News from a Mud Hut

Update on the storm that hit Lukodi

by Lowna Gie : March 27, 2010

The situation at the centre is calmer now. We are managing in the chaos that comes from not having a roof. Somehow there is order in the madness. The staff and students have given the words “flexible” and “accommodating” new meanings. Chapel is still conducted in the main classroom but the only difference this week is that there is no roof. The tailoring teacher has set up her sewing machines on the right hand side of the veranda, while saloon [hairdressing] is being taught under a mango tree. The nursery class is operating from under another mango tree and the kindergarten class has moved into the corridor of a dormitory. The bead income generation project is being managed from the left hand side of the veranda. I was able to join the Uganda Red Cross Emergency Response team to assess the damage in the community. Grass has been blown off many huts, either partially or completely. One of ChildVoice’s cleaners, James, has no grass left on his roof. I saw four huts in which the walls were damaged by the storm. Two of these huts belong to women involved in the bead income generation project. Five huts and two latrines were completely destroyed in the army barracks. The boys’ latrines at the Lukodi Primary School were also ruined. The grinding mill and a communal structure in Lukodi were destroyed as well. We have just entered the rainy season and as I write this blog entry the rain is pouring down. This makes it all the more important for us to repair our roof as soon as possible. Contractors are currently working on a quotation to fix the roof. They have already warned us that it will be expensive. Cement work will have to be done and new rafters and a tin roof will have to be installed. We also need to urgently aid the community to repair the damage they experienced before their huts are completely ruined by the rain. Below is the official response about the storm from the president and CEO of ChildVoice, Conrad Mandsager. Please take time to read it. “Yesterday afternoon [19th March], I got word that our center in Lukodi, Uganda was hit by a massive wind, rain, and hail storm. Although communication was very difficult, I began to piece together what had transpired. I was so grateful to hear that no one was hurt, although there was heavy damage to the center, as well as to the community. This morning, Lowna made it into town and emailed me some photos and further reports on the damage. Here is a first person account from D’Andrea Weeks, our acting Program Director who was in Lukodi Centre when the storm hit, “Yesterday was a big day in Lukodi as the community observed last funeral rights for those that died in the Lukodi massacre five years ago. Many of our girls were at the event helping out in the kitchen, fetching water, and singing in the choir. I, along with many of the Lukodi community attended the service and then I left right before it ended late in the afternoon. As I reached the Centre, it was clear that a storm was coming very soon. I ran to the kitchen to talk to our staff who had gathered in the shelter behind the kitchen. The rain began pouring down and we moved to the new bakery room where our large oven is. I crowded in with three other staff, students with their children, and several children whose mothers were still at the funeral. We huddled in the corner as the rain blew through the windows and doors. Almond sized hail started falling and then the wind suddenly changed direction, pelting us with hail. All of a sudden, we heard the roof ripping off the classroom and we braced for the impact. Amazingly, the roof landed on the ground next right next to us and none of us were hurt. When the hail stopped and the winds calmed, we ran to the main building to check on the other girls. Thank God, all were safe. It was now after 6pm and we had a lot of work to do with very little time before the sun went down. We quickly mopped the water from the office and our dispensary, and then began moving the furniture out of the classrooms. Girls had babies tied on their backs and their fronts as there were many children whose mothers were stuck at the funeral. The desks, tables, and other valuables were moved to the veranda -- one at a time. Now that the storm was over, the girls who were at the funeral returned – again, all safe. Wires were exposed where the roof had been ripped from the trusses and there was not enough time to do a thorough assessment to see if we could get the generator working. We decided that we would all eat and then go to bed in the dark. As the girls praised God for their safety, the rains began again. After prayers, all went to their rooms and slept comfortably in their beds until the early morning when clean up continued. We salvaged some things, but many things have been lost. Books and toys from the ECD and nursery classrooms were destroyed, some of our musical instruments have been rendered useless. One of the rooms in this building is used for making paper beads. All of the paper and raw, unvarnished beads were lost. Our small gardens of vegetables were destroyed as well as our new papaya tree. Late this afternoon someone will come to begin preparing a quotation for a new roof. We will keep you updated as we obtain more information.” Sadly, on a day of remembrance for the many who died senselessly in the massacre only five years ago, another tragedy hits this community who has already endured so much. We are getting word that many in the community lost thatched roofs off their homes as well and lost much of their belongings. We hope to have a better assessment of how much damage in the community in the next day or so. With the rainy season only days away, we cannot delay in getting a new roof on the classrooms. We are making plans to get a crew in to begin work on Monday. At the same time, we need to help our neighbors in Lukodi repair their homes. This is going to be challenging as the supply of grass for thatch is very low at the moment. It is likely that grass will have to transported in from some distance to meet this need. It is my hope and prayer that you will consider a special financial gift during this time. We need to repair our classroom and replace the goods that were destroyed as quickly as possible. We also would like to set up a fund to help people in the Lukodi community who will need financial assistance. Gifts can either be sent to our office at ChildVoice International, PO Box 579, Durham, NH 03824 or through our website at http://www.childvoiceintl.org/cart/. Please designate your gift for the Lukodi Relief Fund.”