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Chief Executive, Geoff, is currently travelling in Uganda to check in on our projects and partners Muzungu Geoff Coleman Chief Executive Officer What is a muzungu? Mzungu, also known as muzungu, mlungu, musungu or musongo, is a Bantu word that means "wanderer" originally The noun Mzungu or its variants are used in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Northern Madagascar (the word changed to "vozongo" in Malagasy, but locals will still understand the word mzungu

Geoff Coleman Chief Executive Mildmay Hospital See Geoff's previous Muzungu blog posts here: Please support our WInter 2024 Fundraising Appeal: What is a muzungu? Mzungu, also known as muzungu, mlungu, musungu or musongo, is a Bantu word that means "wanderer" originally The noun Mzungu or its variants are used in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Northern Madagascar (the word changed to "vozongo" in Malagasy, but locals will still understand the word mzungu

Muzungu blog days 1-3 After leaving home in Chipping Norton on Saturday afternoon, followed by the usual Geoff Coleman Chief Executive Officer What is a muzungu? Mzungu, also known as muzungu, mlungu, musungu or musongo, is a Bantu word that means "wanderer" originally The noun Mzungu or its variants are used in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Northern Madagascar (the word changed to "vozongo" in Malagasy, but locals will still understand the word mzungu

Muzungu signing off. Geoff Coleman CEO, Mildmay Hospital What is a muzungu? Mzungu, also known as muzungu, mlungu, musungu or musongo, is a Bantu word that means "wanderer" originally The noun Mzungu or its variants are used in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Northern Madagascar (the word changed to "vozongo" in Malagasy, but locals will still understand the word mzungu

Geoff Coleman CEO, Mildmay Hospital What is a muzungu? Mzungu, also known as muzungu, mlungu, musungu or musongo, is a Bantu word that means "wanderer" originally The noun Mzungu or its variants are used in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Northern Madagascar (the word changed to "vozongo" in Malagasy, but locals will still understand the word mzungu

Geoff Coleman CEO, Mildmay Hospital What is a muzungu? Mzungu, also known as muzungu, mlungu, musungu or musongo, is a Bantu word that means "wanderer" originally The noun Mzungu or its variants are used in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Northern Madagascar (the word changed to "vozongo" in Malagasy, but locals will still understand the word mzungu

Geoff Coleman CEO, Mildmay Hospital What is a muzungu? Mzungu, also known as muzungu, mlungu, musungu or musongo, is a Bantu word that means "wanderer" originally The noun Mzungu or its variants are used in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Northern Madagascar (the word changed to "vozongo" in Malagasy, but locals will still understand the word mzungu

(Mzungu is a Bantu word that means "wanderer", originally pertaining to spirits.

Our last day in the field before I and Naggib return to the UK and Switzerland respectively. So a relaxed start with the noise of the farmyard animals and baboons not waking me until after six, which I can cope with. We left at 0900 for the J.O.Y. Hospice in Mbale where we met the Clinical Team including Dr Jan White and spent the morning discussing issues and challenges that they face. We then travelled with Dr White to Buwasunguyi Clinic in a remote area. This clinic, without mains power, is on the front line of services proving everything from vaccinations to the delivery of children and minor surgery. The challenges here were of a more basic nature but nonetheless important. Whether Mildmay can or should help these facilities is a question that we will be exploring with our Board of Trustees over the coming weeks. We finished off the day by sharing a meal with Jan, taking the time to go over the challenges, some of which are quite large and for the team here, seemingly too big to solve without some kind of help. Geoff Coleman CEO of Mildmay

I was awoken by the not so distant sound of chickens and baboons. They were not singing harmoniously. It was 5.15. I got the feeling that they were working up the energy for a full dawn chorus which was not due for another hour and a quarter. Being so close to the equator the time of sunrise and sunset doesn’t change much throughout the year and neither does the sound of chickens and baboons. So after about an hour I gave up and got up. Today is Sunday and I am clearly not getting a lie in. After an early breakfast, I had a bit of time before I linked into my church in Chipping Norton using the YouTube link that has been standard practice for many churches since the beginning of COVID. We can chat and send messages to each other as well using WhatsApp. The WiFi ailed about halfway through and then picked up again right at the end. We had a late lunch where we met up with Dr Jan White the founder of Joy Hospice and the Buwasunguyi clinic. Jan is a GP from Oxfordshire who has been working in Mbale since 1988. There are particular challenges that Jan has that Mildmay may be able to advise or help with but after a couple of hours of chatting it was clear that we needed more information and so made arrangements to visit the medical facilities tomorrow. After some time catching up with emails, Naggib Chakhane (Mildmay Trustee) and I had the opportunity during the evening to discuss what we had learned from Jan and possible routes forward. We went to bed with many questions and not enough answers. Hopefully, tomorrow will bring more clarity. Geoff Coleman CEO of Mildmay

Day 6 was an opportunity for almost the entire Mildmay Kenya Team to come together with me, Norma (Finance Manage for Mildmay UK) and six Trustees, four from Kenya and two from the UK (Andrew and Naggib). The purpose of the day was to thrash out the beginnings of a plan that we see us through the next three to five years. The perspective brought to the day by the whole team, both young and old and new members of the team alongside some who had been around for fifteen plus years was incredibly valuable. By the end of the day, everyone was exhausted but we had achieved so much, working together. We had some great ideas and some totally wacky ones that just might be worth a shot. The next step will be for the Board to decide which ideas to take forward. The evening was spent relaxing with the team from UK and Kenya over a meal. Tomorrow the UK team would split with Andrew and Norma returning to the UK and myself and Naggib going on to Uganda. It had been an exhausting week but a good one and this was one of those bittersweet moments. Time to sleep. Geoff Coleman CEO of Mildmay

The word mzungu doesn’t really mean white man, although that is what it has become through common usage

After a rushed breakfast and brief farewells to Andrew at Breakfast, Naggib and I made our way to Kisumu Airport. Chrispen who had been our ever reliable driver for this and every trip to Kenya was just ahead of time as usual. Checking in for a small airline like Air Kenya is a little different. Much more relaxed. Once the plane had landed from Entebbe we had a short wait to board with our luggage. It turned out that Naggib and I were the only passengers so the crew equalled the passenger numbers. The 45 minute trip to Entebbe in this single prop aircraft was very enjoyable and we had wonderful views over Lake Victoria. Next was the road journey to Mbale! This meant driving around Kampala. Anyone who has driven in or around Kampala will simply tell you that you avoid it at all costs. The journey, normally about 5 to 6 hours took us 7. At one point we were overtaken by a police vehicle that parted the traffic and so our driver simply put on our hazard lights and followed the police car. This got through about 4 miles of traffic before it turned off our road. We finally arrived at the hotel and after a quick shower adjourned to the bar to watch the Chelsea V Liverpool cup final… actually Naggib headed straight there and decided that it was more important to catch the early part of the match and be smelly than have a shower… no one else in the bar seemed in the least bit interested as they were all intent on the match. It was a pleasant evening after a long Saturday travelling. Oh and I should mention that we got pulled over by the police… no reason really, but after being extremely polite and giving the policeman a bottle of water we were on our way. Welcome to Africa! Geoff Coleman CEO of Mildmay

The Mzungu returns. Which of course means that I am no longer a Mzungu, or wanderer.

They pass on the information that I am the tasty Mzungu* that appears from time to time. *Mzungu is a Bantu word that means “wanderer”, originally pertaining to spirits.