I am back in Africa.
Every time I step off the plane in Africa, the jet leg escapes me for a
fleeting moment and I feel excited, energized and comforted because of part of
me feels like she is home. This time I
am in Nigeria, a new country for me but despite the precarious security
situation, it still encompasses the spirit of Africa and I am very fortunate to
be here.
Six months ago I was preparing for a trip to Nigeria when my
world fell apart. I lost my mother, my
best friend, so suddenly that I was gasping for breath for weeks, if not months
trying to come to grips with the unexpected loss. I was suddenly orphaned and left with
overwhelming grief of not only what I’d lost but also of what I would not have
in my future. I cancelled my trip to
Abuja and turned my attention to my changed life, trying bravely to navigate
the complexities of raw emotions and newfound responsibilities.
So here I am, back in Africa. Nigeria has the largest population in Africa,
a growing 162 million. For many of these
men, women and children, the health indicators are dismal – high rates of
maternal mortality and under five child mortality; significant disease burdens
of malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB; and a stunning population of orphans and vulnerable
children. My project’s job here is to
support health systems strengthening via various interventions supporting
health workers. Despite the bleak health
indicators, I see significant opportunities for improving health and building
the capacity of the country’s health workforce.
Like many of my trips, my anticipated scope of work here is
playing out differently than I thought it would and I’ve learned that you can
plan to not have a plan. I’m providing programmatic and operations
support to our newly established office and meeting with stakeholders to
advance key activities in our project.
It is a new working environment for me and I’m enjoying the challenges,
of which there are many. Plowing ahead
with me are the most unbelievable staff supporting our work. They are a
remarkable, hard-working and motivated team that makes coming to work in Abuja
everyday interesting and fun.
Despite being unable to move around a lot in Abuja, I’m
learning about Nigeria. This is my first
trip to West Africa and I like seeing the mix of culture and religion on every
street. You can hear Christian music
playing against the backdrop of the Islamic call to prayer. Street vendors sell everything from phone
credit to peanuts. Like in other
countries I’ve visited, there are fruits here I’ve never heard of and so many
ways to cook a potato. My senses are
over stimulated.
The three main languages in Nigeria are Yoruba, Hausa and
Ibgo though a lot of people here in
Abuja FCT (Federal Capital Territory) speak English. My driver, Uche, is teaching me some Hausa
and I’ll be lucky to retain even a few words because it is so different from English
or French. Also popular here is “Pidgon
English”, a kind of slang and smashing of English words. It is supposed to be a simplified way of
communication for people of multiple languages and cultures but I have to admit
that Hausa may be easier for me to learn!
I’ve been tasting
some of the local food and though I don’t know the names, there are a lot of
yams, heaps of rice and a variety of meats and fish. And everything is spicy. Nigerians would probably laugh at what I call
spicy but my taste buds tingle after every meal. I have been eating dinner in the hotel but
every day for lunch my colleagues and I go to a local cafeteria. It’s different from anywhere in Africa that I’ve
visited.
I’m also learning
about the map and what states are where.
The project is doing work in up to five of the states now and I can at
least point them out on the map as well as a few others I’ve heard about in the
news. The sad reality is that so many states
are unsafe because of Boko Haram. I don’t
want to write about Boko Haram because I want my experience in Nigeria to be
focused on what I am doing and the beauty of the people here. My interactions with everyone have been warm
and friendly.
Uche is sharing
with me Nigerian proverbs as well. Some
of my favorites are: “Before peanuts came, people were not eating stones” and “Whatever
any person lost is somewhere”. He said
his father taught him many proverbs growing up and they are an important part
of his culture.
I really debated if I’d ever write on this blog again and I
can’t promise how frequently I will do it but a part of me wanted to
acknowledge in this forum my loss and grief.
Too I wanted to write again, proving to myself in some small way that I
can move on and though one very important part of my life is gone, other parts
of my life, work and travel, can continue.
It is possible for me to heal and move forward, finding joy and beauty. There
is so much to appreciate in this world – family, friendships, travel – and I am
so grateful for what I have in my life.
In particular, I am grateful for my friends and their unwavering support
during my most difficult time. I could never
express my gratitude and love for those who have comforted me during my darkest
hours. In Nigeria I was told that if you
are close with someone, you call them your brother or sister. They are your family. I may have lost my mother but I am so blessed
with a wonderful family.
