April 22, 08
The shilling is the currency in Uganda. Kind of like the dollar sign the Ugandan shilling is indicated by a slanted capital F or /=
$1 equals about 1,650 /=. Where I live, people primarily maintain their existence through subsistence farming, although everyone tends to have something to trade and profit by at the markets from time to time. When people do make a salary, it typically ranges between 70,000-400,000 shillings a month. This is in the village - folks in Kampala and other cities often make much much more. What I've been told is that a Ugandan who is doing well in Kampala makes about 2.5 million /= a month.
The shilling is the currency in Uganda. Kind of like the dollar sign the Ugandan shilling is indicated by a slanted capital F or /=
$1 equals about 1,650 /=. Where I live, people primarily maintain their existence through subsistence farming, although everyone tends to have something to trade and profit by at the markets from time to time. When people do make a salary, it typically ranges between 70,000-400,000 shillings a month. This is in the village - folks in Kampala and other cities often make much much more. What I've been told is that a Ugandan who is doing well in Kampala makes about 2.5 million /= a month.
Women selling vegetables at the market
I am millionaire for the first time in my life! I often withdraw cash at ridiculously high numbers - the feeling of carrying around two or three million in cash is something else!
Aside from the millions in my pocket, it is weird, I must say, to be SO rich. The contrast between the world I know and the life of one of my P-7 students is drastic. Being in the village has made me think a lot about the chances of being born in a rich country or a poor country. I can't fully fathom the magnitude of opportunity I have because of where I come from. I overwhelmingly feel the burden of where much is given much is required. I see so many solutions and feasible ways to personally contribute, but I'm afraid I will lose this mindset when I am back home. Oh, back home - I don't want to do it. I will be back some time next week. Depending on my weekend plans I might extend and go to Zanzibar. I went to Murchison Falls last weekend for safari. I would venture to say that nearly 98% of Ugandans have never been to Murchison. If only they had the means to go see the beauty of their country.
1 comment:
I heard a lot of people come from England and such to the US lately because the pound is worth $2! They live it up like millionaires!
Even the poorest in the US would be millionaires in Uganda. If they could afford the flight over there.
It's great you pumped a lot of currency into the local market, but I think the time you spent among the people is worth more.
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