Why development works always look the same?
November 7th, 2010 by AnAidWorker
Few days ago, a foreigner with a nonchalant voice asked me why does the name of Bangladesh still synonymous with poverty? A question like this often creates a burning sensation under my skin. Over the years, our failure to ensure basic needs of the citizens has given him the right to impose this question. I could not deny that a large portion of taxpayers’ money from his country supports public good...
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Never Ending Disaster: Tonko Rebellion and Cry of the Hajongs
March 3rd, 2010 by AnAidWorker
“I have been moving all my life. I don’t have a place that I can call home anymore” Komodini Hajong lamented while trying to brace herself on a jackfruit tree at the edge of her yard on a small hill. Eyes quenched, pointing with her aged and shaky hands at the ground below where people were plaguing their field for next crop, she cried out, “Nothing had changed for my people. After all this...
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Our Sins Without Redemption
August 29th, 2009 by AnAidWorker
I don’t know how it happened. For years, people in the NGO world only talk about economic growth, development and progress. It did not matter how we achieved it or what price we had to pay for this so-called development. Donors poured in hundreds of millions of dollars as long as it showed economic growth and upward movement in the poverty index. As long our so-called...
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Pakistan IDP Crisis
June 24th, 2009 by AnAidWorker
I arrived in Pakistan in a time when millions of people are fleeing from their home and bombs and guns indiscriminately killing innocents and destroying everything that poor, ordinary people built over the years with hard labour. The so-called war on terror launched by Pakistani military has displaced millions of people. While fighting is spreading in other areas, Pakistani government...
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Afar diary: Walkign miles to stop outbreak
March 22nd, 2009 by AnAidWorker
I went out with a group of health workers in Mille district of Afar region for vaccination campaign. We started early morning to go to Gafura village. We camped at the village head house. After drinking our morning tea with lots of sugar, we head out to start our work. I was warned that the houses are scattered around more than 50 mile rediance. We walked through the volcanic rock in scroching sun...
Non formal Education for Pastoralists
March 14th, 2009 by AnAidWorker
Fatema learing alphabets at the alternative school
Adult are also welcomed to learn reading and write
English, Afar, Math and Social Science is part of basci education
Pastorlaist communities migrate from one area to other around the year in search of water and pasture. Afar communities travel long distance in the dry season. Because of their mobility, it is impossible for their children...
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Afar dairy 3: Women tries to secure water sources to ensure education for their Children
March 13th, 2009 by AnAidWorker
I reached the village of Addu of Gega Ke Burtale Kebele (Sub district) of Mille woreda (district) in the dark of night. Hamferi Laenta (48), the teacher greeted us, hurriedly puting the mats on the floor for us to sleep and offering us freshly backed bread and goat milk. As usual cautious but curious children slowly gathered around us under the brightly moon sky. After the initial shyness and language...
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Afar diary 2: Hope in the Midst of dust Storm
March 5th, 2009 by AnAidWorker
“How are you?” a sweet voice startled me. No one was more surprised than me to hear a English phrase in around here. I tuned around and looked at the origin of the voice. A Afari young girl was standing behind me with two jerry cans in each hand, smiling ear to ear, waiting for my answer. It took me few seconds to recover and finally I could reply. She walked up to me, put the cans down and introduced...
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Afar Diary 1: How to live without running water
March 5th, 2009 by AnAidWorker
It was a long drive from Addis, around 670 kilometres on the pitch-black paved road heading to Djibouti. We stopped for the Night at Logyia, a small town along the road with restaurant, shops, bars and cheap hotels for tiered truckers to spend the night. I checked myself in one of the popular hotel for 30 birr (3 USD) per night.
The room was small with a bed, a dim bulb overhead and a fan casting swinging...
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More Politics with Somali Refugees
February 27th, 2009 by AnAidWorker
It was last month that the UNHCR announced of the influx of refugees from Somalia to Ethiopia. UMHCR and ARAR estimated almost 10,000 refugees already entered the country and expected to receive 25,000 – 50,000 refugees in next few months.
Tens of thousands of refugees are already staying with the host community for past 2 years. It is hard to guess how many new refugees had entered the country...
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Updates
- Kenya: Humanitarian Bulletin - January 2012 February 6, 2012Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Kenya, Ethiopia HIGHLIGHTS • Food security improves in Turkana, but malnutrition remains high in north-eastern Kenya. • Conflict in Moyale escalates with more than 21 killed in January; up to 57,000 people displaced, some to Ethiopia. • Political leaders urge Kenyans to remain calm as […]