Tales and Songs from Weddings and Funerals

Today was a pretty good day

Today I found out that I won a scholarship that will allow me to travel to Africa. The Ron Robbins travelling scholarship from the University of Regina is for students who present a well researched plan for reporting in a foreign country.

My proposal was for Uganda:

Hospital wards with 60 or more beds, homecare visits, TB and HIV/AIDS clinics, and a new culture; this is the experience of the Friends of Mengo Hospital volunteers when they are in Kampala, Uganda.

“To understand the drama of the AIDS pandemic you have to see it,” said Dr. Jim Sparling, physician and director of Friends of Mengo Hospital.

And that is my goal. I want to begin to understand the AIDS pandemic and the associated health and social problems, so I can report on those who are trying to improve the situation. Once I am immersed, I will be able to write about those Canadians whose attachment to life in Uganda drives them to return.

The Ron Robbins Travelling Scholarship in Journalism will enable me to travel to Kampala with Mengo Hospital volunteers, based out of Victoria, British Columbia. I will have the opportunity to live and work alongside them, and other international teams, documenting their actions.

An on-going clinical study on the effects of selenium on AIDS, research by a University of Victoria professor, is mostly run by volunteers. Students and doctors are also involved in patient care in the hospital; working with HIV/AIDS outreach and home healthcare; caring for children at Sanyu Babies Home, an orphanage; and fundraising with the Mengo Boys Brigade, a cooperative of street children.

While in Kampala there will be many other opportunities for articles, I will look at success stories and struggles. Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief is willing to arrange a journalist visit to their project By Youth For Youth. Here, children use art and the media to bring their communities together. By publications aimed at raising awareness and teaching life-skills, the Uganda-based NGO Straight Talk provides a new way of increasing youth’s knowledge of HIV/AIDS.

This means - the plans still have to be finalized but I am on my way to the first step of the rest of my life!

And if today wasn't already good enough - this evening I went to yet another Stephen Lewis lecture, he and Dr. Paul Farmer are my idols I truly believe that if I could be one quarter like either one of them I could make such a significant impact in the world!
So, after the lecture I introduced myself to Lewis and told him about my opportunity. He was genuinely interested in what I had to say - and he said he would look forward to reading my articles and wished me luck!
Best part is - this time I didn't stutter! Last time was embarrassing!

Seriously today was a pretty good day!

posted by Angela @ 9:50 p.m.