Annual report 2005 Malteser International - Ordine di Malta

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ON THE SPOT: SOUTHERN SUDAN “I quietly hold her hand” ‘Tagesthemen’ (German television news) anchor-woman Anne Will visits the Arcangelo Ali Clinic in southern Sudan As an ambassador for the ‘UNITED FOR AFRICA’ campaign, Anne Will travelled to southern Sudan in August 2005 to visit a hospital run by Malteser International and the German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association. Here is an excerpt from her travel journal: 18 August, 12:20 p.m., Maridi Airport: There was a bit of jolting on the runway, but then our pilot Stuart brought the plane safely to a stop. High grass all around us. I hadn’t expected Africa to be so green, despite the rainy season. It’s my first trip to Sub-Saharan Africa, to a country in which peace was only achieved a few months ago and is still insecure. I am quite tense. 19 August, 10:20 a.m., Arcangelo Ali Clinic: 22-year-old Adak Manyang holds on tight to her month-old daughter. Anhak, Adak’s third child, lies weakly in her arms. Suffering from a cough that wouldn’t go away, Adak went to have a medical checkup at the tuberculosis ward built with German aid. That was two weeks ago. The doctors quickly discovered: Adak has tuberculosis and it’s likely that her baby is infected, too. The pair must remain in hospital for six months, as that’s how long the treatment lasts. Uniteed for Africa / Thomas Einberger 11:15 a.m.: Nelson Monday knows he doesn’t have long to live. But he seems quite composed. The 27-year-old is a mere skeleton. His eyes protrude as he talks to me. Nelson came from Uganda to Rumbek a while ago to work as a teacher. Now he wants to get back to his family to die with them around him, but in his current condition, he would not survive the journey. Doctor Kenyi is feeding him up with special medication and a lot of fruit so that he can make his last journey on Monday. 12:00 p.m.: A few rooms down, I meet Mary Abol. Anne Will talking to a patient at the Arcangelo Ali Clinic. The 62-year-old’s left leg lies stiff on the hospital bed. All that remains of her left foot is a bandaged stump. Mary has leprosy. Like many other people, I didn’t think that this illness existed anymore. In reality, there are half a million new infections every year. Mary went to a miracle healer who took a lot of money from her and couldn’t help. Now she’s back here and being treated with antibiotics. But the doctors can’t give her back her foot. Many of Mary’s friends are afraid of touching the ‘leper’. She often feels alone. I quietly hold her hand. Reproduced with the kind permission of ‘UNITED FOR AFRICA’ United for Africa / Thomas Einberger “I support UNITED FOR AFRICA because the idea and the concerns of the campaign convinced me. I like the approach that 30 relief organisations have come together under one roof, with one name and a joint donation account. As an ambassador for the campaign, I want to use my high media profile to draw more attention to the plight of people in Africa.” Malteser International has been supporting the supply of medicine to 700,000 people in southern Sudan since 1997. The tuberculosis and leprosy wards in the hospital in Rumbek have a capacity of 63 beds. In the Arcangelo Ali Clinic, 100 patients are treated a day and 15 to 20 children are vaccinated. Tuberculosis tests are carried out in one of the largest laboratories in southern Sudan. In the neighbouring laboratory training facility, Malteser International trains local laboratory assistants. 14 A F R I C A
ON THE SPOT: DEMOCR ATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO “We need peace!” Listening can heal: Relief for rape victims in the Democratic Republic of Congo The meaning of war – many women are forced to suffer the physical consequences of such violence. “Rape has been used as a weapon of war for years in the Congo” reports project coordinator Ursula Mesmer. Since 2003, Malteser International has been providing psycho-social care for girls and women who have been the victims of sexual abuse. Ursula Mesmer’s report from East Congo shows just how hard it is to cope with: “A church in Kilimanjala: the crowd enters slowly; women to the left, men in the centre – soldiers to the right. Everyone sits down in silence and watches as my colleagues and I come up to the altar. A strange feeling! Since I arrived in the Congo, I have carried out several sensitisation programmes against sexual abuse. I’ve spoken to women who’ve been raped about the options for medical treatment and psycho-social care. I’ve talked to soldiers, explaining to them just how immoral and wrong rape is. I’ve spoken to the husbands of raped women; tried to show them that it is vital at such times that they do not leave their wives. Now, by chance, I am faced with all three groups together. That means: I must be very careful and sensitive in my choice of words, I mustn’t accuse or reproach anyone, but I mustn’t beat around the bush. I decide on a gentle introduction: I ask questions. How does one feel as a woman, as a man, after a rape, particularly with regard to one’s own wife? I try to empathise with all those present. I can sense it: they’re listening to me. I am obviously hitting the right note. That’s good; it makes me feel more assured. “One woman was having nightmares every night after she had been raped and was unable to sleep properly. I spoke to her five times. The fifth discussion was here in our office. During our conversation, she fell asleep. Since then, she has been able to sleep at home too – without the appalling nightmares.“ (Jules, psychologist) Birgit Betzelt Then discussion: each group separately. I want to know what they can do about the problem, where they see possible solutions. Each group tells me what they have come up with. It’s the same for all of them: “We need peace”. The soldiers’ reaction is particularly interesting: “We’re not all rapists; we don’t all want to be tarred with the same brush. We will not accept men from our ranks subjecting women to violence. In order to ensure this, we need a system that punishes rapists lawfully. And we need regular wages so that we can marry and offer a woman something more.” At the end, a young woman with a baby on her back stands up. She says: “Three years ago, I was raped by twelve armed men in a field. At first, I didn’t tell anyone. I suffered pains in my stomach, I felt tired and weak. I was afraid to leave the house on my own. My sister took me to a health care centre, where I received medicine. Now I am a soldier’s wife with a six-month-old daughter. I am telling you my story so you know: I am here to Birgit Betzelt The counsellors – often victims of abuse themselves – pass on what they have learned to other women: trust, self-respect and new courage in life. Crucial help: being there, listen and sympathise. help women who have gone through what I experienced.” For a moment, there is complete silence; no one had expected such a direct statement. Then everyone begins to talk at once in order to thank the woman for her incredible courage. A F R I C A 15
Page 1 and 2: Malteser International Annual repor
Page 3 and 4: Editorial Dear Friends and Supporte
Page 5 and 6: help right on the spot - worldwide.
Page 7 and 8: 24 June 2005 Foundation of Malteser
Page 9 and 10: Africa Building up and strengthenin
Page 11 and 12: Ethiopia National staff: 2 Aid for
Page 13: Birgit Betzelt Sudan: Primary healt
Page 17 and 18: T H A I L A N D Nagapattinam Distri
Page 19 and 20: Cambodia International staff: 2 Loc
Page 21 and 22: Iraq National staff: 1 Aid for 120,
Page 23 and 24: Tangalle, Galle, Trincomalee, Ampar
Page 25 and 26: Thailand International staff: 6 Nat
Page 27 and 28: ON THE SPOT: THAIL AND Lights among
Page 29 and 30: America In 2005, the federal states
Page 31 and 32: Aid for the victims of Hurricane St
Page 33 and 34: ON THE SPOT: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Page 35 and 36: Malteser management conference in C
Page 37 and 38: Facts and Figures Experts abroad Lo
Page 39 and 40: Notes on the income statement For c
Page 41 and 42: Acknowledgement Malteser Internatio
Page 43 and 44: Structures and committees Malteser

Annual report 2005 Malteser International - Ordine di Malta

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