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Jessica Birzin

Iggy Comes to N’Djamena

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Iggy and Gabriel / Photo: i-ACT

Iggy and Gabriel / Photo: i-ACT


It was not all bad to have to spend extra time in N’Djamena. By luck, our good friend and 2012 Darfur United player, Iggy, has been here studying English. I asked if he would come meet us at our hotel. I did not cross my mind how he would get here. He walked fifty minutes from the neighborhood he lives in. I felt so bad.

Iggy wants so much to learn and better himself. He believes that English is something that will give him better opportunities. It is amazing how much better his English is from the time we went to Iraq with the team. He actually did not speak any English to us, besides a few single words here and there! Now he can have complete, bright conversations.

He’s also working at a small clinic, helping as something of a nurse. It gives him just enough to live and pay for his school. He misses his family in camp Oure Cassoni, so he calls whenever he cans, and he talks with them whenever the cell network is working out there.

Iggy arrived dressed sharp, with his Darfur United jersey looking almost as new as when we gave it to him two years ago (we gave him a new DU 2014 t-shirt). He walks with confidence and that special swag that is so…Iggy! He spent some time being interviewed by the VICE crew that’s here. Iggy is coming again tomorrow, so we can have a longer conversation, and just hang. This time, he’s taking a taxi.

More to come tomorrow!

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