You know that silence?
The silence when a group of you and your friends walk past a young girl, clearly underweight, ragged clothes, hand to mouth gesture.
Nobody says anything. Averts eyes from each other, but perhaps will steal a glance at the girl to see whether her gesture is well practiced or whether she really does need help.
What makes you decide to stop and give a couple of pence? The overpowering feelings of guilt? Because, surely, we all know that those few coins will not help her out of the situation she's in?
Perhaps you can justify not giving her anything. It only takes a few seconds of thinking, "I'm training to be a doctor. I will save lives. Stop people from dying of treatable diseases. That's far more than giving a few coins".
Is it?
Is that enough?
Do people really think that if you fed that girl, treated her for HIV, and gave her vaccinations, that her situation will be solved?
I'm not saying all doctors and medical students think that way, but some do. I did. But that's naive and egotistical. It takes more than being a doctor, and having good will, and giving a few coins.
Will you stop and ask why she's on the side of the road? And work with her to improve her condition and the many more who weren't so lucky to have been spotted by someone with money/power/knowledge?
Friday, 23 May 2008
A Rant
People’s ignorance is disgusting.
The obvious disrespect for other cultures and religions when they claim to be open-minded, modern citizens of the same planet is shameful. I am ashamed.
How people can knowingly work for industries that serve to perpetuate the violence carried out on people every day, that acts also to continually destabilise communities to leave them dying slowly from hunger, thirst, preventable diseases, is beyond me. It’s not like they don’t have a choice. They’re usually the lucky few who do have a choice in this world.
We have so much in common at so many levels. From the one who is suffering to the one who is reaping all the benefits. I bet they have a hell of a lot in common in many ways. Unfortunately, just because people get on, or care about similar things, doesn’t do away with the truth that there still exist those who don’t see the bigger picture. They get some of the connections, but not all, not enough to change the way they think or act. Most of us are all decent. We want to look after the ones we care about, we all want to be happy, but the problem is how we go about doing it so that we’re all cared for and that we can all be happy.
Perhaps making things personal forces us to compromise, to take a step back and say, “OK. It doesn’t have to be this way. Have some of mine. We’ll share a little. I forgive you. Let’s agree to disagree and have a laugh about it. Let’s make sure people aren’t unnecessarily dying from malaria/unexploded cluster bombs/dirty water/depression/giving birth”.
Launching a cruise missile isn’t personal. The President tells the general, to tell his lieutenant, to tell someone else to press the button. Nobody kills anyone. People just die.
Perhaps that's a bit of an extreme example, but it's the little inconsequential, "it's not going to harm anyone now, is it?" actions, that add up and conspire to make life impossible. These problems are so removed from the personal lives from those who hold power that change just seems to slow.
The obvious disrespect for other cultures and religions when they claim to be open-minded, modern citizens of the same planet is shameful. I am ashamed.
How people can knowingly work for industries that serve to perpetuate the violence carried out on people every day, that acts also to continually destabilise communities to leave them dying slowly from hunger, thirst, preventable diseases, is beyond me. It’s not like they don’t have a choice. They’re usually the lucky few who do have a choice in this world.
We have so much in common at so many levels. From the one who is suffering to the one who is reaping all the benefits. I bet they have a hell of a lot in common in many ways. Unfortunately, just because people get on, or care about similar things, doesn’t do away with the truth that there still exist those who don’t see the bigger picture. They get some of the connections, but not all, not enough to change the way they think or act. Most of us are all decent. We want to look after the ones we care about, we all want to be happy, but the problem is how we go about doing it so that we’re all cared for and that we can all be happy.
Perhaps making things personal forces us to compromise, to take a step back and say, “OK. It doesn’t have to be this way. Have some of mine. We’ll share a little. I forgive you. Let’s agree to disagree and have a laugh about it. Let’s make sure people aren’t unnecessarily dying from malaria/unexploded cluster bombs/dirty water/depression/giving birth”.
Launching a cruise missile isn’t personal. The President tells the general, to tell his lieutenant, to tell someone else to press the button. Nobody kills anyone. People just die.
Perhaps that's a bit of an extreme example, but it's the little inconsequential, "it's not going to harm anyone now, is it?" actions, that add up and conspire to make life impossible. These problems are so removed from the personal lives from those who hold power that change just seems to slow.
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Monday, 19 May 2008
Setbacks
The interview questions are looking good. I need to go and practice them but annoyingly, I was meant to run them through today with two of the staff at the NGO, but they've been away/busy.
I need to get them looked at and then figure out who I'm interviewing with them before I actually start collecting data!! And it's taking longer than I expected!
Sunil Bhopal sounds like he's getting on just fine though... read his blog at http://maternalhealthresearch.blogspot.com/
Hmm, guess I'm just not in a fantastically creative mood at the moment. Sat in an office in a muggy atmosphere.
Yesterday was interesting however! Walked home from the city which took 2 hours because of a little first aid incident. My friend Laura and I were walking back when we saw a motorbike vs pick up truck accident. I thought it was gona be pretty bad but the motorcyclist just got straight back up and only had superficial wounds on his joints... When I say first aid, I gave him some wet wipes to apply to his wounds... the rule to never touch blood is all the more important when you know there's a lot of HIV/Hep B around!
In the meantime, while I'm remotivating myself for interviewing, I'll be keeping up with sorting out Medsin stuff (www.medsin.org), planning whether to do anything touristy, and thinking of more interesting blog entries!
Sorry readers... I'm flagging a bit right now...
I need to get them looked at and then figure out who I'm interviewing with them before I actually start collecting data!! And it's taking longer than I expected!
Sunil Bhopal sounds like he's getting on just fine though... read his blog at http://maternalhealthresearch.blogspot.com/
Hmm, guess I'm just not in a fantastically creative mood at the moment. Sat in an office in a muggy atmosphere.
Yesterday was interesting however! Walked home from the city which took 2 hours because of a little first aid incident. My friend Laura and I were walking back when we saw a motorbike vs pick up truck accident. I thought it was gona be pretty bad but the motorcyclist just got straight back up and only had superficial wounds on his joints... When I say first aid, I gave him some wet wipes to apply to his wounds... the rule to never touch blood is all the more important when you know there's a lot of HIV/Hep B around!
In the meantime, while I'm remotivating myself for interviewing, I'll be keeping up with sorting out Medsin stuff (www.medsin.org), planning whether to do anything touristy, and thinking of more interesting blog entries!
Sorry readers... I'm flagging a bit right now...
Sunday, 18 May 2008
Saturday, 17 May 2008
Different perspectives
My middle finger on my left hand is a little stingy as I sliced it when cutting into a mango (they're cheaper than apples here!).
I've been thinking a lot. Unfortunately, too much to fit into a blog, or diary. You know what I mean? Really great ideas, observations jump into your head, and you think, "Oooh, isn't that clever/astute/profound?! Must remember it, or write it down."
Then you get distracted as you avoid being run over by a minibus.
Here's one of my thought trains.
I've been thinking a lot. Unfortunately, too much to fit into a blog, or diary. You know what I mean? Really great ideas, observations jump into your head, and you think, "Oooh, isn't that clever/astute/profound?! Must remember it, or write it down."
Then you get distracted as you avoid being run over by a minibus.
Here's one of my thought trains.
When you travel as a backpacker, you see the country/world from a particular perspective which is very different from that of a Ugandan. For example, this Uganda would be rafting in Jinja, gorillas in the mountains, Murchison Falls and avoiding getting ripped off. Also, meeting other backpackers in fancy westernised hostels, discussing the relative merits of Nile Beer over Club beer.
For Ugandans, Uganda is home. It's different. They don't think of gorillas when they think of home. For me, I'm trying remain in the researcher frame of mind. I've not done anything too touristy yet. I'm reluctant to. I'm noticing other things like HIV in the headlines, the state of the health centres, the number of NGOs out here, how they're perceived etc.
This opens up lots of other 'Uganda's. There's the ex-pat Uganda who moved for who-knows-what reason. Then there's the development and humanitarian worker Uganda. What do they think/see?
I want to get into this world and explore it and really put my research into some context too. How do NGOs make decisions? How are they influenced? NGOs are big organisations, but they're made up of individuals, and I feel it's important to understand how these individuals are to add another layer to the picture.
Plus, it's fun because I've done the backpacker thing and it gets boring. Actual rafting may be exciting, but the idea of being able to go rafting doesn't excite me. Thinking and seeing a place/people from a different perspective is more exciting for me right now.
The Red Chili Hideaway is where I'm staying. There's such a hodge podge of people. I've met doctors working here because they just felt like it, young Ugandans earning money for their studies, ex pats who are now helping to run the place, 2 guys making a documentary, loads of 'overlanders' rocking up in massive trucks (merits of this form of travel? - Discuss), an anthropologist researching in a village for a year, volunteers, NGO interns....
Is this normal for guesthouses? I've never noticed anyone but the usual gap yearer back packer, lets get pissed/stoned/laid type.
Anyway, happy times. Loving it. Loving people, and I hope you're having a good time whatever you're doing after you stop staring at the computer screen.
Thursday, 15 May 2008
And today's air quality is.... crap again
In the 1990s or thereabouts, petrol in the UK went unleaded, thanks to the environmentalists! Woo, score one for the greenies! Incidentally, I was the proud owner of a green Blue Peter badge when I was wee until I lost it at a gig.
All the leaded stuff all got shifted to Kampala, and now I've discovered why it was banned in the UK.
As you breathe in the morning (pretty much all day actually) rush hour air, you pick up scents of red earth dust, unburnt petrol and probably loads of lead.
(The guy in the picture - tired after a long day? Or lack of oxygen from breathing in fumes all day?)
I certainly breathed a lot this morning as I commuted from the Chili to Tank Hill across town. This is where a lot of NGO offices are based. On my walk from Tank Hill Parade, complete with its own Italian gelateria - pronounced helataria (mispronunciation pisses me off), I passed little dented signs for Oxfam, MSF, Marie Stopes, and GOAL.
Wow... it's really amazing being here with all these people doing humanitarian work. Commendable for sure. I won't declare my reservations just yet.
All the work I've been putting into this research project led up to the moment I knocked on the massive iron gate that opened up into the GOAL compound. Storm clouds still loomed from this mornings downpours which added to all the other things that was making me feel nervous (or perhaps it was the espresso at the gelateria...).
The initial meeting with the Emergency Programme Coordinator went well. I met a few of the other staff, including the Assistant Country Director. No names I'm afraid. Not sure how they'd take it. Bad experiences of mentioning names in blogs before so I'll tread carefully.
(Oh crap, 15 minutes of battery left)
I feel really energised for this whole project now! What with the possibility of meeting Ministry of Health officials too. I sat down to work in the thatched, open walled hut in the compound, replete with replete large solid table and an ethernet cable. Free internet is a joy. I'm such a geek.
Well, best wrap this up before the battery dies and I lose the message.
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
Ki kate!
Short post.
Arrived safely and I'm loving the people! Traffic was horrendous coming into Kampala but hey ho, what do you expect?! Red Chilli Hideaway is quaint, a little plain perhaps. No mossies at least. Lots of monkeys though.
I'm with quite a few other folks from the course also doing their research in Uganda which is realy nice!
About to make contact with GOAL, get Ugandan SIM card, and assess security situation up north and figure out what I'm going to do with myself with the rest of my time here.
Things are looking up... possibilities abound!
Arrived safely and I'm loving the people! Traffic was horrendous coming into Kampala but hey ho, what do you expect?! Red Chilli Hideaway is quaint, a little plain perhaps. No mossies at least. Lots of monkeys though.
I'm with quite a few other folks from the course also doing their research in Uganda which is realy nice!
About to make contact with GOAL, get Ugandan SIM card, and assess security situation up north and figure out what I'm going to do with myself with the rest of my time here.
Things are looking up... possibilities abound!
Sunday, 11 May 2008
Blue, green, yellow...
Blue, green, yellow, green.... yellow.... house... green....
After an almost teary farewell to Claire (girlfriend) at the platform, I'm on my way down to Gatwick Airport on the train... It's just crept up on me! The sky's blue, the sun's out, the trees are green again, and the fields are jaundiced from the oil seed rape flowers. And they're rushing past all blurry very fast! I'm in the pleasant company of Sophie Unell, a fellow coursemate who's off to Buenos Aires for her research project.
A week to go has turned to a 4.5 hours to go and I've never felt this nervous before about going away! I feel like I'm about to fly into a big exam that'll last weeks. I'm sure those of you who are reading this with real exams will be disgusted that I think flying to Uganda for 8 weeks is a worse prospect than they're facing sat in some glum university back room huddled over their desks.
I don't think that. Sorry guys! I've got a better deal than you.
This trips a little different from my other overseas jaunts. I'm going armed with a few questions, a swish new Apple MacBook, a dictaphone and a big fat social research methods textbook. Not your standard bag full from a dash around Millets.
I'm going as a student researcher.
The questions may seem a bit dry to you:
After an almost teary farewell to Claire (girlfriend) at the platform, I'm on my way down to Gatwick Airport on the train... It's just crept up on me! The sky's blue, the sun's out, the trees are green again, and the fields are jaundiced from the oil seed rape flowers. And they're rushing past all blurry very fast! I'm in the pleasant company of Sophie Unell, a fellow coursemate who's off to Buenos Aires for her research project.
A week to go has turned to a 4.5 hours to go and I've never felt this nervous before about going away! I feel like I'm about to fly into a big exam that'll last weeks. I'm sure those of you who are reading this with real exams will be disgusted that I think flying to Uganda for 8 weeks is a worse prospect than they're facing sat in some glum university back room huddled over their desks.
I don't think that. Sorry guys! I've got a better deal than you.
This trips a little different from my other overseas jaunts. I'm going armed with a few questions, a swish new Apple MacBook, a dictaphone and a big fat social research methods textbook. Not your standard bag full from a dash around Millets.
I'm going as a student researcher.
The questions may seem a bit dry to you:
- How do Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), like MSF, make decisions regarding their health policies and programmes?
- Where do NGOs find the information to inform their health policies and programmes?
- How do NGOs decide which information to use?
Monday, 5 May 2008
One week to go...
I've got a week to go, before I arrive in Uganda and I've got lots of shopping to do. I hope my dictaphone arrives in time, and that I manage to get a decent quote for health insurance. Most insurers won't cover you if you're going to somewhere where the FCO advises against.
This isn't going to be another one of my get up and fly jaunts around a foreign land. This time, I'm going with a research project. I'm aiming to find out a little more about how NGOs make decisions regarding their health policies and programmes, and what sorts of information they use. How do they prioritise the information they get?
I still need to get round to finishing my interview schedule. Not entirely sure what this should be like, but I should get cracking on anyhow!
This isn't going to be another one of my get up and fly jaunts around a foreign land. This time, I'm going with a research project. I'm aiming to find out a little more about how NGOs make decisions regarding their health policies and programmes, and what sorts of information they use. How do they prioritise the information they get?
I still need to get round to finishing my interview schedule. Not entirely sure what this should be like, but I should get cracking on anyhow!
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