The children in Kubwa
Door: Thessa
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Thessa
16 Oktober 2006 | Nigeria, Abuja
I just broke the world record slow walking because of the heat, took an okada ride in the scorching sun and have waited 30mins before i could sit behind a computer. Yes people, that's how badly i want to share my stories with you
This message is sent to you from Kubwa, my 'home town' for the next 2 yrs. I hope I can upload the photos to give you a bit of an idea of my new housie. It's not big, but really nice and at the outskirts of this chaotic and lively satelite town of capital Abuja.
Should you be able to see the photo: i live at the right side of the house, and share the kitchen with (english) Amy. Opposite us live the twin boys Joseph and Jeremy. they look cute and are cute -except for during the night when they cry... Jo is following me around all the time, Jerry is still afraid of me
These are happy children, unlike a few who I heard about at the school for disabled children. This school run by the DoC is fantastic; they even have art therapy rooms, and the children are well taken care off. not everybody does that here. Children with eg. down syndrome are sometimes still considered 'evil' and their 'treatment' is sometimes like it used to be in Europe some ages ago. Not all survive.
Heart-breaking was also my visit to the clinic. It's a beautiful clinic, and the sisters are doing an absolutely fantastic job. But also they cannot help everyone.
On my way here, I was thinking about writing about the funny little things that happen here. About the electricity that still hasn't been working, the fire that made us run out of the house (it sounds horrible but it was a harmless and funny situation in the end), the children who carry my bags whenever they see me walking past, the goodafternoons shouted at you from all those friendly people, the dynamic market and the okada fumes in which you almost suffucate... about this colourful live I'm leading here and the people at DoC who are doing such a fantastic job.
But at this moment I cannot forget about the boy who was drowned because some people thought he was posessed. Or about the girl who mentioned, quite matter of factly, that her sister died the other day. There's still so much to be done here, for the beautiful people here. I just hope i can make a contribution.
Tomorrow I start working. Looking forward to it!
Take care,
xThes
This message is sent to you from Kubwa, my 'home town' for the next 2 yrs. I hope I can upload the photos to give you a bit of an idea of my new housie. It's not big, but really nice and at the outskirts of this chaotic and lively satelite town of capital Abuja.
Should you be able to see the photo: i live at the right side of the house, and share the kitchen with (english) Amy. Opposite us live the twin boys Joseph and Jeremy. they look cute and are cute -except for during the night when they cry... Jo is following me around all the time, Jerry is still afraid of me
These are happy children, unlike a few who I heard about at the school for disabled children. This school run by the DoC is fantastic; they even have art therapy rooms, and the children are well taken care off. not everybody does that here. Children with eg. down syndrome are sometimes still considered 'evil' and their 'treatment' is sometimes like it used to be in Europe some ages ago. Not all survive.
Heart-breaking was also my visit to the clinic. It's a beautiful clinic, and the sisters are doing an absolutely fantastic job. But also they cannot help everyone.
On my way here, I was thinking about writing about the funny little things that happen here. About the electricity that still hasn't been working, the fire that made us run out of the house (it sounds horrible but it was a harmless and funny situation in the end), the children who carry my bags whenever they see me walking past, the goodafternoons shouted at you from all those friendly people, the dynamic market and the okada fumes in which you almost suffucate... about this colourful live I'm leading here and the people at DoC who are doing such a fantastic job.
But at this moment I cannot forget about the boy who was drowned because some people thought he was posessed. Or about the girl who mentioned, quite matter of factly, that her sister died the other day. There's still so much to be done here, for the beautiful people here. I just hope i can make a contribution.
Tomorrow I start working. Looking forward to it!
Take care,
xThes
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Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
