Joan

So today is a national holiday in Uganda: "woman's day". It seems to me to mean a lot of shouting on the radio and no lessons in school; if it has any other purpose I remain oblivious! So I thought I would use it to tell you all about Joan who lives next door to me (don't worry the narcissism will return and I will do another post to let you all know what I've been doing).

Joan is the oldest daughter of the family which live next door to us in the grounds of the Sub County at Busede. She gets up at about half six most mornings and helps her mum wash and dress her two younger siblings. At around half seven she sets off to walk for 45 minutes, barefoot, to school where she stays until the afternoon. Sometimes we walk together. We don't speak each others language so other than some point and click phrases we walk in silence. Neither of us seem to mind though, its nice to have the company.When she is not at school I have seen Joan sweeping the house, walking her crying younger brother round the compound to calm him down, weeding the garden with a huge hoe, carrying water on her head back from the bore hole, cooking and running to the shops to buy milk for the family's breakfast.The other day we were walking to school together and Joan started to cry. I don't know why, maybe she stepped on a stone or somebody said something hurtful to her. I crouched down in the dust, wiped the tears from her eyes and took her tiny hand in mine.
Joan is six. She is the little girl in blue on the picture below.

Life for children here is full of contrasts. They are allowed more freedom than their European counterparts can imagine, but in return they are expected to work damn hard. Joan has a relatively good life. A house which keeps her dry, a dad with a decent job, a mother who loves her and the chance to go to school. Many children here don't even have that. Apart from anything else, it really puts things in perspective.