I'm writing in the village of Malualkon, not far from the border with the North and in the heart of Dinkaland. Yesterday some tiny clouds appeared in the sky and were greeted like long-lost friends by the team here, desperate for some rain to cool the nights and wash the cars, buildings and children.
When the rains come they will long for the dry season, as most of the compound will turn into a lake, the tukuls will flood and the snakes will increase in number and curiosity. At the moment the most notable thing about the compound is the group of huge predatory birds (kites maybe) that sit patiently on the trees, waiting to swoop at us at mealtimes and go for bits of meat on forks. I'm pleased to report that the bald head of the area programme manager is an even more tempting target, so when he's around it acts as something of a lightning conductor, keeping the rest of us attack-free.
Today we are confined to barracks as the Joint Integrated Unit of the North and South armies is demobilising in this area so no one is allowed out as huts are searched for weapons. This was where the second civil war ignited in the early eighties, as Arab raiding parties took half of what was in the villages and burnt the rest. Yesterday I met a guy who was abducted from here as a small child and brought up in Khartoum; he returned two months ago and was reunited with his mother. They couldn't chat though as he didn't speak a word of Dinka.
We have some excellent education and livelihoods programmes here. We are running teacher training at the moment, and yesterday I handed out per diem payments to the 150 trainees. They stand in line for an hour, sign their name and take their money, although a lot of them seemed happy to stand in line, sign their name and then try and walk off without taking their payment. One lady didn't show up, and after 6 weeks of perfect attendance she has missed the whole of this week. Her excuse? Turns out she had a baby at the weekend. Maybe there is hope for South Sudan after all.
When the rains come they will long for the dry season, as most of the compound will turn into a lake, the tukuls will flood and the snakes will increase in number and curiosity. At the moment the most notable thing about the compound is the group of huge predatory birds (kites maybe) that sit patiently on the trees, waiting to swoop at us at mealtimes and go for bits of meat on forks. I'm pleased to report that the bald head of the area programme manager is an even more tempting target, so when he's around it acts as something of a lightning conductor, keeping the rest of us attack-free.
Today we are confined to barracks as the Joint Integrated Unit of the North and South armies is demobilising in this area so no one is allowed out as huts are searched for weapons. This was where the second civil war ignited in the early eighties, as Arab raiding parties took half of what was in the villages and burnt the rest. Yesterday I met a guy who was abducted from here as a small child and brought up in Khartoum; he returned two months ago and was reunited with his mother. They couldn't chat though as he didn't speak a word of Dinka.
We have some excellent education and livelihoods programmes here. We are running teacher training at the moment, and yesterday I handed out per diem payments to the 150 trainees. They stand in line for an hour, sign their name and take their money, although a lot of them seemed happy to stand in line, sign their name and then try and walk off without taking their payment. One lady didn't show up, and after 6 weeks of perfect attendance she has missed the whole of this week. Her excuse? Turns out she had a baby at the weekend. Maybe there is hope for South Sudan after all.
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| Queueing for per diems |
Still loving the blog - makes my life feel very mundane... It's 25th March today and it's hot here in London, 20 degrees in fact, weird! I'll tune in again soon. Adele x
ReplyDeleteSimon it’s Willem here, long time no speak! Just spent the weekend with Beetle Fellowes and when I mentioned I might be down in Juba for work next month he told me to check out your blog. Sounds like you’re having a v interesting time! Can’t find your email address on here and I’m not on FB so do you think you could email me at willem DOT marx AT gmail DOT com to initiate contact?
ReplyDeleteHopefully see you soon, W.