::::I've Left Copenhagen for Uganda::::

Wireless with the DRC

Whenever I have been visiting Yei in Southern Sudan, I have been a guest at the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) on their compound (without any doubt the best accommodation in Yei town). But aso the company of Peter, who is the Country Representative of DRC Southern Sudan, has been excellent and another motivation for visiting Yei.

For me the company I have made up country and in Sudan with others in more or less the same situation - stuck in nowhere - has been priceless!

My programme in August has been squeezed tightly before leaving for Tanzania. Nonetheless, this is how it is, I had to do one final workshop in Sudan - a training session on newsletters, article writing and photography for the people working for the DRC. The idea was to inspire, create some structural thinking in regard of producing newsletters and practise taking photos and writing articles.

Yesterday morning, as the cleaning lady wiped the dust off the cement floors, and the men furnished the newly build resource centre, I hooked up on the wireless, connected the projector and we set off for a full day programme. I really enjoyed working with these people, in particular, their committment to learn new things. Besides, it was an absolute pleasure to be the first in this fantastic resource centre.

We are talking Southern Sudan - can you imagine wireless Internet for free (aiming at the local government and the NGOs) in a place where infrastructure has a hard time in general?!  I think the DRC has done an excellent job, and I hope that the Sudanese will use it well. - And not download all kinds of Nigerian movies or porn. As always within these workshops I find myself preaching; 'Don't mess around with your precious laptops, for Heaven's sake!'.

Looking at the Nile through a stained window of an aircraft

Along the border between Southern Sudan and Uganda the River Nile flowed silently this Tuesday morning.

It is one of these early mornings where I didn't sleep enough; I didn't eat properly; And where I fought my way through traffice to the airport in Entebbe before boarding a plane to Yei in Southern Sudan. Even in spite of all that - and the nauseous feeling the tiny aircraft creates, I will still say that the view is worth it.

There are receipts and then there are Sudanese receipts

I am sorting papers and stuff before departure. I am still not quite sure what I had to give and got in return for this receipt at the Kaya border to Southern Sudan.

The school in Bereka Village, Yei County, Southern Sudan.

Where are we?

At the moment I get lost anywhere, have completely lost my sense of direction. In Kampala suburbs or in tiny villages. Can't remember left from right, that the sun sets in the West, where I have been in what order and whom I talked to where about what, or if I Skyped, blogged or watched it on TV or the Internet. When I get to a road which splits in two I can never remember which one I am supposed to take.

Embarrasing. Inconvenient. Especially for someone who takes a pride in having a good photographic memory and a strong ability to match names with the right faces. Too many impressions in too little time, I guess. Somehow my harddrive doesn't store properly.

Like this morning I think we are flying Yei to Kampala. South. Half an hour later I look down upon this strange place. UN containers, tukuls (mud huts), the River Nile, mbati (iron sheet) roof houses, white landcruisers...

I have to ask (what might seem like the most stupid question to) the passenger in front; 'Where are we?!'

Hm! Juba, it is...! What else?!

View more photos from Juba here - and Sudan here - from what might be my last trip inside for a long while.

- You've got five minutes and then I want you out of Juba!

I spent the weekend in Juba, and before returning to Yei today I had to visit the big market in Juba this morning - intending to take in the atmosphere and take some photos without confronting an SPLA soldier with a Kalashnikov and a lethal thousand-meter-stare.

I managed to avoid the occasional, stumbling drunk - and truly scary - SPLA soldier. Instead a man (identifying himself as 'working for the government with anti-corruption') tried insistingly to put the message through that I was unwanted; You've got five minutes, and then I want you out of Juba!'. He was instantly dealt with by our local driver and other by-standers, who explained to me that the guy was traumatised. A category which is used throughout to describe the human impact of the civil war in Southern Sudan.

I backed out of the market, while our driver kept explaining don't be scared! - while talking sense to the traumatised person, who then throw himself at an - from what I could see - innocent Masai man. Donk!  I turned around and was greeted by this tall man (probably a Dinka) who kind of slapped me with his outstretched palm right on my chest and then putting a friendly massive white teeth front set on display.

I still cannot believe that the traumas are this visible that you can litterally feel and observe it this clearly just by meeting people in the street. Talking about trauma or being fucked-up in a crazy place in Africa, the occasional South African de-miner, paramedic or whatever is just as scary as a local traumatised Sudanese (at least the Sudanese has an explanation). Not like the self-sufficient South African paramedic I met at a party last night who tried to convince me of the uniqueness of his job -and that he would only help his own, and never ever give medical help to a local Sudaneseh, because 'neither UN nor the GoSS can provide security'). Some people ought to stay home!

Man, this place is so crazy - and who knows if I ever will be back?!

The importance of education in Africa

I used to be a teacher myself, in a Danish primary and secondary school, 10 years ago. No matter where I have been moving around - among Sudanese refugees in Northern Uganda or in Southern Sudan the sight of pupils carrying books and bags on their way to and from school - and the quality of the schools always have a certain appeal to me.

I am fascinated by their eagerness to learn, in spite a lot walk barefeet, have to sit under a mangotree or in massively crowded classrooms, the schools looking like cows' stables. In many cases the teachers are not paid well, and payment of salaries are delayed. There are basically no materials, but a blackboard, and the quality of the teaching might also be disputable.

However, most children are curious like hell, and will search instinctively for getting to know what is outside the village. It does move me to see when this curiousity is not satisfied. Potential is lost. The future of Africa.

Here, access to education cannot be underestimated. It is your only chance to make a difference in life, to move on and out of poverty. Education can enable you to change the structures which determine the poverty you are stuck within, such as tribalism, oppression of girls and women and post-war traumas... just to mention a few issues which in Southern Sudan's case have to be adressed.

Personally, I strongly believe that education is the way to enable people to make the changes they find essential to create their own version of happiness. Get as many African children in school as possible! In particular, make an extra effort to get the girls to school and finish it!

Meeting Kony in the jungle - Did you ever think about how people get there?!

In Gulu Willy Akena writes about the peace process between LRA and the two governments of South Sudan and Uganda.

Last year Willy went to South Sudan on this truck (!!) to participate in the peace process. The caption for the photo goes like this:

The road to peace is not smooth, It's full of pot holes like the one in the picture: Some people had to travel on this Diana Truck to meet Kony in the Jungle as a confidence building measure in July 2006, including of course Rev.Willy Akena.

I think Willly has illustrated one of the most important things for Uganda on the spot with an image which is very familiar to people who have travelled in the area; - Suddenly it's damn difficult to make things move, you are stuck - but I bet this truck got out there - because people got together and pushed and pulled, and I know Willy finally made it to Garamba Forest.

Get the whole story and the timeline for the peace process here.

Unbelieveable road side scenarios

I have been on the road a lot recently. Today I drove Arua to Kampala (8 hours). Saturday we drove Yei-Juba ( 3 hours), Sunday we returned. Yesterday I drove from Yei in Southern Sudan to Arua. These days the road from Yei to Kaya is relatively good, and I did it in 2½ hours.

The hassling at the immigration at the Kaya border also went surprisingly easy (10 minutes), and then the final part was left: Kaya-Koboko-Arua (1½ hours). However, the Koboko-Arua road side scenario is unbelievable after heavy rains. As allways a challenge to navigate between the fallen trucks and the ones stuck in red mud. The people stranded. I gear down, I take deep breath, consider who I can call I get stuck or don't make it over the bridge. I give a lift to a desperate guy, whose World Food Programme truck is stuck. And once again I made it home safely. There is a reason why people wish you and thank you for a safe journey in Africa!

Juba - an African metropolis at the end of a murram road

I know it doesn't pay Juba justice to post only one photo (but I had the feeling that the average SPLA soldier would not be happy with looking into my camera lense - and as they seem to be all over, I limited my need to take photos).

At least  this image illustrates perfectly well how I have spent the most of the weekend - as a passenger. From Yei to Juba, and back to Yei. On courtesy of Peter from the Danish Refugee Council in Yei (who btw is the ultimative guide to Juba).

I have to go back. Juba is way too exciting to only give one day. An African metropolitan in absolutely nowhere. At the end of a murram road. Scattered around a mountain along the River Nile. With the greatest mix of people and languages. From super expensive wazungu lodges to massive pot holes and garbage piles. Lazy flies, dust, rain and sun.