"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'"
Martin Luther King, Jr
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Up until now, I've pretty much exclusively posted about the adventures I've gone on while I've been here. Now don't get me wrong, I have loved every second of my experiences here and I'm obviously excited to share them with all of you. However I didn't come here for me. I came here for the amazing Musana women and they deserve their moment in the sun.
I can't imagine what my summer would have been like without this woman bossing me around. Tina is a force of nature. Simply put, she gets stuff done. She's a diva and a boss and a comedian and a mother and a matchmaker and a bestie... I'm going to miss her more than I can bear.
Allen works at Musana over the summer so she can pay her own way through university. Anybody with that much determination earns a world of respect in my book.
Betty effuses love. She has overcome huge struggles in her life, yet she still loves instantly and effortlessly.
This picture totally captures Cathy's spirit. She has a wonderful passion for life - she gets excited over the smallest things.
She definitely lives up to her nickname - Mama Christine. She honestly cares about everyone and wants nothing more than to see you happy.
Cissy is a natural-born leader. In some ways, she's Tina's right-hand woman. She just gets it. I know that's not very descriptive, but I really don't know how else to put it into words. She can do anything.
Eve has more sass in one strand of hair than most people have in their whole bodies. She has an unshakable positive attitude and keeps the workshop laughing throughout even the longest days.
Fina has a very calming presence. Everything about her is soothing - her voice, her aura, her smile. Everything.
Florence is up for anything. She'll work hard on new jewelry designs. She's eager to learn English. She's even ready to try out push-ups and planks in exercise class.
Harriet's quirky sense of humor comes out of left field. She's proof that first impressions aren't always accurate. I thought she was introverted... until I saw her cracking jokes that kept the Musana women in a constant fit of giggles.
Immaculate's got some killer dance moves. One minute, she's sitting serenely in her chair working on a piece of jewelry. The next minute, she's shakin' it in the middle of the dance circle.
It's easy just assume that if a person here is quiet, then than means that they don't understand English and therefore can't communicate with you. But you know what they say about assuming... Joyce A. may be quiet, but once you get her talking, you'll realize that she has quite a good grasp on the English language.
Joyce N. is SuperMom. Because her disabled husband is unable to work, she leaves her family in Jinja every week to take on the role of breadwinner. She'd sacrifice anything for her family.
I don't think the workshop would run as smoothly as it does if Madiina wasn't around. What Madiina says goes, but she never gets power-hungry. She's humble and soft-spoken and kind. Everyone loves her.
I think Monica's smile powers the African sun. There's no such thing as a bad day when Monica is around.
Prosy makes you feel like you're the most worthwhile person in the world. When she sees you, her whole face lights up like she just won the lottery.
Give Resty an inch and she'll take a mile. She invests the money she makes at Musana into a side business selling charcoal that is flourishing quite nicely. Just give her a little more time and she'll be the top charcoal tycoon in Uganda.
Beyonce wrote her hit "Run the World" after meeting Robina. Okay, I made that up. But it could be true! She's a fighter who will always stand up for herself and the people she loves.
If everyone had Rosette's work ethic, this world would be a much more productive place. She never had the opportunity to go to school, but that doesn't slow her down! She naturally and easily picks up any new skill you throw at her.
The love you take is equal to the love you make. Ruthie understands that more than anybody. It seems like everyone in Lugazi wants to be Ruthie's best friend, and it's because she so freely loves.
Specioza embodies selflessness. Here's a little anecdote to illustrate: a few years ago, her neighbor abandoned her newborn child. Specioza adopted the baby girl, no questions asked, even though she already has a large family of her own.
Susan's a great friend to have. She's fiercely loyal and has got your back no matter what. Like today for example, she chased away a creepy man who wouldn't leave me alone. Like I said, she's got my back.
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Giving credit where credit is due: all the pictures are from the Musana website. I hope I didn't break any laws or anything by putting them on my personal blog...
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