How I Opened a Bank Account Easily in Uganda

   So today, Kwoyelo Ronald came into Gulu so we could put into place a few things so he can begin his second year at Gulu Uninversity in mid-August.  The first step was to figure out where to open a bank account in Gulu.  Yesterday, I called my broker in St. Louis and asked him about Barclay's Bank.  He told me it was world wide and should be a good place.  The one thing I want to be able to do is to be able to put money into the account from St. Louis.  So Ronald met me at Coffee Hut with a well thought out expense break down for his year of studies.  After looking at this I realized the wad of  cash I had was going to need to be supplemented.  So we went to the ATM at Barclay's bank, it was closed.

  So  detour #1, we had to go five blocks away to my usual ATM, the Orient Bank.  Now we were ready, so off to Barclay where we soon were put in front of a helpful young man.  He said before we could start, Ronald woud need one of four IDs: (1) A passport--I think mayb 0.5 % of Gulu has this, (2) A driver's license--maybe about 3 % have. (3) A voter ID..no help or (4) some other ID I do not know.   Ronald was there with a laminated Gulu U. ID, but that was no good....unless we would go to Gulu University and get a signed letter from the Dean of Students saying Ronald was a student there and it included his date of birth. (Btw March 7th, Mary Mindel) and stated that he was living in Pader.

      So detour #2,  two boda bodas were hired and off we went to Gulu University, because of rain the last two nights. There were several places that I thought it might be the 9th time I was tossed from a boda, but Innocent the driver managed the extra weight of the 150 kg. white man.  We went to two offices at G.U. And finally found the dean of students. The secretary told us that we could. Not get the letter without a written request from Ronald and a xerox of his student ID. To his credit Ronald moved quickly and was back five minutes later with two sheets of blank paper
and a xerox of his ID.  He then wrote a very formal letter to the dean asking for the letter.  He gave it the attention we would give a cover letter.  Twenty minutes later, the secretary took the letter and as she was talking I reminded her nicely that we needed date of birth and residency in the letter.  She told me the Dean could do date of birth, but could not vouch for Ronald living in Pader without driving to Pader. (90 minute drive).  I gave my best pretty please face and she walked the letter into the Dean's office (we never saw the Dean and returned to her desk).  Twenty minutes ticked off the clock and we waited. I was trying to figure out how long to wait before politely inquiring, but 5 minutes after that thought....we had the letter.

     Back to Barclay's...we got there and ten minutes later, we were filling out the application.  There were many blanks to fill and I was wondering what we might get tripped up on.  Ronald like many Ugandans does not have a mailing address.  So we got the whole thing filled out!!! ...and then he asked Ronald if he had a passport photo.  Ronald had told me on the way back from the University that we may need one, but I thought I could talk my through it.  (Very hard in Uganda with their British Legacy).

        Detour number next,  off to the passport photo place. This really only took a 10 minute walk and 15 minutes at the place, and in the interim we added Melissa Hopfinger to the team.

         Back to Barclay's,  we progressed for five more minutes, passport photo neatly stapled to the empty box on the form, and then.... The nice clerk informs us that the network is down and we cannot progress without the network.  So we made plans to come back in an hour and went off to lunch with Melissa.  Purposely, took two hours to give the bank more time .  Got back to Barclay's at 3 p.m.  And in case you forgot this started at 9:20 a.m.  We got back and our guy had stepped out for a bit.  Another nice clerk stepped into help us, found the application, but then told us we would have to come back tomorrow.  So Saturday 9 a.m. we will start again.

       No I did not lie in my title.  Do you remember when we were at the Dean's office.  I used my Orange (phone company) wireless Internet to get online. From there I found Barclay's US, opened an account, and deposited $100. It took me 10 minutes only because they hated my password choice.