ARC’s team in South Sudan has to deal with some of the most challenging circumstances any humanitarian worker encounters…a remote setting, violence, political instability, food shortages, and more. So, when we thought of offering Changemakers 365 projects to our teams to support their health and well-being, the team in South Sudan was on the top of our minds.
The team in Aweil has a daunting task – keep a hospital up and running in a remote location in a country currently torn apart by civil war. Purity (senior nurse), Remy (physician), Jeremy (surgeon), Anthony (hospital advisor), Hassan (anesthetist) and Henry (hospital coordinator) all live together in an ARC house adjacent to the Aweil health center. When they heard they would have $500 to spend in any way that would help them, they sat down to talk. A little while later they were agreed – a deep freezer.
“I’m so excited by the idea of a deep freezer,” said Senior Nurse Purity. “This will allow me to spend more time to my work in the hospital.”
The team prefers to prepare their meals one time per week and then freeze them to eat all through the week. That way all of their meals take less time, and they can spend more time with their patients or on other activities that help reduce their stress. The problem? Their current fridge has only a small freezer – not nearly enough space for all of their meals for the week!
So, on Day 225, the Aweil team got their deep freezer. But it wasn’t easy! Aweil is remote and sometimes difficult to reach safely. So any equipment must be airlifted in, deep freezer included. Purchased in South Sudan’s capital Juba, the deep freezer caught the first flight to Aweil and was received with open arms by the ARC team!
“This will help us eat healthier foods,” said Anthony. “I can’t wait to not spend so much money buying meals out,” said Henry. And Remy said, “I can’t wait to spend less time cooking and more time reading and updating my medical knowledge.”
It’s typical – especially of our heroic team in South Sudan – to turn something meant as a gift for them into a way to better do their jobs for the people they serve. Stay tuned tomorrow for more from South Sudan, this time from our team in Kapoeta.
