Internet connection here very slow. Temp here a very humid 25 degs. Boda bodas (motorbike taxis) ok apart from a couple of hairy moments when my rider narrowly squeezed through tiny gaps! Just like a bond stunt! Kampala is quite hilly.
Managed to visit the Kampala Deaf school (KDS) and gather some useful info . Bosco's local knowledge invaluable. The KDS is the largest in Uganda and houses 200 pupils who all board. There were about 20 deaf-blind too.KDS offer some lifeskills such as carpentry, sewing, rain-harvesting and keep 5 cows to teach animal care and milking skills. A group of kenyan deaf arrived just as we were leaving. They had one deaf from Arua. Theyre now starting to fund-raise for a vocational school. have exchanged contact details. They are also trying to do outreach work to identify deaf at an earlier age. They thought our approach for Arua would help a lot. Met deaf man on dala dala (mini-bus taxi). No guinness record attempts seen yet for overfilling!
At the Ugandan Assoc. for the deaf (UNAD), I discovered they had replied that one of their board members is Uganda's only deaf MP! UNAD also had info on West Nile's Deaf Assocn and the efforts being made there. Discovered there will be a gathering of Deaf from all over the world(World Federation of the Deaf conference) in Kampala next September! Hope to attend. Will probably only happen once in Uganda in our lifetime! Also given Arua Deaf Assocn contact at Arua Council which I'll follow up.
Useful visit to one of only four deaf vocational training centre for deaf teens in Uganda. Right next to our B+B! They offer carpentry, mechanics, catering and tailoring. They sell some of their furniture in the city on a saturday.Won't visit friend with contact at Mityana Deaf school as she's ill. Info. promised.
B&B food fairly english. Local diet starts in earnest tomorrow!
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