UGANDA Day 3: Queen Elizabeth National Park & Extreme Poverty

UGANDA Day 3: Queen Elizabeth National Park & Extreme Poverty

Jennifer Burden traveled by invitation of the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign to Uganda to observe UNICEF’s Family and Child Health Days, where children are provided life-saving vaccinations.  This post reflects on Day 3 of her adventure in October. She has previously reported on day 1 about UNICEF offices in Kampala, Uganda and day 2 of her trip at a UNICEF Family Health Day in Mumbende, Uganda.

Riverboat Safari

On Day 3 of our Ugandan adventure we took a detour. We were scheduled to meet with the health staff who were going to be working at the Family Health Days that we were visiting on Sunday, but they were still busy preparing for Sunday. So, we found ourselves with unexpected free time. What better thing to do in Africa when your plans fall through than to visit one of Uganda’s national parks?

Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. Jennifer Burden of World Moms Blog with Jenny Eckton of Formerly Phread.

Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. Jennifer Burden of World Moms Blog with Jenny Eckton of the blog, Formerly Phread while in Uganda in October 2012 with Shot@Life.

 

Saturday’s adventure led us to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where we went on a river safari cruise on Lake Edward. We saw a multitude of hippos and buffalo, as well as, elephants, crocodiles, monkeys and beautiful birds. We hopped a riverboat and spent the entire time out on the water.  I have never seen so many hippos in my life.  Apparently, some had been brought to the park in the 1960s, and they’ve been expanding every since!  One moment the waters would appear empty, but the next many hippo heads popping up out of the water!  Babies followed their moms. They swam around together in groups. Absolutely incredible!

Culture & Signs of Extreme Poverty

The excursion was a fantastic opportunity for our delegation to get a feel of the country’s natural beauty and a great team building exercise.  We were bonded going into the next Family Health Day. However, driving through the extreme poverty on the long bus ride through the country really put into perspective how much UNICEF’s efforts were needed.

We saw homes made of only big sticks and mud with reeds or tin for roofs. Although they are great “green” homes for the country’s beautiful African sun drenched days, they are unsuitable when temperatures become very cold at night and there is no running water or electricity.

Ugandan house made of mud and sticks.

Ugandan house made of mud and sticks.

Also, children were seen walking long distances in school uniforms, many alone. Women, men and children carried large yellow containers to collect water in and walked for miles home. An image that will never cease to amaze me — the site of an African woman balancing her load on her head and walking on the roadside barefoot.

Woman in Uganda walking on side of road while balancing a head basket.

Woman in Uganda walking on side of road in western Uganda.

Unfinished homes and store fronts were quite common. We were told that owners would save up for bricks and then add gradually to the structure over many years.  It was not uncommon to see unfinished storefronts in use or piles of bricks that had been delivered to unfinished residences. Bricks were made of heated, dried mud.

Here is an example of a typical storefront. This one is a bicycle shop and a clothing store. Often times, the storefronts were painted by companies seeking to advertise mobile phones and other products.

Common roadside storefront in Uganda.

Common roadside storefront in Uganda.

We were truly humbled by our trip out to western Uganda.  The further we drove away from Kampala, the more common it was to see mud huts. And storefronts were everywhere, often with mothers manning them and children playing outside. Day 3 was a truly memorable day. We captured photos that changed us and that will stay in our advocacy hearts forever. This day was good for our delegation to get to know each other better and prepare for the next round of Family Health Days on Day 4.

This is an original post to World Moms Blog by founder, Jennifer Burden of New Jersey, USA. 

Photo credits to the author. 

Jennifer Burden

Jennifer Burden is the Founder and CEO of World Moms Network, an award winning website on global motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. World Moms Network writes from over 30 countries, has over 70 contributors and was listed by Forbes as one of the “Best 100 Websites for Women”, named a “must read” by The New York Times, and was recommended by The Times of India. She was also invited to Uganda to view UNICEF’s family health programs with Shot@Life and was previously named a “Global Influencer Fellow” and “Social Media Fellow” by the UN Foundation. Jennifer was invited to the White House twice, including as a nominated "Changemaker" for the State of the World Women Summit. She also participated in the One Campaign’s first AYA Summit on the topic of women and girl empowerment and organized and spoke on an international panel at the World Bank in Washington, DC on the importance of a universal education for all girls. Her writing has been featured by Baby Center, Huffington Post, ONE.org, the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life, and The Gates Foundation’s “Impatient Optimists.” She is currently a candidate in Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs in the Executive Masters of Public Affairs program, where she hopes to further her study of global policies affecting women and girls. Jennifer can be found on Twitter @JenniferBurden.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
Twitter

World Moms Blog Talks Ugandan Maternal Health at The Gates Foundation

World Moms Blog Talks Ugandan Maternal Health at The Gates Foundation

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to write on maternal health for The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s amazing blog, Impatient Optimists.  The foundation is “guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives.” I chose a story out of Uganda from when I visited there with a delegation from the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign. I described my meeting with a nurse midwife from one of UNICEF’s Family Health Days in Fort Portal, Uganda.

Jennifer Burden of World Moms Blog and Cindy Levin of RESULTS talk to a lab technician in Fort Portal, Uganda, while there with a delegation from the Shot@Life campaign.  Photo credit to Stephanie Geddes.

Jennifer Burden of World Moms Blog and Cindy Levin of RESULTS talk to a lab technician in Fort Portal, Uganda, while there with a delegation from the Shot@Life campaign. Photo credit to Stephanie Geddes.

World Moms, you must go over there and check out what I learned about prenatal care from the trip and the instruments used for pregnant mothers. And you won’t believe how many checkups the nurse midwife is hoping that her patients attend and what percentage actually do. And why babies who have an HIV positive mom and who are not HIV positive must stop breastfeeding at 1-year old.  Ok, enough here. The answers are all over at my post at The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, “What I Learned from a Midwife in Uganda“. Go there, and check out their site!

Comments here are closed. Go on over there to comment! 

Jennifer Burden

Jennifer Burden is the Founder and CEO of World Moms Network, an award winning website on global motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. World Moms Network writes from over 30 countries, has over 70 contributors and was listed by Forbes as one of the “Best 100 Websites for Women”, named a “must read” by The New York Times, and was recommended by The Times of India. She was also invited to Uganda to view UNICEF’s family health programs with Shot@Life and was previously named a “Global Influencer Fellow” and “Social Media Fellow” by the UN Foundation. Jennifer was invited to the White House twice, including as a nominated "Changemaker" for the State of the World Women Summit. She also participated in the One Campaign’s first AYA Summit on the topic of women and girl empowerment and organized and spoke on an international panel at the World Bank in Washington, DC on the importance of a universal education for all girls. Her writing has been featured by Baby Center, Huffington Post, ONE.org, the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life, and The Gates Foundation’s “Impatient Optimists.” She is currently a candidate in Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs in the Executive Masters of Public Affairs program, where she hopes to further her study of global policies affecting women and girls. Jennifer can be found on Twitter @JenniferBurden.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
Twitter

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!

A photo my mom chose for this post of us from 1999!

A photo my mom chose for this post of us from 1999!

Today, on Mother’s Day, I’m here in Disney World at the Disney Social Media Moms conference, while my mom will be celebrating her day with my sisters, not me. So, although we aren’t together today, I want her to know how much I love her.  I want her to know that even though there are many things we see eye-to-eye on, as well as, some things we don’t, she has been my biggest influence in life and part of the reason why I am here.

She taught me that if something isn’t being done for you and you want it done, then you have to get up and do it yourself.  You see, there was a time that she wanted the hedges cut in our backyard and my dad wouldn’t have time to do it himself, so she would tell me to get my sneakers on, and she’d be out there using a large electric hedge trimmer on a ladder, and I’d be raking the leaves and branches below her. We got the job done together before dad got home from work.

Or when she needed a room painted, I would help her.  Or when she needed the bathrooms cleaned — that was my job every Saturday morning.  Or the lawn mowed…you get the picture. My dad did a lot, but mom always wanted stuff done straight away, and still does!

She taught me that there doesn’t have to be any time spent waiting around. That I should just roll up my sleeves and get the job done, if it was something important to me.  I apply what she taught me today to running World Moms Blog with our editing team.  When there’s something that we see that needs to be done in the world, we consult our fellow World Moms, roll up our sleeves and find a way to get the job done.

Here we are, over 50 of us from around the world, running a global website that we all feel like the world needs, as we tell the stories of mothers around the world. We are getting to know each other, learning our differences and embracing our commonalities. We are pointing out things that we want changed in the world or finding ways in how we can deal with them as they are through our voices. We are also breaking the barriers of “us” versus “them.” And on the path to creating just an “us”.

So, Mom, I’m at this amazing Disney conference, rolling up my sleeves and getting the job done and working on this project I started with the help of many amazing moms.  And, I want you to know that I’m so glad that we cut those hedges together when I was a kid, even though I probably didn’t want to. And I promise that although it may not be by operating large power tools on a ladder, I will find a way to pass this gift you gave me to my daughters. You can count on that.

Love, Jen

Today, in many countries, Mother’s Day is celebrated. World Moms Blog sends a virtual hug out to all the mothers, present, miles away and who have passed on. And we thank them for the difference they are making or have made in a child’s life because it is, in turn, the difference they are making in the planet’s future. 

*This post is being linked up to our contributor Nicole Morgan’s blog, Sisters From Another Mister for the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign, which advocates for vaccines for children who need them most!

http://www.sistersfromanothermister.com/?p=6815

Jennifer Burden

Jennifer Burden is the Founder and CEO of World Moms Network, an award winning website on global motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. World Moms Network writes from over 30 countries, has over 70 contributors and was listed by Forbes as one of the “Best 100 Websites for Women”, named a “must read” by The New York Times, and was recommended by The Times of India. She was also invited to Uganda to view UNICEF’s family health programs with Shot@Life and was previously named a “Global Influencer Fellow” and “Social Media Fellow” by the UN Foundation. Jennifer was invited to the White House twice, including as a nominated "Changemaker" for the State of the World Women Summit. She also participated in the One Campaign’s first AYA Summit on the topic of women and girl empowerment and organized and spoke on an international panel at the World Bank in Washington, DC on the importance of a universal education for all girls. Her writing has been featured by Baby Center, Huffington Post, ONE.org, the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life, and The Gates Foundation’s “Impatient Optimists.” She is currently a candidate in Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs in the Executive Masters of Public Affairs program, where she hopes to further her study of global policies affecting women and girls. Jennifer can be found on Twitter @JenniferBurden.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
Twitter

SOCIAL GOOD: ONEMoms & Three Goats in Harlem

SOCIAL GOOD: ONEMoms & Three Goats in Harlem

Maya Haille & Marcus Samuelson host the launch of the Three Goats Foundation at Ginny's Supper Club in Harlem, NYC on April 7th, 2013.

Model Maya Haille & chef Marcus Samuelsson host the launch of the Three Goats Foundation at Ginny’s Supper Club in Harlem, NYC on April 7th, 2013.

Last autumn, the ONE Campaign, co-founded by Bono with the mission to eradicate extreme poverty, took a delegation to Ethiopia.  Included in the delegation was a fashion model, Maya Haille, whose family is from Ethiopia, and she is also married to the famed Ethiopian NYC chef, Marcus Samuelsson.

Maya’s journey to help the people of Ethiopia has been heartfelt.  When she and Marcus once delivered supplies to a village there, the people thanked them by giving them 3 goats.  What were NYC folk to do with 3 goats?

Maya said, “Although I can’t take the goats home, I can tell the story.”  So, on April , 2013, Maya and Marcus invited their friends, family and the public to Marcus’ restaurant, “Ginny’s Supper Club” in Harlem to launch their foundation, “Three Goats” to aid the people in their beloved Ethiopia.  I was in attendance at the fundraiser, which brought in over $80,000 to aid women!

I caught up with the amazing woman behind #ONEMoms community relations, Jeannine Harvey, and together with Maggy Keet from Three Many Cooks, we cabbed it to Harlem for the women of Ethiopia.  Maggy is no newcomer to social good — she had previously spent 9 months in Tanzania, where she helped build a maternal health unit for the ministry of health there.  Maggie’s group raised $100,000 for the building — incredible!

The Three Goats event was filled with gorgeous African music and dancing, Chef Marcus’ scrumptious food, including goat and his renowned Swedish meatballs. Yes, you read right — Marcus and his sister grew up in Sweden.  When in Ethiopia, their mother suffered from tuberculosis and had to travel far by foot with her children for her treatment. One day while on this route, she didn’t make it, and her children were later adopted to Swedish parents.

The event included amazing auction items, which guests paid hundreds and thousands of dollars for including, tickets for the Jimmy Fallon show, a high profile photography session, cosmetics, FashionABLE scarves and more.

FashionaABLE is an amazing company that we have mentioned before on World Moms Blog. We first learned of it from the #ONEMoms trip to Ethiopia.  Founded by Barrett Ward, who was also in attendance at the 3 Goats event, the company brings women off the streets from prostitution in Ethiopia and empowers them to design and make scarves and helps them find alternative outlets for sale. Examples of places that carry the scarves are FashionABLE’s own website, the ONE Campaign and Harabu House. They are one of my favorite gifts to give!< Left: Jennifer Burden of World Moms Blog with Maggy Keet of Three Many Cooks and Jeannine Harvey of ONE. Center: with model Maya Haille. Right: With Barrett and Rachel Ward of Live FashionABLE. April 7, 2013 at the launch of the Three Goats Foundation in Harlem, NYC. Left: Jennifer Burden of World Moms Blog with Maggy Keet of Three Many Cooks and Jeannine Harvey of ONE. Center: with model Maya Haille. Right: With Barrett and Rachel Ward of Live FashionABLE. April 7, 2013 at the launch of the Three Goats Foundation in Harlem, NYC.[/caption]

It was a great night out for a great cause, and I was thrilled to witness the launch of Three Goats to help women in Ethiopia.  I look forward to following the additional good to come from the new foundation!

Do you have a foundation that’s near and dear to your heart?  Come share it, here, in the comments! 

This is an original post to World Moms Blog, by founder, Jennifer Burden of New Jersey, USA. 

Photo credits to the author. 

Jennifer Burden

Jennifer Burden is the Founder and CEO of World Moms Network, an award winning website on global motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. World Moms Network writes from over 30 countries, has over 70 contributors and was listed by Forbes as one of the “Best 100 Websites for Women”, named a “must read” by The New York Times, and was recommended by The Times of India. She was also invited to Uganda to view UNICEF’s family health programs with Shot@Life and was previously named a “Global Influencer Fellow” and “Social Media Fellow” by the UN Foundation. Jennifer was invited to the White House twice, including as a nominated "Changemaker" for the State of the World Women Summit. She also participated in the One Campaign’s first AYA Summit on the topic of women and girl empowerment and organized and spoke on an international panel at the World Bank in Washington, DC on the importance of a universal education for all girls. Her writing has been featured by Baby Center, Huffington Post, ONE.org, the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life, and The Gates Foundation’s “Impatient Optimists.” She is currently a candidate in Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs in the Executive Masters of Public Affairs program, where she hopes to further her study of global policies affecting women and girls. Jennifer can be found on Twitter @JenniferBurden.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
Twitter

The NY Times calls World Moms Blog a “Must Read”

The NY Times calls World Moms Blog a “Must Read”

NY Times Motherlode

KJ Dell’Antonia, writer at the NY Times Motherlode, updated the prestigious website’s parenting blog list on Friday.  In the category she described as “must-reads that are more destination than ‘blog'” she wrote, “The subject matter on World Moms Blog ranges from Westerners’ thoughts on global issues to posts from writers worldwide.”

We are thrilled and honored to be among websites, such as Babble, Asha Dornfest’s Parent Hacks, Katherine Stone’s Postpartum Progress, and InCulture Parent.

As we mentioned on our Facebook page on Friday when the news broke, “Somebody pinch us!”

Thank you to KJ Dell’Antonia and the NY Times Motherlode for highlighting us among the many.  You have no idea how much the honor means to our global editors and contributors, all of whom are volunteers!

Please read the full post at the NY Times Motherlode: “The Motherlode Blogroll: Freshly Linked but Never Final.

— World Moms Blog

Jennifer Burden

Jennifer Burden is the Founder and CEO of World Moms Network, an award winning website on global motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. World Moms Network writes from over 30 countries, has over 70 contributors and was listed by Forbes as one of the “Best 100 Websites for Women”, named a “must read” by The New York Times, and was recommended by The Times of India. She was also invited to Uganda to view UNICEF’s family health programs with Shot@Life and was previously named a “Global Influencer Fellow” and “Social Media Fellow” by the UN Foundation. Jennifer was invited to the White House twice, including as a nominated "Changemaker" for the State of the World Women Summit. She also participated in the One Campaign’s first AYA Summit on the topic of women and girl empowerment and organized and spoke on an international panel at the World Bank in Washington, DC on the importance of a universal education for all girls. Her writing has been featured by Baby Center, Huffington Post, ONE.org, the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life, and The Gates Foundation’s “Impatient Optimists.” She is currently a candidate in Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs in the Executive Masters of Public Affairs program, where she hopes to further her study of global policies affecting women and girls. Jennifer can be found on Twitter @JenniferBurden.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
Twitter