Smile and the World Will Smile Back to You
Throughout the last few days I had several interesting talks with Ugandans and got to know the culture and people of Uganda a bit better. What always amazes me is how friendly, open-minded and welcoming they are even though the basic human needs are not fulfilled. A lot of people do not have access to running water, electricity or balanced nutrition. In addition to that, they have a high rate of youth unemployment. Education is really expensive and many students drop out of Vocational Training Institutes because their parents cannot afford the tuition.
Let me introduce you to three people I met in Hoima and who’s stories inspired me.
The man who always smiles
Jackson used to be an instructor for auto mechanics at Nile Vocational Institute in Hoima. When I first met him he was showing us around campus. You could see in his eyes and smile that he was honored and proud to show us around. At first, I did not really understand why he was so proud. The premises are definitely different to the standards we have back in Germany.
On the weekend we went on a hike to Mount MTN in Hoima and we met Jackson again. Even though he works from Monday till Saturday and Sunday is his only day he can spend with his wife and kids, he volunteered to guide us. Again, he was so proud to show us around. On our way back we ran into our drivers who were waiting for their car to be checked. The mechanic was a former student of Jackson and it filled him with pride to see that his student is successful in his job.
Still waters run deep
Isma is our MarComms team driver for the whole assignment. It always feels weird to say “driver”, because he is more than that! He studied tourism in Kampala and is now working in a travel agency. He supported us during our shopping at Hoima market for our dinner party last Saturday, helps us navigate through the city, supports us in conducting field research, and slowly but surely is sharing more and more insights about Uganda with us. Every weekend he drives back to Kampala (4 hour drive) to be with his family.
The good soul
Justine is working in our hotel and attended a Vocational Training Institute in the past. From day one she was asking for our names and since then is greeting us by name or our room names (e.g. Elephant, Tiger, Cheetah), and chitchats with us whenever we meet her. We share stories and ask for her feedback for our MarComms project. She felt so honored when we organized our dinner party last Saturday where we invited all VSO volunteers, drivers, and the hotel staff to show our appreciation and to say thank you to them.
What do Jackson, Isma and Justine have in common?
They all represent the attitude and values of the Ugandans I experienced so far. They are proud of what they are doing, not envying someone about their job level or success and they value and show a lot of respect towards their family, friends and their community. It does not matter from which country or tribe you are and which religion you have. They welcome you with open arms and are happy to support, and are grateful for the interest in their country.
A lot of people could learn so much from them! Even though in many countries all criteria of the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are fulfilled, we do not seem to be as happy and in peace with the world and ourselves. I know this article will not change a lot and I also do not want to start a political discussion ;-). But hopefully it provides you some food for thought and triggers more empathy for the people around us :-).
