Living convictions - Dr Ione in the Central African Republic (Part VI)

In 1968, Dr Ione, then a young medical student from Italy, came to the newly independent Central African Republic to help run a hospital in the north. Since then, she has spent thirty-four years in the country, living through rebellions, mutinies, intermittent progress, and desperation.

In the sixth part of our interview series, Dr Ione describes the difficulties faced by farmers whose fields had been destroyed and who were threatened on their way to the markets. She explains how people could only cultivate for their own survival, leading the entire agriculture of the northwest to collapse. However, the international community has started to react and to bring help to the most vulnerable people. According to Dr Ione, this intervention is crucial but shouldn't lead to systematic assistance. The people of Ngaoundaye are only asking for temporary help to stand back up on their feet, and humanitarian assistance should only be a stage towards development assistance.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Central African Republic
• Humanitarian Crisis
• HDPT
• Ngaoundaye
• Ouham
• Pende
• COOPI
• health
• development
• ione