Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Should have known

I'm sorry all, that I haven't been updating. Chad was simply exhausting. Going from one place to the next, trying to take in as much as I could in the little time I had there (Even got right to the border with Sudan....and... saw George Clooney, newly named UN peace ambassador, who said in his cute little voice, "bonjour, ca va bien?" ... he is just as good looking in person.)
Now that I'm in Egypt, unfortunately, things aren't much easier. I went seven months in Sub-Saharan Africa without problems, and on the last day, the LAST DAY, I ate something funny and it has been downhill ever since. First just a stomach ache, then real pains, a bit of diarrhea, now vomiting. I haven't eaten in 30 hours. I'm even throwing up medication. I've had two shots in the ass today and I'm on rehydration salts now. Beautiful.
Anyways, here's a pic of me on the job - veil on, camera and notebook in hand. These kids are eating a watery flour-based oatmeal type thing as part of a school-feeding program. People have found that if you feed the kids, parents are more likely to send ther kids to school. That structure in the back is a modern hangar that UNICEF built for displaced kids. 200 kids cram into that outdoor classroom, sitting on the floor while an undertrained community teacher tries to give lessons.
second article from my trip is up:
6 more to go!

3 comments:

Still Searching said...

Heba.. just in case you forgot.. what you have on their is NOT a veil! That is a scarf thrown casually on your head.. The veil is the niqab or the actual word hijab in Arabic which is something that "veils" you for other's ability to see you.. (not what it is used as to mean covering the hair) when Sikh men cover there hair it is a turbon, not a veil and when african women wrap a scarf around their heads, it is NOT a veil..

Your article is very intersting with a most sad commentary on the status of life of epople in Africa.. Imagine that their life in the refugee camp is better than their life in their village before the conflict started.. can things be any worse? alhamdullilah for what we have!:
"the people from Louboutigué say they will only return if humanitarians can help them install water, health and education infrastructure in their villages of origin, as they did in the site for the displaced.

Some of them have lived for more than a year in a quality of life superior to that which they had in their villages of origin," UNHCR's Musonda said."

Kamal Shaath said...

I have to admit that I used to think that I had great knowledge of how things were around the world.... "Yes, some people have labeled me as Mr. Know it All", but in reality and through your Blog and articles.... I have been re-educated... not that I did not know that people were suffering around the world... and how painful their life were, in comparison to the luxuries we abuse everyday, but I have been reminded... and maybe this time I will not forget or choose to forget this painful reality.

May their wishes come true .. Heba thank you for enlightening me and refreshing my knowledge...

Oh, 'Still Searching' ... thank you as well for the explanation.... I have referred to the scarf as a veil (in error .. now I know)as well.. my apologies :)))

Assistant to Mr. Johnston said...

Stomach bugs suck :( My best advice is to go for the WHO electrolyte mix that comes in the green package. So far it's the only one that's mildly consumable without wretching. It's kind of like flat 7 up with salt - yummmm!