Homemaking

Medina Azikuru, who was born in 1997, grew up in her stepmother’s home in Arua. Her mother had separated from her father when she was two years old, taking Medina and her brother with her. But their father later came to fetch the kids, an event that Medina marks as a major highlight of her life. Times were hard in their stepmother’s home as Medina had to do much of the housework. “If you don’t stay with your mummy, you can do everything at home,” she told TWR. And she didn’t go far in school, dropping out after Primary Six. She was selling goods at the marketplace in Arua when she met the man who married her when she was still a teenager. She required a C-section procedure to have her first baby, a painful experience that left her thinking about family planning. But her husband wasn’t interested in contraception, and a rift emerged. They separated after three years; the child lives with Medina’s mother. 

Through her connections with friends already employed informally as domestic workers in Kampala, Medina moved to the city in 2023 to do similar work. Her first job was with a Sudanese family in the Kampala suburb of Munyonyo, where she felt overworked by the pregnant materfamilias. Medina recalled the woman as extremely demanding. “I got tired. A pregnant woman can disturb you,” she said. “You cannot even get time for rest. Anytime calling you for nothing. She can have something near her, but she will call you to give it to her. Every time, ‘Medina, Medina, Medina.’ That was too much for me.”

These days Medina works for a family in Namugongo, just outside Kampala. She says the workload is heavy but tolerable. Her diary captures some tender moments in her life as well as powerful recollections of events past – like the scary incident when she accidentally locked herself in the kitchen, or the day she was asked to slaughter a chicken that the children of the home had grown fond of. Some of what she records happens far away in Mbale, where her lover lives, or in Arua, her hometown. Her diary is often breathtaking for the way she describes feeling and emotion, so much so that it doesn’t matter if whole passages are grammatically incorrect. She writes beautifully in English. As always, care has been taken to present the diary the way it was written, with minimum edits in the interest of clarity. – TWR

 

27/05/2025

I am looking forword at Uganda of today. I am very proud to be female Ugandan by nationality. Living in peaciful country to date has made me very hарру. Ever since I was born I had never seen any hard situation in Uganda under the Current ruling Party led by Mr Yoweri M7 Kaguta. I congratulate our President for his perfect Services to all Ugandans and I feel hands with him for good protaction against Civil wars, foreign attacks in the country. Much as my Capacity would not allow me to meet our best mzee to shake, still I can Express my physical observation with my poor Education Level and high poverty too. Though many politicians pointed out faulities, I follow the truth of Peace and request that, if the country could stand in Peace for ever and ever by Leader of the Government, better. This is what goes with my Life today. “For God and my country.”

 

30/05/2025

We have been staying with a chicken at home like almost two weeks. Chicken is starborn because it always like doing pupu on steirs or floor. She doesn’t like doing pupu on compound. For the first time they told me to cut the chicken. I feel bad to do that. The chicken went to the kichen to eat bread and it climbed on top of the gas cooker and poured sauce. That is the end of the chicken today. Since when we have that chicken at home, the boys they like playing with the chicken. Chicken is surfering for them until they get tired of playing. They called her Lucy. We killed her because of her starborness, but they became sad and start missing the chicken.

 

01/06/2025

Very early in the morning my [former] hasband called me since I don’t want to listen to him. Today he put me on pressor and ordering me that I need to see you on order, but I am not intrested for his Situation because he made me to surfer at their place and I started to work at the market. I was buying and selling to take care of myself and my child and I almost finish two years without his surport. But the problems which make me to Leave that place was I couldn’t speak with my parent and people of home.

 

02/06/2025

SHORT LIFE. [Dying] for white ants. My uncle’s wife organised her doughter’s children then set off for the Journey in the evening. The kids carried basins, sacks and dry grasses for fire. Before reaching anthill and start the activity, the woman knocked her Leg to the ground and fell immediately down. Bleeding and frequent urine uncontroled, no talking. Other neighbors  Joined for help, no change till morning. Taking her to the nearest health Center, the same. Unable to talk. This led the helpers to take her to the main hospital in the District. The woman was put on oxygen … She died in 24 hours of the next day. Now drawing my conclusion on this type of death. A human being has short life of living on earth, which I cannot forget in my life.

 

03/06/2025

Today I am with Namugongo Peoples at the church [during the annual pilgrimage to the Basilica of Uganda Martyrs]. 

 

05/06 2025

ISAAC AGIGA

He is 29 years old. His father and mummy Seperated Long time ago, they left them too young. By then he was 7 years old, only one boy of the three children. In 2003, his father died and his brothers did not help them until they went to grow at their uncle’s place till now. He did not leave them anything apart from his Land where they were born. Today, his uncles have decided take away the Land, leaving for him Out with his two sisters. What is he supposed to do since the death of his father?

 

06/06/2025

Long time ago, I almost lost my life during grasshoppers season in November when I was at the age of 12 years. The grasshoppers were many, I did not know how to catch them like my friends. I managed to catch them in smallest [polythene bag], then I was very happy of myself. One grasshopper started dodging me, flying from corner to corner, from bush to top of banana leaves to top of house. Then lastly it went back and landed on the grasses. There was incomple constructed toilet around the home. I run faster to catch the grasshopper and fell deeply inside the toilet. My backbones dislocated with much pain. There after, I started shouting loudly while crying. When I hear a voice, I also increase my voice high for support of people. They gathered around the toilet, told me to come out by climbing toilet wall steps. Then they catch my hands faster to finish coming out. I finally survived to be on earth by being admitted in Arua referal hospital. My friends give me bad nick name related to the waste product in the toilet when actually they forgot that it was a common accident in homes that can happen to any person. 

 

08/06/2025

DEATH OF MY GRANDFATHER’S BROTHER

It rained heavily in the afternoon time. The river Egaa flooded up to outside. My grandfather’s brother was from work and after work he come to the neighbor’s home, drinking local waragi. He left drinking place after getting drunk totally, it added him more knowledge of everything. As he was heading home he reached near the flooded river and he got his clan women removing the farmented sacks of maize grains that make ordinary yeast to distill local waragi like nguli, quete and malwa. Then too much alcoholic wisdom told him tо move in to the flooded water body and he fell down in the river after waving just air. Then he shouted loudly. Those women knew his voice very well, they run so quickly but they cannot swim. That was at round 8:40 to 9:00 pm, so everyone knows that he is missing. Very early in the morning at 6:00 am, they went to the river and got his dead body floating off shores of river. They removed him and took him home for burial. After burial, his Spirit started disturbing people in night dream that he was still alive. 

10/06/2025

THEFT CASE IN MUDODO VILLAGE, MBALE CITY

A group of 3 boys went to steal tomatoes from certain garden. One was arrested immediately by the owner of the garden and angry mobs who made quick decision to KILL 18 years old boy on Spot. Two ran away and servived. The 18 years boy was killed, burnt on the head with hot water. Using hot water from home is to stop the killed boy’s ghost Spirit [from attacking] the people who killed the boy and it is traditional practices used and believed by Mbale people. The Police [came to] the Scene of murder the following day. But the parents of the dead boy refused the body. Then the body was taken away from that home to go and bury outside the bush place of the government in Mbale city. 

11/06/25

CARELESS ATITUDE IN LIFE

At place where I work we have two kitchens. After break-fast one day we were left alone with the kids of my boss. The kids Love me so much and me I love them also becouse of their good behaviours. They started playing with me at around 11:00 am till 12:00 noon. Then I had to cook Lunch and serve them. I realized that the time was against me. I stopped playing with them and I go to the outside kitchen, pick matooke to cook. They also follow me. Jokingly they pushed the door that was faulty. The door locked up itself and there was no way out completely. Then I light a fire on stove. I started sweating all over the body. I called my boss who responded very fast and he sent for me another man from outside but the man also failed to open the door. I killed the fire but still too much [heat] inside. The kids got scared and even me. We thought I am going to die. Then the boss came to open by himself and got me out. I became very weak. I rushed quickly to the bathroom and poured water on my body while crying.

13/06/2025

BAD MARRIAGE

Ever since ISAAC AGIGA’S sister called Joyce Avako got married to the first hasband, she produced one baby girl who is now at the age of 14 years old, in Senior one now. The parent of her hasband did not Love her, even the man himself also could not defend her in their domestic violences with Village people. The relationships among them faded up, the marriage became bad whereby they could allege many cases on her. Calling her a poisonous woman in the homes. A thief woman, but no evidence to prove the facts of all above allegations. 

18/06/2025

LOST BRAIN CONTROL

Well trained Ultimate Security company guard Lost control of his anger yesterday and killed his two staff members on spot by releasing several gun bullets. The guard had been removed from the services some days ago, then Later he came back to his former work site with grievances of obstracting him from work without his final payments. During his action of fire arm to any Person, he was also shot dead by [an army] man, making the third number of dead people at the Same time in Mbuya, in Kampala. The management failed to state anything as the police is carrying out investigations on what caused that problem. However, some government servants and other people commented that sacking any employee from his daily service of earning a living should be done in a proper way not to hurt the worker. 

19/06/2025

TEREGO DISTRICT, WEST NILE REGION 

Three days ago this week, senior thieves stole a big generator worth 3.2 million Ugandan Shillings in Terego. After successfully stealing, these thieves went hidding the generator in the bush. The owner traced the foot marks and got the place. He reported to Police next day. The Police man together with the owner of stolen generator went for the recovery of the generator without instruction of (o/c) operations commander of the station. They entered in ambush of thieves on the road to hidden generator place. The thieves beat Police man and the owner, cut the Police man very well all over the body parts while the generator owner took off running and made alarm. 

20/06/2025

GOOD LUCK

It is really nice day of my life. Since last week, I was thinking about money becouse my mummy is calling me from the village for some money. Then yesterday when I take our Little boy [employer’s youngest son] to school I found 5000 Ugandan shillings on People’s gate. I picked the money and I was happy. There’s a woman who also take her kid to school and she was coming back after she took her kid to school. I told her that today is good Luck for me, I found the money on the gate. Then she told me that let me hope it’s not having a medicine. [She said] people can put the medicine on money and they throw down, that I should first pray before I use this money. Then I got scared [yet] I was crying for money. I said I am to use this money in the name of God nothing will happen to me. Then I take the boy to School. After I went up to the mobile money [agent] and before I reach there I also [pick] 500 Ugandan shillings on the road. I said amen, it is all God’s Plan. And today I received 17000 shillings from my friend.

22/06/2025

FARMER ADVISED TO USE HUMAN URINE

The landlord who is [also] a farmer growing tomatoes and was badly advised by his colleague to use urine as chemical to spray tomato plants in the garden that it would make him get good yield from his garden. He started collecting his urine inside his room for two days. He went to his female tenant to negotiate the price of full big jerrycan for Uganda shillings 20000 since he could not urinate enough within a short time to spray tomato plants. After two days of urinating side, it changed the smell of the room completely beyond an ordinary toilet where one could not sit and eat. 

26/06/2025

BAD BOY LOVER

I formed a serious love with certain boy in our district … last year around April. My major motive was to show him. I implemented it and carried all my love activities … Advised him about how we could Construct a bright future family while setting up business before marriage, by giving him some money 500,000 shillings. But on Learning the behavior of him, he could not understand any advise, confusing every plan that I normally gave. There after, it provoked me beyond. I told him to give me Some Little money for use, he told me that the money was with his mother. That statement implied to me lack of trust in him to me. Then, I [clashed with] the guy on spot to tell him that they [connived] with his mother to eat my money. Let him stop to call me his wife again. Then, with his watery brain, he attempted to kill himself by drinking chemical of growing crops. Later, I again gave money to take him to the hospital. I Lost my Love of marriage to him that time, as he had childish attitudes that could not change. He was mostly Loved by the mother as her last confused boy which made him not learn self relliance in his years of growth. 

04/07/2025

MY LIFE OF YESTERDAY

It was 6th of July yesterday. I moved to the church.  On my way to church, I called my husband and informed him that I was going for prayers. After church I again went to remove hair at my friend’s home. Before that I flashed my hasband’s phone on the way after church before reaching my friend’s home. In few five minutes he called back, but by the time of his several calls two things happened. Phone was inside the hand bag and unknown man from the church joined me on the road asking my name, tribe, my current residential place and many others, [making] me busy to listen to him while moving. I recalled [later] that I had beeped my hasband. [I found] many missed calls and he [became] annoyed when I got back talking to him. Tough time on me and questions. No way to escape my man’s questions. He said that my body is not functioning well but him the body is working well. All in his conclusions, he said that if I had gone to look for men Lovers at church as faith of God, I should follow them, then put them in me as faith. 

06/07/ 2025

SINGLE MOTHER LEFT SPEECHLESS OVER SCHOOL FEES OF HER KID

I became speechless and stressed last night when I paid nothing to school for my only doughter for this term. I am in Kampala while this kid is studying in the Village with my mother who stays with my step father. In most cases to educate my doughter, I call my mother who does not have financial support for this kid. One day, I called her and she ended up telling me bad behaviours of the Kid. That the kid tears off book pages, throwing away the shoes for school and sometimes can cut the slippers with razorblades. I also tolked with the kid. The kid got annoyed beyond me almost to slap me if I was near her. I was Safe that it was on phone. Then the kid refused to talk more with me. Having sleepless night over School fees, it took my mind to call the father of the kid in order to pay the fees of Uganda shillings 180,000 per term. He made empty promises the day I called him.

08/07/2025

THE DAY OF TODAY

Today is really bad day of my life. [I woke up] early in the morning and by the time I had to work at around 6:00am I didn’t feel like waking up. I was feeling very weak while body paining. From morning up to 2:00 pm after lanch time I did not feel comfortable of my body and it continued increasing coldness and other things. But I don’t think it is really sickness, just too much thinking of my present in this Life.

09/07/2025

RECEIVED LOVELY CALL OF MY SISTER

Lovely enough, my sister called me at around 8:00 am to greet me. I also replied to her well. She has young kid who is receiving the first baptism. When I asked her whether the father of the kid has helped to send money for the forthcoming baptism at church, she said she had been telling the father of the husband to talk to his son for many times. The father-in-low was hiding the information to his son. Whereas the husband of my sister [blocked] her number Long time ago when he sent her back to Village from Kampala where they married before. In our Conversation with my sister she got annoyed. Saying that she wanted to take the kid to the parents of the husband. What ever may come, she wanted to face it becouse this is total suffering in her for producing a child. I politely advised her to avoid people who Laugh at her because of the Life she was passing through. Also they did not choose themselves to marry but another person was the one who connect them to fall In Love. Let her pray. Things would change. ▪