Dennis,
is this a new picture? You look more serious and contemplative on it, like a perfect "Vieux Sage", as we say in French to respectfully describe an old scholar full of wisdom and knowledge.
I am also looking for a new picture for myself, to take off the glasses.
Thanks for your encouraging words Alfredo, if you have been following our discussions in the latest past, we have conducted community consultations to get views on the constraints to girl child education and what they feel can be done to address the problems. (Open some of the files under resources on community consultations)
The actions we have just set for our work here were developed with a blessing from the community. We believe in local participation and ownership of the programme.
Azania, about your trip to Bujumbura via Uganda, We will be more than happy to host you in Kyarumba. Its 20 kilometres from Entebbe to Kampala. If you would like to meet the BWC, we will then organise to travel 300 KM to kyarumba by bus if you don't mind. Just let me know what is convenient for you.
Yes, Adriana, a new picture, I may try for something a bit less sombre yet :-) but I wanted to get out of those winter clothes! The temperature here this week touched 30 celsius for a couple of days and next week we head north for a month grandbaby sitting in a remote indigenous community in northern Australia. The temperature there is now near 40c and humidity rising - the wet season not due till December... this is called The Build-Up and is the most severe time of year.
Here is the grandbaby and parents [url=http://aplaceof.info/05/0501/050105hats.htm]- the three on the left side of this composite picture I put together last January! :-)[/url]
Here is our grandson's [url=http://aplaceof.info/05/0508/0828banjoparty.htm]recent third birthday party.[/url] His Mum is a teacher (facing some very relevant and comparable issues to those in Kyarumba); his Jamaican born dad is finishing his teaching degree and is currently away from home doing practice teaching in a more conventional school; we have the last three week shift, replacing him as 'dad at home' while mum works.
I will be out of communication for a while next week or so - 200km drive to Sydney, then 4 and a half ours by plane to Darwin, then about eight hours or so by road and then by 'road' into the southern end of Arnhem Land. We have our permits to enter Aboriginal land, already granted by the land council. :-)
[url=http://encarta.msn.com/map_701510236/Arnhem_Land.html]This map shows Darwin and down the highway Mataranka. [/url] At Mataranka you can see the Roper River running East. We travel three hours on dirt road, take the barge across the river and find our destination [Ngukurr] 100km from the sea.
We will have internet connection there, but there will be a gap from early next week for a week.
Yes, Adriana, a new picture, I may try for something a bit less sombre yet :-) but I wanted to get out of those winter clothes! The temperature here this week touched 30 celsius for a couple of days and next week we head north for a month grandbaby sitting in a remote indigenous community in northern Australia. The temperature there is now near 40c and humidity rising - the wet season not due till December... this is called The Build-Up and is the most severe time of year.
Here is the grandbaby and parents [url=http://aplaceof.info/05/0501/050105hats.htm]- the three on the left side of this composite picture I put together last January! :-)[/url]
Here is our grandson's [url=http://aplaceof.info/05/0508/0828banjoparty.htm]recent third birthday party.[/url] His Mum is a teacher (facing some very relevant and comparable issues to those in Kyarumba); his Jamaican born dad is finishing his teaching degree and is currently away from home doing practice teaching in a more conventional school; we have the last three week shift, replacing him as 'dad at home' while mum works.
I will be out of communication for a while next week or so - 200km drive to Sydney, then 4 and a half ours by plane to Darwin, then about eight hours or so by road and then by 'road' into the southern end of Arnhem Land. We have our permits to enter Aboriginal land, already granted by the land council. :-)
[url=http://encarta.msn.com/map_701510236/Arnhem_Land.html]This map shows Darwin and down the highway Mataranka. [/url] At Mataranka you can see the Roper River running East. We travel three hours on dirt road, take the barge across the river and find our destination [Ngukurr] 100km from the sea.
We will have internet connection there, but there will be a gap from early next week for a week.
Marianne, Marianne - you go to the hairdresser, come home glamorous, take a new photo and look ten years younger! :-)
How can a bald boy compete with that!!! :-)
Our travel north will indeed have anthropological dimension. [url=http://aplaceof.info/palumpa/summingup.html]Here is a link to a note I wrote after a month in a much smaller Aboriginal community in 2003.[/url]
Dennis
p.s. welcome indeed Julia, you bring multiple interests and skills. We have all the files out and scattered on the floor here at the moment, but we are doing something which will be worthy, I think! :-)
Hello Neighbours of Kyarumba!
I am really encouraged by the great work you are doing for the Kyarumba village,i wish to inform you that we have met with Jessica at the training here in Nairobi and it has been good learning from her working with all of you.
I look forward to remain a neighbour too and contribute wherever i can.
I am from Kenya and a local rep.for Kibera village.
Regards,
Fred
You look so different! I love the picture. Seems like a totally new person!
Come on Dennis, being a well of knowledge and wisdom has its own charms. And thank you for the pictures of your family.
Frederic many thanks for the kind words. We will welcome your contributions whenever you can.
Wow! Look at the many new neighbors who just joined us within the past few days! Welcome to all of you!
It would be so nice if each of you could share a little bit of info about yourselves, so we can get to know you better... And perhaps after you get yourself up to speed on what we're doing here, let us know what you think about the action plans that have recently been proposed, or provide some feedback, advice, etc. about Nyabibuya, or funding ideas.
I join you to welcome our new neighbors who have joined us a few days ago. most of these are Local Representatives who were together with me in Nairobi during the Nabuur workshop and were so happy about the progress we are making here.
On a special Note, I would like to welcome Mr. T.K.Rengarajan who has also joined us here.
Renga is the Founder of the Geoseed project, a non-profit volunteer organization based in Silicon Valley that inspires needy girls in developing countries to
pursue their educational interests.
They provide back issues of the National Geographic Magazine free of charge to teachers who reach many girls.
I know he will share with us here more about this exciting work. I have been in touch with him during the last two weeks and has accepted to work closely with Muhindo Harold a teacher of Mutanywana secondary School whom I recommended to him.
He is already an active member and supporter of Nyabibuya off Nabuur screens. Lets join hands to welcome him to the great team.
What's so interesting in this village is that all the people involved in the discussion are all dynamic and full of enthusiasm! That will make a great difference in undergoing the project. With that contagious intensity the village will benefit a lot from it!
I am pleased to be back online, though if there are spelling mistakes (less in the evening than in the heat of the day, I expect!) it is because I am acclimatising.
We arrived over red dust road last night in Ngukurr, this morning spent time at the creche and the school saying hello. There are also issues in this remote indigenous community of retention and valuing education... the tasks of teachers are amazing and high levels of dedication required. Just as one example, Friday, my wife's daughter Bindi's class will do the dress rehearsal of their dance performance for 'CrocFest' next week. Costumes and music and art work all by their teacher. Monday night they leave, with several mothers, to go to perform - in Alice Springs, 1850kms away, by road. Back on Friday night... ! CrocFest is very important in Nyabibuya sense, because it is an exposure of these teenage girls (whoh may have their first shoes for such an excursion) to careers and opportunities and life in town in a positive sense.
Meanwhile, I am learning a little kriol (creole - there are many traditional languages across the top end of Australia, the kriol language is a common means of commuication). I asked and girls told me that I was 'step-abuja' of Bindi's boy Banjo. I asked: "What did you say in local language before you had the word step?" to which I got the instant, wild comedy answer, girls laughing, "We didn't say anything, we just ran down the hill!"
It has been determined that I am a member of the goanna moiety. You can find some discussion of moiety here: http://manikay.com/didjeridu/temglos.shtml
though where that speaks of two, there seem to be four moieties here. My placement in this moiety, through my stepfather relationship with Bindi, allowed one girl who was explaining this to me at the school to say that thus I was her grandfather, while the girl next to her regarded me as stepfather. I now have a kinship relationship with every person here... Bindi says that the girls with whom she has the most problems in her class are the 'daughters' - those with whom there are the least problems are the 'daughters in law' (it is a girls' class). These qualities can be explained on a moiety chart too.
I'm Shikha Dubey, a new neighbor and am excited to be working with all of you towards our common goal. I'm currently a Marketing Manager at a High Tech company and am based in San Francisco, California in the US.
Thank you for choosing Kyarumba village as your neighboring community to work and interact with. You have joined at a time we need more support as we formulate proposals for girl child education.
Please feel free to join us in the other discussion threads.
Once again welcome to Kyarumba.
To Dennis,
Thank you for sharing with us the adventurous stories from Ngukurr, Bindi must be doing a great job over there.
I also had a great time in Nairobi with my fellow local representatives. We refreshed our skills and knowledge in internet communications, issue, and focus and action formulation. I think with this help we will improve and help our communities achieve their dreams.
At the end of the workshop we were also facilitated with Laptops to help us do our work better. Thanks to Edmee, Claudia and the entire Nabuur staff.
Dennis,
is this a new picture? You look more serious and contemplative on it, like a perfect "Vieux Sage", as we say in French to respectfully describe an old scholar full of wisdom and knowledge.
I am also looking for a new picture for myself, to take off the glasses.
Cheers
Adriana
Dear Alfredo, Azania,
Thanks for your encouraging words Alfredo, if you have been following our discussions in the latest past, we have conducted community consultations to get views on the constraints to girl child education and what they feel can be done to address the problems. (Open some of the files under resources on community consultations)
The actions we have just set for our work here were developed with a blessing from the community. We believe in local participation and ownership of the programme.
Azania, about your trip to Bujumbura via Uganda, We will be more than happy to host you in Kyarumba. Its 20 kilometres from Entebbe to Kampala. If you would like to meet the BWC, we will then organise to travel 300 KM to kyarumba by bus if you don't mind. Just let me know what is convenient for you.
Thanks
Jessica
Yes, Adriana, a new picture, I may try for something a bit less sombre yet :-) but I wanted to get out of those winter clothes! The temperature here this week touched 30 celsius for a couple of days and next week we head north for a month grandbaby sitting in a remote indigenous community in northern Australia. The temperature there is now near 40c and humidity rising - the wet season not due till December... this is called The Build-Up and is the most severe time of year.
Here is the grandbaby and parents [url=http://aplaceof.info/05/0501/050105hats.htm]- the three on the left side of this composite picture I put together last January! :-)[/url]
Here is our grandson's [url=http://aplaceof.info/05/0508/0828banjoparty.htm]recent third birthday party.[/url] His Mum is a teacher (facing some very relevant and comparable issues to those in Kyarumba); his Jamaican born dad is finishing his teaching degree and is currently away from home doing practice teaching in a more conventional school; we have the last three week shift, replacing him as 'dad at home' while mum works.
I will be out of communication for a while next week or so - 200km drive to Sydney, then 4 and a half ours by plane to Darwin, then about eight hours or so by road and then by 'road' into the southern end of Arnhem Land. We have our permits to enter Aboriginal land, already granted by the land council. :-)
[url=http://encarta.msn.com/map_701510236/Arnhem_Land.html]This map shows Darwin and down the highway Mataranka. [/url] At Mataranka you can see the Roper River running East. We travel three hours on dirt road, take the barge across the river and find our destination [Ngukurr] 100km from the sea.
We will have internet connection there, but there will be a gap from early next week for a week.
best wishes
Dennis
Yes, Adriana, a new picture, I may try for something a bit less sombre yet :-) but I wanted to get out of those winter clothes! The temperature here this week touched 30 celsius for a couple of days and next week we head north for a month grandbaby sitting in a remote indigenous community in northern Australia. The temperature there is now near 40c and humidity rising - the wet season not due till December... this is called The Build-Up and is the most severe time of year.
Here is the grandbaby and parents [url=http://aplaceof.info/05/0501/050105hats.htm]- the three on the left side of this composite picture I put together last January! :-)[/url]
Here is our grandson's [url=http://aplaceof.info/05/0508/0828banjoparty.htm]recent third birthday party.[/url] His Mum is a teacher (facing some very relevant and comparable issues to those in Kyarumba); his Jamaican born dad is finishing his teaching degree and is currently away from home doing practice teaching in a more conventional school; we have the last three week shift, replacing him as 'dad at home' while mum works.
I will be out of communication for a while next week or so - 200km drive to Sydney, then 4 and a half ours by plane to Darwin, then about eight hours or so by road and then by 'road' into the southern end of Arnhem Land. We have our permits to enter Aboriginal land, already granted by the land council. :-)
[url=http://encarta.msn.com/map_701510236/Arnhem_Land.html]This map shows Darwin and down the highway Mataranka. [/url] At Mataranka you can see the Roper River running East. We travel three hours on dirt road, take the barge across the river and find our destination [Ngukurr] 100km from the sea.
We will have internet connection there, but there will be a gap from early next week for a week.
best wishes
Dennis
Wow Dennis, what a trek! (kind of sounds like the type anthropologists make when doing fieldwork) :-D Thanks for sharing the family pics!
Have a good journey, and happy grand-baby-sitting,
Marianne
Hello Julia,
We look forward to your participation in the development of the project plan and/or funding 'investigation' for Nyabibuya. :-)
Welcome aboard,
Marianne
Marianne, Marianne - you go to the hairdresser, come home glamorous, take a new photo and look ten years younger! :-)
How can a bald boy compete with that!!! :-)
Our travel north will indeed have anthropological dimension. [url=http://aplaceof.info/palumpa/summingup.html]Here is a link to a note I wrote after a month in a much smaller Aboriginal community in 2003.[/url]
Dennis
p.s. welcome indeed Julia, you bring multiple interests and skills. We have all the files out and scattered on the floor here at the moment, but we are doing something which will be worthy, I think! :-)
Hello Neighbours of Kyarumba!
I am really encouraged by the great work you are doing for the Kyarumba village,i wish to inform you that we have met with Jessica at the training here in Nairobi and it has been good learning from her working with all of you.
I look forward to remain a neighbour too and contribute wherever i can.
I am from Kenya and a local rep.for Kibera village.
Regards,
Fred
Marianne!!
You look so different! I love the picture. Seems like a totally new person!
Come on Dennis, being a well of knowledge and wisdom has its own charms. And thank you for the pictures of your family.
Frederic many thanks for the kind words. We will welcome your contributions whenever you can.
Adriana
Wow! Look at the many new neighbors who just joined us within the past few days! Welcome to all of you!
It would be so nice if each of you could share a little bit of info about yourselves, so we can get to know you better... And perhaps after you get yourself up to speed on what we're doing here, let us know what you think about the action plans that have recently been proposed, or provide some feedback, advice, etc. about Nyabibuya, or funding ideas.
What do you think, new neighbors? :lol:
We're glad to have you on board,
Marianne
Dear Marrianne,
I join you to welcome our new neighbors who have joined us a few days ago. most of these are Local Representatives who were together with me in Nairobi during the Nabuur workshop and were so happy about the progress we are making here.
On a special Note, I would like to welcome Mr. T.K.Rengarajan who has also joined us here.
Renga is the Founder of the Geoseed project, a non-profit volunteer organization based in Silicon Valley that inspires needy girls in developing countries to
pursue their educational interests.
They provide back issues of the National Geographic Magazine free of charge to teachers who reach many girls.
I know he will share with us here more about this exciting work. I have been in touch with him during the last two weeks and has accepted to work closely with Muhindo Harold a teacher of Mutanywana secondary School whom I recommended to him.
He is already an active member and supporter of Nyabibuya off Nabuur screens. Lets join hands to welcome him to the great team.
For more information about the Geoseed Project please visit http://www.geoseedproject.com/index.html
Thanks
Jessica
Dear All,
What's so interesting in this village is that all the people involved in the discussion are all dynamic and full of enthusiasm! That will make a great difference in undergoing the project. With that contagious intensity the village will benefit a lot from it!
Best wishes,
junjun
Hello Adriana and Jessica and all
I am pleased to be back online, though if there are spelling mistakes (less in the evening than in the heat of the day, I expect!) it is because I am acclimatising.
We arrived over red dust road last night in Ngukurr, this morning spent time at the creche and the school saying hello. There are also issues in this remote indigenous community of retention and valuing education... the tasks of teachers are amazing and high levels of dedication required. Just as one example, Friday, my wife's daughter Bindi's class will do the dress rehearsal of their dance performance for 'CrocFest' next week. Costumes and music and art work all by their teacher. Monday night they leave, with several mothers, to go to perform - in Alice Springs, 1850kms away, by road. Back on Friday night... ! CrocFest is very important in Nyabibuya sense, because it is an exposure of these teenage girls (whoh may have their first shoes for such an excursion) to careers and opportunities and life in town in a positive sense.
Meanwhile, I am learning a little kriol (creole - there are many traditional languages across the top end of Australia, the kriol language is a common means of commuication). I asked and girls told me that I was 'step-abuja' of Bindi's boy Banjo. I asked: "What did you say in local language before you had the word step?" to which I got the instant, wild comedy answer, girls laughing, "We didn't say anything, we just ran down the hill!"
It has been determined that I am a member of the goanna moiety. You can find some discussion of moiety here:
http://manikay.com/didjeridu/temglos.shtml
though where that speaks of two, there seem to be four moieties here. My placement in this moiety, through my stepfather relationship with Bindi, allowed one girl who was explaining this to me at the school to say that thus I was her grandfather, while the girl next to her regarded me as stepfather. I now have a kinship relationship with every person here... Bindi says that the girls with whom she has the most problems in her class are the 'daughters' - those with whom there are the least problems are the 'daughters in law' (it is a girls' class). These qualities can be explained on a moiety chart too.
A goanna, by the way, looks like this:
http://www.capricornexpedition.com/cap%20gallery%201/cap%201/pages/goann...
-- that's a really big one
... here is a traditional painting
http://www.tobwabba.com.au/gallery/goanna_and_king_brown.html
from another part of Australia - I will have some local art to show later, I have been asked to help make a rolled painting store for the arts centre Wednesday, from pvc pipes.
Anyway, goanna is now my totem - I can say it, I can draw it, I should respect it, I should not eat it....
more in the discussion of the issues!
Meanwhile here is a picture of an incident in Darwin - attached file!
lol
D
Dear All,
I'm Shikha Dubey, a new neighbor and am excited to be working with all of you towards our common goal. I'm currently a Marketing Manager at a High Tech company and am based in San Francisco, California in the US.
Best,
Shikha
Dear Shikha,
Thank you for choosing Kyarumba village as your neighboring community to work and interact with. You have joined at a time we need more support as we formulate proposals for girl child education.
Please feel free to join us in the other discussion threads.
Once again welcome to Kyarumba.
To Dennis,
Thank you for sharing with us the adventurous stories from Ngukurr, Bindi must be doing a great job over there.
I also had a great time in Nairobi with my fellow local representatives. We refreshed our skills and knowledge in internet communications, issue, and focus and action formulation. I think with this help we will improve and help our communities achieve their dreams.
At the end of the workshop we were also facilitated with Laptops to help us do our work better. Thanks to Edmee, Claudia and the entire Nabuur staff.
Thanks
Jessica