Teach your children about surroundings

“Isn’t Gulu in western Uganda?” The teenager asked me. He had very little knowledge and appreciation of his country and that probably was not his fault.

Sometimes it feels like the only description of our country is to compare it to a village belle; beautiful, innocent, full of untapped potential.

Think about people who have never travelled away from their nuclear space and have no idea where Adjumani is or that we have hot springs in Uganda? That there is a place with actual snow in our tropical country in the Rwenzori Mountains.

Clearly, he has never had the opportunity of travelling into the countryside to see for himself the raw beauty of his motherland. He dreams of moving and settling in the US.

With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the world flipped into a very small place. Suddenly travelling around the world became a lot more complex and expensive. Borders were closed to specific groups of people.

For many indigenous people, Uganda was their only option of travel and they have had time touring their own country. During weekends, more people are visiting towns and cities outside of Kampala.

When you travel upcountry, many things do happen to you. You see the beauty and the untapped potential of many places. Some places have remained the same 20 years later. Some have since grown and developed. You cannot help but carry mixed emotions, both hope and feelings of despair.

Dear parent, are you familiar with your country and its beauty and opportunities? Have you taken time to visit the different regions and corners? How about the children? Have you invested in telling them about their country and their areas of origin? Is it even worth investing in?

How conversant are the children with their country, their language and ethnicity? Do they know how to prepare and eat their local food? Do these things matter? Will they have an impact on tomorrow and the years to come?

What about culture and tradition? What identity do I carry and have passed on to my children? Do they know who they truly are?

Whereas raising a child in the nuclear family set up is important, it is also vital for them to understand their surroundings, their environment, their heritage and their history.  In the grand scheme of life, a child will seek a place of belonging and identity. Inside them is a deep seated need to feel a part of an entity. These things groom and ground us.