First Generation of Special Needs & other stuff.

 Over this week it's dawned on me that these children I am working with, are likely the first generation of special needs in Uganda. Previously they would not have been rescued but abandoned and left to die or outcast from their village because they were 'possessed' as they were not 'normal'. The challenge now for the ones who care for them, is what happens when they reach 18 and still require full time care? What will the future look like for them? Technically when the kids in the village reach adulthood they leave the village and start their life adventure, equipped to face the big world.
But what about these special ones, beautiful souls and the biggest smiles I have ever seen? What choice do they have? There are no firm answers yet. Presently, the higher needs children are up for international adoption. But one cannot solely rely on this as an only option. So another possibility is building a 'global village' for these children, sort of like a special needs home. I have noted though that there is a huge misconception and a lack of understanding what 'special needs' means, that some of these children will 'just come right'. What has stacked up against them, especially for the older ones, is that they have missed out on the vital early intervention needed to put in place good communication foundations. This is why the special needs team involvement in the babies home is imperative. It's encouraging to see that some of their children are making good progress.

Anyways, on a lighter note! (I hear you say, yes please!) We get a cooked lunch everyday at the clinic and I have tried a few varieties of traditional food: Maatoke - is cooked/steamed banana, mashed up and wrapped in banana leaves. It's pretty average on its own but with the ground nut (similar to a peanut) sauce, its AMAZING...ok maybe just the sauce is amazing! ;)
I have had posho - what I know as 'millie-meal' - maize, which kinda looks like mashed potato but doesn't taste like it. It's hard to describe.
Kasava - a root vegetable. Nope. Not a fan.
Goat - if cooked right can be nice and tender. Better off the bone ;). They also eat a lot of beans - never have been a fan, so have quietly avoided this. And then there is the chapatis, which I've always been a fan of, unfortunately. :)

The medical team at Suubi Village: Nurses(Stella & Natalie), Clinical Psychologist(Sam), Doctor(name not known, oops!) and Occupational Therapist(Monica)...and Steven, my host, being a egg, as usual ;)

And of course, there must always be time for a lesson in Lugandan...
Wasuze otya - Good morning or oli otya (oh.tee.ya) - is just hey, hi, hello
Yakuraba - See ya later ;)
Weebale - Thank you
Weelaba - Goodbye. Yes, confusing much! Cant tell you how much I got this mixed up!
ChiChi - What's up? What's wrong?
Ssebo - Sir
Nnyabo - Madam
Mulungi - Beautiful (apparently my African name, hehe ;) )
and finally Mzungu - White person

I'm off to Gulu (heading north) on Saturday to join a build team up there and go on Safari for 2 days! Bring it on! :)