Slow Monday

A lot of firsts today:

- First mango

- First rain during the day

It is promising! Last week there were no mangos in the market, on Saturday there were 2 women selling a few mangos, today 10 women selling many. I can see where this is going! :) The kids are going crazy all over Yambio, throwing stones and sticks up into the huge trees to try and knock down a mango.

Today is the first time it has rained during the day since I came here. Once in Ezo there was half hour of rain in the evening and once in Yambio too. That is all. And we need the rain! The water man bringing water for us has problem getting enough since the boreholes are not producing enough to cover the demand. Last evening the water got finished. It is too hot here now. Yesterday was almost unbearable. So please, rainy season, come! But first, give us a chance to transport the heavy things (like grinding mills and oil expellers) we need for Ezo…

And yes, I am a bit bored. Don’t have much work to do at all, just preparing for next Ezo mission and trying to make sketches of the latrines we will build. It is going to be interesting! Hopefully they will understand the design – and hopefully we can start constructing our latrines in a community based approach before IOM comes to the camp and start their construction (which is not community based, and more money based, meaning they will pay the refugees money for them to dig a latrine for themselves). In my opinion it is wrong. If a person wants a latrine for his family he should dig it himself without being paid – and we can help with the materials needed.

By the way: yesterday was the first day in my Yambio history that I did not work at all. I am very happy! Let’s hope I can keep the tradition going. Sunday = no work. This was my view as I was having my Sunday breakfast. Not bad huh?

Mine and Domenica’s desks. We spend too much time here.

Domenica, Esther and Victor heading to Makpandu this morning for Women’s Day. All our staff is going to Makpandu for celebrations. I am staying here doing latrine sketches. Am currently having a bit of motivation problems when it comes to Makpandu – ever since the refugee leaders said that Intersos senior staff does not listen to them because we are white. But, motivation will come back, slowly slowly.