apagefrommunakusbook

Growing old is a privilege that is not enjoyed by everyone. Having said that, the number of elderly people in the world even in communities of the least developed countries like mine, has continued to rise for decades. World Health Organisation statistics show that in 2022 there were 771 million people aged 65 years and above globally, accounting for almost 10% of the world’s population. This segment of the population is expected to rise to 16 % in 2050. 

 United Nations defines an elderly person as anyone who is over 60 years of age. WHO regional office for Africa set 50 years as being old age in the Sub- Saharan Africa.

 Advances in science and medicine have allowed many people to live longer. As people are living longer, their wellbeing and dignity has to be ensured. As we grow older, we suffer decline in our physical and mental capacities and this results in challenges and opportunities. There is an increased demand for primary health care and long term care.

United Nations declared 2021 -2030 as the decade of healthy aging mainly to bring everyone on board : governments, international agencies, professionals, private sectors and communities to improve the lives of older people , their families and communities. Healthy longevity.

The elderly have to live in dignity and security and be free of exploitation and physical or mental abuse. They should be treated fairly regardless of age. They contributed to the development and growth of their communities and countries during the active part of their lives.

The 5 most crucial rights of the elderly as par the UN guidelines include:

• The right to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms                              
• The right for care                     
•   The right for self-fulfilment                                
•    The right for Dignity – full respect for their beliefs, needs and privacy
• The right to make decisions about their care and the quality of their lives                    

Due to improvement in health care and hygiene, universal education, improvements in the environment, sufficient food, healthier lifestyles and better economic development, Uganda’s life expectancy has continued to rise from the 50s to date. It has risen from  an average of 49.16 years  in 1971 to the current 62.9 years for males and 67.2 in females according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics population projections Reports of 2015-2050.

 The HIV/AIDS pandemic of the 80s and 90s had lowered it to 45.72 in 1991, wiping out the gains that had been made since independence.

 The 2 year long COVID-19 pandemic killed more people aged 60 and above due to chronic underlying conditions like diabetes, hypertension and cancers.

Since December 1990, 1st October has been celebrated as the UN’s International Day of Older Persons to recognise the contributions of older persons and to examine issues that affect their lives.  The theme varies from year to year.

The theme for 2023 was : Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons : Across Generations.

As early as the 2nd September 2023, my four years old grandchild had invited me to join her celebrate the day of grandparents at her preschool, Inyana International School in Kiwafu, Kansanga. With her reassuringly innocent smile she had indicated that I had to be there on that day. The official invitation from the school came later.

On the Friday, 29^th September 2023, I dropped everything to be at Inyana school by 10am. I was simply dressed in an olive-green dress, light green jacket and pair of low-heeled beige shoes.

Amazingly, Nanziri’s paternal grandmother had beaten me to it!

We were warmly received by our grandchildren who looked very much alike in their red T-Shirts over black trousers and black shoes. The teachers were also in red and black.

The grandparents were of all ages and sizes; some were dressed in the colourful African prints, traditional busuti but majority were elegant and vibrant in the modern dresses and suits without neck ties. There were two couples from the Far East.

 There were two young couples of my daughter’s age. Later I learned that the grandparents lived far away from Kampala so the parents had chosen to stand in for them. It worked wonders for their children.

The grandchildren sang songs for us then accompanied us to their different classes to look at their books and creative pictures on the walls. Each guest was given a card put together by the grandchild.

Under the eyes of her teacher, Nanziri was not as spontaneous as she usually is at home.

It drizzled and we sought shelter in those small classes. We squeezed ourselves on

 the tiny chairs and desks! It all seemed so long ago since I last sat on such  a small – sized chair!

“Something magical happens when parents turn into grandparents.’’– Paul Linden

The school arranged for each student to take three photographs with each of  her/his grandparents. These were later sent to us on the parents’ phones.

I remembered I had a few photos of my classmates in Junior school and senior school. Some were taken during the school plays that we used to perform at the end of each year. Over the years I have come to treasure them immensely.

By the time we left at 12:30,  a few of the youngest grandchildren were crying for their grandparents and were being calmed down by the class teachers. Nanziri had joined the boys racing big trucks on the floor.

I left the school happy and content for the attention we had been accorded. I was also hopeful for the future as it dawned on me that a part of my history would no doubt form a part of Nanziri’s future.

For over 35 years we had been putting others first: spouses, children but at least for now someone was putting us first. 

Back home, something kept nagging me: in the forty visitors at the school the majority of us were women. Not more than three couples had come in as grandfather and grandmother.

What I had noted was not an exception; globally, females tend to outlive the males.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics Population Projections Reports 2015-2050,

those aged 60 and above make up about 3.7% of the population and the majority of these are female.

The few times I have accompanied my mother to collect her monthly Elderly allowance of 25 thousand UGX (6.67 US dollars), a privilege only for those aged 80 and above. They make up 0.4% of the population :81,600 males and 122,400 females.

By simple observation, the majority of these are females even in our communities. This is how it has been since I was growing up in the 60s.

Countries with highest life expectancy at birth in Africa are:

Algeria 77 years, Tunisia 76, Egypt 70 and Senegal 69 compared to Japan’s 84.

Japan is a country with the world’s lowest birth rate(1.26 in 2022) translating in only 771,000 births,  and the highest number of older people: 29.1 % are aged 65 and above. 1 in 10 people in Japan is aged 80 or older. The working –age population pay more to support the elderly- costs of health and retirement programs.

Even in this oldest population, 51% are females while 48.7% are males.

Scientific studies have tried to explain the gender difference in life expectancy.

At birth, generally there are slightly more male births than female births- about 105 boys for 100 males. For unknown reasons, the “Y”- chromosome bearing sperm is more likely to fertilise the female egg than the “X’’- chromosome bearing sperm.

 The female species has two “ X’’ chromosomes compared to the males one who has “X’’ and “Y’’. The  extra X chromosome in the female acts as a genetic reserve when a genetic mutation occurs on one of the genes.

 The biological protective effect comes into play from puberty (10-14 in girls and 12-16 in boys).  The female species starts producing the female hormones the main one being Oestrogen and will continue until menopause 45-55 years. The male produces the male hormones the main one being testosterone.

 Researchers have shown that Oestrogen protects the women from premature heart disease-it lowers the “bad’’ cholesterol, LDL, in the blood which clogs the arteries and results in arterial stiffening. Clogged arteries cause reduced blood flow to the heart and brain causing heart disease and stroke.

On reaching menopause, the ovaries stop producing the female hormones; the oestrogen deficiency causes the risk of cardiovascular disease to increase in women.  The women gradually catch up with the males.

3. The social factors affecting longevity.

In most communities, men tend to take up the most dangerous jobs like construction, truck driving, logging, mining, fishing and working in the armed forces. Such jobs increase their risk of early deaths. Generally, men take more risks than the females making them more susceptible to life-threatening injuries.

Lifestyle plays a part, as men tend to smoke more than females and to abuse alcohol and drugs. This increases their risk for heart disease and cancer.

Women are the primary care providers – taking care of children , the sick and the elderly. They visit clinics and hospitals more often than men. They tend to build up information and awareness about diseases resulting in better health seeking behaviour than the men.

Men tend to visit health facilities late for chronic diseases or cancer.

Women tend to form strong social groups in their communities. They share stories and information and build each other up unlike males of their age groups.

 Sadly, in Uganda, 228 women die in labour or in pregnancy-related complications per 100,000 live births. However, education and economic empowerment is gradually helping women to control their fertility.

All the elderly in our communities should be treated with respect, dignity and be made to feel that they still matter. Celebrating them often offers them an opportunity to engage actively with the people around them. An inclusive community helps to foster a sense of belonging and acceptance- feeding into the mental and emotional wellbeing of each individual.

“ Nothing is a waste of time if you  use the experience wisely.’’- August Rodin

QUESTION : 

 How often do you take off time to listen actively, connect and share thoughts and experiences with those older than you or younger than you with the aim of fostering understanding between different generations and finding areas of common interest?

I wrote this post in 2019 about a great animal lover in Kampala, Uganda. Mrs. Adelina Lubogo is still going strong. She is celebrating her 90^th birthday today, 24^th August 2023.

I am wishing her a happy birthday and many more in future. I am reposting the same article in her honour and great respect.

Uganda has only one centre for the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals – USPCA. It was founded in 1996 to promote animal welfare and support animals who cannot support themselves. It depends entirely on the generosity of the people. It is located in Mbuya , Kampala. It shelters more than 200 dogs, cats and puppies and kittens awaiting adoption. You can learn more about this organisation on their website uganda-spca.org.
In a country where the majority of the population are struggling for their own survival, adopting a pet is an unlikely option. However, there is one animal lover whom I have known since the 1960s. She is a teacher by the names of Adelina Lubogo. To her family and her catalogue of friends she is simply known as Aunt Lena.

For all the time I have known her, she has never had less than five dogs and two cats in her home! Recently I learned that things have remained the same in her home in the twenty two years I have been away in economic exile.
Maya Angelou said: “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
Jesus taught us that it is always more blessing to give than to receive.

I had not seen Aunt Lena since the beginning of the year so last month I made it a point to check on her. She came down to open the metallic gate for me and there- lo and behold! – She was followed by five dogs of different breeds, size and colour and a cat. After a giving me a bear’s hug, she led me into the house. Over fresh hibiscus juice and graviola(soursop) fruit juice ; all fruits from her garden behind the kitchen, we caught up on each other’s lives. Her only son left home for university decades ago and settled in USA so Aunt Lena lives with a helper. At 86 she is still vibrant and energetic and prepares everything herself that she serves to her visitors. She finally sat down to share the juices and sweet plantains chips with me while her family of dogs watched like eagles over us.

“Aunt Lena, I’m surprised that you only have these few,” I said, smiling.
She laughed, “They could be more but now age is catching up with me, I’m learning to restrain myself. I used to find it terribly hard to say no but slowly and surely, I’m getting there.”
“There must be a Snowy among these,”I said, reaching out for more chips.
“Yes, indeed. That white one with long hairs,” she said, pointing to it. Believe or not, each dog except Snowy has a long story behind her or him.”
We exchanged knowing smiles.
I poured myself more of the rare delicious, fresh graviola fruit juice and listened intently.

I’m starting with that Maltese poodle seated near the door to dare anyone coming in here.
A relative of mine brought it here almost three years ago. It was a small, unruly dog but it’s now one of the most well-behaved dogs that I ‘ve ever cared for. When the young man brought it here he had smiled and told me that he had something small for me. I had no idea about what he was talking about until he opened the spacious car boot. I peeped and saw a frightened small dog on a leash.

He had gone on to tell me that for two days he had passed by one trading centre and seen men throwing stones at the small dog. On the second day, he had stopped and asked those men why they were being unkind to the dog. They had told him that it was bothering them as it looked for food. They did not know its owner. He had driven to the nearest supermarket and bought a leash so that he could rescue the dog. He had driven straight here knowing very well that I would give the poodle a loving home. Since then it has become my best keeper and friend.

There is a black sausage dog(dachshund) that was given to me by my nephew’s eleven year-old daughter. Her dog had two puppies. She chose to keep one and bring the other one to me with a lot of love.That small black one is a recent acquisition. Three months ago I was in a queue at a supermarket talking to a friend. She was consoling me after I had lost one of my old faithfuls.

Three days later when I went back to pick some grocery items, the manager had appeared from behind and greeted me with a big smile.
“I understand you lost one of your dogs. If you don’t mind, I have a puppy for you.’’ He had disappeared behind the tills and came back with a puppy in a box. I was caught off guard but was happy to get a replacement.

This reminded me of what my other nephew, now a seasoned lawyer, had done in the early 1970s. Their neighbour had moved away but left his old cat behind. The cat made it a habit to go to their house to look for food. The mother would leave food and water for it on the veranda. The nephew had pleaded with his mother to adopt the cat. It proved difficult since the nephew suffered from bad Asthma.
“If we can’t keep it, then I know the right place for it. Let us take it to Aunt Lena,” the nephew had made the recommendation with a sense of warmth and pleasure.

Amazingly, that is how it has been to this day; my home has been a shelter for stray cats, rescued dogs and extra puppies. One time a Snowy had suckled two kittens picked from the neighbourhood. I took some good photos of this natural nurturing instinct unfortunately my camera was stolen at a party.This was long before the invention of the digital phone camera. I have many more stories to tell of my friends, it may take the whole day!”She concluded with a hearty laugh.

“What do you get out of this hands on care?” I asked.
“Ever since I can remember, caring for animals and gardening have given me a normal life outside work. I treat my pets as friends and they return love and loyalty to me.”

I felt privileged to know this amazing woman. She is loving, selfless and has a big heart. She has many caring friends, she spends one day in the week at the Centre for the Disabled teaching the children Art and bead work and she is a natural animal lover. No wonder she is still energetic and vibrant at her age.

Later at home, I read about the psychology behind loving animals and being concerned about people. It helped me understand Aunt Lena better. She must have been given so much love and care in her childhood that she learned to be kind to herself and then go out to love other people and animals.

Caring for people and animals is the highest expression of her compassion. With a deep well of love in her heart, she can give without maiming herself. She must have felt secure with her parents to develop her own identity and establish her own boundaries. She loves and accepts others without breaking her boundaries and losing her identity.

Talking to her, she indicated that she was more than willing to give and love until she breathed her last. She is an incredible woman!
Thank you, Aunt Lena, for teaching us to love and care for ourselves, other people and animals and to assert ourselves. We are the richer for knowing you.
The famous Anne Frank said: “No one has ever become poor by giving.’’
And Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

Writing this post has got me thinking that if each one of us worked brilliantly at her/his small part that fits into the big picture, we would make the world a better place.

I am curious:
What are you doing in your community to make other people’s lives better or make them feel that they matter?
Are you an animal lover? Has this post stirred you into adopting a dog or cat or supporting the Uganda Society for The Protection and Care of Animals?

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The two years COVID-19 lockdown was unprecedented in the history of mankind.

It changed us and everything in our lives; from the way we care for others,  communicate, work at home and at the work place, the way worship at religious places, the way we educate our children, the way we buy things and much more. It forced us to learn how to focus on one day at a time.

At the same time, it left big scars on many of us.  We lost many loved ones to this new disease. We were unable to mourn for them and bury them as we traditionally do to get closure.

Among the loved ones I lost was my great friend : Dr. Sarah Namuli Mukasa Yiga, a mother of four and many others who needed mothering wherever she lived and worked.

We had known each other since our secondary school days in the 60s!

She had lived and worked in Apartheid South Africa and then later in the Rainbow Nation born in April 1994.

In the last twenty five years, we were neighbours as she worked in Bloemfontein (Free State province) South Africa while I worked in Botswana. Namuli and I were kindred spirits.

She died in an Intensive Care Unit in Bloemfontein on 12th January 2021, a funeral service was held three weeks later.

Due to the lockdown, I could not be there in person but virtual attendance was arranged for me by my niece, Gladys, through a VPN. General elections were held on the 14^th January 2021 and internet access was strictly limited in Uganda.

To numb my pain and heartache, I wrote a befitting tribute to Sarah and posted it on my blog : The lady with an Infectious Smile.

Time moved on. It is now two years and five months and the family feels comfortable enough to return Sarah’s ashes for burial on the 11 th of August 2023 at their ancestral burial grounds near Masaka city, 133 km  west of the capital city , Kampala.

This will give us the long awaited closure.

I shall not write another tribute but instead I have compiled some quotes and proverbs about genuine lasting friendship in honour of Sarah ‘s memory.

Truly close friendship does not just happen; the two people involved have to make an emotional and time investment in it.

My late father had several treasured friends for whom he would drop anything to help and they would do the same. Some of them knew him more than he knew himself and could second guess him.

We considered them as relatives until much later in life! Thankfully, this is one trait all of us, his children have inherited from him.

Similarly, Sarah ‘s children always took me as a relative.

For her family had become mine and my own had become hers. I am richly blessed to have a number of such true friends. They bring so much happiness, stability and understanding into my life. Their hearts serve as a deep well of love which I can always draw from as long as I replenish it.

It takes years to create such true friendship. As you get to know each other more, each one opens up to share dreams, hopes and fears and then support each other through it all. As you get to understand each other you build trust and loyalty for one another.

They are all weather friends – sticking around during tough times. They challenge and inspire you to become the best of you

“It’s the friends you call at 4a.m that matter.”- Marlene Dietrich

A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future and accepts you just the way you are.” – Unknown

Psychologists advise us on what to look out for as you identify your real friends.

• Good friends accept you for who you are- strengths and flaws
• Stick around during the good and bad times.
• A real friend celebrates life with you- small and big achievements
• A true friend makes time to see you
• A true friend encourages you to achieve your goals
• A true friend empowers you to be you, does not maim you.

The highest form of friendship is built on mutual recognition of one another’s virtues.

The psychologists also have outlined the forces that form and sustain a friendship.

They include:

Accumulation- over time you open up to each other, listen to each other getting deeply connected as you share moments, celebrate and mourn losses.

Pay attention- to the people around you to find good friends among them.

Be Intentional- put yourself out there and find good friends, make yourself humble and vulnerable. Look for friends of all ages.

Rituals- find routines to cement the friendship, like organising book clubs, dinner or tea parties,

In this digital era, group chats warm up friendships.

You can attend weddings, funerals, children parties together and celebrate important milestones together. This keeps cherished moments etched in our brains.

Imagination-  stretch your imagination to keep your friendship alive despite the demands of family, marriage and career. Sarah and I arranged to go for a two-week pilgrimage to Israel in 2011. It turned out to be an unforgettable experience. We were talking of a ship cruise together in the future.

Reconnect- Whether it has taken decades or weeks without meeting in person, have the grace to reconnect and catch up on each other’s life. Reunions with old friends always fills up the gaps.

Video calls, Zoom meetings are doing an incredible job in keeping friends close and connected.  I for one feel that nothing beats a physical presence – offering verbal and body language communication.

Some African proverbs about true friendship:

Show me your best friend and I will show you

 your character.

Akatono Okalya nemunno: The little food you have is most delicious if shared with a friend.

Honest friendship does not destroy true friendship.

In good times friends know you, in bad times you know them.

The friends of our friends are our friends.

There is no better mirror than a best friend.

Hold a true friend with both hands.

Return to old watering holes for more than water; friends and dreams are there to meet you.

If you choose to make friendship with a pig, you must be prepared roll in the mud.

To be without a friend is to be poor, indeed.

Bad friends will prevent you from having good friends.

Teeth are all friends among each other.

Between true friends, even water drunk together is sweet enough.

Some quotes about True Friendship.

“Your friend is your needs answered. He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving. And is your board and your fireside.”- Kahlil Gibran

Friendship is not a big thing – it’s a million little things.”- Paulo Coelho

“ As I string my pearl necklace of friends, a smooth, round white pearl is a rare find. Whoever finds it, is made happy for life.’’- Jane Nannono    

A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.”- Downer Roberts.

Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” – Unknown

In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasure. For in the dew of little things, does the heart find its morning and is refreshed.”- Kahlil Gibran

A sweet friendship refreshes the soul. – Proverb 27: 9

True friends are always together in in spirit.”- L.M Montgomery

The best gift anyone can give, I believe, is the gift of sharing themselves.”- Oprah Winfrey

Try and be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” Maya Angelou

Let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.’’- Kahlil Gibran

Friendship is always sweet responsibility , never an opportunity.’’ – Kahlil Gibran

I belong to the people I love and they belong to me- they, and the love and loyalty I give them , form my identity far more than any word or group ever could.’’– Veronica Roth

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.’’- Martin Luther King, Jr

 Sarah Namuli you are greatly missed every single day but we are comforted in knowing that you are one guardian angel whom we know by name.

RIP

QUESTION:

Are there occasions in your life when a friend who is far away seems nearer than the one at hand?

 My grandfather settled in a small village called Lungujja a few kilometres from the Kabaka’s palace in Mengo. It was not far from Old Kampala hill, where Captain Fredrick Lugard of the Imperial British East India Company , the architect of the Uganda Protectorate, built his base in 1891.My father walked barefoot from this place to Mengo Primary school, the first church missionary school in Uganda.By the time I was born in the early 50s, the small village had grown and was home to Michael Kawalya  N.Kaggwa , a former Katikkiro/prime minister ( 1945-1950) of the Buganda kingdom.

In the 60s, this parish was home to Abubaker K.  Mayanja, among the first Ugandans to be educated at Cambridge University. A lawyer, freedom fighter and a political giant till his death in 2005. His neighbours included Ephraim Kamanyi , a Minister of Education for the Buganda Kingdom and lady Kate Sarah, mother of the two daughters of Sir Edward Mutesa, the 35th Kabaka of Buganda and first President of Uganda.Roger Mukasa, chairman of the prestigious Uganda Coffee Marketing Board, Timothy Lwanga, the tough and professional head of the then Buganda Police, Magistrate Kyobe whose family suffered the loss of two male relatives in February 1981 when the bush war against Milton Obote was launched . Only to find out later that it was a case of “mistaken’’ identity. Not surprising at all because Prof Yusuf Lule’s home was a stone’s throw from his home.  At the end of May 1966, Dan Kamanyi risked his life after the Uganda army’s attack on the Kabaka’s palace, to drive Sir Edward Mutesa to safety as far as the Burundi border.Hope Mukasa, a renowned singer of the 70s and 80s was born and raised in this village as well as the talented national footballer, Ashe Mukasa.

My father was an administrator who became the Katikkiro of Buganda ( 1950-1955) later went on to become the second  indigenous Mayor of Kampala city and a chairman of many voluntary organisations like Uganda Red Cross Society, Young Men’s Christian Association, YWCA, Uganda Boys Scouts, The Bible Society of Uganda, Lions Club, and Uganda Civil Society.Everyone knew each other and every child belonged to the whole village. For many years, my father had the only telephone in the village and allowed the members of the community to use it for emergencies for free. Emergencies ranged from calling back a father from the office to return home and take a sick child to the hospital to calling the fire brigade to kill a python. I do not remember any house break in during my whole childhood!

“Every person is defined by the communities she belongs to.’’ – Orson Scott Card

 During the 70s , Kintu Musoke , a politician and a journalist joined the village. He went on to become the Prime Minister of Uganda from 1994 to 1999.        Other new comers included  Rev. Canon Sentongo, by then the Secretary of Makerere University . His wife, a nutritionist, taught at Lubiri Secondary school and baked the most delicious fruity wedding cakes in Kampala! Fred A. Mpanga , a former Attorney general of the Buganda Kingdom and married to Joyce Mpanga who later became the first Minister of the Ministry of Women in Development and later State minister for primary education( 1989-1992) settled in.

 The only outsider was someone from Busoga,  near our home. He worked with one of the corporations in Kampala.Yusuf Kironde Lule, a professor and civil servant , the first indigenous Principal of Makerere College, joined the village. He became a freedom fighter during the authoritarian rule of Obote. In April 1979 , he was sworn in as 4th President of Uganda.Prof. Eric Paul Kibuka a social scientist came in and later became the head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of Makerere Univesity. As an immediate neighbour to us, he became a close confidant of my father.Lawyer Edward Sekandi who later went on to become the Speaker of Parliament (2001-2011) and the Vice President of Uganda May 2011 to June 2021.Business man Jim Kiggundu of the Kibanda boys, Prof Paul Sagala of the faculty of Engineering, Makerere University and Senior Police officer Mukiibi joined our community.

 During the 90s, Prof Peter H. Sebuwufu, an exceptional professor of anatomy of Makerere University, settled in the village. He later became a politician and served as a Minister of health. Currently, he is considered among the giants of Medicine in Uganda. Professor Fred Kigozi, a global and national giant in Psychiatry, for a long time the Director of Uganda’s only Psychiatric teaching and Referral hospital, Butabika,( 1992-2008). He was instrumental in revamping the mental health services of Uganda. Sadly, he and his wife died a few weeks between each other just before the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.All these people and their wives used to visit our home on many occasions and their children became our friends.A few other notables settled in the village in the 2000s.

 Lungujja has grown, expanded and developed a unique personality- active but peaceful. No slums yet.It constantly reminds me that places are made by people- their culture, attitudes and values and social organisation. All the years I was way, I would go home and make a village round. The welcome and love shown to me long after my father’s death, would recharge my emotional battery until my next visit!

“When you have a solid upbringing and a strong sense of place, that sustains you. My sense of home never leaves me.’’- Lyle Lovett

All these families had benefitted from the good education of their parents so they have continued to educate the grand children of the village.In my family we have had a journalist, a Police officer, lawyers, a nurse, a social worker, a medical doctor, a pilot, a caterer and an IT officer. Our own children have pushed it to a higher level. They include engineers, lawyers, a journalist, a financial expert, Real Estate managers, an Insurance consultant, a diplomat and a medical doctor. Conspicuously missing is an active politician!

 “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. ’’- Nelson Mandela 

The period 1981- 1986 was previously Uganda’s worst time of uncertainty, powerlessness- politically, socially and economically.Lungujja being a village of conservative Baganda, close to the Lubiri, naturally became an ideal hotbed for organised resistance to the authoritarian government of Obote 2. It became a more tight-knit community during the insurgency. Residents looked out for one anotherProf Yusuf Lule and his group of freedom fighters joined the Popular Resistance Army of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to form the National Resistance Army(NRA) that liberated Uganda on 26th January1986. After a six -year and costly bush war in the Luwero Triangle.My father by then in his early 80s joined the struggle and persuaded many other Baganda families to support it by encouraging their sons to join the NRA. Due to the tension in the village, my pre- wedding  party could not be held at our home in February 1981. Always leading by example, my father persuaded one of my brothers, Henry Arthur to join the war. Sadly, he was killed in May 1985 , aged 32 and his body was never found. Though survived by some children, my parents carried their pain to the grave! The consolation for such determined Baganda families came in the form of: the coronation of Ronald Muwenda Mutebi as 36th Kabaka of Buganda on 31 July 1993! 

Due to Uganda ‘s long history of civil strife, most of my siblings have been away for decades and our house had fallen into ruins yet it has been a landmark of the village. Taxis  and buses driving through the village related to where you  had to disembark before or after our home.We have been renovating the house since last February.It has been heart-warming to see all those we have known since childhood come out to congratulate us on taking on the huge task. Flooded with great joy as if it were their home. That is how closely connected the people of this community have been. They love their village and its people.Many stop by just to talk , thank us and encourage us to finish the work. Among them were the Kabalis, the Kamanyis, Honourable  Sekandi and  the Rev. Canon Buwembo of Nateete Martyrs church where our father was buried.

There is no pomp or ceremony, we just talk as friends and members of a community with a strong sense of place, connected to a village which we consider important to us. 

“Every successful individual knows that his or her achievements depend on the community of persons working together. ‘’ – Paul Ryan

My father loved his village and used his power in all the positions he held to develop it.He loved the people of the village and they admired and respected him as one of their own. Our home was always open to anyone who cared to pass by. Learning from our father, we developed a strong bond to the people and place. Gradually, it became part of our self-identity. We have many memories and associations to the home which give us a sense of belonging.

No doubt we shall always be drawn to it. Our peers and those who knew our father make us remember so many things about ourselves and our parents and the many relatives who lived nearby. Such memories are associated with many “firsts’’; first day at school, first date, first trip by bus and first party as a teenager.It is this lifelong attachment that drove us into building a new relationship as we transformed the home from an old home into a modern one.

We are committed and are responsible for managing the place in our time and later hand it over to the young generation as our father would have wanted.It is not lost on me that it is the young ones who will sustain the home in the future yet they are  scattered all over the world.  I keep wondering to myself, “Will they care enough to take on this responsibility?’’

Lungujja is no longer a small village but a suburb of Kampala city, the capital of Uganda. There are more stone brick houses with tiled –roofs, few apartments, a big hotel built by Eritreans but few green areas. The roads are narrow and there are a few shops. The perimeter walls are becoming taller and the traffic through the village connecting to the Northern By-Pass has greatly increased. It still has good views of the next hills, Namirembe, Lubaga and Lusaze and remains a middle-income residential area. Over time, it is becoming steeped in its heritage and history.Most of the traditional family homes of the the Kamanyis, the Kabalis, the Etuusas, the Sentongos and Wakatamas are still occupied and cared for in a united community.

Looking around the area, there is hardly any space for young families to put down roots, so the older ones have to care enough to preserve, rebuild and improve those homes.Lungujja had a big place in the minds and emotions of our parents so it is the responsibility of us the children to reconnect with our village.Amazingly, at whatever time I pass through this village, it always feels old and familiar and safe and dry. I feel as if the memories and associations are always waiting for me to come back.I guess I am not the only one whose identity is rooted in the home I was born and raised. 

“A tree’s beauty lies in its branches but its strength lies in its roots. ” – Marshona Dhliwayo 

“Live in your roots, not in your branches. ” – Nancy Willard. 

QUESTION:

How has the place you were born and raised in influenced the person you have become?    

1. ABOUT PARENTHOOD – Welcome to parenthood. It might seem overwhelming at first, but sleep comes eventually.

Early parenthood.

General sayings:

“Parenthood is the most beautiful love that stays ever within your heart.’’

“Normal goes out of the window the moment you have kids.’’

“You don’t need the gym, you need a toddler. They never stop moving.”

“Giving it your best is good enough. No parent is ever perfect.’’

“ Enjoy each moment as a parent- the good, the bad and the ugly. Before you can blink, they will be all grown up. ‘’

“Your child is not looking for the perfect parents. They just want you. Give them you time and love. You will be absolutely perfect in their eyes.’’

“Parenting looks easy until you realise that you are responsible for a life. Then it gets really complicated.’’ 

“Train up a child a child  in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”  Proverb 22:6

“Unhappy parents will not raise happy children,’’

  “ Every moment is a moment to build a bright future together with your child.’’

              “ Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you.’’– H. Jackson Brown . Jr

“ Kids spell love T- I – M –E.” John Crudele

“Each day of our lives, we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.’’- Charles R, Swindoll

“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.’’- Franklin D, Roosevelt

Parenting adult children.

“Happiness is when you realise that your children have turned out to be good people.

“For children to capture their dreams, they have to be allowed to soar free.’’

“Having children isn’t the hard part; letting them go is.’’

“To let go gracefully is an art form many parents must perfect.’’

“It takes 18 years to raise an adult. It takes nearly that many to learn to let go of them.’’

“To learn to fly in the adult world, they must learn to fall.’’

“There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots  and the other is wings.”- Hodding Carter  Jr

2. ABOUT SERVICE TO OTHERS   

“The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.’’– Albert Einstein               

“Everyone can be great because anyone can serve.’’ – Martin Luther King Jr.

“I t is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.’’ – Albert Einstein

All of you must put on the apron of humility to serve one another………1 Peter 5:5

 “I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy, I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.’’– Khalil Gibran

“If you go out and make some things happen, you will fill the world with hope.’’– Barack Obama

“There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to helping others without expecting anything in return.’’- Nelson Mandela

3. ABOUT GIVING

To whom much is given , much will be required. Luke 12:48

“ No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.’’- Aesop

“ He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own. ‘’- Confucius

“The most precious thing I have to give is my time.’’– Silva Hartmann

“It ‘s not how much you give , but how much love we put in the giving.’’– Mother Teresa

“Make a difference in life. Touch people’s lives truly. Use your gifts, talents to benefit society.’’

“ The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.’’ Pablo Picasso

“ Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting.’’- Brian Tracy

4. ABOUT LEARNING – learning is a lifetime job.

“ Anyone who stops learning is old , whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.’’– Henry Ford

“ I am still learning.’’– Michelangelo ( at 87)

A man who asks is a fool for five minutes. A man who never asks is a fool for life.’’- Chinese Proverb

“ The greatest teacher , failure is.’’ – Yoda

“In the end we retain from our studies , only that which we practically apply.’’- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe.

“The greatest aim of education is not knowledge but action.’’ –  Hubert Spencer

“Change is the end result of all true learning.’’–  Leo Buscaglia 

“ Wisdom is not a product of schooling but a lifelong attempt to acquire it.’’- Albert Einstein

“I hear and I forget, I see and I remember. I do and I understand.’’- Confucius

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is the noblest; Second , by imitation, which is the easiest and third by experience, which is the bitterest.’’  – Confucius

“ Acquire new knowledge while thinking over the old, and you may become a teacher of others.” – Confucius

 “There is no end to education. It is not that you need a book, pass an examination and finish with education.The whole of life from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning. ‘’– Jiddu Krishnamurti

“Live as if you were  to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.’’ – Mahatma Ghandhi

“All the world is my school and all humanity is my teacher.’’- George Whitman

God teaches us letter by letter, line by line, lesson by lesson.  Isaiah 28:10

5.THE DIGITAL AGE – Digital transfer is essential to all of us to survive in this era.

“I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.’’ – Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

“There are no boundaries or borders in the Digital Age.”- Karim Rashid

“ We live in a digital world , but we’re fairly analog creatures.”-  Omar Ahmed

“Creativity is about connecting things.”- Steve Jobs

“Let’s go invent tomorrow rather than worry about what happened yesterday.” Steve jobs

“Automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.’’ – Bill Gates

“It’s no longer the big beating the small, but the fast beating the slow.’’- Eric Pearson

“There’s a lot of things lost in the Digital Age.”- Ira Sachs

“The illiterate of the twenty-first century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn” – Alvin Toffler ( 1928-2016)

In today’s era of volatility, there is no other way but to re- invent the only sustainable advantage you can have over others-  agility, that’s it. Because nothing else is sustainable, everything else you create , somebody else will replicate.’’ – Jeff Bezos. Amazon founder

“The thing that we are trying to do at Facebook is just help people connect and communicate more efficiently.’’ – Mark Zuckeberg . Facebook founder

“People will always want more immersive ways to express themselves. So if you go back ten years ago on the internet, most of what people shared and consumed was text. Now a lot of it is photos. I think  going forward, a lot is going to be videos, getting richer and richer. “ – Mark Zuckerberg

About Artificial Intelligence – AI

AI is learning and reasoning by machines without the intervention of humans. It is developing incredibly fast. It has great possibilities and possible dangers if abused.  It demands for regulation if it is to be used responsibly as a powerful technology tool in any field. Only time will tell the future reality about AI.

“ By far the greatest danger of Artificial Intelligence is that people conclude  too early that they understand it. “- Eliezer Yudkowsky

“ I ‘m not a robot; I have a personality and I have emotions. I have a humorous side to me and an angry side to me.’’ – Jeff Gordon

“In an increasingly artificial world, people will crave for something real. And they will pay more for it.” – Michal Hyatt

6. ABOUT OLD AGE 

“Ageing is just another word for living.’’– Cinday Joseph

“Growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional.’’- Walt Disney  

“When we were small children, we all played dress –up and everybody had a good time, So why stop ?’’ – Iris Aptel

“Count your age by friends, not years, count your life by smiles, not tears.’’- John Lennon

“ Wrinkles will only go where the  smiles have been.’’ – Jimmy Buffet

“Suddenly and shockingly, I have found myself to be that ancient person whom the youth forget that she has ever been young. Just as I used to think fifty years ago.’’ – Jane Nannono 

The glory of young men is their strength: And the beauty old men is their grey head. Proverb 20:29

SOME AFRICAN PROVERBS

A child is what you put into him.

 When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind

A youth that does not cultivate friendship with the elderly is like a tree without roots. 

A child can be taller than his father but can never be older the father.

Even your own child can beat the drum while you do the dancing.

When the ants unite their mouths, they can carry an elephant

The teeth can only bite when they work together

It is not necessary to blow out other people’s lanterns to let yours shine.

The gift basket to the bride –to -be is never returned empty to the owner.

The hands that make mistakes belong to those who work.

The first to start does not necessarily arrive first.

Even if you dance in water, your enemies will still accuse you of causing dust.

You do not ask for a chair when you visit a place where the chief himself sits on the floor.

A bad boy is a pain in the neck but a bad old man is a pain in the heart.

The old woman looks after the child to grow its teeth and the young one in turn looks after the old woman when she loses her teeth.

When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground with him.

Hands wash each other– helping your neighbour is helping yourself in the long run.

QUESTION:

Do you have your own collection of inspirational quotes and Proverbs on your desk? Have they served the purpose you compiled them for?

Corona Virus under a microscope

On the 30th January 2020, the World Health Organisation ‘s Director General , Dr. Tedros . A. Ghebreyesus, declared the COVID -19/SARS- CoV-2 epidemic as a global public health emergency. Little did we know by then, that the crisis will last until May2023! This tiny virus, COVID -19, took over our lives and changed everything as we knew it forever. It started in Wuhan, China, and spread to all countries in the world. Then, on 4th May 2023, the same Director General of WHO declared that the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome which killed almost 7 million people and infected almost 766 million people over three years was no longer considered a global health emergency or crisis. BUT the infection is still with us and remains a threat. It requires strict surveillance by all countries to prevent another pandemic.

According to the UN News website: https://news.un.org , the organisation considered several major factors including the Covid-19 death rates that peaked to 100,000 people per week in January 2021 to just over 3,500 per week in April 2023.

• The number of deaths had decreased world wide.

• A great decline in COVID-19 related hospitalisation and Intensive Care Unit admissions- relieving the pressure on health systems.

•High levels of population immunity to the COVID-19 virus through vaccination and infections with the virus – for over 12 months the new cases and the deaths have decreased.

•Availability of better treatment for the secondary bacterial infections and complications.

WHO warns us that though the pandemic seems to be controlled, the virus is still with us, it remains unpredictable. We have to prepare to live with it like any other infectious disease for the foreseeable future.

I wrote several posts about COVID-19 disease on this blog so it felt natural for me to update the available information.

“ Our reality is an infinite battle between what happened and what we want to remember.’’- Haruki Murakami.

One cannot help but compare the pandemic of the 21st century with the Spanish Flu pandemic of the early 20th century that lasted from 1918- 1919, during the World War 1.The Spanish flu started in Kansas, USA, and spread to Europe but the information about it was suppressed due to the prevailing world war.

According to the https: //www.cdc.gov the Spanish flu was the deadliest pandemic ever recorded at that moment in time.It was caused by an influenza virus H1N1 with genes of birds origin. Its genetic make-up was not sequenced until the 1990s in USA. It never went away. It mutated over time and its descendants continue to cause seasonal flu.

•It infected about 500 million people- one- third of the population of the time

•.It is estimated that it killed 50million people- 2.7% of world population. USA suffered the highest number of deaths: 675,000 people.

• The highest number of deaths were among healthy people of 20-40 years.

•Most deaths were due to the secondary bacterial infection- no antibiotics then nor vaccines to prevent the infection.

FAST FORWARD- A century after the Spanish flu.

•SARS CoV-2 emerged as cases of unexplained pneumonia in Wuhun , Hubei Province of China in December 2019.

•A zoonotic disease transmitted from animals like bats to humans.

•From the Johns Hopkins Corona Virus resource centre website, the last recorded figures show that by the 10th March 2023, the disease had infected a total of 676,609,955 people.

•It had caused 6,881, 955 deaths •A total of 13, 338 , 833, 198 vaccines had been administered worldwide.

•The deaths were highest among the 65+ years of age. They died of secondary bacterial infection which caused respiratory distress, pulmonary oedema and death.

Both the Spanish flu and COVID-19 infections were new diseases when they first struck and the populations had no immunity against them.Similar public health safety measures were used to stop the spread of the infections. The Spanish flu pandemic was controlled mainly by SOCIAL DISTANCING-suspects were isolated or quarantined, public gatherings were stopped.

Facial masks were worn to cover mouths and noses, to help stop the spread of germs.People stayed at home when they developed flu-like symptoms.By then,there were no ventilators, no vaccines and no antibiotics. There was neither WHO or centre for disease control to coordinate the efforts for fighting the pandemic.

The COVID -19 disease would have killed more people but new advances in Medicine and science enabled the virus identity/genome and its mutations to be identified quickly.The Covid-19 virus is closely linked to the SARS-CoV-1 that caused outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Disease in some countries in 2002-2004 .

For decades, scientists have been studying mRNA technology to develop vaccines. The COVID -19 pandemic caused severe health, social and economic disruptions worldwide, giving the scientist an opportunity to develop mRNA- based vaccines other than use the traditional methods. In hind sight, due the urgency and critical need of the vaccines, vaccines were processed quickly through the standard five stages of developing a vaccine clinical stages especially the 3rd one of Safety and efficacy in laboratory and animal models before it is tested in humans. The tests in humans were also hurried through. This is likely to have some consequences in a few members receiving the vaccines worldwide.

Between March 2020 and November 2020, four vaccines against COVID -19 had been developed. The mRNA technology had cut the 5 to 10 years for developing a traditional vaccine to eight months!The world’s first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was given to 90 years-old Margaret Keenan of United Kingdom on 8th December 2020. She received her second dose on the 29th December 2020. She received her spring booster dose 18months after her first dose.I received my 1st dose of the Oxford University / Astra-Zeneca vaccine on the 11th March 2021 and the 2nd one by the end of May, through the assistance of COVA, WHO and UNICEF to my country, Uganda.A variety of broad spectrum antibiotics are available to treat the secondary bacterial infections as well as other modes of treatment like steroids to control the complications.The Internet allowed sharing of information and experiences though in some cases it resulted in misinformation and disinformation of the public.

New technology speeded up diagnosis and treatment and how to control the outbreaks or waves quickly.Data collection and sharing was made easy by digital technology. World Health Organisation, founded in 1948 as the health agency of the United Nations, coordinated the global action to control the spread of the infection.Using lessons and practices learned from the Spanish flu pandemic, WHO set up committees and guided its 192 member countries through the pandemic; about safety measures , treatment , management, dissemination of the right information about the disease and vaccines and surveillance .

As we are living in the age of pandemics , the knowledge and skills we acquire and the partnership we create as we try to control the COVID – 19 pandemic will help us to prepare for and manage future pandemics caused by new germs, better.

As Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus rightly said :

“ We are not safe until everyone is safe.’’

We are all out and about but we cannot forget how this tiny virus disrupted practically every aspect of our lives and taught us what is most important in life: life itself , being healthy and being connected to our loved ones and friends. As we rebuild the confidence to venture into familiar activities we cannot forget those we lost to the disease, the frontline health workers in our communities and a few of us who are still fighting to defeat what has been called ‘long COVID’.

QUESTION :

How have you adapted to the new normal after the monotony of daily life during the three years of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown?

From my experience, the most exceptional multitasker is the rural African woman whose daily chores start at dawn and end close to midnight. Among her daily tasks is taking care of her brood of eight plus children, her husband, the sick relatives , the shamba and the animals and chicken in her household. She is so wrapped up with her work that she sometimes forgets to take good care of herself. I would say that everything gets done but at a high cost to her.

She neither has the luxury of a helper in the house or any appliance like an electric kettle or blender to grind the millet or groundnuts. Not even the electricity to light up her house for that matter!

To finish all the countless chores, she has learned to multitask: working on two or more tasks simultaneously or performing a number of tasks in rapid succession. One may argue that though the tasks are many, they are simple so she can wash the plates and cups while carrying her toddler on the back and at the same time stirring the boiling beans on the charcoal stove. She is able to do this because she has been forced to learn to batch similar tasks together. Quickly, she moves from one task to the next. But since she is human too, she knows only too well that for the most difficult task that require attention and focus like grinding millet or preparing posho, she works on it as a single task.I take off my hat to her for working with such dexterity.

When sleeping women wake, mountains move. – African Proverb

Some studies done by psychologists have shown that most of our brains lack the ability to perform multiple complex tasks simultaneously. One study found that only 2.5 % of people are able to multitask effectively. Our brains are not wired to quickly switch from one task to another especially when doing complex tasks like driving through heavy traffic and talking on the phone. This can be dangerous and can cause mistakes. In a congested place like our city, a number of young men and women have fallen into manholes or have been hit by boda-bodas (motorcycle taxis) or reversing vehicles while talking on the phone. When doing simple tasks like walking in less crowded places, it is possible to listen to music using ear phones too. However, it is difficult to do two complex tasks together because multitasking divides our attention and focus resulting in poor performance.

One study done with university students in America showed that college students who tried to multitask took longer to do the assignments and scored low average grades. The more we multitask, the less effective and productive we become.The human brain is wired to focus on one task at a time as it increases effectiveness and productivity. The psychologists recommend spending at least 20 minutes on one complex task before switching to the next. It frees your brain to focus on the next task.Tell that to the African rural woman!

“The here and now is all we have, and if we play it right, it’s all we’ll need.’’ – Anne Richards

Some of the daughters of such rural women have been empowered by education and given opportunities like their male counterparts to become Chief Executive Officers, University Professors and politicians. They are now spending more time in their offices, performing more complex tasks like chairing meetings, interviews, webinars. The nature of their jobs has forced them to become monotaskers. Monotasking enables them to focus on one task or project at a time just like the surgeons in an operating room. Monotasking is about time management- making the most of the time you have as you perform a demanding task. It reduces mental errors, unleashes your creativity and relieves you of some stress.

This kind of monotasking is called TIME BLOCK- block off time to focus on your important tasks or project. It is usually done for each week in consideration of your goals, tasks and commitments.

How to make a Time Blocking schedule for the week:

1. Make a list of tasks and commitments for the week in agreement with your goals.

2. Prioritise the list- allow 2-3 priority tasks per day. Priority tasks take the prime slots.

3. Consider your daily tasks like responding to e-mails, return calls, check Social media accounts.

4. Create Time blocks for the routines of the day like morning and evening exercise.

5. Protect your time- resist the urge to give up your priority time for something that can wait. Avoid interruptions during your protected priority project time.

6. Be flexible to accommodate the unexpected like illness.

Effective use of time blocking can help you achieve the following:

• To take control of your day.

• To focus your attention.

• To account for your time.

• To ward off procrastination.

You can extend the time blocking schedule to cover the next five-ten years of your life at any stage.

You focus on the priorities in your life at that particular age : what gives purpose and meaning to your life in agreement with your values, principles and beliefs. The American Business coach, Michael Hyatt, refers to it as freeing up time to focus 80% of your time on the 20% most important things in your life.

20-30- Professional development

30-45 – years of multiple roles; career, marriage and parenthood. Trying to balance the personal with the professional.

46-59- Midlife crisis- reflecting on the meaning and purpose of your life and making the necessary adjustments.

60+ – Independent and authentic : what you see is what you get.

I am now over 65 years of age and time itself has helped me declutter my life as the demands on me decrease.By the time I was fifty my children had started leaving for university. In seven years, I had become an empty nester. This gave me an opportunity to reconnect with my husband and to nurture my interest in my second career of creative writing. Thankfully, my first career, medicine, feeds into my creativity superbly.

The nurturing instinct in me pushed me to pick one girl from the clinics where I worked and take her on as my daughter. She had lost her mother and her father had remarried leaving her with her maternal aunt. She badly needed to be mothered. Since then, she has thrived; graduating from the University of Botswana with a BSC in Public Health last February!

As time goes by, I continue to declutter my life –removing the unnecessary while concentrating on the most essential like relationships, writing and giving back to the community. I have learned to organise my time efficiently; to create an ideal environment that endows me with a peaceful and enjoyable life. I am now busy focusing on what gives meaning to my life, what I love and enjoy doing. My late father always demanded 110% commitment to what each one of us chose to do, little wonder then that up to now I still give my all to what I engage in.

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.’’– Amit Ray

“Forever is composed of nows”.- Emily Dickson

My grandmother was a remarkable multitasker and my mother was a terrific one in her time. I have been a multitasker at home but a monotasker at my place of work due to the nature of my work. My daughter is more or less a monotasker at the office and at home. She is blessed with a husband who is a hands-on father to their daughter, who enjoys cooking and barbecuing. She has domestic helpers, multiple appliances like a washing machine, cake mixer, vacuum cleaner, microwave, and a grinder. She can order any food she wants from any restaurant via a courier or engage the services of a catering team if she wants to entertain family and friends at home.

Who knows? In this digital technology era, the Japanese way of using robots to care for the elderly- filling in for missing workers, may find its way into our private homes! Unfortunately, for the rural Ugandan woman, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Undoubtedly, she still performs her litany of domestic chores with amazing dexterity.

QUESTION: Would you describe yourself as a multi or mono tasker?