Images of Chollo (or mispelled ‘Shilluk’) people from the Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection, online at the US Library of Congress, circa 1937

As I write this post, my brother and sister-in-law are waiting in the Royal Brisbane Hospital to have their very first child. Thankfully they’re in the confident hands of world class physicians and midwives who have all they need at their fingertips for a successful birth. But what if things were different, if her name was Rasheeda or Miriam or Lucia and she lived in South Sudan, the deadliest place for giving birth in the world.

If she lived in South Sudan, my sister-in-law may not have even had a choice to conceive the baby because only 1% of South Sudanese have access to something as simple as contraception. She wouldn’t have been in a world class hospital, or even had a midwife as only 5% of South Sudanese women have that luxury while giving  birth.  Also for every 100 000 live births, 2 054 South Sudanese women die in the process, while many develop obstetric fistula or other long term debilitating conditions. And even if everything went well today- there’s a 25% chance that my nephew wouldn’t live to see his 5th birthday.

If she was giving birth on the dirt floor of a mud hut in South Sudan, would we still be just as excited? Or would my family be praying for her just to survive the night?

I feel incredibly priviledged to be a small part of changing the future for someone else’s sister-in-law, wife or mother by working with an aid agency that builds clinics and trains local staff to give mothers the support they need during childbirth. Good things are happening but it takes time, resources, education and empowerment of women and the political resolve of local, national and international communities.

You can be practical and support organizations that focus on this serious issue of maternal and child health in South Sudan such as Save the Children, Medair, Tearfund, Care International and Oxfam GB.

Sources: UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, Save the Children, fightfistula.org

Photo credit: Laura Fraser

• Staying healthy despite two colleagues falling ill with redeye/conjuctivitis as an epidemic hits town
• Our team getting much need medical supplies to clinics in the field
• Moving into a new office and guesthouse with great amenities 
• Making new friends and meeting new colleagues with other agencies
• Discovering UNMIS duty free and 90c packets of pringles
• Fashioning a spoon out of a plastic bottle with my Leatherman
• An epic 6 hour phone call with the love of my life today 
• Puddle jumping through the streets of Muddykal!

There were some not so great moments in time as well, but today I’m celebrating the good things.

Originally posted at lauraandfriends, who is celebrating 20 000 page views!

“People may develop a feeling that there is no room inside … that they have no shock absorbers to deal with anything anymore – even the little things,” he said. “They may not be able to think clearly, and everything and nothing may seem important.” 

Here are my personal top three stress busters, conveniently all starting with the letter E: 

Energy intake: cut coffee, coke, alcohol, shisha etc basically any mood or energy level changing foods and drinks from your diet. There’s no point being stressed out to the max and bouncing off the walls on a caffeine or sugar rush, or weeping under your bed on a ‘Johnny Walter’ enduced downer. I drink weak black tea, lot’s of water and ORS and eat fruit (this one is first because this is the most important thing you can do – manage your energy levels and moods). 

Escapism: Yes, escapism is actually a good thing. Get wrapped up in the political campaigns of West Wing or some take an adventure lost in some great novel (whose topic should be nothing to do with what you are doing or where you are i.e. war, africa etc). It’s ok to run away once the work things are done for the day and hide in your room with your laptop or a book. Just don’t stay there for too long, a couple of days then you probably need to reassess your situation or get some help. 

Exercise: In my last assignment I couldn’t even get out of my compound to walk around the block due to the apparent security risks like my 10 year old neighbour Ahmed. So I found doing a daily routine of weights (two USAID oil tins full of cement attached to an iron bar!), sit ups and a red boxing bag whose name changed depending on which public figure was in my bad books, were all helpful in getting me tired. I didn’t need to have a sculptured body, but I did need to be exhausted enough physically to get a good night’s sleep. This time I intend to play volleyball, go for a regular jog, get smashed in football on the local pitch and go fishing! 

A volunteer conducts a workshop in a Kibera primary school, Nairobi 2007

Dashing in to do business, I was startled that someone may very well have stolen the toilet and all that remained was a hole in the concrete floor. I’ll spare the details but it was hilarious how I eventually managed, and only after a number of visits did I realize that I wasn’t required to almost completely disrobe to utilize the amenities.

I spent most of last year living again in the land of the long drop in Darfur. Illness and food problems gave me ample time to get reacquainted with such a system to the point that I could happily read a book or day dream just as I would in the land of the flush and forget (that said, the steamy upwards blast on a hot day definitely shortens any reflection process).

This year is different because now I live in South Sudan. This semi-autonomous, soon to be independent state has some of the worst sanitation conditions in the world. As of 2008 only 6.4% of South Sudanese people had access to improved sanitation (a long drop or similar and clean water and soap to wash). That means the remaining 93.6% of South Sudanese citizens have to use a bush, a back alley, a garbage heap or a wadi to relieve themselves. It’s all the more shocking considering a single gram of poop can be home to up to 10 million viruses, one million bacteria, one thousand parasite cysts and one hundred worm eggs.

Sanitation is such an important health issue that it’s one of the UN Millenium Development goals for 2015. I’m not so confident that the South is going to reach its coveted target of 53% access by 2015, but I am going to look forward to a day when the people of South Sudan can also live in the land of the long drop.

That sounds like luxury now doesn’t it?

“Hi I’m Witsche.”

“I’m Will. Sorry, what’s your name again?”

“Wistche, I’m from Holland.”

“Oh, ok, nice to meet you, I’m with XYZ organization, what agency do you work for?”

“ABC organization.”

“Ah ok, great.”

“Where are you from?”

“I’m Australian”

“Ok.”

Awkward pause…

(Make any additions in the comments section and I’ll update the post!)

Ipod Touch: more reliable than mobile phone communication in the field is wifi in our offices. An Ipod Touch has wifi and is like a pocket computer that you can check email, surf the net and skype on as well as all the traditional functions of an Ipod. Downloading BBC world service documentaries and listening to them in the middle of the bush? priceless!

Noise Cancelling Earbuds: After throwing away the ipod earbuds, I’m using a set of Sennheisers which not only provides great sound, it also shuts out the world for whenever I need some peace and quiet in the office, in the guesthouse, on a noisy heli or even commercial airliner. Also grab a airline adapter in an airport geek shop – so good!

Canon 550D, Canon 50mm 1.8f prime, Canon L series 16-35mm f2.8 ultra wide zoom: What tha? It’s camera geek talk. But for lack of being able to take my other hobbies like basket weaving, yacht racing and golf on the road, I can take my camera with me and document what I am seeing and doing. It helps me appreciate my environment and to be more observational about where I am. It also keeps my family and friends in touch with what I am seeing and doing. It also gives me that little tech buzz that we most guys need!

Mini Maglite: I’ve had this thing since Thailand I think, basically a 2xAA batery maglite that I take everywhere with me! I also have a headlamp (they always seem to break or get lost).

Leatherman Wave: A recent addition and valued birthday present from my folks! All last year I kept thinking “Wow, i could really use a multitool right now to tie this wire/open this bottle/peel this orange” so i’m pretty excited how it’s going to perform in the field. And it’s a thing of beauty!

Bodum insulated travel plunger: It’s a plastic insulated coffee plunger with a drinking lid! It’s incredible! I almost left it behind in Darfur earlier this year, and one of my very caring national staff raced to the airport with it before I flew out. I’m staring at it right now.

Lowepro Fastpack 250: Another new addition, as some protection for my Canon 550D and laptop is a a pro camera backpack made for photojournalists and the like. I really like it and suits perfectly for protecting my camera and laptop in the field. It just reeks of “Steal me I’m chock full of floggables!” so I intend to give it many dustings, bumps and scrapes along the way.

Avil (pheneramine maleate): In WW2 my grandfather was issued packs of cigarettes, and in my one Ausaid assignment I was issued Avil in my first aid pack. It’s an over the counter motion sickness drug, with happy sleep-inducing side affects. Sometimes either on a red eye flight or in the field you may just need the extra zzz’s and Avil seems to do a good job of getting me rested up with no side effects. There are a dozen caveats to this one but I’ll let them lie (feel free to chastize me in the comments section).

Sketchers: Just a pair of rugged lace up shoes that are comfortable and take forever to die!

Boardies: Traditional Australian sleep wear/casual wear/ formal wear. I’m tempted to rock up to work in them for our national holiday next year.

Books: Two bibles I take with me everywhere are the Holy Bible and “Evaluating Health Promotion: a health worker’s guide” (Hawe, Degeling, Haw)

DVDs: Forget Avatar, it’s all about the TV series DVDs! I currently have ‘Breaking Bad season 1″ and “Life on Mars season 1″ Escapism is good.

Photos: A photo album of my family, and now a notebook of photos of the love of my life!

But I did remind myself, of all the air travel achieved over the last few years, not once can I recall being significantly delayed (there was an incident where I was thrown off a flight by a rabid Italian pilot, but that is better left for candlelit banter). So what am I doing standing in Jomo Kenyatta chiming hymn verses and cursing at airport staff?

I’m on the move again!

A new assignment, a new location, the bitter sweet farewells of home and the wanderlust of a new adventure, new people, new surrounds and a new sub plot in what is a most interesting and intriguing storyline. My work has asked me to take part in another amazing adventure, this time by the banks of the Nile in South Sudan. I will be working alongside Sudanese and other international staff bringing medical relief and support to vulnerable people in remote communities along the banks of the world’s longest river. I’ll be posting stories, photos, random tidbits and more. So do follow along as it won’t be as slow or painful as carousel number three. I have a feeling it’s going to be the ride of my life!