Kanti's weBlog

World Malaria Day in Soma (Gambia)

2010-05-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

Here are the photos of World Malaria Day Celebration

My office

2010-04-12T04:53:00.000-07:00

My bed-room

2010-04-12T04:47:00.000-07:00

Life in Soma

2010-04-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

This is my living room cum Kitchen

The pit-latrine is under the open sky.

Life in SOMA

2010-04-12T03:46:00.000-07:00

I am now in Soma (since 4th April 2010) working for RED(Regional Education Directorate). This is my compound where I live. The water has to be fetched from a common tap in the compound.

2010-03-01T07:43:00.000-08:00

2010-03-01T07:05:00.000-08:00

2010-03-01T07:02:00.000-08:00

2010-02-13T04:40:00.000-08:00

With Phil, Kate & Racheal.
(Current VSO Volunteers)

2010-02-13T04:38:00.000-08:00

2010-02-13T04:32:00.000-08:00

We have moved to a House. All current VSO volunteers are staying here.
There is lot of water problem but VSO has provided water in Cans.

2010-02-13T04:29:00.000-08:00

2010-02-13T04:28:00.000-08:00

2010-02-13T04:24:00.000-08:00

2010-02-13T04:17:00.000-08:00

Opening my g-mail account is taking ages.

2010-02-13T04:11:00.000-08:00

2010-02-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

The other day very strange incident happened. Just before going to bed I switched on the fan and tried to set the mosquito net in order to get inside it. Suddenly there was a strange sound from the fan and when I looked up I noticed that the net got entangled in the fan. It was very scary sight. I switched off the fan switch, stood on the bed and tried to pull the entangled net. I could not do anything as it was too high to reach. I rushed to the reception. fortunately there was someone at the counter. He came to the room. He took the room table and climbed on it. it was too short, so he got another table and put it on the other one. I had to hold both tables firmly as they did not look strong enough. It took quite a while before he could entangle the net.
I asked him, "has it ever happened before?". He smiled and said "No, this is the first time."

I am not using the fan now. It is terribly hot in the day time but during day time we are busy undergoing various trainings and workshops. I am finding the Language course very tough. With the old age memory is really getting bad, especially the short term memory.
In two days time all of us will be moved to a house. We all ( 8 volunteers) will stay together in that house till we are moved to our various placement places. I will move to Mansa Konko, a very small town. A hotter place and lot of power cut.

2010-02-10T09:55:00.000-08:00

TANGO Office.
Umbrella to all NGOs

2010-02-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

2010-02-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

Language Class under tree in TANGO (The Assoc of NGOs) Office

Room in Garden safari. When I put the fan on, the net got entangled in the fan
GardenSafari Reception

GardenSafari Reception

Gambia Photos

2010-02-07T04:41:00.000-08:00

John and some of the Gambian staff from the VSO office at our welcome party.

Andrew, Marielle and Melanie some volunteers who were already in the Gambia.

Tom and his wife Lynn, existing volunteers, with Lucy, a volunteer from my group, in the middle.

Some of the VSO staff, Peter in the middle is a volunteer from Kenya (the girl on the left does admin at VSO and the guy on the right is our driver)

From the left Melanie and her partner, they are both physiotherapists volunteering in the Gambia, Phil the Hamster is in the middle (trying again to stay awake - this time for the welcome party), and Tom on the right.

Try to guess who is in the middle between a VSO staff member and John.

This is Rachel (pulling a silly face), Phil the hamster, Liz and I waiting in the immigration office for our residential permits. A very long wait!

The highly technical staff and the theological lecture in the immigration office. Actually they were the staff in the office doing a great job while the guy who appeared to be the boss gave us a lecture on education in the Gambia (he prefers corporal punishment)

Kate, Lucy, Peter, Rachel, Phil the Hamster and Liz waiting, waiting, waiting.... (Liz and Peter are married)

Phil the hamster, Rachel and Peter waiting for the highly technical typewriter to do it's work

The staff in the immigration office hard at work.

The staff again, making up our alien cards

While we were waiting in the immigration office a very official looking lady in a brown security uniform started looking for her car keys - she started screaming "is it my stupidity or old age" and she repeated this several times. I didn't know what to say because either she is stupid or old and both are offensive. Both ways I can get into trouble. Finally I gathered some courage and said "it is not stupidity!". The other volunteers were very quiet and scared to say anything.

SKWID Training

2010-01-24T08:24:00.000-08:00

I rushed from Jeddah to attend SKWID (Skills for Working in Development) Training in Ottawa. It was held from (Jan 8-Jan 11,2010). I was planning to return in Summer to avoid the bitter winter of Canada. In fact, I had to pay US $150 to reschedule my itinerary. This training was in connection with my voluntary assignment in Gambia. Before taking the flight to Toronto, I was sure that, there will be a lot of empty seats and I'll be able to sleep throughout my 14hrs flight. I told myself (which fool would go to Toronto at this wintertime). To my surprise, the flight was full. So I was back to Toronto just before the New Year. I booked my train ticket to Ottawa for 8th Morning, again, I told myself who would travel to Ottawa in this winter. And, again I was amazed to see that the train was almost full. I thought for the SKWID training, I may be the only volunteer, again I told myself who will travel to Ottawa in this winter. My last PFC (Preparing for Change) training was in summer, and there were about 15 volunteers (from USA & Canada). From Ottawa Station, I went straight to the CUSO VSO office as the first day training's schedule was from 3 to 9pm. Again, to my surprise, there were 30 volunteers for this 4-day SKWID training (from Canada & USA). Since it was a very large group, we were divided into 2 groups, each under 2 CUSO VSO facilitators. The volunteers were going to countries like: Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mongolia, Rwanda, Indonesia, and Cambodia, Bangladesh (my placement is in Gambia). The training was meant to introduce us to the practical skills, attitudes, and methods that we can use in different roles we may have to undertake in our placement country.
Here are some of the volunteers who attended the SKWID training.

These volunteers are bunch of nice fun-loving men and women from various disciplines. These talented people are very jovial, very courteous and above all highly dedicated for the humanitarian concerns.

Kanti Akhtar

MY GAMBIA JOURNEY STARTS FROM FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY, 2010

2010-01-22T12:19:00.000-08:00

Yes folks it is all set.

I shall keep you updated about this venture time to time as promised earlier.

Kanti

My very first post

2009-11-21T06:51:00.000-08:00

Here is my first weBlog.

It will be my diary of events and activities.

I shall try to keep you posted whenever I come across something exciting.

You may also find here some jokes, couplets, quotations etc.

Your comments are most welcome.