More blogging aidworkers

I have found four more blogging aidworkers:

• Denise in Tajikistan features astonishing notes and pictures from some of the most isolated places in the world: Voyageuse Mondiale
• Nathalie in Cambodia always amuses me with her witty writing: Nathalie Abejero
• Matthew is an aidworker in Bangladesh and writes mostly about self-development: iDevelopWorld
• The last blog is "someone" writing from "somewhere" in the field: Straight out of the Jungle
  

I have added them to my aidworkers blogroll in the sidebar. The list has now grown to a total of 71 blogs. This must be the most exhaustive list of aidworkers' blogs you can find anywhere...


Take your time to browse around these blogs. They provide a unique view into the daily life of a unique brand of people I am happy to call "my friends and colleagues".

I automatically post update summaries for each of these blogs on AidBlogs (updates via Twitter: @AidBlogs).
If you want to follow the updates mixed with the "wider humanitarian news", then Humanitarian News might be your thing. The latter broadcasts updates @HumanityNews on Twitter...

Picture courtesy Voyageuse Mondiale

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Humanitarians: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

In International Aidworkers Today, I clipped a news article about Jiri Zivny, a Canadian "aid worker", who apparently was beaten and robbed in Cambodia, and eventually died of his injuries.

Jiri Zivny was 'on mission' for International Humanitarian Hope Society, a so-called 'humanitarian organisation' offering tours in developing countries to "provide an opportunity for people to experience working in orphanages for themselves".

Their website ends on ".com"...

However, via Patronus Analytical, I read this news bulletin, which puts a totally different light on the whole incident. Apparently, Mr.Zivny was not stabbed and robbed, but died of a motorcycle incident... The news article makes allegations the "humanitarian organisation" miss-used the situation to fundraise:

A Canadian humanitarian group that launched a media and fundraising campaign claiming one of its members had been bludgeoned, robbed, stripped of his clothes and left to die in a Cambodian ditch is now asking that his family be left to "grieve in private" following complaints that nothing of the sort happened.

The death of the man described in the Canadian media as "Smiling Jiri" has become a potent fundraising tool for the charity in a story that has rolled across both Cambodia and Canada, generating huge publicity and controversy, and apparently money for the charity. But the dead man, Jiri Zivny, may have died as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident after a night on the town in the coastal resort of Sihanoukville, a magnet for sex tourists. (sic)

Zivny, who died at the age of 43 in the neurological ward of Cambodia's best hospital, had no bruises or lacerations that would have indicated blunt force trauma inflicted by an assailant, doctors say. (Full)

While during the hospitalization of Mr. Zivny, they were fundraising to evacuate him back to Canada, they still have a notice on their website: "In memory of Jiri you can make a donation at Valley First Bank. Please make cheques payable to International Humanitarian Hope Society (a tax deductible receipt will be issued)."

Up to what extend does the cause justify the means? Even if the cause might be a good one?

And even so.. I have never seen any humanitarian organisation soliciting donations to 'commemorate' the death of one of their associates.

As I said: Smelly!

There is discussion about humanitarian agencies going a bit too far on The Road's discussion forum.

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Rumble: The Road's Kiva project 7: Kim Houy Lach

Here is a summary of The Road's 7th social project:

A micro-financing loan to the Kim Houy Lach Group in Cambodia.

Kim Houy Lach from the Ba Khong Khang Kaeut village in Cambodia is 26. She is the mother of two children.

Her husband, Saom Mom, is a farmer who owns a 0.7-hectar plantation and cultivates rice for a living.

Kim is a poultry breeder and has raised about 40 ducks and chickens on the yard near her own house. Since this business is going well, she would like to expand it and asks for a loan to buy more poultry for breeding.

The loan is organised through the village bank which consists of fourteen people in her village. All the members will use the loan for different purposes. (Kim's full profile on Kiva)

This loan goes through "AMK", the local micro financing partner of Kiva.

Loan Request: $1,500
Repayment terms: 11 months (Deadline Dec 15 2009)
We gave her a loan of US$100

This is The Road's 7th social project. The funds for this loan were donated by the VK0IR Heard Island expedition team.


More on The Road's social project "Change Starts Here".
You can keep track of our project via our score card.

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Rumble: The Road's Kiva project 5: Sopheap Chun

Here is a summary of The Road's fifth social project:

A micro-financing loan to the Sopheap Chun Village Group in Cambodia.

Sopheap Chun is 22 mother of two children. She is married to Chhit Ka, who is a palm juice collector.

Sopheap is the village bank president of a bank loan which consists of fifteen people, in Andoung Russey (Kampong Chhnang Province in Cambodia). She is also a pot maker in the local village.

She is looking to purchase new equipment for their business. A loan would also allow her to buy additional materials to produce more palm sugar.

This is an End-of-Term village bank loan, considered as the most beneficial to Cambodia’s poor. It allows them to repay portions of the principal whenever they are financially able to. Most start to make payments many months before the end of the loan term. (See the group's full profile on Kiva)

This loan goes through "AMK", the local micro financing partner of Kiva.

Loan Request: $1,900
Repayment terms: 11 months (Deadline Dec 15 2009)
We gave them a loan of US$100

This is The Road's 5th social project. The funds for this loan were donated by the VK0IR Heard Island expedition team.


More on The Road's social project "Change Starts Here".
You can keep track of our project via our score card.

Read the full post...