Africa Vision 28

Africa Vision 28

N’Djamena, December 28, 2007

The year’s reflection -2-

Trust your instincts. Follow the heart. While coming here I turned down two jobs in Sudan. Why? Because I felt in Chad I could combine the different facets of work I like. Teaching, writing, project management, work in a hospital. But that was not the only reason. It gave me an opportunity to work with a friend. And there would be the working on small scale with local staff on local issues with local solutions. An approach that in other settings sometimes does not get enough attention. But most important because it felt the right thing to do.

In my mind if I could describe the ideal working year. It would consist of 8 months of work in the projects in Africa. Twice in a year a period of a month an awareness and fundraising tour through the USA and then 2 months of recharging time. No major organization will give a working schedule like that so I need to create my own source of income to assure this rhythm.

Then there is the dualism between public and clinical health. Between both, both are best. Yet if forced to choose today I would choose for the first. Luckily here in Chad working in a hospital and teaching public health is covering both ends. The ngo work is supposed to be on the end of public health as well.

Chad again? Yes Chad again. I think after bumping around the world for a bit is would be nice to get to know one place a little bit better. It is a country that often raises eyebrows. Chad where is that? What is going on there? It is also a country with immense needs and a government (or dictatorship) not working on making the country a better place. Many people I have talked with have told me neighboring countries have progressed by abandoning war. Here in Chad the only prize the people can take is a big prize in fighting wars. For whatever economist may say about the benefits of war I believe it to be a whole lot of Malarkey.

The ruling clan in power is engrained into the power structure and cannot abandon it for dear life. It sounds all too familiar. It sounds like neighboring Sudan. Nepotism is so common t is not funny. People in powerful positions who cannot read or write. Land being sold to foreign investors. Oil money being plundered. War economy being fueled. A cynic would say the weapons you fin here on the battlefield are from the 5 permanent members of the Security Council: Russia, China, USA, France and the UK. No wonder the despotic ruler can continue to indulge and disinvest in his own country. Make former camel herders into owners of fancy villas in Cameroon, Chad and Switzerland.

Yet there is always hope. Hope that there will be a peaceful transition. It is not that there is no capacity in Chad. The people are just tired and are choosing a non-violent path. For the people read those not coming from the East of the country.

What went well this year is the development of creative skills and also the increased time to develop a spiritual path (in other words meditation) also on the mental plane balance is much more evident. Let me make 2008 the year of the overall wellbeing. Add some sports to the equation. And never forget to laugh. The laugh I hear from Faizal so much. The bigger the problem the harder the laugh



Ashis