:Vocalo.org

In addition to identifying with the needs of others and empowering communities, this group of inspiring individuals will share their talents and bring to light the creativity from across continents; starting with communities in Chicago, USA, to Lyantonde, a town in Southwest Uganda, and beyond.

“And we are thirsty” is a series of monologues exploring the challenges of water scarcity in the rural town of Lyantonde, Uganda, told from the varied perspectives of a housewife, school children, a doctor, a vigilante water seller, and the district water engineer. The piece is based on interviews carried out in Lyantonde and its surrounding villages. Written and produced by Grant Buhr and performed by members of Bitone Troupe – a youth dance/theatre group located in Kampala, Uganda.

In this piece we hear from the founders, teachers, students and guardians of Prince Primary School, a community-run institution located in rural southwest Uganda. This region has been heavily affected by HIV/AIDS, and Prince was created 11 years ago to fill the growing void of quality education among the communities most vulnerable youth. However, the school has not been exempt from the stifling problems that its community members face daily, and its efforts have often been frustrated by the poverty that it works to alleviate. The Prince community has remained determined and have joined hands in solidarity with Project Focus and local community-based organization ICOD, to build the schools capacity to serve, and bring lasting change to the community as a whole.

More than 2.5 billion people live in rural areas of developing countries where access to communication is severely limited due to availability or affordability. In rural Uganda, most teachers, students, farmers, business owners, and health care providers work without access to information and communication technologies that can transform their lives in simple yet profound ways. "Lyantonde Connected" is an audio documentary that lets community members offer their perspectives on the benefits of having easier access the Internet.