Moishi Friends

Hello Life - Good bye Columbus

My last trip to Columbus OH began with a stop in GA on Tybee Island to see friends, Jenny and Rob Klosterman. They live in a great house (a duplex) on a charming island that has 3,000 inhabitants in the winter and 10 times that in the summer! Wonderful visit with good food, a tour of the local Civil War fort and excellent conversation. Off to Columbus for my final appearance at the Ohio Bankers’ League Management School (Ora “Andy” Anderson created in 1955). Joined Bill Campbell (friend and colleague for more than 20 years), Susan Poling (OB) and 22 bankers. At graduation, I received a diploma from Mike Adelman, CEO of OBL! Then off to Hanover IN and

friends, Sue and Mike DeWine. Sue is retiring as President of Hanover College in June. Home of San Diego with a 5 hour delay. Washing clothes and repacking for Tanzania in 3 days!!

Seven weeks in Uganda

Flights were fine but the arrival time in Entebbe is very late! Another volunteer was on the flight – Ellen Frazenberg from Iowa. Back to the Fairway Hotel; unfortunately construction in the Annex. Off to CRS in the am to meet with Maria Nakayiza (Program Coordinator) and George Ntibarikure (Program Manager) for the Farmer to Farmer activities. My shoes and mosquito spray were there! Said hello to all of the other CRS staff – especially Liz Pfeiffer, Country Director. I brought her a bottle of Tanzanian Red Gold Chili sauce! Off to Lira – 6 hours to the north. The Margaritha Hotel is 4 stories; I asked for a room on the ground floor and facing the inside courtyard. Asked for all the items to be fixed: toilet, lights, and removal of the closet door! Breakfast was 1 egg scrambled with no butter or milk on a piece of toast. My other meal was rice, beans and green veggies…..and a beer. Uganda has several local beers which are excellent. Margaritha Hotel is on the outskirts of Lira Town - a short 20 minute walk. Very quiet here. I walk in the am when it is still dark as the roads are paved around the hotel My client was Acwec Omio Cooperative with >3,500 members. The Chair and founder is Eddy Okello who started with ~20 women less than 10 years ago. The Cooperative is comprised of 10 Cluster groups with smaller units at the village level. There are 10 cash crops: maize, rice, sorghum, ground nuts, sim sim (sesame), millet among others. A large warehouse and equipment are also owned. I conducted training at 10 sites on for more than 250 farmers. I returned to Kampala for a night; other CRS volunteers: Robert Cooperrider and Dave and Flo Wagner were also at the Fairways Hotel so enjoyed a brief visit. The second client was Twezimbe Area Cooperative Enterprise in Kiboga. My training is essentially the same as Acwec Omio: Cooperative principles and leadership/management. There were again 10 groups in various locations: some in schools; some in churches; some under trees. In both I also conducted a TOT for selected members to continue the training with other farmers. My lodging in Kiboga was Precious Hotel. It was basic and very noisy as the staff lived in rooms around the courtyard with children, chickens and goats. I walked every morning with school children going at 6am to various private institutions. All spoke English and wanted to know a about America. Kiboga is a very small town; but it had a Muzungu Lodge (means white person). Back to Kampala and the Fairway Hotel. I left on October 1st for my gorilla adventure as described in the brochure. Mountain pictured. DAY 1: Drive from Kampala south-west across the Equator. The trip takes you through savannah grasslands, banana plantations and through herds of Ankole cattle with their incredible long curving horns. Ascend into the Kigezi highlands, known as the “Switzerland of Africa” with terraced farming and mountain scenery, and drive through to Buhoma. Dinner and overnight at Silverback Lodge. DAY 2: Enter the sanctuary at dawn and enjoy the beauty and freshness of the forest, home of the mountain gorillas. After a short briefing by the guides, proceed through dense bush to trek for these endangered animals. Other primates also live in the forest including the black and white Colobus monkey, red-tailed monkey and chimpanzee. Enjoy a packed lunch enroute and time permitting, visit the cultural village of the Batwa pygmies. Interact with their traditional healers, see how they make a local “brew” out of bananas and watch their traditional dance. Return to Silverback Lodge for dinner and overnight. DAY 3: Return to Kampala after breakfast. My experience was very different: 7 hours of climbing up and down a mountain. Very difficult and never to be repeated. Flights home were full (as usual); luggage was delayed in Atlanta due to a late arrival of my AMS to ATL. Washing clothes to repack for my trip to Savannah (friends), Columbus OH (work) and Hanover IN (friends). Then Tanzania! I have a well travel

ed suitcase.