I spent the third week of June in Gulu Distric, northern Uganda about 350 km from Kampala City. For years, I had read, heard and been told about Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony and the atrocities he committed. Sometimes they seemed so distant. Sometimes the updates came from CNN or the BBC. It was hard to believe that such inhuman acts were being committed in my country.
After more than 22 years of a senseless war, I managed to visit Gulu district which was at one time among the most affected. It is now that I realize that Joseph Kony is a real devils advocate. He attacked his very own (read relatives and village mates), abducted young boys and girls including boarding school girls in the area, massacred his own people, cut of their limbs, lips, plucked out their eyes name it. Those who managed to escape discovered later that they were either orphans or childless because their children were murdered or abducted. Abductees rarely return alive.
To protect the people, government placed them in internally displaced people’s camps. These were congested places, with poor sanitation, poor health facilities and no schools.
Enter NGOs both local and international.
Unfortunately they came with the idea of handouts. This solved the problem momentarily since the people had no source of income. Men and women had nothing to keep them busy other than making babies which in its self has caused a lot of harm. I will tell you about it in my next post. But the problem of handouts has rendered a lot of people that are known for their hard work to become lazy.
There are so many posh cars, bazungus (Whites), signposts on the streets of Gulu town. Once you mention the name of an NGO or CSO, all that people think about are handouts. How can we stop this.
The region is now relatively stable. People should be able to work. The people in the camps are now free to return to their villages. Granted they may need some resources to start and CSOs and government are providing farm tools, iron sheets and seedlings for the returnees.
But the people in Gulu and other regions that have been affected by the war need more than just plants and food. They need to be empowered to take charge to solve their own problems.
While talking to Annet a graduate from the village, she told me;
if the young men can be taught to transport people on bicycles at a fee (referred to locally as boda-boda) they could earn a living out of it instead of waiting for handouts
I though the mind sets can be changed. I promised to talk to one person at a time if I can’t talk to a multitude.
It is up to us to create the change we want to see. I won’t wait for a muzungu. I feel bad it took me this long. But Yes we can!
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