Summary of Dave Horecny’s trip to Karona Village, Chad with World Concern – March 31 - April 9, 2014

Monday, March 31st – Flight departed Seattle at 1:27 pm. Arrived in Paris at 8:15 am Tuesday and I hung out at

the airport all day. Departed Paris at 7:15 pm and arrived in N'Djamena, the capital city of Chad, about midnight.

Jason Dick and Athanase Ndayisaba from World Concern met me at the airport and we traveled a short distance

to the Hotel Shanghai.

Wednesday – We were scheduled to fly to Goz Beida, but the flight was cancelled due to mechanical issues with

airplane.

Since we had an open day, Athanase took us on a tour of the city. We drove around, stopped at a marketplace,

saw the WC office, had lunch at a French restaurant and then hung out at the hotel. It wasn’t safe for us to be

out much or to take pictures in N'Djamena.

Thursday – UN flight to Goz Beida – we got the plane with air conditioning and a direct flight – very nice.

After we landed, we went to visit the governor of region; he was very welcoming; after introductions, Athanase

described the partnership between World Concern and Karona Village to build a school and asked him to

commit to providing a teacher. He agreed to do so.

He also guaranteed our safety. He said that he had issued an edict that if any bandits were discovered that he

wanted their bodies brought to him; He did not want to see any of them alive. We were glad that he took a

liking to us.

After that we went to the WC residence for lunch.

This is the group I traveled with for the week – a great bunch!

And then to visit Karona – just a quick tour this day. It took about an hour to get to the village. We stopped at a

community garden near a wadi (dry river bed where they could find water by digging several feet) where they

dig shallow wells to water their gardens during the dry season. It would take a couple of hours to walk from

Karona to these gardens. It was about 115 degrees during the heat of the day. Some of the people relocate to

the garden area rather than walking back and forth every day. They wanted to give us some vegetables.

Everyone we met was so generous, even with the very little that they have.

After visiting the garden, we continued on to the village. We encountered a traffic jam along the way.

We saw the well in Karona that was completed in December as a result of the partnership with WC. People

were so excited to be able to draw water from it. No longer do they have to walk hours to get dirty water!

We drove through the village. People, especially the children, would run out when they heard the vehicle. They

love to pose to have their picture taken.

We got word that some of the elders had been waiting a long time for our arrival so we went to greet them.

They were at the hut that they have given to World Concern. It has a nice leafy tree near it which makes great

shade. Others gathered around to see us as well.

When we were about to leave, one of them, the traditional medicine man, said he had something for us. He

came back a few minutes later with a bag of mangos.

We drove back to the residence and determined rooms. I was assigned to a room at the World Food

Programme. It was very small, but adequate. It had a shower that worked sometimes. The air conditioning did

not work two of the nights. Those nights were very uncomfortable. It was safe & secure, but I felt like I was in

protective custody.

Friday – I was picked up at 7 am to go to the residence for breakfast. The guards didn’t speak any English, but

after a couple of days we figured out how to communicate by them pointing at me and then at the gate so I

would know my ride was outside of the compound.

We went to the WC office around the corner for staff devotions. They were very exuberant in their singing.

We then returned to Karona to meet with the community.

Upon our arrival, we went to the WC hut and soon a few men came with mats/carpet for us to sit on. They were

very welcoming. When we spoke it was translated from English to French to Arabic. As we talked, more and

more people gathered around.

We passed around pictures of our families. They told us a bit about their history. They have been in this

location for about 40 years. They left their previous place due to a severe drought. They settled here due to the

fertile soil. Karona means fertile soil; no water.

They told us how the well has changed their lives. Lots of people used to have diarrhea and no longer do; they

had stomach cramps that are now gone. They have more time because they no longer need to make multiple

trips to the wadi for dirty water each day. Sanitation and hygiene improvements as well. Thanks to those who

contributed toward creating the well.

WC has developed a good process for determining the prioritization of community goals - water and education

are always the top two. They are working with 31 villages in eastern Chad. The have seven in the One Village

Transformed program.

I am so impressed with the work of World Concern. One element that stood out to me is how WC partners with

the village, government and others to accomplish the work. While so many organizations are giving a handout,

WC is giving a hand up.

Regarding education, WC requires each village to agree upon the priority of building a school, to select at least 5

men to be trained as masons and commit to hand making 25,000 bricks in order for a school to be built. World

Concern leads the effort and provides the mason and tin roof. This is the next project we are undertaking in

Karona.

When we spoke with the people, someone translated English to French and then someone else translated

French to Arabic. When asked why he wanted to go to school, one of the young men said he wanted to become

a teacher and be able to speak directly rather than through translators. He has friends who want to become

pilots and nurses. The adults said they want to use the classrooms in the evening. Their optimism and resolve is

inspirational.

This is a mold that they use for making bricks. After they form the mud into a brick, they lay it out to dry and

then fire them. Can you imagine making 25,000 by hand?

Athanase demonstrated making a brick for us. They then put mud around a stack of bricks and fire them.

This is a school in another village that is in process. In addition to making the bricks, they go around and collect

individual stones for making concrete. They also build restroom facilities and teach sanitation practices.

Here’s a finished school building in Harako Village. There are two classrooms.

And pictures of the inside of the one of the classrooms. There are nearly 70 students in each of the two classrooms.

Those who have learned masonry skills are beginning to use them to build their own houses.

While we were meeting, one of the ladies went and killed and fired two chickens for us as a gift. They also

prepared hot tea for us.

Saturday – we visited two other villages that were two hours away.

Sunday – we attended a church service and then drove through marketplace passing by the donkey parking lot.

Monday – early flight back to NDJ; we had to be at airport at 8 am. Once again, we got a plane with air

conditioning and a direct flight. Notice the gravel runway.

That evening we went out for ice cream and dinner at the same French restaurant.

Tuesday – At the hotel waiting for my departure flight at 11:00 pm. Athanase took me to dinner and then to the

airport. I arrived back in Seattle at 3:00 pm on Wednesday.

It was an amazing experience and I am very grateful for the opportunity to have participated.

There are more pictures and information at https://www.facebook.com/KaronaVillage and

http://worldconcern.org/onevillage/microsoft/.