Niteo Kansanga Resource Centre

Our first month in Uganda was spent in a very small apartment on the edge of a very poor neighborhood. The local kids were immediately interested in these new white people that had moved in and would come to our gate daily to ask if they could come play. How could we say no! So they routinely came and still do. Sometimes way too many at a time, sometimes at a time when we just can't handle having any more people around. We never would have imagined that simple act of letting some grubby little kids through our gate to play with our kids toys would lead to.

Kara spent the first few months wracking her brain what she was going to do with her time in Uganda. I had my thing with eMi but what was she to do? The idea that we both hold on to is that sometimes we just need to start things without knowing where they are going. So Kara started something. She and Jocelyne decided to start a simple after school program for the kids in the neighborhood. Some of you probably remember those blogs from last August/Sept where over a 100 kids would show up a couple times a week to play Lego, be read to, build a puzzle, play soccer or just see what these crazy white people were doing. Sometimes just a little attention goes a long way. The 2 of them knew that they could not keep this up though. It was a lot of work and very draining. So they took it a giant step further......

In December they took possession (rented) of a house right in this poor neighborhood. They hired plumbers and electricians and carpenters and masons and it was crazy. How did they know how to do any of this? They didn't but they learned by just starting, making mistakes and diligently following through on things. They hired Uganda staff, developed schedules, met with local schools started taking donations. Can you tell that I'm proud of them?!!

On Monday the Niteo Kansanga Resource Centre held a grand opening and open house. It was amazing. 11 local schools visited the centre, groups of cultural dancers performed, a Kampala newspaper interviewed them and the local chairlady (neighborhood politician) gave a speech that really expressed her appreciation and approval of the centre. I wish you could have been there, but here are some pics.

Bombo Children's Orphanage

 There have been a lot of discussions like this one

Kara at the mic

 Breakdance Project Uganda