Progress!

This week my mother and co owner, Cyndi, traveled to see me in Brooklyn, New York. We wanted to spend some time working face to face together on Path of Paper developments. We have begun shifting gears, and looking into becoming a non profit organization. Very exciting! We sat in sunny Prospect Park and created a business plan for the next 3 years!!

We also talked bylaws, vision, budget, and market expansion. There are a lot of great things on the horizon for Path of Paper, so look out for more to come!

New products up on facebook!!

Bowls! $10


These are just two of the great new catalogue pictures we have up on facebook. Thanks to Ashley Smith's keen eye and quick hand, we are going to be making huge strides in selling online! So email, message or comment and we'll deliver what you'd like! Helping Ugandan women just got a whole lot easier!

Happy New Year!

As the new year is just around the corner, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of the achievements of the previous year and give thanks for all of the fabulous support we've received.

This year marked the second year of my living in the states post Peace Corps. This is an important marker as its just about the same amount of time that I was in Uganda. We had a lot of technological advances this year: POP started this blog, a Facebook page, and Twitter and Paypal accounts!
Obviously, there was the euphoric trip I took to Uganda where I visited the women who became my family in Uganda( The complete blog update on that trip is coming I promise). Being reunited with the Gemakumyino Women's Group and UAOWF was really an indescribable joy. We spoke about a lot of great new ideas and I can't wait to get started on them!


What highlights did I forget? I'm sure there are a ton of them. The sales from Path of Paper have connected women and begun conversations. The Ugandan producers provide for their needs by creating a product with their own hands that is sought after and valued thousands of miles away.  They pay their children's school fees, rent on better housing, as well as cover health costs. Economic power strengthens ones ability to feel confident, make decisions and speak ones voice.

Next year we have a pretty high mark to meet, but I am foreseeing great things in our future!

I'd like to say a special thank you to my mother, siblings, all of my aunts especially Dee, Valerie and Maria. To everyone in the Gemakumyino Women's Group, UAOWF, Via Creativa Gallery and the Lyman family. To Ryan Villanueva, Alissa Walsh, Bobby Wermus, and Gregory Hoffman.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Some pictures from Kate's visit to Iganga. large plates of local food. make the heart so warm . I'll soon post a longer description of my trip to Iganga, but for now I'll let these pictures do the talking!

Thanks to my brother Nicholas O'Grady for taking these fabulous pictures! Path of Paper has never looked better

tujay!

Well everyone. The day is finally here! I board my plane to Uganda tonight!Reservations have been made, prescriptions filled and I am [mostly] packed.



I already feel like I've been on an emotional roller coaster ride.. finally feeling mentally ready and excited to extract myself from my busy new york life, unplug from the internet and smart phones. I'm excited to immerse myself in a truly great opportunity. Yesterday Rick and I changed our adventure plans again so it looks like the last 3 days we and Michelle will be stared at by chimps at fort portal! Exciting..

So there will be tons of pics and videos and updates upon my return, but for now.. wish me luck and thanks for all the support!





also, the fairtrade sale at waterside in norfolk is going on this weekend and my mom and sister have been doing a great job!! So if you're in the area, be sure to stop by and see what people are doing to change the world! There are some really talented vendors there, and I'm always inspired! Many thanks go out to Via Creativa Gallery for all they have done to involve us in this momentous event! This is our biggest sale event of the year, and if anyone can do it right its caroline and cyndi! Upon my return i'll also upload some amazing pics Nick, my little brother, took of our merchandise! It looks great and next we'll need to work on a catalog!

Thanks for all the support!

Making strides!

I really don't have words to express how I'm feeling right now. As the departure date to Uganda creeps closer it becomes harder and harder to deny that I am going. I've done a few things to prepare myself for leaving: I've gotten a shot in the arm, and a prescription for doxycycline [for malaria prevention]. I somehow ended up telling the doctor that I liked getting the good kind of needles, which came out sounding very wrong. I need to write a Yelp review about that medical center.. I'm just not quite sure what to make of it yet.
I've received generous donations from my friends, and I feel incredibly blessed by them.

I'm getting excited for some little things that have nothing to do with getting to see fabulous ugandan co workers/family. These include:
-Oweeno market ( I already have a mental list of the incredibly great clothes I need to bring back from there: jeans, jeans jeans, brown boots, and hats!..oh dear)
-Chapati! enough said
-MOTORCYLCE RIDES!!! thats right folks, in about less than 3 weeks, I will ride recklessly at least once on the back of a motorcycle... maybe without a helmet and ..most likely SITTING SIDE SADDLE!!!!! Risk becomes me.
-Pilsner (my oh so creatively named Uganda beer of choice)
-Little Bananas, Jack fruit ( possibly the secret ingredient to Juicy Fruit)
-The call for prayer



Wow, I could really go on forever if given the chance. I guess I am excited to go back. I also have a few things to remember to do while I'm there and need to start making that list. One of these things includes taking more video while I'm there.

Lastly, many of my Peace Corps friends will be happy to know that I have date to eat pork at the pork joint! While I'm in Uganda, my vegetarian diet goes out the window. I'm sure my stomach will hate me for this decision a few days while I'm there, but in Uganda the animals have such a higher likely hood of enjoying a full and natural life than in America. But now that I think about it, I really wonder where the meat in restaurants in Iganga and Kampala come from. I'll have to ask more questions this time, but most of the time I eat meat it will hopefully be with families who raised it themselves. The last thing I'll say about my vegetarianism is that pig meat is my least favorite to eat. Its the only animal that I really feel a spiritual guidance against eating. But I'm excited to go to the pork joint for the sake of tradition. And I do remember their tomatoes being especially delicious, and their Pilsner's especially refreshing! Not even to mention that they play all the latest music videos and I will be up to date on all the latest jams by the time I leave! YES!!


Well writing this just made me think of one trillion other things I need to do....I would especially like to thank the Uebelhoer family for donating their laptop to UAOWF.

I'll continue to post more as the days fly by. I'm revitalized in my dedication to Path of Paper, and cross my heart promise I am going to study Lusoga soon!!!