A hurried departure . . .

Unfortunately Ian became ill on 15 March and was quickly evacuated by VSO to The Nairobi Hospital in Kenya. Ian received excellent care in Nairobi and is grateful to the warmth and humour of the team who looked after him for nearly four weeks. Here they are pictured below.

Renate flew out from Sheffield to be with Ian while he was in Hospital. Then VSO decided that it would be best to fly Ian home to Sheffield directly from Nairobi in mid April. Ian is now making a full recovery and is really enjoying the company of his new grandson - Adefela - the first child of daughter Laura and her Partner Shola.

The speed of Ian's departure from Nairobi, going direct to Sheffield, meant that he didn't get back to Kampala to say thanks and goodbye to the many close colleagues and friends encountered during the two years that Ian spent in Uganda. Geoffrey Mujisha, Ian's boss at the MARPs Network, made the trip to Nairobi to see Ian in Hospital and this was greatly appreciated and Ian was also greatly cheered by the continuous stream of messages and support from fellow VSO volunteers and work colleagues at the MARPs Network. Thank you very much! It is Ian's hope when he gets clearance from his consultant to take a holiday in Uganda later in the year so that goodbyes can be properly exchanged!

First meeting of the Kampala Technical Working Group - last piece in the MARPs Network's jigsaw . . for the time being!

On 14 March the first meeting of the Kampala Technical Working Group was held in the garden at the MARPs Network's offices in Kamwokya, Kampala. Participants worked hard all day to discuss and agree the program of work for the coming year. This last meeting in the round of TWG meetings held in February and March brought to a close Ian's involvement with the MARPs Network since March 2010. From January Natukunda has been working as the Network Development Worker with Ian's support. From now on Natukunda will be leading this important area of work but without Ian's immediate presence as her mentor and coach. Although hopefully the use of the 'phone and email between Kamwokya and Sheffield will ensure an enduring link.

Above and below: - discussion focusing on the priority groups that the Kampala Technical Working Group should work with in the coming year

Listening intently to the summing up of the day's proceedings

Natukunda thanks participants for their attendance and for their hard work!

6 week picture update

3.00 pm Sunday 8 January - Ian has just arrived in Entebbe - collected by Geoffrey Mujisha and Natukunda Shalince, colleagues from the MARPs Network and before tucking into some Lake Victoria fish and chips a quick text to Renate to inform of safe arrival!
9 January - Joshua and Joy, our caretaker's children excited at opening pressies from Sheffield!
Our Donor - the Danish Government's Christmas present to the MARPs Network was to call for an end of year audit of finance and programme management. Here's Geoffrey reading the audit report to the team meeting on 30 January, the report gives the Network high marks - well done to the many colleagues who gave up some of their Christmas break to prepare for the audit!
This is a garage space at the Network's offices, there are hopes that it can be turned into a resource room to be used by members of the Network in Kampala. A likely project for fundraising when Ian returns to Sheffield in April
13 February - Natukunda giving her first presentation as Network Development Worker at the first meeting of Network members in western Uganda - she did brilliantly!
A participant at the western Uganda members' meeting held in Mbarara on 13 February.
14 February - it's Valentine's Day and this Wart Hog is thinking about someone to love - Ian passed on the offer!
14 February - on the way back from Mbarara the road to Kampala passes Lake Mburo National Park so the team (Natukunda, John (our driver) and Ian decided to take a look. These Zebras are breathtaking and there are loads of them in the park.
A magnificently proud male Water Buck doesn't seem to fazed by our presence
A stunningly beautiful Impala with a coat that seems so soft and flawless
This is a very large buck known as a "Topi" - again a beautiful shiny coat.
John, our driver, and Natukunda negotiating to buy "Matoke" - green bananas that are steamed and mashed - a very popular food to go with a meat sauce.
Seemingly the negotiations are going badly as the Matoke seller moves away. But this story did have a happy ending and two 'branches' of Matoke were purchased and taken to Kampala.
John and Natukunda at the Equator on our way back from Mbarara
Participants at the regional members meeting held on 20 February in Lira, northern Uganda - applaud as a certificate of membership is presented.
Discussion on priorities for the action plan for the next 12 months

Happy New Year and some changes

Apologies for the long gap between this post and the last one in November. Things have been hectic. Renate and Ian went back to Sheffield for Christmas and celebrated with Laura and Shola and with Holly and Matt. It was good to experience a Christmas in the 'cold' after a gap of two years.
Ian has returned to Kampala and will stay until just before Easter continuing to work with the MARPs Network. As this is only a 12 week assignment, Renate is staying back in Sheffield and it has to be said that the main reason is the scheduled arrival of a grandchild in late April, so there's much to prepare for.
Ian and Renate celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary on Monday - apart!
Ian will try and make as many posts as possible in the next few weeks, so watch this space!