Normal life comes to a halt on the last Saturday of the month in Rwanda when everyone is expected to take part in a community activity called Umuganda. Yesterday we joined a huge group of people laying a drain on a hillside, digging the trench and filliing it with rocks and stone. I joined the team mixing cement, a task which was attacked with great gusto. By the end of an hour or so I was exhausted and with hands covered in blisters. In a slightly surreal moment, just now on Sunday morning, I have been listening to Andrew Mitchell MP, the leader of our project explaining how pleased we were to be taking part. Outside where I am staying are are number of houses where the kids play outside and the radio is often on. I awoke to hear an English language station with the morning news and Andrew's dulcet tones!Sunday 26 July 2009
Umuganda
Normal life comes to a halt on the last Saturday of the month in Rwanda when everyone is expected to take part in a community activity called Umuganda. Yesterday we joined a huge group of people laying a drain on a hillside, digging the trench and filliing it with rocks and stone. I joined the team mixing cement, a task which was attacked with great gusto. By the end of an hour or so I was exhausted and with hands covered in blisters. In a slightly surreal moment, just now on Sunday morning, I have been listening to Andrew Mitchell MP, the leader of our project explaining how pleased we were to be taking part. Outside where I am staying are are number of houses where the kids play outside and the radio is often on. I awoke to hear an English language station with the morning news and Andrew's dulcet tones!
