corky and Bill) provided dental services to more than 200 people.
The top photo shows Rev. David, Rev. Rusty, and Rev. David's brother, Jackson, during our visit to Jackson's home in one of the villages. If you look closely at the photo, you can see the light green of his cultivated fields, a potato field behind his hut and a watermelon patch to the side. These small fields represent his livelihood. If the rains fall and his crops produce, he has some income. If not, his extended family will help provide for him, but they don't have much more. Seeing this first hand made the $1-2 a day income of the villagers more real to me.
The second photo shows Jackson by his potato plants. If it had been a solid rainy season, the plants might be twice as tall and twice as productive. He doesn't have options for irrigation. There's no river near his property and the nearest borehole is about 2 km away. That's a long way to carry water just for your domestic purposes let alone for irrigation.
Jackson showed us inside of his hut. Apart from his foam mattress on a hand-made wooden bed, his possessions would fit inside of our suitcase. They consisted of a few extra clothes, a few cooking pots and utensils, a radio, candles, and a couple of jerry cans. The first watermelon from his crop was carefully placed by his things. It was maybe 12" in diameter so small compared to most we buy in the US. It would have fetched him UGX 2000 ($1) at the market. I say would have because the next night we ate dinner at Rev. David's house, with Jackson joining us, and he contributed his watermelon for dessert. It was one of those humbling moments when you experience the kindness and generosity of Ugandan people.
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