i-ACT21 Day 8: Mariam, Idriss, Zakariya
We Want to Go Back Soon, We Need Food Now
By Gabriel Stauring
Mariam is now 23 and the mother of three beautiful children. She is raising them alone because her husband left her. Well, she’s not exactly alone. She still has her sisters and mother. They all gather at the matriarch’s home, which has a big tree that offers cooling shade, even on days that feel hotter than 110 degrees.
I asked her about food, and she laughs. The last food distribution was 30 days ago, and that food only lasted 10 days. For the rest of the month, she goes out to farms belonging to the locals, but there is rarely any work available. When there is, she says, work begins at sunrise and ends at sunset. The pay: less than one US dollar for the entire day.
She asks us to help with allowing them to go back home to Darfur. They want peace, development, and education—and they will welcome us on visits there. For now, what they need is food, and she asks if we can help.
Peace, Gabriel
Kick-Off
By Tobias Kusian
It is difficult to put into words what we experienced today. Especially when you have to find the words in a different language. I saw a lot of photos before I came here. But these were just extracts from the life here. Being surrounded by a combination of these extracts – each different – feels likes another world to me. It feels even stranger when I remember that this is still the same world which we are all living in and which we divide so unequally among us.
When we were doing a walk with Oumda – who I finally met after hearing so much about him – I just let myself drift and float through the camp. I asked Oumda a lot of questions about the camp and how it once was. Keeping in mind that it used to be a large accumulation of strictly ordered tents. Oumda told me that after two years the people began to replace the tents by huts. It’s absolutely
Today was a good start for our Little Ripple Ponds. Idriss, who is living in the “new
I am looking forward to spending the next days in Goz Amir and finding out more about life in the camp, both the good and bad.
Thanks for reading, Tobi
Talking Surveys and Fundamentals of Interviewing
By Sara-Christine Dallain
Today was day one of training with the assessment team. Most have already assisted us in previous assessments of Little Ripples, so it was wonderful to see familiar faces. I’m heartened by their ongoing commitment.
We began training with a silly icebreaker to get everybody up on their feet and laughing a bit. I’m happy to report It worked, but I’m almost embarrassed to say that it might have been one of the highlights of my day. It never ceases to amaze me how infectious and uplifting play and laughter can be at any age! We went on to sit in a circle and have a general discussion about the objectives of the assessment and a general overview of the assessment process and survey. Most importantly, we received their feedback and suggestions for improvements on the survey questions based on their previous experience.
I loved all of it. Sitting in a circle. Collaborating. Talking surveys and the fundamentals of interviewing, listening, learning, and finding solutions with the refugees. We all bring our own set of experiences, knowledge and skills. All we ever need is an opportunity to come together.
So now that we’re together, we will accomplish as much as we can over the next few days.
Stay tuned, Sara-Christine
Traveling to Eastern Chad, and Seeing Little Ripples and Camp Goz Amer for the First Time: Photos from Yesterday and Today
By Felicia Lee [new_royalslider id=”79″]
TAKE ACTION: RESTORE 2100
SIGN
The petition to President Obama and UN Ambassador Samantha Power.
LEARN
More information about food insecurity can be found on our virtual Refugee Rations report.
GIVE
To support our Little Ripples’ efforts to improve children’s nutrition and health.
#sarachristine #GabrielStauring #GozAmir #GozAmer #LRPonds #Janjaweed #LRAssessment #assessment #Miriam #TobiaKusian #iACT21