NY times, Albinos, Elections,

Bujumbura and its nightlife made it into the travel section of the NY times. It was a nice surprise and so interesting to read the description of a city I have grown to know well. I also thought the writer did a good job of incorporating some of Burundi's political history. The link between people’s lifestyle and the long war as well as the anxiety about the upcoming elections might help readers get a better feel of Burundi.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/travel/02surfacing.html?emc=eta1

This week, 3 family members, (2 Albinos and 1 non-Albino) were killed in one of our project collines. The killers attacked the family house with knifes and grenades. They killed an Albino woman and her Albino baby and the woman’ s dad, who is not Albino. They cut off her breasts and the baby’s tongue and took it with them. We were very dismayed to hear this sad news especially as we just conducted four big awareness campaigns in the attempt to dispel myths surrounding Albinos. Yet the organ trade is a big money market and Albinos lives continue to be in danger. In response to this, I am charged with the responsibility of writing a proposal for a separate project just for Albinos. We are aiming to find a permanent individual solution for each Albino in our project area. While I am writing the proposal, we started doing a baseline assessment of the Albinos in our area to see what type of solution we might find for them. Last week, I was in the field as we did the first 41 interviews and it was quite heartbreaking. Since, I don’t speak Kirundi, I would just meet each person and take a picture then wait while our staff members conducted the survey. Then I would read the responses, which were often very sad. I wrote the questionnaire, and while I was writing it I asked questions regarding the objectives, goals and dreams (it they had the means) to encourage the Albinos to find their own solution and for us to know how to help them. Yet, I remember sitting in the house in Bweru reading the first questionnaire of an Albino, Cyprien, 55 yrs, in the last section, asking about future aspirations Cyprien said he no dreams, no plans and that his objective was to live. At that moment, I thought about how silly my questions might seem to them as they are hunted for body parts and living in dire poverty. However, as we were about to leave the house in Bweru, Cyprien told us he wanted to add something to his questionnaire. Under future plans, he said he had a fiancée and that he wanted to acquire the means to marry her.

As the week went on, we heard more of the same sad stories yet some Albinos did have future plans and could describe to us what they would do if they had the means (money and training.) When we could find them, (which was hard due to campaigning) we also talked to local government officials about the assistance that they or other NGOs were providing for Albinos. In almost evey case, there was no assistance given to the Albinos. This week, our team continued to do the interviews as I stayed in Bujumbura to write up the proposal for funding. I have never done anything more important in my life and it is hard to believe that I am in charge of this project. I am 22 and in Burundi trying to protect and help Albinos who are being hunted for body parts.

Outside of work, Burundi is full of campaign action. Friday is the first day of voting and last week, upcountry I saw a lot of campaign action. It was the same in Bujumbura but less pronounced. The party in power is definitely dominant as they have the most resources. Everywhere we traveled last week, I saw many people wearing CNDD-FDD (party in power) t-shirts, caps, balloons, khangas and ect. There was a lot of music, floats and chanting. In Bujumbura, it was similar with young people running and waving their party flag. Hopefully, all will go well and Burundi’s transition to peace will be assured.

Our staff members interviewing two Albinos.