The picture of Ojok Jiponi and his wife

Ojok Jiponi and his wife in Acholi quarters Kampala Uganda.

WISE AFRICAN LIVING (The Karamojong way of life By Ojoki Jiponi)

Karamojong is one of the tribes in Uganda; they live in west Nile districts of Uganda.

Their economic life is based on cattle keeping, and the number of cattle per person ranges from five hundred to one thousand or more. They don’t mind of the quality but on the quantity. For one to have many heads of cattle, you have to raid the neighbors. That is why they are not friendly with their neighborhoods such as Acholi, Teso, and Lango and among other cattle keeping tribes of Uganda.

Their social life is that, the cattle they keep is what they depend on for food, they mix blood, milk and even cow dung as their food. To get the blood from the cow, they only spear one cow at ago to get blood then that cow is left for some period of time before blood is sucked from it. They like sleeping in grass thatched houses and hides and skins are their mattresses. When comes to sickness, traditional medicine is what they go for and one will rather die than to sell one cow to go to the hospital.

When comes to marriage, a boy may marry only when he has proved his capability by going to the bush and comes with animal. After that he is given a girl to marry. Hides and skins is what they wear to cover just some part of the the body.

Politically, the Karamojongs are troublesome. They like attacking neighbors and their national cake is cattle. They are neither soldiers nor rebels but they are the only tribes with the guns. The government has in several occasions tried to disarm them but they are still strong. They want nothing from the government but feel should be armed just for raiding their neighbors.

Ojok Jiponi's income assesment

I Ndelo Peter a loan officer carried out income assessment of my client and below is his monthly expenditures and income:

INCOME PER MONTH

1, from paper beads ……………………. 50,000/=

2, invisible children bracelets……………180000/=

Total……………………………………...230,000/=

EXPENDITURES PER MONTH

1, Transport …………………………….30,000/=\

2, Feeding………………………………..60,000/=

3, School fees…………………………….30, 000/=

4, Medical care…………………………..20,000/=

Total expenditures……………………….140000/=

The difference between his income and expenditure is one hundred and ten thousand Uganda shillings only.

MY LIFE IN AFRICA OJOK JIPONI

My names are Ojok Jiponi aged 27 and a male Acholi by tribe, born in Pader district and a married with two children. I came to Kampala in October, 2002 due to lord’s resistance rebel war which was terrible in the region of northern Uganda leading to displacement of many people that I too came the victim. When I came to Kampala, I had to settle in Acholi quarters where most of the displaced Acholi people live in.

While in Acholi quarters, I was working as a private security guard with Hwan sung company that came to an end when the company decided to recruit guards from security organization. I had nothing to do until I joined women from Acholi quarters in making paper beads that paved my way to life in Africa. I joined life in Africa in September 2006 as a security guard up to February 2007 when LIA reduced on the numbers of guards but all the same am still in life in Africa working as a bracelet maker and doing other crafts products.

Since I joined life in Africa my life has changed and I have met many people and experienced a lot from life in Africa as an organization. A lot I have seen LIA has done to the community is community education through loan program and computer literacy. I would like to encourage my fellow members to work had for the good of community.

Confirmation of Membership.