The Malek Diaries - 5/7/2011

Malek.

We are very excited to finally be in Malek. The Juba Bor highway is much improved, and the journey was beautiful, full of plants and animals. The acacia trees and neem trees are amazing, and the Nile is awesome. I have to admit though: Sudan is incredibly hot!
The first thing we did after our sweaty four hour trip was to stop at the clinic, where community members were unloading the truck full of building materials, including 215 bags of cement! When everything was unloaded, it was time for a soda break. Deng, Mayen, Mom and I headed back in the Land Cruiser to securely store all the meds and supplies near the primary school. Then we went to Bor, the nearby town and capital of Jonglei State. While walking, we ran into Garang, another Californian Lost Boy setting up a small business in Bor. It was good to see him in Sudan, carrying a paintbrush on his way to oversee workers at his shop site. Bor really needs more independently owned businesses.
Next, we met with Mayen's cousin Dr. Mabior, a doctor at Bor Town Hospital. Dr. Mabior trained in Cuba as part of a group of students who went there for medical training. I got the second biggest shock of the day when he greeted me in Spanish and proceeded to speak it fluently! (The first biggest shock of the day was finding gyros in Juba at Konya Konya market.) He arranged for us to meet with a contact who can give us some insight on how private clinics in the area are run, and specifically how services and treatments are priced. We want our clinic to be accessible and affordable, as well as financially sustainable, God willing.
The next day was a very important day, as we planned to meet with the community to formally discuss the clinic, introduce John Alier (pharmacist) and Gai Anyuen (nurse), and manage expectations. The meeting was held in the open air in a large circle, and community members came to the center to speak. Jacob Malual (UU alum helping with the clinic since 2010) translated. Women attended and spoke as well, some of them simultaneously shelling peanuts. Children played with cow dung figurines nearby. It was a community affair.
The meeting went very well, despite my apprehensions. We came to an understanding that the clinic will not be free, but will be affordable. The emphasis was on sharing responsibilities and ensuring quality and sustainability. We also made an agreement that the clinic will be named Universal Unity Health Clinic, not to reflect our organization but to acknowledge that health is a universal need that unites us. Tribal warfare is a big problem in South Sudan. We envision the clinic treating "the Dinka, Murlee, Nuer, Mundari, black, white and purple all the same." The community responded in agreement, saying they welcomed all except those who wished the clinic harm. It felt like a true meeting of the minds, and the feedback I received from attendees was thankfully very positive. Phew!
At the end of another long day, we met with our Kenyan engineer, Daniel. We negotiated with him to reduce his charges and finish the building in 30 days, God willing. Now that we have brought all the materials, work will start immediately. The rainy season is coming, so time is precious.
Today, we are going to get more blocks to finish the inner dividing walls of the clinic. We are also planning some health education sessions for the community that should be a lot of fun, including eliminating standing water, disposal of nonbiodegradable trash, child nutrition, and methods of birth control.
My dad always said that communication is one of the most challenging things in life and he was definitely right. It has been an extreme challenge on this trip, even within our own UU team. But when people come together and share ideas, something amazing happens. Our minds open up to endless possibilities and we learn some fundamental truths about life.