Index:

2006-04 Agnes Achola finds participants in Uganda 2006-07 - Coordination with Prof. Barbara Putz-Plecko 2006-08-04 FRI - Austrian Ugandan Social Meeting, Zirkusgasse 3 2006-09-01 FRI - Meeting at Paulusgasse 2006-09-07 THU - Finalisation of the Concept 2006-09-08 FRI - Austrian Ugandan Social Meeting, Zirkusgasse 3 2006-09-13 WED - Meeting at Paulusgasse 2006-09-15 FRI - Meeting with Ute Neuber 2006-10-03 TUE - Film Screening, Depot Breitegasse 3, 1070 Vienna 2006-10-08 SUN - Ugandan Independence Day Party, 3raum-Anatomietheather 2006-10-14 SAT - Meeting at Paulusgasse 2006-10-20 FRI - Meeting with Abel Rwendeire at Barbara's 2006-10-24 TUE - Meeting with Eva Blimlinger 2006-10-25 WED - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko 2006-10-31 TUE - Meeting at University of Applied Arts Vienna 2006-11-03 FRI - Austrian Ugandan Social Meeting, Zirkusgasse 3 2006-11-08 TUE - Meeting at University of Applied Arts Vienna 2006-11-13 MON - Strike at Makerere University 2006-11-28 TUE - Meeting at Paulusgasse 2006-12-01 FRI - New Crowned Hope Exhibition, Künstlerhaus Wien 2006-12-04 MON - Meeting with Eva Blimlinger 2006-12-04 MON - Meeting of the Ugandan Team with Marcy Rwendeire 2006-12-05 TUE - Meeting at Lena's 2007-03-17 SAT - Ugandan Team Meeting at Kyambogo 2007-03-24 SAT - Ugandan Team Meeting 2007-04-14 SAT - Meeting at Cafe Club International, Brunnenmarkt 2007-04-17 TUE - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko 2007-04-26 THU - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko and Abel Rwendeire 2007-05-14 MON - Meeting with Lidwina Dox and Barbara Putz-Plecko 2007-05-22 TUE - Meeting with Lidwina Dox 2007-05-29 TUE - Meeting with Lidwina Dox 2007-06-23 SAT - Meeting at Robert's 2007-06-25 MON - Meeting with Lidwina Dox at her garden 2007-09 - Assessment in Uganda 2007-10-04 THU - Meeting at Jasmina's 2007-10-08 MON - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko 2007-10-11 THU - Handing in the assessment report to the bureau for abroad studies at UAAV 2007-10-16 TUE - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko 2007-10-19 FRI - Meeting with Lidwina Dox 2007-10-21 SUN - Meeting where we dealt with Ugandan Culture 2007-11 - Project development logging was abandoned, all later information retrospectively reconstructed 2007-11 Summarized - Securing the workshop at Mengo-SS 2007-12 Summarized 2007-12-03 MON - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko concerning workshop practice 2007-12-03 MON - Debriefing at Stefan's 2007-12-07 FRI - Austrians come to know about Ebola outbreak in Uganda 2007-12-10 MON - Austrian team gets immunisations for Uganda at Dr. Prinz's, using chance to inquire about Ebola 2007-12-11 TUE - Cosy meeting at Claire's 2007-12-17 MON - Immunisations for Uganda at Dr. Prinz's 2007-12-17 MON - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko concerning Ebola in Uganda 2007-12-17 MON - Debriefing in the students group 2007-12-20 THU - Preliminary meeting which members will go to Uganda under current circumstances 2007-12-20 THU - Decision which members will go to Uganda under current circumstances 2007-12-21 FRI - Finding solutions for the new schedule 2007-12-22 SAT - SOS HGSS Kakiri confirms new schedule 2008-01 Summarized 2008-01-04 FRI - Austrians communicate project changes to Uganda 2008-01-01 WED - 2008-01-05 SAT - Ugandan team members search for a new accommodation 2008-01-07 MON - 2008-01-09 WED - Austrian project team gathers for 3 intense working days at a remote place in Lower Austria 2008-01-09 WED - Meeting at Mengo-SS - Workshop organisation at school clarified 2008-01-10 THU - Austrian team discusses the outcome of the 3 day workshop/team review with Barbara Putz-Plecko 2008-01-12 SAT - Ugandan team meets staff at SOS HGSS Kakiri 2008-01-14 MON - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko 2008-01-16 THU - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko 2008-01-10 THU - 2008-01-16 WED - Austrian team finishes the workshop preparations 2008-01-16 THU - Inquired detailed workshop schedule is sent to Mengo-SS 2008-01-17 THU - Ugandan team fixed accommodation at Munyono Villa 2008-01-10 WED - 2008-01-23 WED - Austrian team organises most workshop materials in Austria 2008-01-20 SON - Cosy meeting of the Austrian project team 2008-01-23 WED - Daniela Tagger arrives in Kampala as the first Austrian team member 2008-01-24 THU - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko concerning the exhibition in Uganda 2008-01-27 SUN - Austrian animation team sends updated schedule to Ugandan colleagues 2008-01-30 WED - Remaining Austrian team arrives at Kampala after a horrible flight 2008-01-31 THU - UGATRA at Mengo SS - Workshop Day 1 Later developments

 

2006-04 Agnes Achola finds participants in Uganda

Note: Retrospective post from 2009-09

 

Agnes Achola travels to Uganda for private reasons, and uses the opportunity to campaign for UGATRA.

 

Agnes knows a gallerist from her days back in Uganda. She introduces Agnes directly at an art class at the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts (MTSIFA) at the Makerere University in Kampala. Agnes shortly introduces UGATRA and asks interested students to join her outside of the building. There she gives further informations, and asks those with further interest to write her an email as their expression of interest.

 

At Kjambogo University Agnes tries to establish a contact in the formal way by going through the bureaus, but is not successful. Agnes then decides to directly talk to students, and also encourages them to write her an email.

 

Agnes gets about 20 expressions of interest via email, and meets with those students at the campus area of MTSIFA. At this state of the project Agnes has no written but only oral informations, describing what UGATRA basically intends: To connect Austrian and Ugandan art students in an emancipatory way to establish an exchange in the field of art (education).

 

The description is quite vague and Agnes is met with quite some skepticism, but nonetheless Agnes can win some Ugandan students willing to participate, and returns to Austria with their contacts.

 

 

2006-07 - Coordination with Prof. Barbara Putz-Plecko

 

Magdalena Barthofer to Robert Zimmermann: I told Barbara Putz-Plecko about the project. She really likes it. She said she was hoping that anyone of the Non-Austrian students would come along with such an idea but she never wanted to urge somebody to do it. :-)

 

Magdalena Barthofer to Robert Zimmermann: Talked to a friend yesterday who is working for the ÖH for years. He told me we could get money from the ÖH -> one possibility: 'joint-studies-program', the other would be something like a arbeitsstipendium (can't remember - too late in the evening). I'm going to find out more about that. I already have a completed template form for the joint-studies-program and the numbers and adresses, etc will follow soon.

 

 

2006-08-04 FRI - Austrian Ugandan Social Meeting, Zirkusgasse 3

Agnes, Magdalena, Robert, Stefan attended the meeting of the friendship association.

 

We talked to:

• Maria Hirsch who works at the library in Zirkusgasse 3, 1020 Wien. She has collected a wide range of book about Uganda in the last years - good source for information!

• Abel Rwendeire, UNIDO, but his contract will expire in a few weeks and he will return to Uganda.

• Alfred Chyba, the Consul General of Uganda in Austria (guy in black suit).

• Joy, a Ugandan woman.

• Stevie Lule and James from Uganda.

• An Austrian guy (cannot remember name) who wants to build up biomass energy facilities in Uganda. He has lived there for 4 years.

• An Austrian civil servant (Zivildiener) who is going to go to Fort Portal, Uganda in January 2007 for "civil service abroad" (Auslands-Zivildienst).

• And another Austrian.

 

We have tried to explain our project as clear as possible. Again we have all agreed that the most important thing to start with is a WRITTEN concept. Maria offered to proofread this paper. As expected the friendship association doesn't seem to be able to sponsor our project financially, especially as the association itself seems to struggle with financial support.

 

Maria has mentioned the NDERE project in Kampala. NDERE is a cultural centre financed by Austria. Apparently there is more information about this online but due to power cuts in Uganda it is not available at the moment. A woman from the Akademietheater is currently working there as well. For financial support we could possibly get in touch with "Auslandsministerium, Auslandskultur, Herr Blix". For further details we can always get in touch with Maria.

 

We should also pass our concept on to Mr Abel Rwendeire as the seems to have a lot of contacts. Abel and the other Ugandans suggested some public primary schools we could visit (don't know how to spell these names):

• Citanly primary school,
• Makerere primary school,
• State of Uganda primary school,
• Mengo primary school,
• and others.

 

We have decided to cooperate with public schools as this seem to be an important point considering financial support through Austrian funds. We have also talked about getting in touch with schools in the slums (?) and in the countryside (probably get in touch with them through NDERE).

 

Abel also suggested to cooperate with Kyambogo University as they are focused on Arts (design).

 

The Austrian Consul seemed to be really interested in the Computer Idea. Apparently Ugandans use Microsoft and there has already been donations from Microsoft, someone there knows Bill Gates in person and met him recently in South Africa.

 

We are going to meet again on SUNDAY 13 August 2006 at Stefan's - in order to take some serious measures against the gaping spaces that need to be filled with beautiful thoughts, BKA concept. And we are going to watch a video concerning war in Uganda.

 

To Stefan, from Lena:

• Network uganda: This is a coordination organisation for IT, usually secondary schools.
• Ministry for IT and Communication.
• Existing Cape town Meeting: Gates, Chinoz, IT-minister.

 

 

2006-09-01 FRI - Meeting at Paulusgasse

Agnes, Magdalena (via internet phone), Robert, Sofie, Stefan.

 

• Stefan read the draft for his concept, presented the modules.
• Agnes read the draft for her concept. Results of the discussion about her concept:
• Mention that we want to use Ugandan cottons and fabrics.
• Plan a trip to a cotton manufacturer.
• We also discussed, whether it makes sense to start small fashion initiatives, given the international concurrence, especially from Asia, which produces cheaper and more efficient. Therefore creating a unique style could be a good strategy. We had decided to not interfere with the "big questions" (development, politics) anyways. These are questions to be answered by others.
• Robert said it is still not clear to him, what skills he could appropriately offer to Ugatra.
• We discussed, and got further. It will be something out of a matter, described by keywords like:
• Storytelling, comic, collective continuing story; maybe publishing the results to the web.
• He will consider if Mona likes to work with him.
• Robert, Sofie and Lena agreed to assist Stefan within the computer project. Ugandan assistants have to be choosen as well, if contact is established.

 

 

2006-09-07 THU - Finalisation of the Concept

Agnes, Dani, Elisabeth, Magdalena, Robert, Stefan.

 

• We read through each others drafts, then at the end read them out aloud, discussed the single workshops, and made corrections to the concept texts.
• Stefan has to shorten his workshop short-info.
• Stefan shall think about whether his logo/turtle play is the right way to learn the idea of constructing drawings via commands, check if there are existing Ugandan games, which could contain these mental structures.
• Stefan's concept of previsualising fabrics: Rethink the possibilities realistically.
• Elisabeth will think about suitable topics for the short film.
• Elisabeth will get in contact with Mona, Kay, Sofie for possible cooperation.
• Robert seems to already have an Ugandan counterpart for his Storytelling/Comic workshop, Vincent seems to be interested and curious.
• At the end we rewrote the introducing words, and decided to split the workshop descriptions into a short-info for the general audience, and detailed info for interested people, and to also include the personal motivations and thoughts into an own section in the concept.
• The girls also decided to send the concept to our interested Ugandan colleagues via email, together with individual words, to address them more personally.

 

 

2006-09-08 FRI - Austrian Ugandan Social Meeting, Zirkusgasse 3

Agnes, Dani, Elisabeth, Mona, Stefan (all from Ugatra) and many more people attended the meeting.

 

• Abel Rwendeire said, that we may focus on a certain art branch for a more sophisticated contact.
• Dennis Byamukama, Professor at Makerere University, encouraged us to write more about the meaning/intention of the project into the concept.
• It was a good mood, and we got to know the intensity of Ugandan laughter.

 

 

2006-09-13 WED - Meeting at Paulusgasse

Agnes, Dani, Magdalena, Stefan.

 

• Discussing the impressions from the last Austrian Ugandan Social Meeting:
• What is the meaning/intention of the Ugatra project?
• Our focus is on secondary school pupils/teenagers.
• Mona will do research on art universities, art studies, and art professors in Uganda.
• We have asked Vincent and Isaac to give us a description of their studies their preferred professors, and introduced Abel Rwendeire to them.
• We have contacted Barbara and Kay, and and asked them to contribute to the concept until the meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko in October 2006.
• Lena will try to find an interview that can be helpful.

 

 

2006-09-15 FRI - Meeting with Ute Neuber

Agnes, Dani and Lena met Ute Neuber, who teaches at the textile class.

 

• Explain the project.
• The textile part of the Ugatra project will be modelled on an already existing project called textil mobil. Textil mobil is a project by the textile class of the University for Applied Arts Vienna.
• We are going to meet Eva Laussegger, who was the main organizer of textil mobil. A date hasn't been set yet.

 

 

2006-10-03 TUE - Film Screening, Depot Breitegasse 3, 1070 Vienna

 

Lena and Mona watched the movies. Lena stayed for discussion after the screening.

 

 

2006-10-08 SUN - Ugandan Independence Day Party, 3raum-Anatomietheather

Stefan, Dani, Mona, Lena, Agnes, Robert.

 

The Austrians are impressed by the way the Ugandans dance!

 

 

2006-10-14 SAT - Meeting at Paulusgasse

Dani, Stefan, Mona, Lena, Barbara, Agnes.

 

• General discussions on what had happened so far, especially for Barbara who wasn't in Vienna during summer.
• Fixing date for meeting with Abel Rwendeire, Eva Blimlinger, Prof. Barbara Putz-Plecko.
• Topics we would like to discuss with Abel.

 

 

2006-10-20 FRI - Meeting with Abel Rwendeire at Barbara's

Lena, Barbara, Dani, Agnes, Stefan and Mona joined the meeting with Abel.

 

It was a very nice evening, we sat together and talked about our questions with Abel. Thanks to our hostess Barbara!

 

Accommodation:

• Hostel: 4 rooms each with 4 beds approximately 200 EUR per month
• House: About 600 EUR per month
• Hosting: Is a common way to stay in Uganda, but not for more than a month.

 

Abel suggested to look for a place somewhere between Makerere and Kyambogo, if we still plan to be in touch with both universities.

We should tell him the exact dates, like when we come and where we want to stay for how long, at least 3 months in advance, so that he can help organize things.

 

Contacts:

• We would also like to get in touch with Abel's wife Marcy. He offered us to forward information about us and our project to her.
• Abel could look for companies or factories in Uganda (for example Ginga or Nytil) which might be interested in supporting our project (for purposes of advertising). Therefore we have to know exactly what we want to do and what we need, what's required (material, transportation etc..). Marketing is important for Ugandan companies.

 

 

2006-10-24 TUE - Meeting with Eva Blimlinger

Agnes, Lena & Mona met Eva Blimlinger in order to discuss project management, fincancial and other concerns.

 

• We need to register a association.
• Who are we, how do we position our project: University project, student project ... something in-between?
• Focus on pupils either from 10 to 14 or 14 to 18.

 

• Rephrase the concept and group as the following:
• Objectives (Ziele), somehow what we have called "motivation" so far.
• Contents (Inhalte) of the project.
• Realisation (Umsetzung) needs to fulfil the topics. E.g: Why did we choose to hold workshops with the xxx contents?

• Further details concerning a professional concept will be forwarded by Eva Blimlinger to Stefan!

 

• Would we like our project to be a pilot project (in order to institutionalise) or would we prefer it to be held only once?
• Scheduling!
• Financial plan!
• It takes about 4 to 6 months to get answers from sponsors. It is even harder right now as the government has not set up the budget for 2007 yet.
• Most realistic date for first exchange would be Spring 2008 due to financial issues.
• Eva Blimlinger will be available for us via email and we can get an appointment with her anytime.

 

 

2006-10-25 WED - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko

Agnes, Dani, Stefan, Sofie, Mona, Robert & Lena met Prof. Putz-Plecko

 

We have been discussing the following issues, decisions need to be made!

• Think about visas for Ugandan students!
• Maybe start the exchange with Ugandans coming to Austria.
• Get in touch with Sofie's contacts who are with the ÖID. Please Sofie, add some more information about your friends!

 

• Scheduling for exchanges:
• One month preparation.
• One month work in schools.
• Evaluation with the pupils and the university students.
• 3 to 4 students and 2 or 3 contact teachers from Uganda.
• Use the already existing association of BPP?

 

 

2006-10-31 TUE - Meeting at University of Applied Arts Vienna

 

Activities:

• Eventually we have taken portrait photos of the austrian participants!

• Drafted a letter for Marcy Rwendeire. Sent to Abel, to be forwarded to her.

• Ugandan group (4 students, 3 more people?) comes to Austria first.

• Ask teachers etc: What would be the best time for workshops & how long?
• Our suggestion for Austrian schools: Aug 2007
• August: Preparation.
• September: School.
• October (1-2 weeks): Reflection.

 

Questions:

• How much time are we going to spent in the Austrian Schools?

• What teachers do we want to work with?

• Shall we use BPP's association? Ask Eva Blimlinger whether that is possible.

• When can we meet Sofie's contacts from ÖID?

 

 

2006-11-03 FRI - Austrian Ugandan Social Meeting, Zirkusgasse 3

Austrian participants of Ugatra (excluding Stefan, Sofie, Robert, Elisabeth; including Kay - welcome back), Abel Rwendeire, Maria Hirsch, etc.

 

We have asked travel-experienced Ugandans about how hard it is to obtain an Austrian Visa as an Ugandan:

• Getting a passport in Uganda can take from 1 day up to 6 months.
• Invitation letter (i.e. University)
• Return ticket, etc.
• Takes about 4 months to get a visa.
• Flight is from 600 to 1300 EUR (or more), apparently Egypt Airways is the cheapest.
• No flights via London, as Great Britain did not sign Schengen!
• Send email to Abel Rweindere.

 

New word: KUKONGORA - not participating.

 

 

2006-11-08 TUE - Meeting at University of Applied Arts Vienna

Robert, Lena, Dani, Mona, Stefan.

 

Plan was to redraft the concept (as per Eva Blimlinger). Unfortunately we didn't receive an email from her yet - so we decided to do this as soon as she has sent us her instructions.

We were trying to figure out financial entries such as flight costs, visa costs, cost of living etc. we have been discussing the risks of working.

We have been drafting a letter to our Ugandan colleagues. We were thinking of sending them a parcel.

Stefan will ask Maria Hirsch concerning the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sofie please ask your contacts about costs and legal risks concerning visa.

 

 

2006-11-13 MON - Strike at Makerere University

Reported by Lydia.

 

Our University was finally closed yesterday cause of strike.

 

We have no idea when it will open.

But today we went with Vicent to Kyambogo and had ameeting with those guys.

We talked mainly about the core of the project.

We also asked for their commitment and to keep communicating.

We had a good time with them and they seemed happy about the whole project.

They also promised to write to you.

 

About the passport I found out that I am the only one with it.

The other person is chasing for it and the rest.

 

Otherwise my love to all, love, Lydia

 

 

2006-11-28 TUE - Meeting at Paulusgasse

Stefan, Kay, Dani, Agnes, Lena, Sophie, Mona.

 

Tea, peanuts, cookies, red wine and clementines have been served.

 

Things to think about until next Tuesday:

• Read through our concept and restructure it according to:
• Aim
• Target group
• Content
• Method and realisation

 

Kay showed us some of his work tonight which encouraged an interesting discussion. Let's follow his example!

 

 

2006-12-01 FRI - New Crowned Hope Exhibition, Künstlerhaus Wien

Dani, Agnes, Barbara and ??? talked to African artist at exhibition at Künstlerhaus, Agnes went to Zirkusgasse.

 

Students from the Vienna University of Economics and Business (Department International Business Administration) are developing a student exchange project with Kampala.

 

 

2006-12-04 MON - Meeting with Eva Blimlinger

Dani and Lena met Eva Blimlinger.

 

• Refunding of expenses prior the official start of a sponsoring is not possible.
• Check if BPP's association is applying for any other fundings.
• Eva Blimlinger will send us a template for a financial concept.

 

 

2006-12-04 MON - Meeting of the Ugandan Team with Marcy Rwendeire

Marcy Rwendeire met with Vincent Okuja and two other students from Makerere University.

 

They discussed a range of issues for a considerable amount of time since that was the first time that the students were meeting with Mrs. Rwendeire and they really needed to know what exactly was happening. The students showed that they understood very well their role in the project and knew what they were supposed to be doing except that they felt that the time for commencing on the implementation of the project was still a lot ahead in the future. Therefore, to them, there seemed to be no much urgency at this stage.

 

During the process of discussion a few sticky issues were raised which needed some attention. Some of the students felt that there was a need for financial facilitation in advance to buy materials to prepare their work at this stage. It was not clarified why but this would become clearer as more information comes at hand otherwise, majority of them would need the money towards the end of their courses nearing the time of presentation. Mr. Okuja said that he needed a computer for his work and did not see how he could acquire the same from his meagre resources. Since this appeared to be on an individual’s shopping list, Mrs. Rwendeire advised them to compile all their requirements, with justification and send them to those concerned with the Project in Austria. They were further encouraged to prioritize the requirements indicating precisely what was of immediate need.

 

They also said that the website they were given was complicated and given that the Internet connectivity was very slow in Uganda generally and particularly for the computers at Makerere it was extra sluggish, accessing the websites was not only daunting but also quite expensive. Therefore the students ended up losing a lot of money while trying to send e-mails to their counterparts in Austria. Sometimes they do not succeed in sending the e-mail and yet they will have paid for the use of the internet connection. This is rather disappointing and discouraging for students who are not so well provided for with funds either by their sponsors or by having money of their own. Hence, they cannot maintain regular communication with their Austrian counterparts which regular communication would be expected of them as active participants in the project. There was a tendency to losing morale and appearing to be disinterested whereas not. However, what Mrs. Rwendeire observed was that they needed some money for facilitation in this preparatory phase of the project and therefore recommends that some resources be found and be remitted to them urgently. They will also need to travel to Gulu to look for accommodation and a refugee school which was part of the selected institutions that project would be addressing. This preparatory work requires some financial resources and it was important that that issue be addressed as a matter of priority.

 

2006-12-05 TUE - Meeting at Lena's

Lena, Mona, Agnes, Dani, Stefan and Marc (Guest).

 

• Marc who studies International Business Administration, introduced us to his intentions to build up an exchange with Kampalan business students.

• At the moment BPP's association is not applying for any other fundings - but it is quite possible - so hurry up!

• Concept
• Dani: Rephrase aims and topics.
• Lena: Timeline chart.
• Mona & Agnes: Realization & approach.

 

• To be done by MON 11 Dec 2006 or till next meeting with Eva Blimlinger.
• Stefan: Visa.
• Elisabeth may get in contact with Sophie again. Elisabeth will be a supportive but not necessarily 'participating' partner.
• Barbara left early.

 

 

2007-03-17 SAT - Ugandan Team Meeting at Kyambogo

Present: Okwir Isaac, Oluche Nicholas, Okuja Vincient, Japaini Lydia.

Absent: Asiimwe Enock, Kirabo Madrine, Winnifred Mirembe, Biyinziika Christine

 

• Kyambogo still in the process of selecting the Head of Depertment, meaning they can't do much.
• Pending case about Kyambogo in court concerning the selection of the Dean.
• Expression of disappointment by the Ndere Center Head. Vincent and Lydia failed to meet him because he is busy.
• Passing on the news about the presence of Mr. Rwendeire in Uganda.
• Preparation to meet Mr. Rwendeire.
• Expression of disappointment by the Kyambogo male counterparts about their male counterparts.
• Winnie's Phone off during the meeting when she was aware.
• Christine at the meeting scene in the morning, but fails to attend the meeting.
• One on one meeting with the ladies by the Chairman a suggestion by Ocilaje.
• A suggestion that another meeting be called for on Saturday 24 Mar 2007 at Vincent's place at 02:00 PM for a final conclussion.
• As a team there is need for co operation for better results.
• As for passports guys working on them.
• Conclusion.
• The meeting was held at Ocilaje's place, good time of sharing and Kymbogo guys urged for communicate.
• Refreshments.
• A.O.B.

 

 

2007-03-24 SAT - Ugandan Team Meeting

 

Agenda:

• Introduction.
• Preview of the last meeting.
• Speech from the guest of Honor Mr. Abel Rwendeire.
• Speech from Mrs. Marcy Rwendeire.
• Refreshments.
• Questions from members.
• A.O.B.

 

Discussion:

• We need to travel and talk to the District Education Officers of the districts where the schools to present in will be then we talk to the Headteachers of the schools.
• Mr. Rwendeire told us why the project changed to University level.
• Mr. Rwendeire also adivised us to open an account in the names of UGATRA and give it at least 3 signatories, he offered us with 22 Euros which makes 50,000 Ugshs depending on the exchange rate in Uganda.
• Our guest of Honor also talked to someone concerned with computers but didn't succeed.
• Mr. Rwendeire was to let us know about the next meeting when he had finished talking to the different Deans of the Universities.
• Members not present were contacted on phone by the guest of Honor to explain why they had not come.
• We were also proposing to go to schools when we at least have the set date for the visitation of these schools though it may not be the real date, so you as a group in Austria, you can also propose one.

 

 

2007-04-14 SAT - Meeting at Cafe Club International, Brunnenmarkt

Agnes, Dani, Mona, Stefan, Kay, Barbara.

 

• For the Austrian group: We need a distribution and an overview of the jobs that have to be done.
• Stefan and Mona will update our concept this week.
• This Friday the Austrian group will meet Abel.
• Next week will be a meeting with Prof. Putz-Plecko.
• There will be a change of participants in the Austrian group.
• We were discussing the problem with the "use of the mailing-list": Actually it would be easier if all the Ugandan and Austrian participants would use the list - so everybody involved in the project will be informed, rather than writing emails to multiple single addressees, where you may forget somebody.

 

 

2007-04-17 TUE - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko

Dani and Jasmina met Prof. Barbara Putz-Plecko.

 

• Who will do the assessment in Uganda in summer 2007? Suggestion: 2-3 people, 6 weeks, August - September.
• Barbara Putz-Plecko will come in the second half of september to talk with the directors and all the partners.
• From September: detailed-planning.
• The director of the University of Applied Arts Vienna will welcome 4, maximum 5 people from Uganda as guests for 1 month. He said it is important for the Ugandan students to know that they are our guests, but not students of our university. He also mentioned the possibility that the embassy might want to have shown that the students have money. We hope that everyone knows about this difficult circumstances: No one of us can know what the embassy will do, we can only do everything required, but still there is the risk that there comes a "No".

• In January, February 2008 the project will start in Uganda, to have time for reflexion and evaluation, Barbara suggested May 2008 for the workshops in Austria: Dear partners in Uganda - please let us know if this is fine for you!
• The next meeting for the Austrian crew is at Thursday, 26.04.2007, 10:00, office from Barbara Putz-Plecko.

 

 

2007-04-26 THU - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko and Abel Rwendeire

Agnes, Dani, Stefan, Kay, Mona, Sophie, Jasmina, Barbara.

 

• Abel Rwendeire told us the news about his stay in Uganda, his meetings/encounters with students and teachers.

 

• Our upcoming work for the next six weeks:

• Rework the Project-Proposal according to the following important sections:

• Summary of the project (around 1 page)

• Introduction

• Background:

• About universities (cooperation)
• About schools involved (our prefered schools we'd like to cooperate with)
• Reason for joice of objectives
• Implementation process (who is involved, which methodes do we use, how are we going to document the project,...)
• Anticipation (about the results and the follow up actions)

• Financial Estimation (including all costs - for all activities and how the project will be sponsored)

• Logical Framework (table about activities, indicators and how they will be tested)

• Workplan (timetable/timeline) When + Who

• Attachements (every important official letter we have)

• Everyone of us has to write down his/her workshop. If you don't know exactly how the workshop will be: Write down the frame: How you like to work...

• Don't forget to collect your questions for the group that will go to Uganda this summer.

 

• We elected Stefan to be our chairman, Agnes und Dani as our Vice-Chair-Women, Kay will coordinate the financial part, Jasmina takes care about the project proposal, Mona and Barbara are responsible for the protocols.

 

• Further meetings:

• On MON the 14.05.2007 09-11:00 meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko and Lidwina Dox (international design consultant)
• On TUE the 05.06.2007 10:00 meeting with Abel Rwendeire and Barbara Putz-Plecko (DEADLINE for the actual PROJECT PROPOSAL!!!)

 

 

2007-05-14 MON - Meeting with Lidwina Dox and Barbara Putz-Plecko

Kay, Stefan, Sophie, Dani, Barbara, Jasmina, Mona and Claire, a new guest of UGATRA.

 

Lidwina told us about her own projects and the experiences she made by doing them.

In the discussion we had with her, some important points became apparent:

• The project realisation often differs from the project planning. this can have many reasons.
• Many different aspects, like the question of space, have to be clarified in the forefront.
• Communication can be very difficult (for different reasons). we made the experience that communicating between austria and uganda via the internet is sometimes hard.
• For the project it could be helpful to go to uganda in summer with a "package" of conceptions, clarified ideas (probably with three different project options), questions and tasks. in an assessment on site the concept will be adapted to the situation in uganda. after this step our project should be more precisely and at this point we can decide about the "future" of UGATRA.
• The idea of a project coordinator was discussed.

 

 

2007-05-22 TUE - Meeting with Lidwina Dox

Lidwina Dox, Agnes, Mona, Stefan, Claire, Dani, Jasmina.

 

Concerning the assessment in September, we discussed some important points with Lidwina Dox.

• First we talked about our personal motivation for doing the project.
• We also visualized our best-case-scenarios (for each individual person and for the whole group).
• Although we know what we want, we have to have in mind, that it might change a lot after the assessment took place - so we have to be flexible.
• We will go now step by step - and the first step will be to prepare the assessment.

 

Some points, that have to be clear for the assessment:

• Concretize our workshops: Although we want to work and develop the workshops together with Ugandan students, we have to be more concrete now. That's why we will write down more exact ideas for the workshops.
• We will be about 3 groups working with different modules now:
• Stefan will work with the computer a lot.
• Agnes and Dani will work with textiles a lot.
• Robert, Mona, Jasmina (and maybe Claire) will work with different modules (for example drawings, sculptural or photography) concerning the theme 'storytelling'.

 

• 2 people (Kay and Barbara) are not members of our group anymore. They quitted because of personal reasons.
• 3 people (one of each group) will go to Uganda in September to assess the situation and to talk to the Ugandan students - we hope to find some partners at that time.
• Our next meeting with Lidwina Dox will be on TUE 29.05.2007.

 

 

2007-05-29 TUE - Meeting with Lidwina Dox

Lidwina Dox, Agnes, Mona, Stefan, Claire, Dani, Robert.

 

• Discussing every group's workshop concept.

• The formalised structure for each workshop concept will be:
• Title of the workshop
• Point of contact
• Project goal, objectives
• Proposed content, brief description of activities
• Involved parties: a) University students (UG, AT), b) Supporting parties (mentors, university)
• Target group: Schools (school grade, age group, amount of students, support teachers required?)
• Method
• Location
• Duration
• Resources needed
• Financial calculation

• To-do:
• Agnes: Please write an email to the Ugandan university students.
• Dani & Stefan: Create layout & template for the concept papers.
• All: The concept papers have to be finalized until 20.06.2007, and being distributed to all others.

 

• The folder for our partners in Uganda will contain:
• Overall concept.
• The single workshop concepts.
• Curriculum Vitae of every Austrian participant.
• Accompanying letter.

 

 

2007-06-23 SAT - Meeting at Robert's

Robert, Agnes, Claire, Stefan, Jasmina, Dani.

 

• Discussion about the workshop-concepts and CVs.
• Thinking about questions for Lidwina Dox - How should we formulate...
• Is the intended "workshop opening" possible in every school? - Questions for the assessment.

 

 

2007-06-25 MON - Meeting with Lidwina Dox at her garden

Lidwina Dox, Robert, Agnes, Claire, Stefan, Jasmina, Mona, Dani.

 

Activities:

• Going through the workshop-concepts, biographies, letters.
• Talking about the information folder.
• Talking about journey-issues: vaccinations, transport, accomodation...
• What should be done at the assessment.
• Talking about different school-forms (if wanted: we could also visit vocational training schools and their workshops. We should certainly make a workshop in the SOS children's village school.
• Discuss about general issues.

 

To-Do:

• Everyone: Finish the letter, concept and biography.
• Together: Put the folder together - layout!
• In the groups and together: Create a check-list of issues you want to be assessed by our team in summer!

 

 

2007-09 - Assessment in Uganda

Agnes, Mona and Stefan came to Uganda and met with Isaac, Lydia, Ronah and Vincent.

 

• Meeting between the Austrian and the Ugandan participants, getting to know each other.
• Further developed the concepts, created material lists.
• Decided to focus on one school, as we realised how hard the organisation is.
• First we need to do everything to make UGATRA a success, and if UGATRA turns out to work, the participants will then think about how to continue.
• Got in touch with the Makerere University, by presenting us and the project to the Dean of the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts.
• Got in contact with 2 schools: Mengo Senior School in Kampala, SOS Village School in Kakiri.
• Presentation of the project, meetings.
• Organisation for Jan/Feb 2008.
• SOS confirmed for Jan 2008.
• Mengo-SS showed serious interest, but first has to ask for a holiday work permission at the Ministry of Education, before giving a final confirmation. The issue remained open when the Austrians left Uganda.
• Price Research and Quotations for: Workshop Materials, Lodging, Transportation.
• Organised a venue for the exhibition:
• Ugandan German Cultural Society in Kampala (Goethe Zentrum) will provide their space, organise media attention, and will provide some expenses for invitation cards and exhibition buffet

 

 

2007-10-04 THU - Meeting at Jasmina's

Robert, Claire, Agnes, Stefan, Mona, Jasmina.

 

Agnes, Stefan and Mona are back from Uganda. They inform us about the experiences they made in Uganda and about the progress our project made during the time of their stay. We discuss about actual possibilities how and where the workshops could take place. We have a more selected conception now.

 

 

2007-10-08 MON - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko

Agnes, Mona, Robert, Claire, Jasmina, Stefan.

 

We discuss our possibilities and conception with Barbara Putz-Plecko.

 

 

2007-10-11 THU - Handing in the assessment report to the bureau for abroad studies at UAAV

 

The bureau for abroad studies at UAAV had subsidized the 3 participants for their assessment trip with 1000 EUR each, which satisfied their flight tickets.

 

One of the major pre-requisites was the seriousness of the project, which was proved by handing in the project concept, CVs of the persons involved in the assessment trip, and the supporting letters from the Vienna and Makerere Universities and the expression of interest from the Adwari Secondary School in Lira.

 

The purpose of handing in an assessment report was to reassure the sponsor, that his subsidizing was well spent.

It mentioned that all assessment objectives have been achieved. (As summarized in: 2007-09 - Assessment in Uganda)

 

 

2007-10-16 TUE - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko

 

 

2007-10-19 FRI - Meeting with Lidwina Dox

Agnes, Mona, Robert, Anna, Jasmina, Stefan, Dani.

 

It was a reflective meeting. We discussed about our experiences while the assessment trip, the project organisation, about successes and on the other hand issues, and how we dealt with it, cultural differences, etc.

 

 

2007-10-21 SUN - Meeting where we dealt with Ugandan Culture

Agnes, Mona, Robert, Anna, Jasmina, Stefan, Dani.

 

No text for this event.

 

 

2007-11 - Project development logging was abandoned, all later information retrospectively reconstructed

Important Note!

 

At this time the UGATRA project team stopped the practice of documenting project developments.

All following events plus some earlier events with a corresponding remark were reconstructed from the sources UGATRA Mailinglist and the calendar of Stefan Nowak, in retrospective in 2009-09.

 

 

2007-11 Summarized - Securing the workshop at Mengo-SS

 

Negotiations with Mengo-SS concerning:

• Fixing a suitable date for the workshop
• Sharing of costs (materials, lunch meals)
• Getting a permission for the workshop in the holiday time from the Ministry of Education

 

This involved email correspondence providing all the required documents to the ministry, UGATRA project supporter Abel Rwendeire helping to coordinate between Mengo-SS and the ministry, and finally the strong efforts of UGATRA participant Lydia Japaini Alowo at the ministry. Lydia finally gets a permission for UGATRA at Mengo-SS, the workshop is now legally secured to take place at Mengo-SS.

The final details are fixed in a meeting at Mengo-SS on 2008-01-09.

 

 

2007-12 Summarized

 

• Barbara Putz-Plecko gets a confirmation of financial support from the Austrian Ministry for Education.
• We confirm the workshop to our 2 partner schools: Mengo-SS and SOS Kakiri.
• Buying flight tickets and visas for the Austrian participants to Uganda.
• Agnes Achola advances to Uganda.
• The Austrians get to know about an outbreak of Ebola in Western Uganda through the media, causing uncertainty. The rector of the University of Applied Arts in Vienna cannot account for this risk, and issues a postponement.
• This tense situation uncovers suppressed uncertainties in the Austrian project team, facing its hardest challenge so far.
• The Austrian Ugatras decide to have 3 successive intense working days on a remote place in Lower Austria in the first January days 2008.

 

 

2007-12-03 MON - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko concerning workshop practice

 

Barbara Putz-Plecko discusses the pedagogical aspects of the workshop with the Austrian project team.

 

 

2007-12-03 MON - Debriefing at Stefan's

 

 

2007-12-07 FRI - Austrians come to know about Ebola outbreak in Uganda

 

13:00 - Robert Zimmermann sends an email, in which he informs Stefan Nowak and asks for the opinion of project consultant Lidwina Dox.

18:00 - Robert brings up the topic at a group meeting which was already settled anyway. At this time some are concerned, but the most react with "wait and see". Project planning continues unaffected.

 

 

2007-12-10 MON - Austrian team gets immunisations for Uganda at Dr. Prinz's, using chance to inquire about Ebola

 

All get immunisations against yellow fewer, some get additional immunisations.

 

 

2007-12-11 TUE - Cosy meeting at Claire's

 

No big agenda, just a private meeting.

 

 

2007-12-17 MON - Immunisations for Uganda at Dr. Prinz's

 

Second appointment for immunisations for the Austrian Ugatras.

 

 

2007-12-17 MON - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko concerning Ebola in Uganda

 

In the past days, the concerns regarding Ebola have grown, as the news from Uganda have worsened.

Besides that, this tense situation brought up suppressed uncertainties in the project team, which heavily come up in this meeting:

 

• Can we operate under the circumstances of Ebola?
• By the nature of the project there is contact with many people, can we face each other without fears concerning the disease?
• If someone of us gets ill (statistically very likely, if 12 people work together for 6 weeks), do we stick together, keep a cool head?
• Support each other, and not panic each other? Do we know each other well enough as a group?
• What made us doubt the latter: We want to undertake a transcultural collaboration, but within 2 years of project preparation we yet never even tried an artistic collaboration among ourselves, which requires almost no organisation effort compared to the many planning details we already did for Uganda! It is absolutely necessary:
• To test how well the group members can collaborate.
• See whether the conceptual workshop assumptions hold up.
• The material list, an outcome of the collaboration while the project assessment time in Uganda in 2009-09 with all its initial communication difficulties, at a closer look is a mere battle of material far exceeding what is necessary. Some worry: Did the joint workshop concept development and the overall intercultural communication work well while the assessment?

 

Facing these fundamental challenges:

• It is time to talk very openly, whether one has fears him/her-self and whether one considers other members as fragile. There is no use for false politeness towards each other, since having actual fragile people in the group can really threaten the solidarity of the entire group in emergency situations.
• Until our next meeting, Prof Putz-Plecko wants to know the definitive final list, of who goes to Uganda, considering the risks which we now came to know, and also steps on how to encounter the insecurities concerning the workshop details and the practical collaboration abilities.

 

 

2007-12-17 MON - Debriefing in the students group

 

As this was so far the heaviest meeting ever, the Austrian Ugatras hold an intense debriefing.

 

 

2007-12-20 THU - Preliminary meeting which members will go to Uganda under current circumstances

 

The Austrian Ugatras meet at the Tunnel Cafe in Vienna, and every member presents his/her decision/position.

Prepared with this they will are going to meet Prof Putz-Plecko.

 

 

2007-12-20 THU - Decision which members will go to Uganda under current circumstances

 

• Final decision: Mona Liska and Jasmina Hirschl will not come to Uganda.
• The journey to Uganda, and thus the project is postponed by 3 weeks. Then there should be clarity on whether Ebola was contained or not.
• We call the travel agency: Luckily we had issued a cancellation insurance. This allows a shifting with only minor financial losses (booking fees). And should the Ebola threat eventually be too large, it allows a final cancellation.
• New schedule is drafted. It logically depends on the involved project partners (SOS Kakiri, UGCS). Inquiry/coordination with them will happen today/tomorrow.
• The workshop content definitely needs examination (1) and our group collaboration a practical test (2). Hence we decide upon: 3 consecutive intense working days at an undisturbed (remote) place in Lower Austria in the first January days.
• When the project partners have confirmed, Agnes Achola at this time already in Uganda, and Daniela Tagger this semester abroad in Slovenia, will be informed.
• Then the flight-tickets will be rebooked, and when this will have happened successfully, the Ugandan Ugatras will be informed, in a very clear, unambigious and confirmative letter.
• The Austrians Mona and Jasmina will communicate their individual decisions to the remote Ugandan members via email after the rescheduling has been successfully completed.

 

 

2007-12-21 FRI - Finding solutions for the new schedule

 

• Briefing between Stefan Nowak and Barbara Putz-Plecko on how to approach the project partners concerning the changes.
• Phone call with David Mwesige, village director of SOS. He shows understanding, is very willing to find a solution. Asks to send him the suggested new schedule via email, he will talk to the school headmaster, and answer us tomorrow.
• Phone call with Roberta Wagner-Friedrichsen, director of UGCS Kampala, our exhibition space. Shifting the exhibition to 20th or 27th of January is possible.
• Informing Agnes Achola and Daniela Tagger via email about the changes.

 

The new project schedule looks like this:

Note: The text is quoted from an email from the Austrian perspective, hence "we, us, etc" refers to the Austrian participants.

 

7-9.Jan: Intense working days on a remote place in Lower Austria. Get clear about us as a group and our REAL motivation for doing transcultural workshops accompanied by practical work to really know each others ideas and working methods. We leave this place with EXACT ideas of our workshops and us as a group.

 

January Days: With these experiences from us as a group, and with our exact ideas, we get the final very concrete advises from Prof. Putz-Plecko. Coming to a very limited material list. Nearly all materials will be bought in Austria, only the real local materials will be bought there.

 

30.Jan: We arrive well prepared with a clear workshop plan INDEPENDENTLY from the Ugandan artists. The Ugandan artists are welcome to prepare themselves. In case they don't prepare, it is also ok, then they will either do their own spontaneous teaching, or fit somewhere into the workshop, where they like.

The first workshop likely will be in a side-by-side manner. Through our talks with Prof. Putz-Plecko we found out that it is pedagogically more honestly to have a plan and at the same time the willingness to be flexible and to adapt in the moment, than to have unpreparedness which is presented as the big openness.

The style for this first workshop is in the interest of a transcultural exchange, and not contradicting it. Letting everyone be and show who one is, and how s/he works, not necessarily unite, but also side-by-side.

 

31.Jan-2.Feb: Mengo-SS Workshop in the "side-by-side style"

 

~ 4-10.Feb: In Kakiri: Together with the Ugandans we plan the SOS Workshop, already with the experience and with evaluation (sheets, talks) from the first workshop! We have the advantage that we already share REAL common working experience, and based on these experiences we will develop the second workshop.

 

~ 11-16.Feb: Workshop at SOS HGSS Kakiri

 

The exhibition on the 13.Feb will be shifted, exact date will be negotiated with UGCS.

 

 

2007-12-22 SAT - SOS HGSS Kakiri confirms new schedule

 

The new schedule is confirmed in a telephone call by village director to the Austrian chairman Stefan Nowak.

 

 

2008-01 Summarized

 

• Austrian Ugatras communicate the changes to Uganda: New schedule, drop-out of Jasmina Hirschl and Mona Liska.
• Austrian project team gathers for 3 intense working days at a remote place in Lower Austria, reviews workshops and themselves as a social group, come to consequences, constantly update Uganda, and eventually finish all preparations.
• Very reduced material list, mostly purchased in Austria, only genuine Ugandan materials will be bought there.
• Ugandan Ugatras organise a new accommodation and check and clarify all remaining details at the schools.
• Daniela Tagger arrives 23.Jan.2008, the remaining three on 30.Jan.2008.
• Only a few hours of acquaintance and preparation time together! Then it is already the 31.Jan.2008: The workshop at Mengo-SS starts! UGATRA finally REALLY starts!!! Amazing!

 

 

2008-01-04 FRI - Austrians communicate project changes to Uganda

 

Via email:

• Sorry that we would not inform you earlier, but first had to check whether the changes fit and wether the flight tickets can be re-booked.
• Reason for change: Ebola outbreak in Uganda in Austrian news, rector insisted on postponing until clarification.
• Mona and Jasmina decided not to go to Uganda, will write personal email with explanation.

 

 

2008-01-01 WED - 2008-01-05 SAT - Ugandan team members search for a new accommodation

 

• Due to the unexpected postponement, Agnes Achola is running out of money. An auxiliary international money transaction to her sister's bank account is initiated.
• Our original guest house, the "Leisure Gardens", has gone bancrupt and additionally the schedule changed. New accommodation is needed.
• Agnes Achola and Lydia Alowo visit various places, and finally find a reasonable place and offer at Munyonyo Villa, in Munyonyo, a suburb of Kampala. A down-payment is necessary for a reservation, our bank account transaction to Uganda contains this amount.

 

 

2008-01-07 MON - 2008-01-09 WED - Austrian project team gathers for 3 intense working days at a remote place in Lower Austria

 

• The 2 workshop groups, which will work in Uganda, "Textile" with Claire Chatel and Daniela Tagger together with documentation person Anna Scherz, and "Animation" with Stefan Nowak and Robert Zimmermann together with the support of Mona Liska, do what was long overdue: Practical testing their workshop concepts and their artistic cooperation, and to see how they work as a social group. The isolated place is an ideal environment for this, no distractions whatsoever.
• The workshop concepts are re-viewed/worked from these experiences.
• Social tensions come up. Clear words are spoken. Better here, then while in the midst of the real workshop. The last skeptics are now convinced, that the postponing, which was originally caused by the Ebola outbreak and which also brought other insecurities to the surface, was really necessary. The Austrian team leaves this place much more prepared and strengthened.

 

 

2008-01-09 WED - Meeting at Mengo-SS - Workshop organisation at school clarified

 

Members Present:

1. Kiggundu Dorothy (Chairperson)
2. Okwir Isaac
3. Achola Agnes
4. Japaini Lydia
5. Nsamba Moses
6. Ongencu Pherry
7. Kalyango Mary
8. Nansubuga Jane
9. Nsenga Peter
10. Kalema Golooba Ayub (Secretary)

 

1. Opening Remarks

Meeting started at 11.50 am with a prayer

Chairperson welcomed members to the meeting, thanked UGATRA for perseverance during the preparations and assured them that Mengo Senior School is supportive of the workshop. She said it is an opportunity to equip the students with valuable employable skills.

2. Objectives of UGATRA/Workshop

The foal of the workshop is to engage university students in Uganda nd Austria in training high school students in valuable vocational skills in the areas of Creativity and Animation, Art and Textile. 37 students from are targeted for the 1st workshop scheduled for 31/Jan to 2nd /Feb 2008.

3. Activities during the workshop

The first workshop will take place at Mengo Senior School from 31st /Jan to 2nd /Feb 2008.

There will 3 tracks in the workshop, namely Art, Textile, Creativity and Animation

• Students will be involved in selected tracks
• Workshop participants will need to be provided with participant identification badges
• A technical person will be needed to be on standby in the textile room during the time of the workshop to provide technical support.
• The School Generator is available in case Power fails
• Students selected for Creativity and Animation module should preferably have basic training in Art Paper 4

 

Action Points:

• Name tags will be included in the list of materials to be provided. Agnes will follow up
• Mr. Bbosa will be contacted by Ms. Ongecu Pherry and negotiate for his service
• Between Shs 60,000 and 100,000 will be used for technical support
• Mr. Bbosa was included on list of people to be available to provide support in case of power failure
• Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator will be installed on computers before the workshop. Additional software will be provided by facilitators from Austria
• Facilitators need to develop detailed workshop programs for each track of activities, specifying who will be doing what at each time

4. Lists of students

A list of 25 students who were selected was presented.

It was noted that students of Textiles were not included.

Action Points:

• Ms. Ongecu Pherry will contact as many as 15 students and invite them for the workshop
• Mr. Nsenga will contact some 5 students who he is assisting in Graphics software for possible inclusion in the program

5. Storage f Materials

Instructional materials will be stored in user departments. There is enough room to store the materials.

6. Security

Security of persons and property is guaranteed. The school will deploy at least 4 security personnel-

Action Point:

• Mrs. Kiggundu Dorothy will work out the modalities of deployment of security personnel.

7. Responsibilities

To facilitate smooth organization, the following people were charged with the following responsibilities

1. Overseeing administrative issues at Mengo: Mrs. Kiggundu Dorothy, Mrs. Kalyango Mary (Deputies at Mengo)
2. Meals: Mr. Nsamba ( School Caterer)
3. Textiles: Ms. Ongecu Pherry and Mr. Bbosa. Plus Facilitators
4. Computer: Ayub Kalema, Don Kabenge and Paul Sessanga (Lab Technician) Plus Facilitators
5. Art: Art Department staff(4) Plus Facilitators: Jane Nansubuga, Peter Nsenga, Kisitu Jonathan, Emmanuel Lule
6. Security: Dorothy Kiggundu
7. Invitation of Officials: Isaac Okwir
8. Media: Robert (to coordinate with Mr. Rwendeire Abel)
9. Overall coordination: Ayub Kalema Golooba

8. Facilitation

It was agreed that the people selected needed to be financially facilitated to enable them carry out their responsibilities effectively. This mainly in areas of transport and meals (and possibly time compensation since it is holiday time)

 

Action Points:

• Mrs. Kiggundu will forward the issue to the school administration to explore possibilities of funding.

9. Other Issues

a) Meals

• The school shall provide meals for students. Mr. Nsamba will work out details with school administration
• Meals for staff and facilitators are not confirmed

b) Exhibition

There will be an exhibition of workshop products in Late Feb 2008. Details will be communicated

c) Concept documents

Documents relating the workshop and project in general can be accessed from the internet at the following address

http://ugatra.pbwiki.com

d) Workshop materials

Workshop materials will be provided by UGATRA

e) Next Meetings

• On Friday 11th January, Agnes will have a meeting with the Makerere team
• Next general meeting in Mengo will be held in the Teachers’ Lab. Dates will be communicated.

 

 

2008-01-10 THU - Austrian team discusses the outcome of the 3 day workshop/team review with Barbara Putz-Plecko

 

???

 

 

2008-01-12 SAT - Ugandan team meets staff at SOS HGSS Kakiri

 

The Austrian team was informed via email:

• Computers are ok. Computer teacher Francis Lwanga expects instruction email concerning what software shall be installed.
• Sewing machines are there but need to be checked before.
• Art teacher will select the 40 participating students.

 

 

2008-01-14 MON - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko

 

???

 

 

2008-01-16 THU - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko

 

???

 

 

2008-01-10 THU - 2008-01-16 WED - Austrian team finishes the workshop preparations

 

Team "Animation":

• Detailed workshop schedule for Mengo-SS is finished.
• Preparing all necessary presentation/demonstration/working materials: Theoretical background of animation, demo videos, demo flip-books, computer software.

 

Team "Textile":

• ???

 

All groups:

• Preparing some photos of yourself and social/natural/cultural/situational/etc environments, and prepare topics/stories/questions, which can help to stimulate and open the overall workshop topic of "Idendity".
• Some additional travel agency brochures/magazines/website-printouts which will be used as footage for cut-out-animations, playing with the stereotypes how Austria presents itself, and on the other side how (Eastern) Africa is presented to potential Austrian travelers.

 

 

2008-01-16 THU - Inquired detailed workshop schedule is sent to Mengo-SS

 

Sent via email.

 

 

2008-01-17 THU - Ugandan team fixed accommodation at Munyono Villa

 

• Agnes Achola writes in an email, that she still did not receive the international bank transfer money, so she borrowed money from her sister.
• Because of this loan, Agnes Achola is able to eventually pay the deposit for the accommodation at Munyono Villa.

 

 

2008-01-10 WED - 2008-01-23 WED - Austrian team organises most workshop materials in Austria

 

• After the conceptual review the original very disproportional material list was reduced to what is absolutely necessary. Due to the very short time buffer between arrival and the workshops at Mengo-SS and the logistical challenges in Uganda, the most materials are bought in Austria, only the genuine local materials will be bought in Uganda.
• Workshop "Textile": Bought: Clothes pins, ???. Donated: ???
• Workshop "Animation": Bought: 100 x A6 scratch pad + 50 x A5 + 10 x A4 spiral pad used as flipbook, 10 x A4 sheet protector used as transparency foliets, adhesive tapes, art paper, pencils, markers.
• General: Bought: Photo-Printer Canon Pixma iP3500 + Printer Replacement Catridge + Refill Ink to easily and independently create some print-outs for the documentation part for the exhibition, colored fancy paper for button production. Borrowed: Button machine. Donated from friends and team members: Button raw materials, photo paper, ball-point-pens, CD/DVD-Rs.

 

 

2008-01-20 SON - Cosy meeting of the Austrian project team

 

 

2008-01-23 WED - Daniela Tagger arrives in Kampala as the first Austrian team member

 

Daniela Tagger did not like the project postponement plan, as it practically killed the concept of first getting acquainted in the workgroup and culturally before starting the first workshop. Daniela Tagger wanted to stay true to her original plan, so the trade-off for arriving 8 days before the workshop, allowed her to follow that concept at least to a certain degree, and to help with the preparations.

 

 

2008-01-24 THU - Meeting with Barbara Putz-Plecko concerning the exhibition in Uganda

 

 

2008-01-27 SUN - Austrian animation team sends updated schedule to Ugandan colleagues

 

Via email.

 

 

2008-01-30 WED - Remaining Austrian team arrives at Kampala after a horrible flight

 

• Memory of Stefan Nowak: It was a horrible flight! The waiting time in the transit hall in Cairo is far longer than scheduled and it is very cold. Announcements explain "that the start is delayed due to bad weather" but besides our airplaine all others start and land. Definitely only a lame excuse for something else, but at least the passengers are pleased with some snacks and drinks. At least I manage to text SOS village director David Mwesige, who will pick us up at Entebbe Airport, about the delay and that I can not predict how long it will take. When the passengers re-board the airplane, again nothing happens for almost 2 hours. No announcements, the staff completely silenced, dry air, people start to gossip and complain. One passenger gets into an argument with the staff. It starts silent, but gets very unpleasant. It is mostly in Arabic, but in-between the passenger intentionally uses English, definitely to also get the attention of the Non-Arabic passengers. We can only hear fragments, as the argument gets louder and louder, but again and again we can hear something like "The [...] treaty states [...] a passenger has the right to get to know [...]" Babies start to cry. People get worried. The situation gets real tensed. Then a tumult on board! The man and the staff start fighting. Eventually more staff comes in and eventually the man is violently removed from the aircraft. Outside the plain he is brought down to the ground, many men stand around him, and as far as we see it, some hit him. Soon later the plain leaves. We are nervously challenged. Already little or no sleep the night before the flight due to last minute preparations, then this long delay, then the violence on board. And no information from the crew at all! Then an unscheduled landing at Assuan. Uniformed men board the plan. It is really frightening. All these events, and no informations at all. The worst phantasies in our minds. We try to calm down. The flight continues. The sun already rose again. Eventually we land in Entebbe at 11:00 AM instead of 03:30 AM. SOS village director David Mwesige came in person to pick us up together with a driver and a minibus. He is exhausted, but happy that we arrived, as he already was a little bit worried. The minibus rushes to Munyono. Even though we are completely exhausted, all the impressions through-out the bus-windows are very exciting, and keep us wake.
• The travelers sleep for some hours.
• Then the Ugatras use the few hours to get acquainted and to prepare for tomorrow, the first workshop day!

 

 

2008-01-31 THU - UGATRA at Mengo SS - Workshop Day 1

 

After so much time, so much preparation efforts, the main part of UGATRA eventually starts! Amazing!

 

Later developments

 

The project documentation of the preparation phase for Uganda stops here.

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