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In late March 2012 I changed my freezing motherland Estonia for nine months with Ugandan capital Kampala. I left with a goal which some called "Siisi´s mission impossible": to open a small cafè which provides first job experience to the youth with special needs.


2012 a märtsi lõpus vahetasin ma karge Tallinna Uganda pealinna Kampala vastu. Ma sõitsin üheksaks kuuks Kampalasse, et viia ellu plaan, mida mõned kutsuvad "Siisi mission impossible"-ks: käivitada Kampalas väike kohvik, mis pakub esmast töökogemust erivajadustega noortele.
Jul 31, 2012

Väravatagune maja/ House behind the gate


Mis on saanud videos kajastatud värava taha jäävast majast?
Eelmisel esmaspäeval kohtusin majaomanikuga, kes ostus väärikas eas insenerihärraks. Viimastel kuudel kogetu põhjal aimasin juba ette, et ta tõenäoliselt oma eramajja mingit äri ei taha. Telefonis kohtumist kokku leppides ei iitsatanud ma seega meie projekti kohta sõnakestki. (Silmast silma on lihtsam selgitada, et meie kohviku puhul pole tegu valjut muusikat mängiva õllekõrtsiga).
Tutvumine majaomanikuga algas edukalt. Ehkki ma enda tutvustamist tavaliselt päritoluriigi mainimisega ei alusta, siis mingil endalegi teadmata põhjusel tutvustasin end seekord kui eestlannat. Insenerihärra tõsisesse ja murelikku näkku tõusis nostalgiline naeratus ning ta pobises „pa russki govoriš žut-žut?“.  Ta olla venemaal õppinud ja millalgi enne minu ja Vabariigi sündi tänase Eestimaa pinnal ekskursioonil käinud. Küllap oli teda mu kodumaal hästi vastuvõetud, sest usalduse tekitamine oli sellest hetkest alates oluliselt lihtsam. Oma majas kohvikuäri alustamist pidas härra esialgu siiski „väljakutseks“, kuna paljude inimeste edasi-tagasi liikumine kulutab maja kiirelt ära. Ehk isegi pisut solvununa meenutasin härrale, et mina oma kohvikus küll ühtki kulutatud nurka ei aktsepteeri. Seepeale leppisime kokku, et ta advokaat hakkab rendilepingut koostama ning nädala pärast (st eile!) võin oma kolaga kohale tulla.
Kas lõin eile oma „Pop-Up“´i sildi lõpuks seina?
Loomulikult mitte. Neljapäevaks polnud mu mailboksi veel ühtegi lepingu mustandit saabunud, mispeale võtsin ühe rendilepingu aluseks ja koostasin ise esimese mustandi. Pärast kümnekordset ettevõtte põhikirja ümberkirjutamist ja Uganda ettevõtlusseadusega tutvumist ei tundunud advokaadi töö ka enam kuigi keeruline olevat. (Järgmisel päeval pärast oma päris advokaadiga kohtumist saatsin lepingu mustandi siiski ka talle üle vaadata.)
Eile hommikul kinnitas härra omanik, et minu mustand on juba tema advokaadini jõudnud ning kolmapäeval saame paberitele allkirjad alla. Kaks tundi hiljem helistas mulle majas viimaseid töid korraldav ssebo ning soovis teada, mis kell ma maja üle võtanJ. Tema polnud veel omanikuga plaanide muutumisest rääkinud.
Enne kui allkirju lepingul all pole ja võtmeid minu taskus pole, pole julgust hõisata. Aga äkki läheb tõesti lõpuks asjaks…
ps. koht ise on supervahva, ruumikas ja tore!:)


What has happened to the house which remained behind the gate in the video?

Last Monday I met the owner, who turned out to be a respectful engineer in his respectful age. After last months´ experience I assumed he might not accept business in his private compound. On phone I therefore didn’t mention anything about the project (It is easier to explain face-to-face that Pop-Up is not just another noisy bar in the neighbourhood).
Introduction to the owner started well. I hardly ever introduce myself by my nationality, but for some unknown reason I did this time. After finding out I am an Estonian, the landlord´s otherwise serious and concerned face suddenly changed into a nostalgic smile: “pa russki govoriš žut-žut?“. He had been studying in Russia and had been travelling in Estonia long before I and the republic was (re)born. He must have been treated well during this travel because from this moment on building trust between us became much easier. He, however, found a coffeshop business in his private house to be a “challenge”, because many people moving in and out daily would destroy the house. Being a bit offended I asked if he really thinks I would accept any disorder in my coffeshop. This or who knows what convinced him and we agreed that his lawyer starts drafting the tenancy contract and that a week later on Monday (yesterday!) I can take over the place.
Do you think I went there yesterday to finally nail up my “Pop-Up” signboard?
No, of course not! By last Thursday I had not received any draft yet. I therefore took another tenancy contract as an example and drafted one by myself. After I had rewritten company´s memorandum and articles ten times during last weeks, doing lawyer´s job no more seemed all Greek to me.
Yesterday morning the landlord confirmed he had received my draft, his lawyer is making amendments to it and that on Wednesday we will sign the contract. Two hours later I received a call from the ssebo, who is organizing final works at the compound. He wanted to know at what time I am coming to take over the house
J. He had not been yet informed by the landlord of the change in plans.
I cannot be sure of anything before the contract is not signed and the keys are not in my pocket. But it might really finally work out....
ps. The place itself is supernice, spacious and just peeerfect!  





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Jul 25, 2012

Teine videoraport Kampalast/ Second video Report from Kampala

Blogikirjutamine on kuidagi soiku jäänud. Video räägib enda eest...
The blog has been quiet recently. Perhaps the video explains why...



Suhtlen väravataha jääva maja omanikuga edasi ning kirjutan sellest juba õige pea.
I keep in touch with the owner of the house behind the gate and will write about it very soon.
Read More 5 comments | Posted by Siisi edit post
Jul 11, 2012

Teretulemast keskklassi / Welcome to the middle class


Oleme tõusnud ühiskonna sotsiaalmajanduslikul redelil kõrgemale. Kolisime Nansana külakesest ümber Kampalasse pisikesse majakesse, millel on ümber kõrge kiviaed ja väravas vahest valvurgi. Kuulume nüüd keskklassi. Naabritel on autod ja puha. Aga mida see keskklass üleüldse tähendab ja kui palju ugandalasi võib end keskklassi kuuluvaks pidada? Aafrika keskklass on üks keeruline termin, aga minu jaoks väga oluline termin, sest justnimelt seda sama kesklassi ootan kohviku kliendiks. Kesklass on ülikooli haridusega ning sellest tulenevalt avatuma ja solidaarsema maailmavaatega. Teisisõnu võib loota, et keskklassi seas on eelarvamused erivajadustega inimeste suhtes väiksemad kui muidu Uganda ühiskonnas. Lisaks on kesklassil ostujõudu, et käia kohvikutes ja kodust väljas lõunatada.



„Kesklass“ sõnana viitab sellele, et tegu peaks olema ühiskonnagrupiga, kes esindab enamust – keskpärast. Päris nii see siiski pole. Aafrika Arengupanga seatud kriteeriumide järgi, mille on omaks võtnud ka Uganda Rahandusministeerium, kuuluvad keskklassi inimesed, kes kulutavad päevas enam kui 2 dollarit. Uganda Rahandusministeeriumi raporti kohaselt on selliseid inimesi Ugandas u 10 miljonit, s.o. ligi kolmandik elanikkonnast.  

Paraku on aga reaalsus selline, et kahe dollariga päevas endale kuigi palju lubada ei saa – kohvikus käimist päris kindlasti mitte (tass kohvi maksab keskmiselt 1,7 dollarit!). Ugandalased ise seavad keskklassi kuulumisele oluliselt kõrgemad standardid – majanduslik stabiilsus, auto olemasolu, haritus, väike perekond, heades koolides käivad lapsed jne jne. Elades Kampala kesklinnast u viie km kaugusel kuluvad need kaks dollarit päevas puhtalt ühistranspordiga tööle ja kojusõiduks. Linnas maksab korralik lõuna 10-15 dollarit. Lisaks tuleb maksta renti, koolitada lapsi, osta kõneaega, ravimeid, autosse bensiini jne jne. Sellise elustandardi lubamiseks peab teenima kuus vähemalt 1000 dollarit. Väga raske on hinnata, kui palju inimesi niiviisi defineeritud keskklassi kuulub. Mõnda ma tunnen.

Meenutuseks ja võrdluseks siia, et õpetaja keskmine palk on 100 dollarit kuus, ettekandja oma 75!. Siiski, siiski, ka mitte suurem enamus ülikondades ja tikkkontsadel kontorihoonete vahel ringi liikuvaid mehi ja naisi ei näe oma igakuisel palgatšekil tuhandeid dollareid. Tekib küsimus, et kust see raha siis tuleb? Sest ometigi kohvikutesse kliente jagub, ostukeskustessegi ning Kampala liikus on pidevalt suurtest era (või valitsusele kuuluvatest) autodest umbes! Keegi pole seda kinnitanud, aga mulle tundub praeguste vaatluste põhjal, et suurem osa asjalikke kontoriinimesi kindlustab oma tulevikku samaaegselt mitmeid eraärisid ajades – nt ostes-müües maad, vahendades teenuseid jne jne. Juba enne päikesetõusu (s.o. kell 7.00) helisema hakkavad telefonid, teedel vuravad autod ja kontorihoonete vahel edasi-tagasi ruttavad inimesed on pannud minu küll mõtlema, et kust see laisa aafriklase stereotüüp küll pärit on?

Kolimine. Minu uus tuba
Shifting. My new room
Foto: Kullar Viimne


Soolaleivapidu uues kodus
Housewarming at our new house
Foto: Kullar Viimne


Welcome to the middle class!



We have made a jump at Ugandan socio-economic ladder. We left the guesthouse in Nansana and have settled at our small house among Kampala´s middle class. The house has a wall around it and most times even a guard at the gate. Neighbours have even cars! But what does this middle class mean and how many Ugandans consider themselves belonging to this group? African middle class is a controversial concept, yet an important one for me, because it is the middle class who I am expecting to see as customers in the Pop Up. Middle class has higher education and is thereby more driven by solidarity. In other words, they are supposed to have less stereotypical and stigmatizing view on people with disabilities. Furthermore, middle class has money to spend on cafeterias and lunches out of home.  

„Middle class“ as a term might ideally refer to the most representative group of society – to those who are in the middle, to those who are biggest in the number. It´s quite not like this in reality. African Development Bank has defined middle class starting from the people who spend at least 2 dollars a day. Ugandan Ministry of Finance, who has adopted the definition, has released a report claiming that there are about 10 million Ugandans belonging to this group – i.e. approx one third of the population.

However, in reality one can afford almost nothing in Kampala with 2 dollars a day (spending it in cafeterias surely not – a cup of coffee costs approximately 1,7 dollars!). Ugandans themselves have set higher standards to consider someone belonging to the middle class – economic security, ownership of a car, internet access, good education, small families, children attending good schools etc etc. One living more than five kilometres from the centre of Kampala spends his 2 dollars a day barely on public transport to move to his workplace and back home. A proper lunch in the centre might cost 10-15 dollars. In addition, one needs to pay rent, educate children, pay for airtime, medication, fuel his car etc etc. In order to keep this kind of lifestyle one has to earn at least 1000 dollars in a month. It is very difficult to say how many Ugandans can afford belonging to the middle class defined like this. I have met a few.

As a remainder, average teacher´s salary is about 100 dollars,  waitress’s 75. However, not even most of the smartly dressed office workers can boast with thousands of dollars on their pay checks. From where is this money then coming, if not from salaries? Because the cafés are full of clients, so do shopping malls; and the roads in Kampala are constantly congested with big and fancy vehicles. Nobody has confirmed it, but so far I have an impression that a great number of active office workers is in addition to their main jobs involved in private businesses – buying-selling land, mediating services etc, etc – in order to keep up with the life standard which their profession requires but might not provide. Uninterrupted phone calls, hectic traffic and rushing people characterize Kampala already at early morning hours before the sunrise. This has left me wondering from where this stereotype of lazy African is coming from....

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