Uganda is a country placed on the Equator line without any access to sea. It is a beautiful Country called by English „The Pearl of Africa”.
Economically, Uganda is a part of the East African Community and still is trying to develop. It is in fact in African pace, which means without hurry and with miserable fruits, especially for the poorest people.
Kabale District is the furthest one in the South West corner of Uganda; this area is covered with hills and mountains which in fact foretells the kind of agriculture and lifestyle of the people in the region. Two main tribes, Banyankore and Bakiga, cultivate the slopes of the hills preparing shelves (looking from far the plantations look like shelves) with very primitive tools. On these shelves they grow potatoes, maize, cassava, coffee, millet, and different kinds of vegetables. More lucky villages have the valleys with more flat areas where the banana plants can be cultivated. It is true that for the Banyankore an especial type of bananas, appropriate for cooking called Matoke, is the basic food. There is even a local saying no matoke, no life. In some parts of our District there are also tribes kipping cattle; they are the Bahimas.
The biggest problems of Kabale District are: overpopulation, difficulties to cultivate the land because of the landscape shape, HIV/AIDS, very expensive transport, which is beyond the range of the average villager, unemployment, and high cost of education, namely school fees.
What we do?
1.Pastoral work
2.Education
3.Development
1. Pastoral work.
Considering the location, our Parish is the last or more distant in our Diocese, just at the border of Kabale Diocese. Our Parish has 6 centers and 21 hikas. Hika is a small Village, very often hidden in the hills where we have a small Church where the people meet to strengthen their faith and to carry out their community life. Hikas are organized in centers which are bigger and with better means of communication, for example access roads. In each center we celebrate once a month Mass. To visit and minister in the hikas we are able to go twice a year.
One of the big challenges is distance. From Rushooka to Kashenye (one of our centers) it is 40 km. From Rushooka to Kasana (another center) it is 37 km, but in the opposite direction. The number of Christians is around 12,000. Daily pastoral work on the ground is done by catechists, who are not always well trained because of lack of financial support, and suitable candidates. Also their work is not paid for this same reason – lack of money. In some hikas Christians, who are still not strong in faith, leave for other belief denominations.
2. Education
Eight years ago, Sisters of the Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Charity arrived in Rushooka starting with a Health Center where they lead programs in health education, HIV prevention, patient’s consultation, home visiting, women rights and development. A Center for young women was built; there every year 20 girls are able to learn the basic household skills like: sowing, cooking, needle work, and other handcrafts. They are also introduced in the basics of the English Language, health orientation, and divinity.
3. Development
Problems we face
One of the biggest problems is alcoholism. In our opinion, more than 50% of the men are addicted to alcohol. They drink every day tonto, a local beer made from bananas, and waragi, the local vodka. Lack of work and cultural influence that the women are the ones supposed to work on the fields are the main cause for this problem. Many of the men start the day with tonto and finish it with tonto. We also can see that many women are drinking as well.