From gossip to action

A story of Local Response from Bugonga community, Uganda by Josianne Echeverria, France

From gossip to action

I would like to recount the testimony of a grandmother of Bugonga during our SALT visits. The question from one of our group members was: what do you think is most important when you gather here with HENU?

One of the grandmothers, Lillian, replied:

“For me what is important is that we do not come here to talk, but to work. Before HENU, of course we already exchanged and visited each other as neighbours etc. But what we did was mostly gossip!

Afterwards we met with the specific goal of helping each other to do things for ourselves and by ourselves. Then we went from gossiping to empowerment, and we were able to act.”

Today these women feel empowered and equipped, they do things and they encourage and inspire each other to act and do things even better. Together, they are moving towards their dream of a happy and healthy life with their grandchildren.

Upon hearing Lillian’s story, I immediately made the connection with an experience I shared with a group of women.

We met once a month for one year to discuss the theme of the environment, around the following question: what can we do at our level to preserve the environment?

In June we met to take stock of what was achieved this year. One of the women said: “It’s not like meeting around for tea and a chit-chat. What we did was useful, we exchanged on our practices, we learned from others and changed some of our habits.”

What I take away from these similar experiences in two groups is that “doing together” is what is important. The act of doing is what gives satisfaction and joy to life.

Is the role of the older person in the community not to continue to be involved in the group, to participate in projects that can help the community?

Here is the lesson I draw from these stories: When we come together for the purpose of exchanging practices and bettering our actions, then the chatter stops and energy is released for action.