কেমন আছেন!

কেমন আছেন! = Hello 

(I am slowly learning Bengali, or you can also just copy and paste)

So, I have arrived safe and sound in Dhaka. I have been here four days and everything has gone well so far. I am being very well taken care of, thanks to the amazing team of Viola Vitalis and principally Dr. Kader Abdul. Also thanks to Professor Yousuf from Khulna University who I met yesterday and who has shared with me bright ideas regarding the design of the actual work out in the field - knows what is possible and what is not. Monday morning I will go to Khulna, in the southern area of Bangladesh. From Khulna I will do daily back-and-forth trips out in the field. I will visit 2-3 arsenic acute locations/villages during my stay in Khulna. With me in the field I will have a translator, a driver and one extra assistant. I had actually the pleasure to meet this whole crew yesterday, and they are great. We'll make a good team! 

Impressions so far in Dhaka. It's hot. It's humid. And there are a LOT of people. Everywhere. Sometimes even sitting on the rooftops of the cars. Electricity is down now and then, but so far only for short periods of time. Water from tap is not always transparent. The basics of life we take for granted, are certainly not obvious here. Trafic is crazy. Among all risks, I'd say trafic is the most dangerous one. There are often no lines to follow and it seems like the 'Law of the Jungle' is the only law applied. Lastly but not least, there is poverty. Beggars in the street, many of them children. This is the hardest part. Poverty physically touches you upon your skin as you are walking in the streets and of course, affects you mentally. Helplessness. Frustration. But in spite of tough, tough circumstances, people are extremely nice and friendly. It's quite amazing. 

Today I will visit the Swedish Embassy. Then it's time to pack the bag again - this time for Khulna and for the actual field work. On our way down to Khulna we will pass through an area of mangrove forests, which apparently is the home of The Royal Bengal Tiger. I might stay in the car. 

Kram, Louise

Dhaka traffic...

Taxis in Dhaka = Rikshas (impressed by the guys driving them)

More Rikshas 

Women's dresses (called Saris) are so beautiful, elegant and colorful. 

Man selling coconuts. We bought one from this man. Drank the coconut water. Simply fond of coconuts! :) 

Man on a Riksha

"Friday is a day off in Bangladesh, therefore it's a good day for a tour in the city, traffic is calm" driver Shimul says...

Meeting in the office of Viola Vitalis. Professor Yousuf to the very right, left of him, the assistant in the field, Mr. Mijam, then, driver Mr. Shimul and to the very left, Dr. Salam, operating manager of Viola Vitalis. A newly graduated girl (mechanical engineer) from Khulna University, Ms. Nusrat, is going to be  my translator in the field. 

Ready to go!

Hej!

I am indecisive in what language to use, so this first time, I use both English and Swedish. I might not be very active in this blog due to potentially bad internet accessibility but my hope is to at least publish a few pictures and some lines about my experiences during my field study in Bangladesh. 

Genom SU och Sida kommer jag under två månader (6-8 veckor) genomföra en fältstudie i Bangladesh med anledning av den arsenikförgiftningskatastrof som där pågår. Närmare 77 miljoner människor i Bangladesh exponeras av giftiga halter arsenik i dricksvattnet. Värst är situationen på landsbygden. WHO har i ett uttalande kallat exponeringen för "historiens största massförgiftning". Bakgrunden är att grundvattenbrunnar grävts i syfte att undvika risken av vattenburna sjukdomar från förorenat ytvatten. Det man inte räknade med var att höga halter naturligt förekommande arsenik i berggrunden skulle sippra ut i dessa brunnar, som än idag fungerar som vattentäkt, varifrån man hämtar dricksvatten. Att drabbas av arsenikförgiftning är förstås allvarligt och påverkar många organ i kroppen (cancer och leversjukdomar är vanligt förekommande), framförallt gäller detta i ett land där fattigdom och därmed näringsbrist (försvagat  immunförsvar) är ett faktum.  

A severe drinking water crisis is currently being faced by rural Bangladesh. Millions of rural citizens lack access to safe potable water. This is due to groundwater sources contaminated by naturally occuring arsenic. Severe health problems are often correlated with long term exposure to arsenic, such as cancer and liver disease. I will now via Sida and Stockholm University conduct a field study in Bangladesh with regards to the arsenic crisis and the access to safe water. 

Det här med att blogga är nytt för mig och jag känner mig lite som gammelmormor vad gäller att förstå och använda sig av tekniken på det mest optimala sättet. Jag hoppas i alla fall att jag ska kunna få till ett par inlägg under min vistelse, dels för mina nära och kära, men även för att det såklart kan vara intressant och för att det känns viktigt att öka en allmän medvetenhet om arsenikförgiftningskatastrofen. Det är först på senare tid som situationen i Bangladesh uppmärksammats i media, men fortfarande råder en förvånansvärt liten medvetenhet om problemet. 

Nu bär det iväg. 

Kram, Louise