Building Momentum

Before I came to Sudan, many folks warned me that it was a place where “everything is happening, and yet nothing is happening” and to be prepared to do a lot of waiting and reading. I came adequately prepared with 7 books (SaraJ talked me out of bringing 11 – thank goodness the 4 heaviest books didn’t make the final cut) and lots of little projects to fill my time if necessary.

Having been in Sudan for four weeks now, I must say that there is some truth to this statement. With three separate conflicts happening all at once in one country (Darfur to the west, another in the east, and tensions remaining sufficiently high in the south), there is indeed a lot happening, though one would never know it given the monotony of daily life here in Khartoum.

For me, life has only continued to get crazier and more hectic with each new week, and I say this in a very positive sense. Now that I’m nearing the conclusion of my trainings for the women of SuWEP here in Khartoum (only one workshop to go), I’ve been able to focus more of my energies on meeting with people and building my base of contacts here in Khartoum. Those of you who know how I used to pack my daily schedule in DC and run myself ragged need not worry – I’m not making myself quite as crazy as I did then, though admittedly, I’m coming close. Thanks to the help of Evelyn and Jacqui at the Initiative for Inclusive Security and my colleagues here, I’ve been scheduling several meetings a day with women at UNFPA, UNIFEM, UNICEF, UNDP, IRI, NDI, women from the National Assembly, women from the Parliament, Darfuri women, SPLM women from the south, and more. Each of these meetings leads to one or two additional ones, and so forth. People here have been unbelievable helpful and open about their work. I have been especially humbled and amazed by the Darfuri women and women in the National Assembly and Parliament who have sometimes spent over two hours with me sharing their stories, their passions and work, and their hopes and fears for Sudan. It has been an incredible learning experience.

Additionally, I’ve picked up several pieces of research and writing, which have been challenging and interesting as well. One piece is a review of a book Fahima asked me to read entitled “One Foot in Heaven.” The book is essentially the dissertation research of a Dutch anthropologist who spent two years doing research on women who worked in the market in the town of Kebkabiya, North Darfur from 1991-1992 during a period of intense Islamization in Sudan. Through interviews with several market women, the author paints a complicated and rich testimony that sheds an informative light on the current conflict in Darfur and highlights the incredible strength of the Darfuri women. If you’re interested in reading my review, let me know and I’m happy to send it to you when I am finished.

As for the 7 books I brought with me and the numerous projects I thought I might finish, well… looks they will just have to be pushed off until next summer.