This week has been rich of important events for the Hospital.

Last Thursday a new CEO for the Hospital arrived, he is an Italian doctor named Stefano. He was introduced to the community of the Hospital and of Kalongo by the Arcibishop of Gulu, so we had the honour of the presence of His Grace too.

Below the cut of the cake with the main authorities: the Arcibishop, Dott. Santini, Father Ezio, Monsignor Odong done on December 8th in occasion of the celebrations of Marie Immaculate.

The following morning the Arcibishop introduced Dr. Santini to the entire staff of Dr. Ambrosoli Memorial Hospital. His arrival is an important step for the entire hospital, to provide continuous support to the betterment of the Hospital for the short and long term. So, welcome Stefano!!!

During the week the hospital was also blessed with the arrival of an Italian infectivologist, Dr. Cesare Bolla and a newly graduated Midwife, Giovanna. They are spending a tour of different hospitals in Northern Uganda to collect information and provide useful material for future collaborations. Giovanna will also stay for nearly two months in Uganda to teach to the local midwifes about delivery practices in Italy and allow some comparison. 

With Giovanna we tried to eat sugar from sugar cane...another important experience if you are in Africa...

Being so many Italians here this week we also decided to celebrate with some beers, here we are at a local bar, the four of us, Dr. Patient and Anthony from Hospital staff:

Sunday morning Cesare and Giovanna were supposed to travel to Matany and visit the local hospital. Matany is located in Karamojia, an area on the eastern side of Uganda, where people lives still as tribes, and even the nature is completely different from Kalongo, very dry and hot.
Here some pictures of the landscape on the road...
Children running after us at the sight of the car:

Children, dressed with local clothes, following the precious cows:

And some pictures from Matany, a cute little girl:

the center of Matany

and the Italians

There are actually a lot of Italians giving their support to the Hospital in Matany and it was very touching to find in these far lands in Uganda other Italians that decided to dedicate part of their life to help the people in needs, your efforts and energies are really appreciated!

My post in regards to this past week will mainly comprise A LOT of pictures, since I think they better explain all the events that happened.

Starting with Tuesday when I visited the city of Kitgum, located approximately 70km from Kalongo.

After having being in Kalongo, in the middle of a rural area for nearly a month, to see some shops, banks, etc.that we found in Kitgum was like spending a day in the most modern place ever.

Below some pictures of "city life" in Kitgum!

During the week our dear Francesco had a small accident and was forces to walk with crunches. He is now recovering, very fast actually, we see him here with his "twin" just outside the surgical ward.

Francesco, we want you back in shape as soon as possible!! Even though....there is apparently someone that does not want to let you go away from him!!

Thursday right after work I passed to the Saint Theresa school, to say goodbye to all the girls that I became friend with, since they left this past Friday for the holidays.

As soon as I reach them, they asked me to join them in some games...definitely you could see that they are in better shape than I am...those twenty years more of age are actually showing!!

I then took some pictures of all of them together and will try to get some prints out for the time that they will arrive back to school in February.

After I left them, I join the students of the midwifery school for some...jogging...that's the way we do it!

And finally...Friday evening was the big day: week end trip to Kidepo park, located in the Karamogia region of Uganda, approximately 40km from southern Sudan.

We were a total of eleven people, including Francesco and some other tutors from the midwifery school.

At departure:

I have to say, this has been one of the most memorable days I have ever had in my entire life, full of unique emotions and feelings!

We left early in the morning from Kalongo and reached in the early afternoon the place where we were supposed to spend the night to then reach the park the following morning.

The highway in Uganda...

...some obstacles along the way...

...but also some cheerful friends...

Getting ready for lunch...

...and the hard preparation of dinner, with the precious support of our "tasters"!!

The following morning we left really early in order to be at the park right after the rising of the sun.

So...Good morning Africa!! This was one of the most beautiful landscape I have even seen...

Group picture at the entrance...

...and we our dearest Francesco!

And we were then all ready to see some animals in the park...mainly buffalos I have to say...really too many I have to add!!

 A leon...

And some others...

We then finished the visit of the park around mid-day on Saturday, so then decided to drive back to Kalongo, which we reached at dawn time...

Aaahhh...back home!!

 Today my last week in Kalongo started since I am due back to Italy soon and most of the time will be dedicated to wrap up with my work here...but I am quite sure some other wonderful things will also happened and I am looking forward to share them!!