Last September, long-time CHIPS supporter William Wilson made the long journey from Scotland to NE Uganda to visit the CHIPS team and find out all about CHIPS work there. William writes...
William with CHIPS Project Manager Simon-Peter
"This was my first visit to Uganda - it was a huge culture shock, and the more so as you travelled further from Kampala to Soroti, Iriri, and finally Apeitolim. Arriving at Apeitolim, the first impression is that it is basic, but orderly. The CHIPS project consists of a few traditional huts surrounded by neat plantations. It became clear that a lot of thought had gone in using what were mostly local resources. People had been resettling Apeitolim for about a year – it had been the site of a CHIPS project a few years ago, until an attack caused the inhabitants to flee.
The main settlement was a short distance from the CHIPS area, with huts packed much closer together. For an estimated 700 people (and rising), there was one bore-hole and one hand-dug well, but no clinic, school or church. The folk seemed to have little, even by what I’d see of Ugandan standards. Cattle, the traditional source of wealth, were nowhere to be seem; they were prohibited by the authorities to discourage raiding.
The CHIPS team provide services to the local community to encourage sustainable resettlement. This includes provision of seedlings, demonstration of agricultural practices and community development. There is also water supply, dam construction and veterinary work. CHIPS also administers a World Food Programme ‘food for work’ scheme. Here, participation in work to benefit the community gives entitlement to food rations, to give them energy to become self-sufficient through cultivating their own crops. I spoke to one Karimojong gentleman who had benefited from CHIPS, and had no intention of returning to life as a warrior.
From the visit, a few points stand out. Firstly, the CHIPS team are extremely dedicated and have endured considerable hardships. But they are ordinary folk like all of us, they have needs and hopes, for their families, communities, and country. Secondly, in the area there is only CHIPS. Elsewhere, you may see signs for various agencies, local or foreign, but not around Apeitolim. To the local people, CHIPS means hope. Thirdly, the area is poor and underdeveloped. It may be abundantly fertile, but this only just being developed. If the team had more, they could do more.
Finally, compared with the UK, this part of Uganda is as different world. The wealth and waste here almost seems an embarrassment. We may talk about ‘sustainable living’ but what CHIPS is doing could be the closest yet."