http://emory.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2012907&l=03b56&id=48101028
Here are some more photos!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
TIA
Lets talk about this week shall we? Lacey and I had the crazy idea that maybe we were going to get some work done. We had arranged for travel with two other agencies, as well as the district, had contacted the health facilities. We were ready. Only I forgot, this is africa (TIA). Nothing is how you expect it to be.
Monday, we had nothing arranged so Michael, my research assistant, and I sat around the office doing transcription, while I simulatneously brushed up on my Spider Solitiare skills. What with the field research, Ive been getting rusty. Monday was without question the most useful day this week.
Tuesday, I went with American Refugee Committee to Atiak, a camp that is about 10 kilometers or so from the Sudanese border. Except that when we were about six kilometers away from the camp we ran into a large mud puddle. But this isnt a normal mud puddle, this is a completely impassable washed out stretch of road, mud puddle. When we first arrived there were three or four transport trucks lined up on our side and one truck (overpacked of course because they all are) stuck in the middle of the road listing at about a 45 degree angle. Our driver got out and went to check the situation. Im not sure what exactly that included but apparently it was enough to give him overconfidence in himself and the truck, because we ended up door deep in mud. Luckily, we got out before he decided to drive head long into an impassable mud puddle and we ended up on the side of the road for four hours. But dont worry, we werent alone. There were already about a hundred people there and some had been stuck for days. By the time we were pulled out by another vehicle from ARC, there were at least two hundred people, someone had set up a makeshirt restaurant, several other vehicles were stuck in various parts of the road, and least thirty vehicles were waiting to pass. I just heard that the current count of vehicles blocked at that same spot is one hundred.
Oh yes and of course there was a cowboy there. A real cowboy. This guy shows up, dressed up in the plaid shirt, too tight jeans, huge white cowboy hat, belt buckle, and alligator boots and walks around inspecting the situation. Hes Ugandan, so he gets into some conversations with people about whats going on and which parts are passable. Of course there arent any passable parts, which is why there are two hundred people on the road, and he is told as much, but hes a cowboy and cowboys make their own way apparently. Unhappy with people telling him that the laws of nature simply will not allow him to get by, he returned to his Toyota four runner and decided to make his own way up a muddy hill and around the mud puddle by driving on the flat part where everyone who is stuck is standing. But he got stuck on the hill and had to be pushed back. So then he decided to try the other side of the road with the exact same plan only it was even less successful. Hes not foiled though. Instead he came up with a brilliant new plan. To do exactly what he did the first time. And since there were mud tracks, he got stuck even deeper and had to have men push the vehicle on two sides to make sure that it didnt fall over. Dont worry, dont worry. Hes not done yet. He decided that the best thing to do at this point would be to drive right through the center of the road, between the overpacked truck that is in danger of falling over at any moment and our vehicle that is stuck on the side. Technically there is room to do this but again laws of nature being what they are, its unlikely that this will end well and very likely that his vehicle will tip directly onto our truck. The cowboy then backs up, guns his motor, and goes whole hog for the opening until three guys literally throw themselves in the way to make sure that he doesnt screw up an already totally screwed situation. Now Im not sure that I have fully described the character of this gentleman, but in case you had any doubts or questions, let me put them to rest. At this point, the vehicle is quite close (given that it is now stuck almost halfway between our truck and the other one) and we can see that the side of his truck is a homage to a partnership with none other than the great state of Texas. Texas-Uganda Construction with a big old logo of a bull in the state colors of Uganda. Oh it was priceless. I think that I laughed for about ten minutes.
Refusing to admit defeat, ARC and my research team decided to go back up to Atiak on Wednesday, only this time we went on a different dirt road, one that is less traveled. This actually turned out to be a good idea. Although we managed to get stuck not once, not twice, but thrice we also managed to winch our way across various stretches of road with our front winch and the help of several trees (many which gave their lives for the sake of our journey). We also stumbled into the Ugandan Peoples Defense Force training grounds and got to see some training exercises real up close and personal. At one point, we came across a truck that was stranded in a mud hole and couldnt get out. After we too got stranded, they helped us get across, with the expectation that we would then help them. But instead our driver said we couldnt because their truck was much bigger than ours and we took off. Quite rude you think Well i thought so too until I looked over and our driver was laughing to himself. And I said, "Kennedy, why didnt we help them. That was pretty mean". And he said, we didnt help them, but we helped the people of Uganda. Turns out that the man that we left stranded is the Minister of Works for the district and is responsible for fixing the roads. If you knew the condition of the roads here, you would understand that leaving the guy stuck in the mud in the middle of nowhere is more than just. Anyway we ended up getting to Atiak and had a couple of focus group discussions (two). At this point in the week, we should have had four. Knowing that there was a very real chance we would be spending the night in the camp if the road was impassable, we had to leave two hours early. Luckily it was much better on the way back and we only got stopped once, to deal with attempted extortion from the military. They were helping other stranded vehicles and tried to tell us that we were going to get stuck if we continued, unless they helped us and we of course would pay. So our driver kind of looked at them, considered, nodded, then put the car in gear and drove around the puddle and back onto the road. Awesome.
So Thursday...
Thursday was ok. We showed up at the Norweigan Refugee Council at nine, the agreed upon time, and left around ten thirty since our driver apparently had to go buy a mattress. Leaving at ten thirty when you are supposed to leave at nine is actually pretty good. When we finally got to the camp where we were hoping to conduct research, turns out that the camp management did not know that we were coming and had not mobilized any people for us. Not the end of the world but mildly inconvenient. Since this is planting season, most of the women between the ages of 15 and 24 are out planting the fields. And because this year is the first year that they really have the opportunity to return to some semblance of normal life, there is just no way that I can insist on taking people from legitimate work. We ended up having only one focus group with a mixed bag of ages. Which of course leaves the information open to all kinds of bias. Oh bias has fully infilitrated now. The participants said that they would try to find some younger women and maybe we could have another group, but after they left, no one showed up. We waited for about half an hour (during this time I watched a goat being born. Dont worry i took pictures. It was sort of as though the mama goat just pooped out a little baby goat) Anyhoo, no one showed so we left and told camp management that we would be abck the next day and could they please mobilize the men for us.
Friday...
I arrived at the NRC office at 9 per our arrangement, except that apparently the program officer we were working with didnt understand that we needed to go into the field two days in a row. So we didnt have any transport. In fact the vehicle that was going the same direction that we were and that had room for us, had just left about ten minutes before I arrived because they didnt know that we were coming too. Neat. So I spent all of Friday sitting in the office and much of that time was spent composing this ode to why research sucks.
But then Lacey and I walked around Gulu town, did a bit of shopping, came home and hung out with our guesthouse-mates and proceeded to drink beers and play poker. It was necessary darn it. Since then, I ahve just been relaxing and wiling away the hours. Next week we are going to try to finish research so that we can presentour findings to the district health officials on Monday the 30th (I have no idea how we are going to do that since we will be collecting data up until the day of the presentation). On that note, I need to get some work done. Neato gang. Neato
Monday, we had nothing arranged so Michael, my research assistant, and I sat around the office doing transcription, while I simulatneously brushed up on my Spider Solitiare skills. What with the field research, Ive been getting rusty. Monday was without question the most useful day this week.
Tuesday, I went with American Refugee Committee to Atiak, a camp that is about 10 kilometers or so from the Sudanese border. Except that when we were about six kilometers away from the camp we ran into a large mud puddle. But this isnt a normal mud puddle, this is a completely impassable washed out stretch of road, mud puddle. When we first arrived there were three or four transport trucks lined up on our side and one truck (overpacked of course because they all are) stuck in the middle of the road listing at about a 45 degree angle. Our driver got out and went to check the situation. Im not sure what exactly that included but apparently it was enough to give him overconfidence in himself and the truck, because we ended up door deep in mud. Luckily, we got out before he decided to drive head long into an impassable mud puddle and we ended up on the side of the road for four hours. But dont worry, we werent alone. There were already about a hundred people there and some had been stuck for days. By the time we were pulled out by another vehicle from ARC, there were at least two hundred people, someone had set up a makeshirt restaurant, several other vehicles were stuck in various parts of the road, and least thirty vehicles were waiting to pass. I just heard that the current count of vehicles blocked at that same spot is one hundred.
Oh yes and of course there was a cowboy there. A real cowboy. This guy shows up, dressed up in the plaid shirt, too tight jeans, huge white cowboy hat, belt buckle, and alligator boots and walks around inspecting the situation. Hes Ugandan, so he gets into some conversations with people about whats going on and which parts are passable. Of course there arent any passable parts, which is why there are two hundred people on the road, and he is told as much, but hes a cowboy and cowboys make their own way apparently. Unhappy with people telling him that the laws of nature simply will not allow him to get by, he returned to his Toyota four runner and decided to make his own way up a muddy hill and around the mud puddle by driving on the flat part where everyone who is stuck is standing. But he got stuck on the hill and had to be pushed back. So then he decided to try the other side of the road with the exact same plan only it was even less successful. Hes not foiled though. Instead he came up with a brilliant new plan. To do exactly what he did the first time. And since there were mud tracks, he got stuck even deeper and had to have men push the vehicle on two sides to make sure that it didnt fall over. Dont worry, dont worry. Hes not done yet. He decided that the best thing to do at this point would be to drive right through the center of the road, between the overpacked truck that is in danger of falling over at any moment and our vehicle that is stuck on the side. Technically there is room to do this but again laws of nature being what they are, its unlikely that this will end well and very likely that his vehicle will tip directly onto our truck. The cowboy then backs up, guns his motor, and goes whole hog for the opening until three guys literally throw themselves in the way to make sure that he doesnt screw up an already totally screwed situation. Now Im not sure that I have fully described the character of this gentleman, but in case you had any doubts or questions, let me put them to rest. At this point, the vehicle is quite close (given that it is now stuck almost halfway between our truck and the other one) and we can see that the side of his truck is a homage to a partnership with none other than the great state of Texas. Texas-Uganda Construction with a big old logo of a bull in the state colors of Uganda. Oh it was priceless. I think that I laughed for about ten minutes.
Refusing to admit defeat, ARC and my research team decided to go back up to Atiak on Wednesday, only this time we went on a different dirt road, one that is less traveled. This actually turned out to be a good idea. Although we managed to get stuck not once, not twice, but thrice we also managed to winch our way across various stretches of road with our front winch and the help of several trees (many which gave their lives for the sake of our journey). We also stumbled into the Ugandan Peoples Defense Force training grounds and got to see some training exercises real up close and personal. At one point, we came across a truck that was stranded in a mud hole and couldnt get out. After we too got stranded, they helped us get across, with the expectation that we would then help them. But instead our driver said we couldnt because their truck was much bigger than ours and we took off. Quite rude you think Well i thought so too until I looked over and our driver was laughing to himself. And I said, "Kennedy, why didnt we help them. That was pretty mean". And he said, we didnt help them, but we helped the people of Uganda. Turns out that the man that we left stranded is the Minister of Works for the district and is responsible for fixing the roads. If you knew the condition of the roads here, you would understand that leaving the guy stuck in the mud in the middle of nowhere is more than just. Anyway we ended up getting to Atiak and had a couple of focus group discussions (two). At this point in the week, we should have had four. Knowing that there was a very real chance we would be spending the night in the camp if the road was impassable, we had to leave two hours early. Luckily it was much better on the way back and we only got stopped once, to deal with attempted extortion from the military. They were helping other stranded vehicles and tried to tell us that we were going to get stuck if we continued, unless they helped us and we of course would pay. So our driver kind of looked at them, considered, nodded, then put the car in gear and drove around the puddle and back onto the road. Awesome.
So Thursday...
Thursday was ok. We showed up at the Norweigan Refugee Council at nine, the agreed upon time, and left around ten thirty since our driver apparently had to go buy a mattress. Leaving at ten thirty when you are supposed to leave at nine is actually pretty good. When we finally got to the camp where we were hoping to conduct research, turns out that the camp management did not know that we were coming and had not mobilized any people for us. Not the end of the world but mildly inconvenient. Since this is planting season, most of the women between the ages of 15 and 24 are out planting the fields. And because this year is the first year that they really have the opportunity to return to some semblance of normal life, there is just no way that I can insist on taking people from legitimate work. We ended up having only one focus group with a mixed bag of ages. Which of course leaves the information open to all kinds of bias. Oh bias has fully infilitrated now. The participants said that they would try to find some younger women and maybe we could have another group, but after they left, no one showed up. We waited for about half an hour (during this time I watched a goat being born. Dont worry i took pictures. It was sort of as though the mama goat just pooped out a little baby goat) Anyhoo, no one showed so we left and told camp management that we would be abck the next day and could they please mobilize the men for us.
Friday...
I arrived at the NRC office at 9 per our arrangement, except that apparently the program officer we were working with didnt understand that we needed to go into the field two days in a row. So we didnt have any transport. In fact the vehicle that was going the same direction that we were and that had room for us, had just left about ten minutes before I arrived because they didnt know that we were coming too. Neat. So I spent all of Friday sitting in the office and much of that time was spent composing this ode to why research sucks.
But then Lacey and I walked around Gulu town, did a bit of shopping, came home and hung out with our guesthouse-mates and proceeded to drink beers and play poker. It was necessary darn it. Since then, I ahve just been relaxing and wiling away the hours. Next week we are going to try to finish research so that we can presentour findings to the district health officials on Monday the 30th (I have no idea how we are going to do that since we will be collecting data up until the day of the presentation). On that note, I need to get some work done. Neato gang. Neato
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Sorry its been so long
We started research two weeks ago, and actual work combined with power outages, means that I havent really had too much time to write.
So as I said, we started research the first week of July and have been been pretty constant in that. Im not sure that all of you know what I am researching so maybe I will explain it a little...
First background...
I am a firm believer that there are just too many people in the world and that overpopulation is a contributor to excessive poverty, mortality, and resource exploitation. But since I also dont believe in genocide or war, the solution to overpopulation, is controlled growth or even controlled shrinking of populations. Thus my neverending love for family planning and contraception.
What my research is on...
So this summer, I am working the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Like most UN organizations, its acronym doesnt actually match its official title. Its the UN. Why would it make sense? They are interested in the quality of health services that are being offered and I am interested in family planning. So combining these two things, I am researching the quality of family planning services that are being offered at IDP camps. This has also been expanded to return settlements, communities to where people are returning as peace talks continue. I am going to health facilities, intervieing health workers, and evaluating the facilities on measures of quality. I am also talking to communities and assessing their opinions of the family planning programs.
So as I said, we started research the first week of July and have been been pretty constant in that. Im not sure that all of you know what I am researching so maybe I will explain it a little...
First background...
I am a firm believer that there are just too many people in the world and that overpopulation is a contributor to excessive poverty, mortality, and resource exploitation. But since I also dont believe in genocide or war, the solution to overpopulation, is controlled growth or even controlled shrinking of populations. Thus my neverending love for family planning and contraception.
What my research is on...
So this summer, I am working the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Like most UN organizations, its acronym doesnt actually match its official title. Its the UN. Why would it make sense? They are interested in the quality of health services that are being offered and I am interested in family planning. So combining these two things, I am researching the quality of family planning services that are being offered at IDP camps. This has also been expanded to return settlements, communities to where people are returning as peace talks continue. I am going to health facilities, intervieing health workers, and evaluating the facilities on measures of quality. I am also talking to communities and assessing their opinions of the family planning programs.
What I actually do...
NOTHING. I have two research assistants who do all the community interviews because most people dont speak English. Or if they do, it is still better if they answer in Luo, the local language because they are better able to express themselves. And Lacey does most of the health facility assessment because she spends more time at the health facility for her research on ante-natal care than I do. So I go to the communities, talk to the camp leaders, and then have Joy and Michael lead the discussions. OK during this time I do actually do some work. I usually find the health workers and interview them because they are able to speak English quite well. But we are in communities for two days, one day with females and one day with males, and interviewing health workers only takes one day. So, doing the math then, I am not doing anything most of the time. Which means that I am playing with kids most of the time. Kids LOVE white people here. At first it was kind of annoying, and sometimes it still is, but most of the time, it is fun to play with them. Sure I dont know what they are saying and they only know a little of what I am saying, but making funny faces and running around is pretty universal. And even though they only really want to play with me because I am white and not because we have any real basis for a friendship, I still really enjoy playing with them. Its fun to be able to amuse other people so easily. Lacey and Enrique are less enthusiastic about acting the fool and creating a somewhat tarnished image of white people but I think its fun to play with kids, so I dont mind. Why take yourself seriously?
So what has my research shown...
Nothing new really but it is still interesting. Im not sure what I can really say about it right now because we have a bunch of ridiculous rules about what we can and cannot say as interns at the UN. But I think that I can say, overall, people are receiveing poor quality service and thus, arent using the services at all. Which then contributes to high fertility, high maternal mortality, high poverty...and what and what...
So that is my research in a nutshell. Most days it is frustrating and tiresome. People dont really like to participate unless they are getting something for it, but since I cant afford to give them anything other than soda, I dont. Which means that sometimes, they are not forthcoming or useful. We had one group a few days ago where women just stopped talking after twenty minutes. And when we came back the next day, people told us that they had complained the day before because they thought that it was useless and a waste of time. So days like that, I usually come home and stare off my patio for a couple of hours and regroup. But other days, the research goes really well. One of our first groups, the women were really talkative. The older ladies were great in fact. One of them adopted me and said that she was going to build me a house in the community, find me a husband, and that I was going to stay there. And all the other ladies agreed to this plan, which was quite affirming. And I got to play with kids, which as I said before, is great. On days like that, I usually come home and stare off my patio, and think about how great life is. All together better.
So that is what I have been up to. Also, I have been to two ordinations for catholic fathers in the past week which are experiences unto themselves. Maybe I will write more on this later but I think that this is long enough as it is.
Finally, I have added more photos to that same link that I posted before should people be interested.
Love you all
Linnea (aka Lenny because people cant say my name right and i actually kind of like this bastardized version and Anyadwe which means daughter of the moon)
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