Back from Uganda
Our trip to Uganda encompassed the most incredible six days I’ve ever spent anywhere at any time. In many ways the things we saw were surreal, but the trip was, in fact, very successful. I’m convinced that this effort we discussed with the Ugandans is going to thrive.
We spent virtually the whole time working with and being chaperoned by the folks from ACID – the African Christian in Development Trust, which is a relatively new and fascinating organization. ACID paid for all of our (myself, Gary’s, and Rosemary’s) travel expenses. The “Chief Director” of ACID is Bishop Siribaleka, a short, young (mid-30s) unassuming fellow who has a heart of gold and iron constitution. Virtually every time Rosemary referred to him at one of our rallies she called him a “little man with a big heart.” He’s the leader and visionary of ACID, no doubt. In person he is humble and at first impression seems to even lack self-confidence. Over the several days I found out how wrong that first impression was. He, in fact, is a fiery orator when he gets in front of a crowd (and we saw many).
Over the past several months, Siribaleka has taken my preliminary ideas about this computer initiative and started to put them into a legal/operational form that could work in Uganda. He gave us both the articles of incorporation for Uganda Computer Manufacturing Company as well as a planning document for the initiative. Both documents show that a great deal of thought has already gone into how to set up and operate Africa’s first home-grown computer company.
Prof. Gary Chapman from UT -- who was a last-minute addition on the trip -- turned out to be an incredible person and resource. He knows much more than I do about what technology efforts are going on in third-world countries around the world, and as head of the 21st Century Project at the LBJ School is trying to do something about it. He’s also incredibly well plugged in – has personally met several recent U.S. Presidents and the heads of many of the largest computer/IT companies. One of his twelve graduate students this semester is Eddie Sabena, who is a computer science undergraduate from Kampala, Uganda, and who may play an important role in the initiatives that we discussed with the Ugandans.
Over the next few days I’ll upload a bunch of photos of our trip to ophoto.com, so anyone can see the types of things we saw and experienced in Uganda. ACID had an “official photographer” that accompanied us on all the meetings and site visits, and the Bishop said that he would send me a DVD of all his photos, too.
Someone once wrote: "I want to experience the world and hear people's stories. I want to help those who cannot find solutions. I want to tell their stories to others." I had hoped that she could be on this trip, but I blew it and scared her terribly – but, as I’ve said many times, that was not at all on purpose. (My intention was quite the opposite.) I hope she can make the next one -- whenever that happens, and it will happen -- because she's a far better writer and poet than I could ever hope to be.
JW
We spent virtually the whole time working with and being chaperoned by the folks from ACID – the African Christian in Development Trust, which is a relatively new and fascinating organization. ACID paid for all of our (myself, Gary’s, and Rosemary’s) travel expenses. The “Chief Director” of ACID is Bishop Siribaleka, a short, young (mid-30s) unassuming fellow who has a heart of gold and iron constitution. Virtually every time Rosemary referred to him at one of our rallies she called him a “little man with a big heart.” He’s the leader and visionary of ACID, no doubt. In person he is humble and at first impression seems to even lack self-confidence. Over the several days I found out how wrong that first impression was. He, in fact, is a fiery orator when he gets in front of a crowd (and we saw many).
Over the past several months, Siribaleka has taken my preliminary ideas about this computer initiative and started to put them into a legal/operational form that could work in Uganda. He gave us both the articles of incorporation for Uganda Computer Manufacturing Company as well as a planning document for the initiative. Both documents show that a great deal of thought has already gone into how to set up and operate Africa’s first home-grown computer company.
Prof. Gary Chapman from UT -- who was a last-minute addition on the trip -- turned out to be an incredible person and resource. He knows much more than I do about what technology efforts are going on in third-world countries around the world, and as head of the 21st Century Project at the LBJ School is trying to do something about it. He’s also incredibly well plugged in – has personally met several recent U.S. Presidents and the heads of many of the largest computer/IT companies. One of his twelve graduate students this semester is Eddie Sabena, who is a computer science undergraduate from Kampala, Uganda, and who may play an important role in the initiatives that we discussed with the Ugandans.
Over the next few days I’ll upload a bunch of photos of our trip to ophoto.com, so anyone can see the types of things we saw and experienced in Uganda. ACID had an “official photographer” that accompanied us on all the meetings and site visits, and the Bishop said that he would send me a DVD of all his photos, too.
Someone once wrote: "I want to experience the world and hear people's stories. I want to help those who cannot find solutions. I want to tell their stories to others." I had hoped that she could be on this trip, but I blew it and scared her terribly – but, as I’ve said many times, that was not at all on purpose. (My intention was quite the opposite.) I hope she can make the next one -- whenever that happens, and it will happen -- because she's a far better writer and poet than I could ever hope to be.
JW
posted by Jerry Werner | 4:58 AM
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