Questions,

Here are some questions people have asked; 

Q-I'm not sure how slum areas are formed---I'm guessing destitute people gather  to try to help each other survive?

A-The slum looks like an extension of the city, like a neighborhood. The houses are very small, one room, and have tin roofs. There are vegetable stands and shops that sell clothing, so its very different than the slum in India. The people in the ghetto came from the north of Uganda years ago when there was a war (I don’t know the specifics of the war) and traveled to Kampala to escape the war. Most people are from the north, but there are others who are from different parts of the country. 

Q-How many days do you go to be with the children? 

A-I go to the ghetto every Saturday and spend most of the day with the kids. However, since they are on summer vacation we will be bringing a handful of them up to Tomi’s house to spend a few days with me learning how to sew, bake and other crafts. 

Q-How do they get to the building?

A-The building we meet at on Saturdays is in the ghetto, the kids walk (sometimes up to 2 miles) to come to Saturday class. 

Q-Is the building a large room?

A-The building is small rectangle, maybe 10 feet wide and 40 feet long. 

Q-I gather from the looks of Tomi's home that it is a very large house---not in the slum area?

A- Yes, Tomi lives in Kampala, about a 30 minute drive to the ghetto. 

Q-Do you know the name of the village where you are?

A-I’m not in a village, I am in Kampala which is the capitol city of Uganda. The ghetto is on the outskirts of the city. The closest village is 20 kilometers, or a 45 minute drive away. 

Q-How do the kids get the liquor? 

A-The boys Cliff told me about get the beer from their mother who is also an alcoholic. Cliff made it sound like its not hard for the kids to get a hold of alcohol. 

Q-Where did the people that were evicted from the slum go 

A-We don’t know where they went. When/if our slum inhabitants get evicted, Cliff thinks many of them will go back to their villages up north. 

Q-Where do they come from

A-Many people are from the Acholi tribe, located in the northern part of Uganda. 

Q-What is the gov't going to do with the land

A-Develop it. The ghetto is sitting on ‘prime property’ as Cliff says. There is a private contractor who is building a very large, very nice house in the ghetto right now.