Famine No More

Several thousand died ten years ago today, and our world was shaken. Today hunger is stalking 12.4 million people across the Horn of Africa.

Are we being shaken?

If I could change the world..

Every day humanitarian aid workers help millions of people around the world. The day recognizes the sacrifices and contributions of those who risk their lives to give others help and hope. It is also about inspiring the spirit of aid work in everyone.

Love is really what it's about. Showing love in tangible ways to the most vulnerable and marginalized amongst us is not easy. It requires sacrifice and getting outside our comfort zone. It can mean being misunderstood and disenfranchised. But that which we do for the least is also what we do for God.

To all the incredible people I've had the pleasure of meeting since starting on this journey, happy humanitarian day! I am blessed by the efforts of my team-mates, colleagues and former classmates and friends. May we never forget what a privilege it is to live this life as we do.

Africa is on my mind..

President Sirleaf’s Ambition for Liberia: Aid-Free in a Decade

Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf—the first elected female head of state in Africa— spoke at an event hosted by CGD. President Sirleaf set a hugely ambitious goal of being aid-free within ten years. Gives me so much hope for Liberia and other countries in the fatherland.

10 years. 10 homes.

Boy, do I relate to this!

Family Planning Saves lives!

Back from Ghana!

I landed back in Atlanta in the wee hours of the morning on Monday. Can't believe I'm back already!! I've been struggling how to frame my trip to those who have asked. Words are honestly difficult - so I'll let my pictures describe some of what I saw. Overall - it was a great trip. I can honestly say that Ghana stole a small piece of my heart. Being in Africa after 10 years was good for my soul! I felt more at home there than in India back in 2009!

So, work ended on Friday at noon. I had elected to stay back over the weekend to do some exploring. Turns out there were a few others at the conference who had the same thought. On Friday - I hung out with this Kenyan guy (Mike) from Nairobi and French-American girl (Melissa). Both currently worked in Nairobi. Melissa is a diplomat's kid who has lived all over the world. Mike has worked primarily in Kenya but traveled for work all over Africa. I was in good company. We explored more of Accra on Friday. Ate. Shopped. Took pictures. Got busted by the Ghanaian Army! Fun..fun. :)

On Sat, we organized/hired a car/driver to go to the Western Region (next province over from Accra). So - it turned that a Kenyan, a Ghanaian, two Sudanese and a Ugandan - set out on a 120km road trip this past Sat to see what Ghana had to offer! And it didn't disappoint!

First stop was Kakum National Forest. Did some hiking. Walked on a 350m long, 40m high wood-and-rope walkway suspended by seven trees. You can imagine Devina's state - scared of heights and all! Then we drove over to Elmina and Cape Coast Castles (an hour drive apart). I'll let the pictures do the talking - but it was a pretty grim place. It's one thing to read about slavery - but to actually see the places/dungeons where hundreds of human beings were cramped in small spaces with very little food, light and ventilation was sobering. Incidentally - Michelle Obama's ancestors were traced back to Cape Coast Castle. The trip was great. Good conversations and learning about life/living in each of the above-mentioned countries. Listening to African music as we drove along little towns. Seeing people along the sides of the road as they conducted daily life/business. Did I mention that it was a good trip?? (insert content smile)

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to live this life. Affirmed in my heart that I'd love to move back to Africa in the near future. Currently seeking direction on my next steps. Figuring out what it means to sit still while I let my Lord open/shut doors.

Africa notes: Part tres

Ghana Logs – Day Seven.

The past days have been exhausting! Start early in the morning and then day-long conference workshops. Monday’s workshop was being facilitated by my organization – so we had to be extra sharp in the morning. Of course, there’s always last-minute things like needing extra copies of handouts and the friendly photocopy person taking her own sweet time in pushing a few buttons. I wanted to go up to her and say, ‘Oye..Mami..please let me do this’ (insert african accent) :)

Oh, I should tell y’all about the ‘Opening Ceremony’! So – in Africa – things don’t start, unless there’s a 5 hour opening ceremony (usually scheduled for 1-2 hours, but then runs overtime for reasons described below). There’s usually a stage with a podium. (Pics on picasa). Seated at this stage are the ‘distinguished’ guests. It usually starts with a prayer or the national anthem. Then we go into introductions. This opening ceremony started in the morning and ended at 1pm! The first hour was introductions! I mean – the first person introduced the next who introduced the next and so on – till we go to the most senior person – the ‘Chairperson of the meeting’.

THEN came the speeches. OMG! The longest things ever! I mean – this one guy was allotted 15 minutes – he talked for an hour! (What did I tell you about Africans and verbosity?) I kept having an internal giggle-loop about things and wish I could telepathically have a conversation with someone about the speeches. Hehe!) Anyways – my butt was so numb at the end of this all! The highlight of all this was a traditional African dance at the end! It was amazing, guys! So full of energy and life! We were all moving/tapping our feet etc at the end of it all. (Kait – now I know why you love west African drumming so much! I was thinking of you the whole time – I’ll send you a video clip I took for you)

Oh, I should mention food. Dude – the food here is amazing! Dishes (like most cuisines around the world) are comprised of a starch and protein. They have this spicy curry looking thing – and they serve it with rice. Then they have this watery soupy (again spicy) one that they serve with corn-meal mash – called fufu. Then there’s banku and kenkey – which are variants of fufu. Oh, and fried plantains! YUM-MY! I’m going to gain so much weight! Ha! The food here tastes so fresh and tasty. Like yday I had pineapple – the best pineapple I’ve had! I love sampling food from everywhere – and this trip is definitely hitting my foodie spots. :)

Other than that – nothing much to report – the rest of conference has been good. We’ve had several power outages both during the day and the speakers make the best of the situation. At night, it’s a different story. Taking a shower in the dark with a candle brings back memories. :)

Interviews are going well. I am using every available ‘free’ minute to grab people outside of meeting rooms to hold this qualitative survey on family planning. It’s exhausting. But rewarding when I think of the impact that this information will have in helping to bring family planning commodities to African countries. I’m looking forward to the weekend – the conference ends on Thurs, and I’ll have Sat/Sun to do some sightseeing. No idea what I’m going to do – and where I’m going to go. BUT I can’t come all this way and not see/do something, so watch for my next update on the weekend adventures! :)

Thanks so much to those who’ve been writing – I love hearing back from you! I have pretty reliable email access and have communicated with a lot of you - even been able to video-skype with some!

Much love and hugs from this end of the world! :)

Africa notes: Part deux

M'ma ache! (Good morning!)

Day Four in Ghana. May I just declare it's been lovely so far. I still can't believe I'm here. It hits me every so often when I pause to reflect. I'm simply amazed of where I am and how I got here. I mean – who am I? Who would have thought that me - a simple girl from little Mombasa - would get the opportunity to study what I did, where I did and do what I do. Craziness, if you must ask me.

So..Saturday was my 'day off'. I got connected to a friend of a friend who lives here. She very graciously came to get me around mid-morning so we could go 'roam around town'. While I was waiting for Victoria (she was an hour late..hehe..African-time! Y'all better not complain when I'm like 10 minutes late for things!), I started chatting with this woman over breakfast. A native of Cameroon, but living in Harare, Zimbabwe - she'd come to Accra to facilitate a workshop. Such an interesting vivacious lady! A lawyer by training - she was a World Bank consultant working on the issue of strengthening systems in developing country governments, and how to build good governance from the ground up. Anyways - she was leaving for Harare on late-night flight, and had the day to 'roam around' - so I invited her to join me and Victoria.

Victoria, a shy graceful woman in her mid-20s, is working on her 'National Service' (an internship mandatory for those who go through public education in Ghana to 'pay the government back'). Throughout the day, I got the most interesting conversations with these lovely African women. Both so different in socio-economics, age, background, education - and yet - here we were - a Kenyan-Indian-soon-to-be-American, Ghanaian, and Cameroonian - spending the day sharing about our respective backgrounds and what motivates us to be where we are. And all this, in the midst of a jostling crowd while in a busy open-air market on a hot day. I was loving it!

There's more stories - like how we ate at this local restaurant with live chickens literally being slaughtered right outside! And how exciting it was to be on a trotro packed with more people than fingers on all my hands/feet. But let me not bore you with more minutiae. Again - it helps to "process" by writing. You unwittingly are someone that I'd love to tell these stories to right now, so here - you got this email! :)

This next week will be full of meetings - lots of listening/writing. Wish me luck - I'm conducting interviews with 20+ country health leaders who are at this conference that I'm attending. I did two yday evening. Talking with Africans is always joy - simple questions can take 1hr’s worth of long convoluted answers. (Wow. I know how YOU feel when you talk to me! ha!) Processing/analyzing these interviews will be fun when I get back.

Meda ase (thank you!)

In Africa!

I made it to Ghana okay! Just checked into the hotel and discovered that they have free (VERY SLOW) wireless in the room! Woo hoo! So - I'll be able to check emails for a couple days. (moving to another location (conference center) on Sunday - and the internet situation there remains to be seen).

It's sooo weird being back! It is HOT! I had forgotten what African heat was all about. I'm already sweating buckets! hehe! AND everyone is black (duh!). My Swahili keeps bubbling forth! I've already started speaking Kiswahili with people and the moment I say 1-2 words and get a blank stare - I realize I'm not in Kenya! :(

The flight was good - I got a bulk-head seat with no one next to me, so I was able to sprawl out (sort of). Got a lot of work done on the plane and slept. Uneventful. But I was so glad that my flight landed during the day in Accra - seeing the red earth on the roads, green rolling hills, and houses with red roofs built African style was sooo good for my soul! My heart was doing little flips. :)

Driving from the airport with Ghanaian music blasting off from the radio and watching graceful women balancing their wares on their heads to be sold along the road-side makes me feel like I'm home. I almost want to move back to Africa for another job! :)

Ooo..can I just declare that I had a Ghanaian (or maybe Nigerian) family behind me in line at Atlanta airport that came to drop their family off to the airport - African-style. It felt like the whole village was there. I kept thinking in my head - "here we go..start getting used to this". Hee..hee.

Anyways - forgive my rambling..but I feel like "chatting" and telling people what I am seeing, etc! I've already taken a few pictures - will upload them on to picasa when I have better internet. Thanks for listening and feel free to write back! I'll try to send out little updates as I can - you all can be my little journal-buddies on my first back trip to the fatherland. :)

Africa's Holy Healers

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) harness tremendous power to bring change. In a variety of development areas, such as peace and stability, the environment, world hunger, HIV/AIDS and children’s rights, FBOs have demonstrated that they bridge gaps, often where government cannot. Listen to this radio segment to hear about the good work that FBOs do in Africa in reaching people for health-care!