Cholera has arrived in Zim....big time. I have the job of coordinating my NGO's response to this outbreak. We are desperately trying to prevent the epidemic from reaching what the UN has predicted will become a catastrophic disaster. It is proving difficult however when everything seems set against us. The main international agency coordinating the entire relief effort has no fuel, we are short of most other things and interagency collaboration is proving a nightmare. It takes about 15 minutes to get the networks to connect to make a phone call if you are lucky.
Today we started trying to get to every primary school and tell the kids about cholera before they shut for the end of term- 91000 children in 5 days. When you arrive at the schools most of the teachers are absent because their wages don't cover their transport into school and the children just stay for a few hours. Thankfully we were able to find some amazing volunteers who have given of their time for free to help us spread the message. People are so generous with the little that they have.
As the rain gets more intense the outbreak will intensify so although I know Zim is desperate for rain part of me wants it to stop to give us more time to prepare. The sewage system is here has broken down and sewage floods the streets (as the above photo shows). The water company are running out of the chemicals needed to treat the water- it feels as though everything here is grinding to a dangerous halt. The 10 years of decline in Zim have taken a serious toll and this rapid onset emergency is therefore all the more devastating.
I am quite exhausted and there is so little time for a break. I am torn between wanting to keep going but feeling as though my reserves are running so low. I do not want to get burnt out- but getting burnt out seems a luxury that most of Zimbabwe cannot afford. Having said all this I still love it here, it is such a privilege to be here for such a time as this.
Love to you all
xxx
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