11^th October 2012

At Wakisa this morning the girls gathered round Mum and I for cuddles and hellos. We went through everyone’s names again and I gave Stella the baby doll we bought yesterday. Mum dug out a small baby grow and knitted hat for it earlier this morning. Stella loved it and showered me in thanks and hugs, she has the most infectious smile.

Mum suddenly recognised one of the girls and asked her if she had been to Wakisa before. She was here last year, Mum asked if she was pregnant again but she isn’t, her baby is up at Sanyu Babies home and she can see the baby regularly. Sadly Furaha has nowhere to go, she was a Congolese refugee and still has wounds in her foot where she was shot trying to escape. I also noticed a huge scar on her chest, this is from a stab wound. Vivian couldn’t send Furaha back, so for now she is staying. Furaha was so pleased that Mum recognised her and another round of hugs and smiles were distributed.

We then set up an icebreaker games with a balloon. Two teams of girls each trying to keep the balloon off the ground. It was so much fun to watch them enjoying themselves and hearing their laughter.

Mum, Patience and I sorted through the M&S donations, counting them items and adding them to stock. Afterwards we sat chatting with Vivian in her office about the girls whilst we had a tea break. Marion was a bright and clever girl who had a good future ahead of her. There was a boy at school that kept making passes at her of which she ignored. Then one day he and two other boys waited for her after school. The two boys held her down whilst the other raped her. Not only did this leave Marion pregnant and thrown out of school but she is now also HIV Positive.

After lunch Henry drove Mum and I to Mengo where we purchased a baby bath ready for when we picked up a new mum from the hospital and a couple of books that I could look at and read with Ezra this evening.

On the way to Mulago Hospital to collect Flavia who had her baby this morning, I managed to do some street photography from the safety of the car.

Mum and I weren’t allowed on the ward today so waited whilst Gloria the Wakisa house Mother fetched Flavia. While we waited we were stared at by many and one girl followed us and touched me, Vivian said they can do this to a Muzungo which means white person because they are not used to seeing them and want to know what we feel like. There were so many women sat on the floors of the corridors, I snuck one picture but it doesn’t show the enormity of how many are there! Back at Wakisa with Flavia and her new baby boy, the girls were excited to greet the new arrival.

Before we left I managed to watch the girls in a candle making lesson.

Home for supper and I spent some lovely time with Ezra, he absolutely loved the books I bought him and I taught him some English words with them.