A Not So Hygienic Farewell to Kitgum

Today is my last official day working full time for UNICEF New York in Uganda. I will likely attend a meeting or two in Kampala sometime in the near future, and possibly present the results from my assessment of the Rapid SMS System, but for all intensive purposes my assignment has been completed. I am now switching gears, starting work early next week with Save the Children, one of the largest Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the world. Over the next couple of months, I will be helping the Food Security Team in a town called Nakasongola with their Final Evaluation.

While I wait for a vehicle back towards Kampala, I remain stuck in Kitgum. I have shifted from the home of the UNICEF Kitgum Head of Office to a local hotel while I remain in town. Bomah, the local ‘aid worker’ lodging, is priced beyond my reach. With limited options that won’t leave me bankrupt, I chose a place called Acholli Pride. During past stints in Africa, I am slightly embarrassed to say that when traveling I would sometimes choose the less expensive ‘room with shared public facilities’ at local hotels in order to save a few dollars. This can mean dealing with rank bathrooms and bathing facilities. This time around, I was prepared to spend a couple of extra bucks for a bit of proper sanitation. Unfortunately, this was not an option.

Last night, I walked into the bathroom facilities only to be confronted by a young Ugandan male, to all practical extents stark naked, practicing some sort of bush martial arts in the smelly narrow hallway. He seemed to be mimicking Martin Sheen’s whiskey driven war-like dance in Apocalypse Now. I gave him a “Good Evening Saabu”, causing him considerable embarrassment, and proceeded to the shared faucet to shave. In a place like this, it is essential to make every possible effort to avoid any contact with everything in the area. This often means precariously stacking your bathing items on something, such as a water bottle, that will be discarded upon completion of using the facilities.

I peered into the room designated as the ‘toilet’. Consisting of no more than a hole in the ground, the whole room was absolutely filthy. When I tried to turn on the light, I understood why. There was no light bulb, and residents had to do their business in complete darkness, for better or for worse. Outside the communal shower, there was a sign asking guests to avoid urinating inside. As evinced by the overwhelming stench, this was clearly only a suggestion. I quickly bathed, and returned to my room, which in comparison seemed like a miracle of modern sanitation. However, I really have nothing to complain about. Acholli Pride is much nicer than many other places I have had the pleasure to lodge at. And tomorrow, I leave Kitgum for Kampala.