Around Yambio

After spending the past couple of month in the office preparing narrative reports, financial reports and audit visits I thought it was time for a field visit!

Terribly hot and sunny, but so nice to be out with the staff again! :)

Dan före dan före dan

Idag gick jag till markanden i Yambio och julhandlade lite. Eller ja, julhandel och julhandel - jag kopte precis samma saker som vanligt, enda skillnaden ar att det snart ar jul och darfor dyrare... Hittade morotter vilket var kul! Annars same same (tomater, potatis, lok, bananer, papaya, vitkal)

Sen fick man allt vila sig lite pa soffan efter lunch (som bestod av stekt vitkal med kokt potatis, varsta lyxen...)

Jag forsoker mig pa att koka knack (utan gradde, sirap), anvander istallet kondenserad mjolk som jag nu haller pa att koka till kolakonsistent. Vi far se om det kan liknas knack om man blandar med mandel... Sa har kul har man i koket i Yambio om man satter op julmusik sa staderskorna hor det! Jenty och Joyce dansar for fullt.

Vi försöker få till julstämning....

Det är inte lätt....

Fran ett tokvarmt och dammigt Yambio

Jag antar att det ar dags for lite bilder fran Yambio....! Sa har i slutet av aret haller vi nu pa att avsluta vart storsta vattenprojekt - det ar manga skyltar som ska sattas upp. Just nu star alla runt vart kontor och vantar pa att nagon ska aka runt med dom till olika handpumpar.

Stora rondellen i Yambio!


Guvernorens kontor, for Western Equatoria State - med en stor plastananas utanfor. Ananas ar "symbolen" for Western Equatoria.

Huvudgatan genom Yambio, precis utanfor Yambio Hospital dar MSF jobbar.

Jenty med den ena tvillingen, Moses

Tabata med den andra tvillingen, Maria!

Bild fran idag nar jag, Tabata och Eric (var administrator fran Burundi) var pa vag tillbaks till kontoret efter en lunch hos de bangladeshiska fredsbevarande styrkorna.

Viva Independence!

Eric och Tabata utanfor United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) i Yambio

Hand over of school latrines - and new refugees in Ezo

Last week I was in Ezo to hand over school latrines to 4 schools in the town. The latrines looked good - and so did the children in their new Intersos t-shirts! We have been visiting the schools for 6 months, teaching about hygiene, water and sanitation. We also formed School Hygiene Clubs that will help to ensure that the schools are looking after their latrines and maintaining good hygiene.

I don't exactly blend in... :)
A small article about the hand over can be found on Intersos webpage, www.intersos.org/en/news/future-hope-south-sudan The English is not very good, but at least the main points are clear

Little girl from a nomad clan that have sought refuge in the refugee settlement in Ezo. Very sweet and not at all scared of the "white woman" (most children here run the opposite direction screaming). We are now supporting these nomads in the settlement until they can continue their journey to Central African Republic. The families were chased from DR Congo to Ezo by the army and local population, and several of their relatives were killed or injured.

Back in Yambio

Father and son: the victims of an LRA attack in a small village some 15 km from Yambio. The attack left some 100 households displaced in Yambio, which already has a large IDP population. Togther with UN and NGOs we went to assess the needs of the population, as well as to verify their numbers.

The "home" of a displaced family. When families run from an attack they usually have nothing with them, only the clothes on their back. This family has managed to at least borrow a jerry can for water, some cooking pots and a bed. The tukul they are staying in was given to them by a kind neighbour in Yambio.

Visting water sources in the area where the IDPs settled. Many people (especially from rural areas) prefer drinking water from shallow wells like this one, rather than from a hand pump. The shallow well water tastes "sweeter" than the hand pump water, which also sometimes becomes red in colour from the rust in the pipes.

During the assessment I was talking to some of the women displaced, among them the woman who lost her husband and son. Now she is alone with 2 other small children to look after - and no belongings, food etc. Thankfully she has some relatives (also displaced, but from 2010) who takes care of them best they can, sharing what little food they have.

On motorcycles to do hygiene promotion in the IDP camps together with our local partner organisation, YWCA. They move house to house and inform about hygiene and also lend tools to construct latrines.

IDP woman in her kitchen - under a tree! She is shelling ground nuts, which is a very important part of the diet here. G-nut paste is put in everything: meat, greens, beans.

Justin from YWCA is explaining how to look after a latrine. People are very interested in learning about hygiene - and especially to see the pictures and discuss.

Winter holiday: Sweden, Norway, Switzerland