Lira Learning Center

 We love to take advantage of P-Days (Preparation Days ) a day each week when we are out of  the office. It is on Saturday for us and is set aside to do washing, house cleaning, ironing, shopping etc. but we rarely use it for that. We like to be gone and doing "projects" when ever we get the chance.

In this blog we have traveled to Lira about 6 hours away to help Canadian Humanitarian with a project they are working on there. They have opened a center and are providing education and after school program for 50 orphaned individuals. Sister Squire and Sister Wallace are assisting with intake medicals for children entering the program.

  This a photo of a mom and toddler from the area that characterizes the local people in the Lira area

      Dick Northcott and his brother David have traveled from Medicine Hat and Penticton to complete a number of tasks in getting the program established here

Diana Ntono - Program Director for Canadian Humanitarian here in Uganda.

She is a Doctor in law and a Master in International Relations--educated in China

She is making it fun for the kids with her funny hat

We went out into the Village to do Home Visits with the kids and their families 

                    It is a humbling experience visiting families in their homes--learning of their struggles and challenges

The Lira Learning Center - an after school program for the kids 

David  Northcott shopping at the Ugandan "Home Depot" looking for fencing materials to construct a fence on some land where they plan to develop a piggery to generate income to support the program

About 5 acres of land just outside the town of Lira

The fence posts have already been dug by hand by some local laborers. I mean that literally.

They break up the soil with a bar and scoop out the dirt with their hands to make a hole 2 feet deep

Elder Wallace and Eklund preparing some concrete to set the posts

Scouter Ken chopping brush to be used as support for the concrete posts while they set

Ken also decided to chop/dig out a nasty stump that was right on the fence line. After making very little progress with a dull axe he decided there must be a better way so he started looking for a "win/win" Sound familiar?? The local people have very little income and need opportunities for work. Ken needed a rest and the stump removed. Here is the winning photo!!

Couple of very hard workers--can't you tell. They are sporting matching sunglasses purchased by Elder Squire for use in the project.

This little sweetheart came to fetch water from the local pump. The smaller the child the smaller the jug right down to pint size, They start packing water very early in their lives  and significant part of their just obtaining water.

                                           Ken took a photo and is showing it too her here.

This watering station was dug by Canadian Humanitarian and it will be available for 

the community to use.  

An ant hill was in the way and had to be removed.  They are called castles of clay for a reason.  

It is a fortress of cement made by small termites 

It took several men a few days to knock this down by hand

Taking a break in the shade of a huge African tree, When you are working you drink gallons of water to keep from getting dehydrated

Gravel and sand hauled in for the concrete

This is the course crushed gravel used in the concrete, How is it made?

From breaking large stones WITH A HAMMER

There is alot of dust in the air. This is either Elder Squire with very dirty legs or he is slowly lowly becoming Ugandan

   

Inferior quality posts were hard to deal with.  They
had to be returned and a better supplier sought

A cement mixer - easier than by hand

The first day they mixed the cement by hand  

The young missionary Elders came and helped on their P-Day and were a great help in getting the fencing done. 

 
                                                                                             




Dick and David - "Well Done"

Everything takes longer in Africa but it
turned out well.

...and the children danced 

The children is why we do all this.  They were well prepared and danced their native dance 

for the Grand Opening of the Learning Center.  

The Canadian Humanitarian have sacrificed much for these children.  We hope 

they will be blessed for their work here in Uganda.