Today marked our final day of meetings in Uganda, but first, we had to make the long journey from Mbale to Kampala.
When a drive like this can take five to nine hours, setting exact meeting times is more of an art than a science. Fortunately, we had some flexibility, as there was no flight to catch. We were lucky today - the journey back to Kampala took just under four and a half hours, which was ideal.
Our first meeting was with a firm of solicitors we are considering to represent our interests in Uganda. When dealing with construction projects in Africa, it’s crucial to have legal support on your side. Without it, the risk of being taken advantage of at every step is high. The meeting went exceptionally well, and the firm was highly recommended by Kumi Hospital, with whom we have already partnered for our Doctors' Education Exchange Programme.
Our second meeting was with the Deliverance Church of Uganda. Since our last discussions with them, during which we raised concerns about their governance, they have conducted a thorough review and initiated significant changes. They listened carefully to what we needed for the project and confirmed that they could provide their share of the Trustees to form the Project Board. By the end of the meeting, it was clear we had their full support for our proposal, which we will be presenting to the Mildmay Board at the end of the month.
Afterwards, Jan (White) and Joseph, who had been my invaluable taxi service and companions throughout the trip, dropped me at my hotel before starting their long drive back to Mbale. I’m incredibly grateful to have had Jan’s presence in the meetings, but I was also keenly aware of how long and exhausting a day it was for her. They eventually made it home safely after nearly fourteen hours on the road. Joseph, who drove for about thirteen hours, truly deserves recognition for managing the challenging Ugandan roads with such endurance.
Throughout the week, I had the opportunity to reflect with Jan (White) on her remarkable career as a missionary doctor in Africa. For over thirty years, she has followed her calling, using her medical skills to serve communities in such great need. While her work may seem to some as though her efforts make little difference in the grand scheme of things, you just need to speak to those under her care to know that the impact she has had is immense.
Alas, at seventy-five, the leadership of the Deliverance Church, which oversees her work, needs to be thinking about what comes next and who will step into her shoes - an undoubtedly difficult task given her extraordinary legacy.
Geoff Coleman
Chief Executive
Mildmay Hospital
See Geoff's previous Muzungu blog posts here:
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Mzungu, also known as muzungu, mlungu, musungu or musongo, is a Bantu word that means "wanderer" originally pertaining to spirits. The term is currently used in predominantly Swahili-speaking nations to refer to foreign people dating back to the 18th century. The noun Mzungu or its variants are used in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Comoros, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mayotte, Zambia and in Northern Madagascar (the word changed to "vozongo" in Malagasy, but locals will still understand the word mzungu) dating back to the 18th century.
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