Yesterday Rebecca and I took the softpower truck up to a remote area about 45min outside of Bujagali to visit a local primary school. We went up with some of the day volunteers and did a little painting to fix the outside of the school and make it beautiful and fun for the students. Rebecca and I also went into the Primary 7 class and taught english; they welcomed the break from math.
The school uniform was a bright pink colour and there were hundreds of children running around when we first came. After their lunch, they were able to play for an hour and many of the children began to crowd around to see who the visitors were at the school. It was quite easy to round up a group for yoga because the children would follow you as soon as you stood up! We began to join under the shade of a tree and watch as the group began to grow and grow....
Soon, we came to realise that we needed a bigger space, so I was taken out to the school field, hundreds of children running behind to see what was going on. There was a wave of pink flowing over the field as the children began to arrive. Slowly they were able to form in the largest circle I have ever seen - each student holding hands with the next - we made circles within circles until finally everyone was connected within. The children were incredible - all wanting to see and hear and experience what was going on!
We did some standing stretches and a roar of laughter made its way through the field. As they all joined hands, slowly each child began to use the suppport of another to move into a balancing pose - then bending at the waist moving back and forth until finally coming back to centre. It was a beautiful sight - hundreds of children - circles of pink holding hands moving back and forth in a moving tree pose on the big green field. With each stretch, there was a moment of hesitation. One would start, then another, then more would catch on. We opened the heart that day - raising the arms up to the sky and opening up the chest to the big bright sun. The director came bounding down the field, a big jolly man with a smile that went from cheek to cheek. I promised him that I would be back to teach again - with a few extra hands perhaps!
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
The Breath of life
YOGA IN KIBOGA:
Looking back at the story, I can now see how it unfolded like the petals of the lotus flower opening the heart. It started slowly, a gradual opening - revealing an incredible need to introduce the breath, a relaxing of the shoulders and a softening of the heart.
THE BEGINNING:
Bringing yoga to Kiboga began with the odd conversation, a late night discussion of the history of yoga under the mass of stars in the sky. We read passages from the books I had brought, stopping after each one to discuss their meaning and application to life. And so it began like this - the word 'yoga' was passed from one to another, sometimes with a laugh, sometimes with a question, always with big curious eyes. From here, I started to introduce asana. Very slowly, with one pose at a time. The women in the town watched the teachers and laughed as one or two made their way into downward dog, or attemped a balancing pose. I gave out a yoga dvd and a mat and watched as the recipient then taught a pose or two from what he had learned late at night in the privacy of his home. Sometimes we discussed the yogic life over dinner and spoke of how it would be introduced to the students once they made their way back from holidays.
TEACHING THE TEACHERS:
The first yoga class in Kiboga was held for the teachers of Uganda Martyr's Highschool. The red earth was swept out the door of the office and the mats put down under the soft light that came into the room powered by the generator outside. We started with a discussion and then found the sitting pose that would soon open to a new realisation of tight hips, a hardness held in the body and the location of the breath. The teachers moved through the class flowing from one pose to the next - at one point the night guard came in curious as to the movement coming from the small building. Finally, there was stillness as the students brought their bodies into a laying position on the floor. Relaxation was a process - as was trying to 'let go on the mat' The teachers held their arms tight above the ground, not quite touching the mat. The neck muscles were engaged and the feet held firm. After quite some time, they began to find their bodies - slowly an arm would release, a foot would fall and they relaxed into the mat - as much as possible for the first time.
As they made their way out of relaxation and back up to sitting, there was a softening, a light had come into the room and right into the heart. We discussed 'the feeling in the body and mind' - It was beautiful.
THE STUDENTS:
Once the students came back from holidays, I was introduced to the classes and spoke briefly about why I was there, what yoga was and my excitement to be there. Many came up and asked me questions after their classes. One afternoon, the mats were collected and walked down to the field; students began to gather and a wave of conversation spread out over the crowd. The first class involved eight boys who one by one, placed themselves down on the mats. A wall of students began to build around our space, all curious to see what 'yoga' looked like. Again, we began with a discussion - first about sitting and the strength needed to sit in stillness. We moved into a meditation to bring awareness to the body - shoulders, long held up to the ears, began to release and the tightness in the face softened. There was laughter and a gentle sound that made its way over the field that day. The transition from tightness to the ability to witness the body was slow and curious - the odd arm would straighten, a heel would release. I have never been able to watch this process unfold as slow and gentle as it did with these children. At the end, we discussed the meaning of namaste and the idea of the light within. Slowly, they began to rise and the crowd stepped away to reveal a whole new group of children who came with questions and the desire to participate in the next class. Over the next week, girls and boys of all ages asked questions and wanted to join in.
My last class with the students in Kiboga was held in the early evening. The group consisted of a number of students who I had connected with over the previous weeks - most of them around 15 years old. It was a small class out in the field that night, in addition to the handful of local children who gathered around. The field was quiet as we spent the first while exploring the breath. They moved from one breathing excercise to the next and slowly each student began to find their breath. They went from moving their shoulders up and down to finding the beginning in the belly - Their small fingers falling up and down on the belly with each breath. I introduced the use of a focal point and watched them as they explored what happened when they lifted an arm and a leg - slowly, they began to find and accept their edge and come back up when they fell. I will never forget that last class in Kiboga - under the red setting sun with the mountains and great green trees behind us and handful of children finding their peace within. We took a moment to honour each other in stillness and the class came to an end.
One of my students explained the meaning behind the colours of the Ugandan flag. The red and yellow and black representing the unity of the Ugandan people - so similar to the universal connection that exists within us all - The rise and fall of the belly and the breath of life that unites us all.
Looking back at the story, I can now see how it unfolded like the petals of the lotus flower opening the heart. It started slowly, a gradual opening - revealing an incredible need to introduce the breath, a relaxing of the shoulders and a softening of the heart.
THE BEGINNING:
Bringing yoga to Kiboga began with the odd conversation, a late night discussion of the history of yoga under the mass of stars in the sky. We read passages from the books I had brought, stopping after each one to discuss their meaning and application to life. And so it began like this - the word 'yoga' was passed from one to another, sometimes with a laugh, sometimes with a question, always with big curious eyes. From here, I started to introduce asana. Very slowly, with one pose at a time. The women in the town watched the teachers and laughed as one or two made their way into downward dog, or attemped a balancing pose. I gave out a yoga dvd and a mat and watched as the recipient then taught a pose or two from what he had learned late at night in the privacy of his home. Sometimes we discussed the yogic life over dinner and spoke of how it would be introduced to the students once they made their way back from holidays.
TEACHING THE TEACHERS:
The first yoga class in Kiboga was held for the teachers of Uganda Martyr's Highschool. The red earth was swept out the door of the office and the mats put down under the soft light that came into the room powered by the generator outside. We started with a discussion and then found the sitting pose that would soon open to a new realisation of tight hips, a hardness held in the body and the location of the breath. The teachers moved through the class flowing from one pose to the next - at one point the night guard came in curious as to the movement coming from the small building. Finally, there was stillness as the students brought their bodies into a laying position on the floor. Relaxation was a process - as was trying to 'let go on the mat' The teachers held their arms tight above the ground, not quite touching the mat. The neck muscles were engaged and the feet held firm. After quite some time, they began to find their bodies - slowly an arm would release, a foot would fall and they relaxed into the mat - as much as possible for the first time.
As they made their way out of relaxation and back up to sitting, there was a softening, a light had come into the room and right into the heart. We discussed 'the feeling in the body and mind' - It was beautiful.
THE STUDENTS:
Once the students came back from holidays, I was introduced to the classes and spoke briefly about why I was there, what yoga was and my excitement to be there. Many came up and asked me questions after their classes. One afternoon, the mats were collected and walked down to the field; students began to gather and a wave of conversation spread out over the crowd. The first class involved eight boys who one by one, placed themselves down on the mats. A wall of students began to build around our space, all curious to see what 'yoga' looked like. Again, we began with a discussion - first about sitting and the strength needed to sit in stillness. We moved into a meditation to bring awareness to the body - shoulders, long held up to the ears, began to release and the tightness in the face softened. There was laughter and a gentle sound that made its way over the field that day. The transition from tightness to the ability to witness the body was slow and curious - the odd arm would straighten, a heel would release. I have never been able to watch this process unfold as slow and gentle as it did with these children. At the end, we discussed the meaning of namaste and the idea of the light within. Slowly, they began to rise and the crowd stepped away to reveal a whole new group of children who came with questions and the desire to participate in the next class. Over the next week, girls and boys of all ages asked questions and wanted to join in.
My last class with the students in Kiboga was held in the early evening. The group consisted of a number of students who I had connected with over the previous weeks - most of them around 15 years old. It was a small class out in the field that night, in addition to the handful of local children who gathered around. The field was quiet as we spent the first while exploring the breath. They moved from one breathing excercise to the next and slowly each student began to find their breath. They went from moving their shoulders up and down to finding the beginning in the belly - Their small fingers falling up and down on the belly with each breath. I introduced the use of a focal point and watched them as they explored what happened when they lifted an arm and a leg - slowly, they began to find and accept their edge and come back up when they fell. I will never forget that last class in Kiboga - under the red setting sun with the mountains and great green trees behind us and handful of children finding their peace within. We took a moment to honour each other in stillness and the class came to an end.
One of my students explained the meaning behind the colours of the Ugandan flag. The red and yellow and black representing the unity of the Ugandan people - so similar to the universal connection that exists within us all - The rise and fall of the belly and the breath of life that unites us all.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
English and French in Kiboga
Teaching at the school is an incredible experience! My french class is senior 1 students (which is grade 7 for us) Most of them are around 13 years old, but they range up to 20 years. There are roughly 60 students in the class (lots of marking!) The students love learning french and are starting to use it outside of class - it took them a while to get used to my teaching style! They are not used to participation, or any activities that involve anything other than listening to lectures. We have been playing games in french, did presentations and even took a step into some group work (which took a while for them to understand) The other students peak through the windows wondering why on earth students in a class are laughing! The students love the warmth and attention - a few of them have taken me back to their homes to meet their families, it was such an honour! So far we have done numbers, greetings and introductions; the other day, they used everything they have learned so far and put it together in a short play. I was able to video one of the groups on my camera which they thought was hilarious!
The english class I teach is for senior 4s (grade 10) The first class I had them take out a piece of paper and write down 5 things they wanted to work on in the class - they thought I was crazy! The older students are just as wonderful and like all kids tried to push my boundaries a little when I first started - they soon learned that they couldn't. I've been able to pull a little goal setting and readings on peace and compassion into the class which has been great. They did a paragraph on their dreams and then a few came to the front of the class to read it out loud. The other teachers were peaking through the office windows to see what was going on!
The students at the school have nothing. I've begun to connect with quite a few and really feel as though I have a handful of children! It is normal for students to leave mid-class due to stomach aches, headaches (there is no water at the school to drink, so we are using funding money to set up a water system), malaria - there are many very sick children! A lot of the children at the school are orphans - many came from Rwanda during the genocide: a lot of the students have missing arms and legs, stab wounds and parts of their bodies that have been burned. They are very inquisitive, gentle and warm. As I make my way through the school grounds in the morning, there is always a path of students to welcome me with "goodmorning madame" The students and teachers are full of love and compassion for each other - you can feel the heart energy when you enter the property.
The english class I teach is for senior 4s (grade 10) The first class I had them take out a piece of paper and write down 5 things they wanted to work on in the class - they thought I was crazy! The older students are just as wonderful and like all kids tried to push my boundaries a little when I first started - they soon learned that they couldn't. I've been able to pull a little goal setting and readings on peace and compassion into the class which has been great. They did a paragraph on their dreams and then a few came to the front of the class to read it out loud. The other teachers were peaking through the office windows to see what was going on!
The students at the school have nothing. I've begun to connect with quite a few and really feel as though I have a handful of children! It is normal for students to leave mid-class due to stomach aches, headaches (there is no water at the school to drink, so we are using funding money to set up a water system), malaria - there are many very sick children! A lot of the children at the school are orphans - many came from Rwanda during the genocide: a lot of the students have missing arms and legs, stab wounds and parts of their bodies that have been burned. They are very inquisitive, gentle and warm. As I make my way through the school grounds in the morning, there is always a path of students to welcome me with "goodmorning madame" The students and teachers are full of love and compassion for each other - you can feel the heart energy when you enter the property.
Monday, February 12, 2007
The Kiboga Hospital
Jackie and I headed to the hospital in Kiboga to visit her friend who was giving birth. She had been in the hospital a few days already, so I was curious to see what was going on. She has since been 'allowed to leave' (after spending more that a week 'in labour'...ugh!)
The hospital in Kiboga was unlike any I had seen - In all reality, it was just a large structure with walls. Jackie and I went looking for her friend in the birthing room. As soon as we walked in, I was overwhelmed at the amount of women! There were so many beds in the room and many were on the floor waiting to meet their babies. We were directed to another room, where we found her friend along with the friend's mother-in-law. In Ugandan culture, the mother of the husband is now the wife's mother and must support her through birth.
She was in a little discomfort, but definitely not ready to give birth. She really shouldn't have been in the hospital - I think she felt the baby moving and thought she was having sensations. The nurse had told her that she had to stay in the hospital because she was in labour and had no water in her body which was why her water had not yet broken! (So, she was convinced that she was in labour and there was something wrong) - It was a way to keep her in the hospital paying the fee. There was no water anywhere in the hospital to drink.
I brought out my massage oil and massaged her back and legs, then got her out of bed for a walk in the fresh air. Once we were back in the room, she had many questions which Jackie translated. She was worried that the baby wasn't coming because she had had sex while she was pregnant (Here, many midwives tell the women that they will kill their babies if they have sex during pregnancy!) So, the poor woman had sat there for a few days thinking that she had killed her baby! Jackie even said that many birthing women have been yelled at when their babies come out with "white stuff" - the nurses say it is a result of sex during pregnancy! I explained to her that all babies are born this way - the baby was kicking. Once I finally found some water, I added a vit supplement to the water and we left.
She has since come back home...it appears she is not yet in labour : ) She lives just around the corner, so I have been able to visit adn see how she is doing.
The hospital in Kiboga was unlike any I had seen - In all reality, it was just a large structure with walls. Jackie and I went looking for her friend in the birthing room. As soon as we walked in, I was overwhelmed at the amount of women! There were so many beds in the room and many were on the floor waiting to meet their babies. We were directed to another room, where we found her friend along with the friend's mother-in-law. In Ugandan culture, the mother of the husband is now the wife's mother and must support her through birth.
She was in a little discomfort, but definitely not ready to give birth. She really shouldn't have been in the hospital - I think she felt the baby moving and thought she was having sensations. The nurse had told her that she had to stay in the hospital because she was in labour and had no water in her body which was why her water had not yet broken! (So, she was convinced that she was in labour and there was something wrong) - It was a way to keep her in the hospital paying the fee. There was no water anywhere in the hospital to drink.
I brought out my massage oil and massaged her back and legs, then got her out of bed for a walk in the fresh air. Once we were back in the room, she had many questions which Jackie translated. She was worried that the baby wasn't coming because she had had sex while she was pregnant (Here, many midwives tell the women that they will kill their babies if they have sex during pregnancy!) So, the poor woman had sat there for a few days thinking that she had killed her baby! Jackie even said that many birthing women have been yelled at when their babies come out with "white stuff" - the nurses say it is a result of sex during pregnancy! I explained to her that all babies are born this way - the baby was kicking. Once I finally found some water, I added a vit supplement to the water and we left.
She has since come back home...it appears she is not yet in labour : ) She lives just around the corner, so I have been able to visit adn see how she is doing.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
A day in Kiboga
Blessings,
Many of you have been asking me what the average day is like here. Though it changes all the time, this is my current schedule:
Monday: OFF
Tuesday:
morning: I teach french
afternoon: I teach english
evening: Yoga for the teachers
Wednesday:
afternoon: I run a frisbee game
late afternoon: Yoga class with the students
Thursday:
morning: I teach french
afternoon: I teach english
Friday:
morning: I teach french
afternoon: I teach english
evening: Yoga for the teachers
Saturday:
afternoon: I run a girls healing circle using group counselling, art, goal setting, breathing, affirmation work....
evening: I do individual healing sessions with students
Sunday: OFF
I also visit the local health clinic, or hospital in Kiboga and at any moment have hundreds of young children to play with in the village! I would love visitors if any of you feel like doing some work in Uganda for a while!
live, laugh, love...
nA+
Many of you have been asking me what the average day is like here. Though it changes all the time, this is my current schedule:
Monday: OFF
Tuesday:
morning: I teach french
afternoon: I teach english
evening: Yoga for the teachers
Wednesday:
afternoon: I run a frisbee game
late afternoon: Yoga class with the students
Thursday:
morning: I teach french
afternoon: I teach english
Friday:
morning: I teach french
afternoon: I teach english
evening: Yoga for the teachers
Saturday:
afternoon: I run a girls healing circle using group counselling, art, goal setting, breathing, affirmation work....
evening: I do individual healing sessions with students
Sunday: OFF
I also visit the local health clinic, or hospital in Kiboga and at any moment have hundreds of young children to play with in the village! I would love visitors if any of you feel like doing some work in Uganda for a while!
live, laugh, love...
nA+
Current Needs
The following are some of the needs of the highschool, clinic and baby home. Please contact me at shantiuganda@yahoo.ca before sending for directions and a mailing address.
Uganda Martyr's School
-Yoga mats
-Science lab supplies/equipment
-textbooks: math, biology, physics, chemistry, languages, English, history... (high school level)
-Dictionary
-Encyclopedia
-Sports Equipment
-Running shoes - for playing sports
-Solar power system
-Medical supplies for first aid room
-Money
-Sponsorship: It costs just under $225 per student including tuition/room/board/uniform
-Volunteers: teaching, health, building
Medical Clinic in Kiboga
-Medical books
-Supplies
-Medicine
-Birthing Supplies
-Vitamin Supplements
-Birthing Massage Oil
-Volunteer midwives, doulas
Amani Baby Cottage
-Infant to 4yrs clothes: socks, shoes, underwear, clothes, cloth diapers
-toys
-books
-Baby Carriers: slings, backpack carriers
-medical supplies
-strollers
-Volunteers
-Someone to tackle the Canadian adoption system!
-GOOD HOMES!
Uganda Martyr's School
-Yoga mats
-Science lab supplies/equipment
-textbooks: math, biology, physics, chemistry, languages, English, history... (high school level)
-Dictionary
-Encyclopedia
-Sports Equipment
-Running shoes - for playing sports
-Solar power system
-Medical supplies for first aid room
-Money
-Sponsorship: It costs just under $225 per student including tuition/room/board/uniform
-Volunteers: teaching, health, building
Medical Clinic in Kiboga
-Medical books
-Supplies
-Medicine
-Birthing Supplies
-Vitamin Supplements
-Birthing Massage Oil
-Volunteer midwives, doulas
Amani Baby Cottage
-Infant to 4yrs clothes: socks, shoes, underwear, clothes, cloth diapers
-toys
-books
-Baby Carriers: slings, backpack carriers
-medical supplies
-strollers
-Volunteers
-Someone to tackle the Canadian adoption system!
-GOOD HOMES!
The Amani Baby Cottage
"Since all living beings - animals, birds, insects and human beings - are worthy of compassion, the realm of compassion is very vast. The pilgrimage to the domain of compassion is an auspicious one, because compassion also embraces strangers - not just those close to us" Swami Shri Kripaluanadji
The moment you walk through the gates of the Amani baby cottage, you can hear laughter float through the yard. Amani is home to the many babies, toddlers, house mommies, garden keepers and volunteers who share their love in one family. It is run by an American woman who has made Uganda her home and opened her doors to over 60 babies ranging from newborns, to babies with AIDS, to young children with developmental disabilities - everyone is loved. Many of the children come in severely malnourished and ill and find medical care, love, food and a home. The gardens look out over the Nile River in Jinja - a beautiful oasis! The drive to Jinja was like coming home - somewhere I had seen before in my dreams.
I spent a few days in Jinja last week visiting my friend Rebecca who is volunteering at Amani. It was an honour to meet the babies and learn their stories. Many had been left behind, some had parents in prison, one baby was recovered after the mother had tried to put her down the toilet. Steven, a young autistic child ran through the garden trying with all his heart to communicate through sounds - his father left him once he found out he had a developmental disability. All run on donations, they try to find homes for all of the babies.
The children are beautiful - as soon as an adult comes their way, they try to get their attention - a result of severe neglect...most of them suffer from extreme attachment issues! One day we took a couple of the babies and toddlers and Steven down to the Source of the Nile - They love getting special attention.
Many of the babies have gone to good homes in the US, however, it is currently very difficult for Canadians to adopt children (unless you have a lot of money, or connections in the Canadian system) As of now, a Canadian must live for 3 years in Uganda with the child before they are able to obtain adoption papers. A few Canadian families have managed to find loopholes in the system and avoided this residency.
The babies at Amani really need someone in Canada to sort this out and change the Canadian system. It is possible with enough dedication! The more babies they can find homes for, the more babies they can bring in.....they are waiting at the gates!
The moment you walk through the gates of the Amani baby cottage, you can hear laughter float through the yard. Amani is home to the many babies, toddlers, house mommies, garden keepers and volunteers who share their love in one family. It is run by an American woman who has made Uganda her home and opened her doors to over 60 babies ranging from newborns, to babies with AIDS, to young children with developmental disabilities - everyone is loved. Many of the children come in severely malnourished and ill and find medical care, love, food and a home. The gardens look out over the Nile River in Jinja - a beautiful oasis! The drive to Jinja was like coming home - somewhere I had seen before in my dreams.
I spent a few days in Jinja last week visiting my friend Rebecca who is volunteering at Amani. It was an honour to meet the babies and learn their stories. Many had been left behind, some had parents in prison, one baby was recovered after the mother had tried to put her down the toilet. Steven, a young autistic child ran through the garden trying with all his heart to communicate through sounds - his father left him once he found out he had a developmental disability. All run on donations, they try to find homes for all of the babies.
The children are beautiful - as soon as an adult comes their way, they try to get their attention - a result of severe neglect...most of them suffer from extreme attachment issues! One day we took a couple of the babies and toddlers and Steven down to the Source of the Nile - They love getting special attention.
Many of the babies have gone to good homes in the US, however, it is currently very difficult for Canadians to adopt children (unless you have a lot of money, or connections in the Canadian system) As of now, a Canadian must live for 3 years in Uganda with the child before they are able to obtain adoption papers. A few Canadian families have managed to find loopholes in the system and avoided this residency.
The babies at Amani really need someone in Canada to sort this out and change the Canadian system. It is possible with enough dedication! The more babies they can find homes for, the more babies they can bring in.....they are waiting at the gates!
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