Pepina, The Chimp
Pepina made it to EXPLORE: Nov 14, 2008 #127
Pepina is the town's chimp. Everyone knows her as Pepe, but since she is a female we decided to re-baptize her today as Pepina!
Pepina is a sweet animal who unfortunately suffers very much due to some generalised ignorance of people here as to how to treat animals. In many parts of Africa, namely in Guinea-Bissau, animals are very ill treated by people who throw stones at them, beat them up and do not take proper care of them.
Pepina was brought from a southern sector of the country - Boe - and is being raised to be sold. God knows for what but I imagine no good thing as the concept of pet does not exist here. She should never have left her natural habitat and her family, which she forcefully had to abandon when she was a tiny baby. She is now about 5 years old.
Animal cruelty is a very unfortunate reality but it hits you even harder when you see such a clever and sweet chimp like Pepina having an eye completely infected because the last stone she was thrown hit her in the eye. She fears most people, including her so called owner, but has a very accurate instinct as to who cares for her and allowed us to approach her.
We spent one hour feeding her with bananas - which she gladly took -, playing with her, and trying to disinfect her eye. She was surely in great pain as even though she allowed us to touch her and play with her, the eye was a no go.
When we noticed her presence she was crying like a baby and hiding in a tree as she was being hurt by the stones some guy was throwing at her. She really, literally cried like a baby, in great affliction. Awful to see.
You can argue that people in Africa have other priorities rather than taking care of animals, but nothing excuses violently mistreating Pepina, or any other animal for that matter. We will see if something can be done about her.
SAY NO TO VIOLENCE AGAINST ANIMALS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Uploaded on Nov 14, 2008
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Mamadu's Little Fisherman Hands
Mamadu is a skinny and sweet boy whom I met while he was fishing for lunch nearby River Jeba in Bafatá, Guinea-Bissau. he was so dedicated to his task that I just watched him in silence. I observed his skillfulness in putting the worm in the bate to try and fish on more little fishy. His hands covered in dry mud from the place where he grabbed the worms.
Every time the fish would take the worm but not get caught he would sigh in frustration. He was simply lovely and so hard working. Children here grow fast. it is the law of survival. He did get many fish to bite the bate and surely made his family happy with a nice lunch. Amazing hands and heart dear Mamadu!
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Uploaded on Nov 12, 2008
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Taking a Break
In Guinea-Bissau, most people carry heavy weights on their back and heads for long, very long, I mean many kilometers, distances.
Here few have the privilege of having a car, a bicycle, a motorcycle, or even a donkey pulled wagon. Most people simply walk to transport the products they will sell at the market, the cloth that they will wash in the nearest river, the food that they will take home. Under the blistering sun or under the rain, no matter. Life does not stop despite the many economic and living difficulties faced by most of the population.
This lady takes a short brake from carrying her bucket and sits down in front of a shop (not pictured) to recover her strength. It was a very hot mid-day in Bafatá when this shot was taken and I returned to my air-conditioned car ... A world of disparities.
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Uploaded on Nov 12, 2008
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Photo Time!
A group of children literally attacked me in Gabú as they noticed my G9 hanging around my neck. They all wanted to be photographed as they simply love to see their faces in the camera's display.
I decided to make their wish come true as it became impossible to refuse their increasingly loud requests. All lovely and simply excited to see a camera.
I took the shot, then showed them the image and interestingly enough they look at each others face and then point them out in the photo and scream the friends' names. Usually they will not point out their own ... there are not too many mirrors around ...
As I looked at the photo yesterday I noticed something. Maybe my impression or camera trick, but the boy in the red tunic seems to stand out from the crowd of children. he did have this amazing energy about him. An immense glow in his lovely dark brown eyes. I am overwhelmed with these kids ...
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Uploaded on Nov 12, 2008
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Tenho Fome ... I am Hungry
As I saw this little boy approaching I could not but notice his sad look. Some children in this country are frightened when they see foreigners, but there was something different about him.
I asked my friend why he was so sad ... He told me: "ele tem fome" ("he is hungry"). The Boy is one of hundreds or thousands of children suffering from malnutrition in Guinea-Bissau. I touched his face, I smiled at him but nothing that we did ever made him smile. He was truly in pain.
Right now he is suffering from hunger and diarrhea and his little body is struggling with his unattended needs. International organisations' efforts and money are far from enough or efficient to combat the ongoing problem in this tiny and sweet country: Guinea-Bissau.
I hesitated about taking this shot, but then decided I should take it and publish it and then tell his story to you. Something has to be done about this. no child should go over 1 minute of his / hers life without smiling. No Sir. I will get back to this. Photo taken in Bambadinca.
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Uploaded on Nov 12, 2008
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