Diary from the Desert

As usual, a not-so-subtle hint from my maternal unit reminds me that my blog has been neglected. There is, however, justification for this oversight. Many of you will know that I am in Chad for the month of October, yet again leaving Laura to fend for herself. You may not, know, however, that I am in a remote area of this remote country, near the border of the Darfur region of Sudan. Internet access is, therefore, very sporadic and comes at a premium. Better late than never, though, so here's the scoop.

First, a brief explanation of the situation here, quoting a recent email I sent out,
"So, about Darfur and the refugees...the short version.

Darfur is the western part of Sudan, and tribal warfare there
(encouraged by the government), meant that a lot of people fled across
the border to Chad. Then, the Sudanese bandit groups started attacking
across the border, so the refugees and some Chadians fled further
away, to the town of Goz Beida (and others). We are working there, 100
km from the Sudan border, with refugees (Sudanese), internally
displaced persons (IDPs), which are refugees in their own country
(Chadians), and also with the local people, because a town of 5,000
now has up to 100,000 people moving in. This means the limited grass
for goats, sheep and donkeys runs out quick, there is not enough room
for fields for everyone, and water runs out fast. This has been
ongoing for four years. So, we are doing things to help people survive
now, and prepare them to move back if they get the chance. Some things
include giving people jobs planting trees and changing the terrain to
reduce soil erosion, giving people loans to start businesses (like
leasing them a donkey cart or a small machine), and helping farmers
with better crop techniques for limited space."

I'm currently helping the team here to analyze existing projects, and plan for their next project cycle. It has, so far, been a rewarding experience, as the team are quite professional and excited about their work and the displaced and refugees are committed to the work being done. I am adjusting to the warmer climate (30 Centigrade at 6 AM?) and survived my bout with the local wildlife (Down, Giardia, down! Good parasite.)

Of course, Laura is planning our move, and still house hunting with out me. I will return on the 25th, and have 5 days before we're outta there - if my visa application is approved. 

P.S. - check out my FB photo album to see images of eastern Chad.