MARKO DE GUZMAN'S REFLECTION OF UGANDA- THE FEELING OF HOME

MARKO DE GUZMAN'S REFLECTION OF UGANDA- THE FEELING OF HOME

Written by Marko De Guzman, UNDP, Uganda 

How can I possibly summarize in a few paragraphs the experience I have been through in Uganda? It is still hard for me to put it in words. I have been forced to go home due to the Ebola outbreak, but my experience in Uganda made me feel like home. Home not just as a place, but an idea – one where the heart is. From the actual AirBnB I stayed at, I felt cozy and comfortable. I was lucky to have rented a house that has a minimalist- Scandinavian vibe, which is very refreshing. Shout-out to Sandra and Andrew. Check them out on AirBnB when you are planning a trip to Kampala. 

Then you have all these colorful scenic view that reminds us of the shared home we call Earth:

Uganda felt home because of its people, with their stories, dreams, aspirations, sorrows and joys that allow me to gain a new perspective in life. I felt a deep kinship with Ugandans because as a student of international development, I once simply studied and understood “development” and theories from books, but living and seeing how ‘real development’ works first-hand gave me a sense of connectedness and shared humanity; in the end, we all desire to serve humanity and uphold people’s dignity.

The professional UN Development Programme staff of Uganda taught me to strive for excellence in everything I do, despite the bureaucratic hurdles that comes in working with government and non-state actors/partners and in a multilateral organization.

The young Ugandan kids showed me how to be forward-looking, not in despair, but with a hopeful heart for a better tomorrow. I also partied with my fellow millennials like there was no tomorrow; indeed, you are never to young to have fun and enjoy each other's company. I will forever cherish the friendship I made along my stay in Uganda. 

Lastly, if we are to truly eradicate poverty, empower lives and build resilient nations, then it is imperative that we build a bridge between individual, personal outcomes (empowered lives) and systems change required (resilient nations) for sustained improvements. Developing nations can prosper on their own and UN must guide them only so they can ‘help’ themselves. We all have a role to play if we want everyone of us to live in peace, justice, and equal society in this planet. No one should be left behind. “Empowered” means enlarging people’s choices in life, including the range of all they can achieve and “Resilient” means the strength to resist shock, manage crisis and grow stronger. I guess the metaphor of home is just a way of organizing spaces in our minds. We look for familiar places, scenery, and encounters to “feel at home.” Then we move on and return home. Feeling at home and being at home get a new complete meaning. I’m now back at home for now, waiting for the next duty station to once again feel at home with others in serving humanity or be at home again in Ottawa. Whatever life brings it seems like home is where your heart is.