1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Aye and Samantha and welcome to stuff 2 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: I Never told your protection of I Heart Radio. Today 3 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: we have an episode we wanted to rerun because we 4 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: recently talked about the d r C, the Democratic Republic 5 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 1: of Congo UM in in Activists around the World segment 6 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: and it made us remember a really good episode, fantastic 7 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:37,160 Speaker 1: episode we did in the Before Times Before Times, Yes 8 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 1: UM about gender based violence and in that country, and 9 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: we had two interviews on there that were just fantastic, 10 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:50,840 Speaker 1: and it was one of the last things we did 11 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: in the studio. But COVID was happening at that point 12 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: because we talked about it in there, UM, and we 13 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: also talked about um so off care and uh, we 14 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: should check we should check back in on them. I 15 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: would love to see see what they're doing now, where 16 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 1: they are now. But this was also a listener helped 17 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 1: us bring this all together. So we always love suggestions 18 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: like this about who we should be talking to, things 19 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,119 Speaker 1: we should be talking about, So really appreciate it, UM, 20 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: and please enjoy this classic episode. Hey, this is Annie 21 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: and Samantha and welcome to stuff I'll never told your 22 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: production of I Heart Radio. So today's episode I'm very 23 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: excited to present to you and it's actually, um, it 24 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: was a listener that got in touch with us and 25 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: facilitate this whole thing. And we'll get more into that 26 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: and in a second, but we're going to be talking 27 00:01:55,720 --> 00:02:00,040 Speaker 1: about sex and gender based violence or STVV in a 28 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: Democratic Republic of CONGO or the DRC and trigger warning 29 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,239 Speaker 1: for a discussion of sex and inner based violence, sexual 30 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 1: assault and suicidality. And um, this one is so valuable 31 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 1: and worth listening to. But though the topics that we 32 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: discuss with our guests in this one are are very intense. Um, 33 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: So just keep in mind your mental health when choosing 34 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: to listen or not listen, are what time, because you 35 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: know sometimes you're just not a good place right now, 36 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: which you might be later. I just want to put 37 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: that out there, and just to put it out there, 38 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: I guess are really optimistic, yes, in such dire circumstances, 39 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,679 Speaker 1: it seems, and they had put a lot of positivity 40 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: and what they're talking about as well. So it is 41 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:48,519 Speaker 1: it is heavy, but at the same time, it is 42 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: still hopeful, Yes, absolutely, and it is not all bad 43 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 1: at all. And so okay, this was a suggestion from 44 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: a listener named Rebecca, who volunteers with a nonprofit organization, 45 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 1: Global Outreach Doctors, and she said, I'm going to use 46 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: her words now. This organization quote deploys volunteer medical doctors 47 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: and nurses, at mental health professionals and midwives and integrative 48 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:16,399 Speaker 1: health professionals like trauma trained acupuncturists to high need, low 49 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: resource global regions affected by natural disasters, refugee crises, war zones, 50 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: and famine, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Iraq, Nepal, Lesbos, 51 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: and the Syrian border. She went on, the organization just 52 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: completed an assessment mission dealing with a gender based violence 53 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The d r C 54 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 1: has been labeled by several organizations, including the UN as 55 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: quote one of the worst places in the world to 56 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: be a woman. During focus groups. In the assessment of 57 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: current medical capabilities in the eastern part of the country, 58 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: the go docs assessment team found that mental health care 59 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: for victims of sexual and gender based violence in the 60 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: DRC is severely lacking. According to the WHO as often, 61 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: there were only points zero eight psychiatrists and zero point 62 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: five psychiatric nurses per one hundred thousand people in the 63 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: d r C are less than sixty five psychiatrists and 64 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: four hundred five psychiatric nurses in a country of seventy 65 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: eight million people. So Rebecca put us in touch with 66 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,039 Speaker 1: Cocotaine the go docs VP of Planning and Logistics, and 67 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: Kim Spray bs N r n c N, who are 68 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: both on the assessment team. Before we get into that, 69 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: we want to do a brief rundown of the situation. There. 70 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 1: Officially established as a Belgian colony in nineteen o eight, 71 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 1: what was then the Republic of Congo gained independence in 72 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,919 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty. The region has since experienced political and social 73 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: unrest and instability, violence and periods of civil war, and 74 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: millions have been displaced. Rape and sexual violence are frequently 75 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: employed against women and violence as a method of control, intimidation, 76 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 1: and humiliation, so for most survivors, justice isn't really an option. 77 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: The perpetrators ranged from soldiers to teachers to neighbors, and 78 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: partly because of that, most women and girls don't report it. 79 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,559 Speaker 1: Those that do might be cast out from their homes 80 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,840 Speaker 1: and families. And on one day in noven between the 81 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:09,679 Speaker 1: twelve hundreds were raped and schools are frequent targets. According 82 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: to Congolese women's groups, things like an ineffective justice system, 83 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: poor governance, and women's inferior social position all play into 84 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: the sexual violence in the d r C, and while 85 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: it is under reported, the numbers we do have are disturbing. 86 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: Recent obtained statistics revealed that about eleven cases of sexual 87 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: violence are documented each month in various health zones, which 88 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: amounts to an average of thirty six victims a day, 89 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: and the most affected population is comprised of girls aged 90 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: between ten to seventeen, although ten percent of the victims 91 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 1: are less than ten years old. Congolese women constitute the 92 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: DRC population. Their visibility and contribution to food security for 93 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: the survival and running of the Congolese society is undeniable 94 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: and internationally recognized. However, studies and recent investigations show that 95 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,479 Speaker 1: the position of Congolese women in several dominions of national 96 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:03,679 Speaker 1: life remains low in comparison with men. Access of women 97 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 1: to decision making tables, as well as to national economical 98 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: resources and production factors remains very limited. The situation has 99 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 1: deteriorated in latter years with the negative effects of wars 100 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: in repetition to the current persistent insecurity. In fact, sixty 101 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: one point two percent of Congolese women live underneath the 102 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: poverty threshold against fifty one point three percent of men, 103 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 1: while forty four percent of women cannot attain economical timeliness. 104 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 1: And Furthermore, in the d r C, the situation of 105 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: gender based violence, particularly domestic violence on women and young girls, 106 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:38,280 Speaker 1: is very worrying. Collected national data on various forms of 107 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: violence against women demonstrates how it strongly correlates with the 108 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 1: under development in conflict battered DRC. Gender based violence, including 109 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: sexual violence, has reached epidemic levels. In alone, close to 110 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: twenty six thousand, eight hundred cases were registered, but many 111 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 1: more have not been reported for fear of retaliation, because 112 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 1: of the limited monitoring and reporting systems in place, which 113 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: don't cover all affected areas in the country, and because 114 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: of security and access constraints. Humanitarian partners have been advocating 115 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:08,840 Speaker 1: for more funds to be able to provide survivors with 116 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: post rape kits within seventy two hours in safe spaces 117 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: where they can get dedicated psychosocial support. In the twenty 118 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: nineteen Humanitarian Response Plan requires one point seven billion dollars 119 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: to reach nine million people. Of those, five point seven 120 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 1: million people require protection services. To date, the appeal remains 121 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: only twelve percent funded. And we can't forget the consequences 122 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: beyond the trauma of rape, like dropping out of school, pregnancy, 123 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: forced marriage, s t I S. Things like that. And 124 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: just so you know, early marriage is a common practice 125 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:42,239 Speaker 1: and an estimated seventy four percent of women between fifteen 126 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: and nineteen years of age are married, and mostly in 127 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: the rural area. The legal minimum age of marriage is 128 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 1: fifteen for women in eighteen for men, and because of this, 129 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: in the more rural areas, girls as young as thirteen 130 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 1: are forced into marriages in order to provide for their families. 131 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 1: So clearly this is something we should be talking about. 132 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: But it's one sing reading the statistics and it's another 133 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: thing being on the ground talking to those who are impacted. 134 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 1: We talked with two amazing women, Coco Tang and Camplice Spray. Seriously, 135 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: there are resumes outstanding, astounding about what they experienced when 136 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: they went on an assessment mission around sex and gender 137 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: based bilence in the DRC. And we're going to get 138 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: right into that, but first we're gonna take a quick 139 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:43,679 Speaker 1: break for word from our sponsor and we're back. Thank 140 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: you sponsor. So let's let our guests introduce themselves. My 141 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: name is Coco. I'm a paramedic. I'm currently the operations 142 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,839 Speaker 1: director for Global Outreach Doctors. UM. I also worked with 143 00:08:55,880 --> 00:09:00,319 Speaker 1: a few other different NGOs. I'm usually practice over so 144 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,199 Speaker 1: I'm just getting out of my Afghanistan contract, kind of 145 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: my way to Norway before I go back to the US, 146 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: and then I'll throw the ball over to Kim. Hey. Yeah, 147 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 1: my name is Kim and I'm an emergency nurse by 148 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: training volunteer with Global Outreach Doctors and have a little 149 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: bit of experience working in West Africa as well. Yeah, 150 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: you both were kind enough to send along your resumes 151 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 1: and they were super impressed. They were very impressed. It 152 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:34,319 Speaker 1: made me feel very very Um. I'm not accomplished or something. 153 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna leave at that. Um. But how did 154 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: you How did you get into this line of work? 155 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 1: So I first became an emergency medical technician when I 156 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: was in undergrad UM partly because both my very Asian, 157 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: very Chinese parents are m d pH ds and wanted 158 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:57,719 Speaker 1: me to be a doctor. So I had to have 159 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: some kind of exposure to medicine, but also because being 160 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 1: e m T paid better than other minimum wage college jobs. 161 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: So that's what I did. And then when I got 162 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 1: my born, I'm full Bright scholarship and fellowships to the 163 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: Middle East. I was living in Jordan and then I 164 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: was doing research on this Yeraron refugees and the ISIS issue. 165 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: So I was working in this year and refugee camps, 166 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,199 Speaker 1: and then someone heard that I have medical skills, so 167 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:19,679 Speaker 1: I was like, do you want to volunteer for the 168 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: border metavacs? And I was like sure, And that's how 169 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: I kind of got started. And then I walked out 170 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: of UM sort of that experience, realizing that there are 171 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: these huge international crises that I can be a part of. 172 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: And then that winter the typhoon Hyan hit the Philippines UM, 173 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,079 Speaker 1: so then I immediately signed up to volunteer there. And 174 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: then as soon as I graduated, I went to Sierra 175 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: Leone UM at the height of the Bowla crisis to 176 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,199 Speaker 1: do this community outreach thing, and then it just kind 177 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,199 Speaker 1: of snowballed from there. I think can can attest to 178 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:51,079 Speaker 1: this too, like once you kind of meet someone in 179 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: this weird little community. You get networked and sucked in 180 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: and then before you know it, all these organizations are 181 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: asking if you are available for this mission or just 182 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: some or availability for this other vision and stuff like that. 183 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 1: Very true, yep. UM. So for me in terms of 184 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: global health, UM, I actually was finishing my Bachelors of 185 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 1: Nursing UM and was working full time as an e 186 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: our nurse, which is three twelve hour shifts a week, 187 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: and finishing my BS and I felt all of a 188 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 1: sudden I had all this free time on my hands 189 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: and was kind of bored and UM. So it was 190 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 1: the beginning of the fourteen A bowler crisis. And I 191 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 1: put my appetition out the U S A I D 192 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: and I was accepted by an m g O UM 193 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: and signed on for six weeks and ended up staying 194 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: for two years in mist Africa. UM. And so that's 195 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: kind of how this whole thing has started for me. UM. 196 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 1: And now I'm getting multiple master's degrees in the field 197 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 1: UM helping to continue. That's awesome. And UM. One of 198 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 1: the reasons we brought you on today that we wanted 199 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: to hear from you, is I one of your coworkers. 200 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,319 Speaker 1: I guess Rebecca reached out to me and said, you 201 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: should really be talking about sex and gender based violence 202 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: in the d r C, which is something that both 203 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:13,680 Speaker 1: of you have experienced with have seen firsthand. Um, could 204 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 1: you give us sort of a for for listeners, maybe 205 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: a one on one of what's going on there? Yes, 206 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: but sort of before we jump into that, I think 207 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: it'll be good to preface this with, you know, like 208 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: for us, we were just kind of there for like 209 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,959 Speaker 1: a two week thing, like, this isn't our reality, and 210 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:36,440 Speaker 1: we're not you know, like the experts on it by 211 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 1: any means. They're certainly a lot more people who are 212 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: more qualified to speak about it than us. Um, So 213 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: we're just kind of coming at it with the perspective of, 214 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 1: you know, like a two week medical mission volunteer type 215 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 1: of point of view, if that makes any sense, Right, 216 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:52,199 Speaker 1: That's why you were sent there, right, sort of a 217 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:56,560 Speaker 1: mission to to understand the scope of the problem. Perhaps, Okay, 218 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: So and Kim obviously feel for to jump in whenever 219 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: you like. The original sort of idea for the mission, um, 220 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 1: Like when this idea with birth was that we would 221 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: go in for some kind of healthcare assessment and see 222 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: where the gaps are UM in sort of like the 223 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 1: healthcare infrastructure in health Hebrew, and this was something that 224 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:19,679 Speaker 1: Go Duck has done in other countries, so like earlier 225 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: the year we did something similar for Ethiopia UM, but 226 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 1: our local partner that we were working with UM it's 227 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:28,959 Speaker 1: called SUFFCO and it's this French acronym that I'm not 228 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 1: going to try to pronounce because I'll mess it up, 229 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:33,719 Speaker 1: but it basically works with like these local girls and 230 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,719 Speaker 1: women and empowering them giving up skills sort of like 231 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 1: navigating the social landscape of being a woman in DRC. 232 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: So we kind of approached it with maybe like focusing 233 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 1: on STDV, which is like sexual gender based violence, but 234 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:51,920 Speaker 1: obviously we didn't really know what we would find until 235 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: we actually got on the ground and started doing our assessment. 236 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: Can't we have anything to add? Yeah, no, I was 237 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: just gonna go further from that, and then you know, 238 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:03,079 Speaker 1: once we arrived on the ground and realized UM, there 239 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,199 Speaker 1: are quite a lot of people, as Poco said, that 240 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: are much more experienced in this and actually doing a 241 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: lot of work in UM SGBV UM, which is a 242 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 1: sexual gender based violence area, including Dr Mucuig who's there 243 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 1: in um Mukabo, who's won the Nobel Prize and he's 244 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 1: there doing all the like physical problems. So, um, we 245 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: realized that the mental health issues related to both the 246 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: SGBV and the ongoing war in um the d r 247 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: C where how global outreach doctors could add some support 248 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 1: to the area. Yeah, So I think one of the 249 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: key issues that like became like immediately urgently apparent was 250 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: that there was kind of like no psychosocial support for 251 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: all of these like women or just victims of STVV 252 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: in general. And I mean, God knowes it doesn't have 253 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 1: to be female, but like I think the statistics are 254 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: right now something like point eight like psychologists for like 255 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 1: a hundred thousand people in Congo, And I think when 256 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: we were there, there was maybe like one psychologist that 257 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: was working in the entire South Keybrew area. So this 258 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: was like a completely kind of like foreign territory for 259 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: I think the healthcare providers there. Um. And even in 260 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: some of the interviews that we were doing, it's like, 261 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: you know, what are you doing after your assault to 262 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: kind of help you get over this? And a lot 263 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 1: of the answers we got were just, oh, you know, 264 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: maybe some support groups or sometimes I can talk to 265 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 1: my friends, but it was just like a complete lack 266 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 1: of this particular support, even so much so that the 267 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 1: providers realize that this was an issue. People would show 268 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: up to the hospitals and our clinics complaining of kind 269 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 1: of generalized body aches or just your attention was another 270 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: big one. Yeah, And really, if you dialed down, you 271 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: found out that there was some trauma. Whether it was 272 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: s GBV or related to the war, UM doesn't really matter. 273 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 1: It was just a trauma. And really the the underlying 274 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: problem was the mental health issues that nobody had been 275 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 1: addressing there at all. In any way. Um, they don't 276 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: have the medicines available, they have very limited UM support. 277 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 1: The women don't really feel like they can even discuss 278 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: it with each other very much. UM and certainly across 279 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: gender lines, there's really no discussion on this problem. Yeah. 280 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: When we were doing the research for this, they were 281 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 1: just so so so many stories, UM so many women 282 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 1: who were talking about it. And I do think that 283 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: it's something that UM, we don't think about a lot. 284 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: Is the mental trauma, like people who have experienced it do. 285 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: But if if you haven't, then it just doesn't occur 286 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 1: to people that this is a huge gap that that 287 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 1: would cause all these other things. And I think in 288 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: sort of that region in general, I mean, I think 289 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,040 Speaker 1: people kind of treated as like a tired or talked 290 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 1: out topic almost. You know, like it's known that DRC 291 00:16:58,000 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: is like the rage capital of the world just because 292 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: of it's like violent in recent history. Um. But also 293 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 1: like this issue has been eclipsed by a lot of 294 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: other issues, you know, like the M twenty three rebellion 295 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 1: or like the recently Bowl of crisis, Like this has 296 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,959 Speaker 1: sort of kind of become like a bad burner topic. Um. 297 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:16,919 Speaker 1: And even when I was coming off of the mission 298 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:18,639 Speaker 1: and reaching out to some of my journalist friends to 299 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:22,119 Speaker 1: see if there might be potential interest um on writing 300 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:24,359 Speaker 1: about kind of like what's going on with these women 301 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 1: sort of like how years, decades after these conflicts, like 302 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 1: there has been no respite for them, and the response 303 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 1: has been, you know, there there will be no interest 304 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 1: for such an article. It's like a talked out issue. UM. 305 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 1: I don't know, it's just like very sad that is 306 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 1: so disappointing that it's something can be talked out when 307 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: it's people's lives that we're talking and how they are 308 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: affected on a daily basis in such an awful dramatic 309 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 1: la that's really saddening. Yeah, and that does actually bring 310 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: me to your question. I was going to ask later, 311 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 1: but since it's a good segue, how what ways do 312 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 1: you think the media could improve when talking about this? 313 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:09,400 Speaker 1: And um, what ways have they failed? Which might dovetail 314 00:18:09,640 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 1: into each other probably oh, um, like in Congo in 315 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 1: general or kind of like sexual violence as a broad 316 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 1: topic both honestly, um and cann't if you don't mine, 317 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 1: I'll start with sort of like a personal experience. So actually, um, 318 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 1: before this Congo mission, I was in Ethiopia on a 319 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 1: different mission, and I was actually sexually assaulted by Ethiopia 320 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:39,880 Speaker 1: and local there um. And it's like still an ongoing 321 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 1: issue that I'm dealing with a lawyer in Ethiopia to 322 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 1: try and see this case through even though like no, 323 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: des might not be in Ethiopia, which is a complete nightmare. 324 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 1: And I had just like reaching out to some of 325 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:54,199 Speaker 1: the local newspapers to see if there might be interest 326 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:57,440 Speaker 1: in sort of like outing this guy that lives among 327 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: their midst and it is a well known sexual assaulter 328 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:05,520 Speaker 1: and you know, like thief of like foreign tourists. Um, 329 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: I got like zero response. UM. And I think it's 330 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: just like it's not popular news or it's like talked 331 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,399 Speaker 1: out news like I was saying before, like oh another 332 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: person got assaulted. What were they thinking? You know? Or 333 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: the other end of the spectrum is like who cares 334 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 1: about that? Like that's so like a non issue and 335 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:27,440 Speaker 1: that I guess that's sort of like Ethiopian media. I 336 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: can't really make a broad comment about like US media 337 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: with writing a book about it or guess how much 338 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: time three can What thoughts do you have? I don't know. 339 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:42,919 Speaker 1: I don't have really great thoughts on on that. UM 340 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:46,719 Speaker 1: too much really, Um, it is a huge topic and there's, um, 341 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 1: you know, so many different parts of it right that 342 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 1: you know, people need to be feel free to address 343 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 1: their issues and recognize that there are issues. We also 344 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:59,640 Speaker 1: need to recognize that it's a problem in the world. UM. 345 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 1: But UM, you know, our our DRC mission UM was 346 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 1: kind of more focusing on how can we get the 347 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: local providers to help recognize that this is a problem 348 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: and then treated as such. I do kind of just 349 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 1: want to add also, um, and this really hit hard 350 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 1: for me when I was asked this question so one 351 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: of the local women, I can't remember which one of 352 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 1: us did her interview, um, but she was asking like, 353 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,159 Speaker 1: so are you she she you don't like recounted for us, 354 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,440 Speaker 1: like her probably her worst moment in her life, like 355 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 1: talking about her sexual assault. I think she was getting 356 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: raped or something. Um. And then she was like, so 357 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 1: are you going to do something? Like are you going 358 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 1: to help me with it? And you know, we had 359 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: to give her a very painful answer of like no, 360 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:50,639 Speaker 1: we're here for the assessment, Like all we can do 361 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 1: right now is collect your story. And it kind of 362 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: like reminds me of the times that, like I've worked 363 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 1: in other refugee camps or in like vulnerable populations where 364 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,159 Speaker 1: my job wasn't not as a journalist, but even as 365 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:07,640 Speaker 1: like a humanitarian worker, My job was to collect their 366 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 1: stories m or like turn them into data and numbers. 367 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: And you know, in the same vein that journalists just 368 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 1: turned them into like names and words on a page, 369 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: but for them that's like their lives, like they're telling 370 00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: you their worst moments and then not knowing if they'll 371 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,359 Speaker 1: ever kind of see any recourse from the information they 372 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 1: give you, and even if it does, you know it 373 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: could take years, months, what have you. And I just 374 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 1: think that's like a very painful thing for them, right, Yeah, absolutely, 375 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: And um, I know a lot of cases go unreported 376 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:44,680 Speaker 1: because there is a fear of of retaliation or just 377 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 1: almost like well it's going to be painful and I 378 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: don't know what else get out of it. Yeah, that's 379 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 1: very true. Um. And but the other part of this 380 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:59,640 Speaker 1: is the problem with um, you know, Western medical missions 381 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: kind of issue of you know, like we show up 382 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: and then you know, the white doctors are there, and 383 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:06,440 Speaker 1: everybody wants to get seen. And because we're going to 384 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 1: solve the day, and that's not the way that this 385 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: is gonna the world is going to get better. The 386 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:14,360 Speaker 1: world is going to get better by m empowering locals 387 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:18,479 Speaker 1: to do the work, the same work, because we are 388 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 1: not the you know, all powerful people. Um, We're just 389 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:24,680 Speaker 1: the same as everybody else, right. And I just I 390 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:27,360 Speaker 1: just want to add like one last point, like one, 391 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:30,399 Speaker 1: I just like recalled and instance, when I was working, 392 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 1: uh like a refugee camp in Jordan's and this group 393 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 1: of I forget which newspaper they're working from, they wanted 394 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 1: to come in and interview the children and they were 395 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:43,879 Speaker 1: working on like a specific topic, Like their question was 396 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: like what do you dream about? And like in sort 397 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 1: of organizing this and watching how the children failed to 398 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: comprehend this question because they were just like, what do 399 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:56,000 Speaker 1: you mean what we dream about? Like we dream about 400 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: our old homes, like being at home, like we left 401 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: our houses like um. And I think that's kind of 402 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 1: where maybe Western media fails a little bit, is like 403 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 1: taking these questions that we think our audiences are would 404 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:11,359 Speaker 1: be interested in, but are completely out of context for 405 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,600 Speaker 1: the population that they're trying to interview. And I don't 406 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:16,920 Speaker 1: know if I'm like articulating this correctly, but like that 407 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: question was like so out in left field for those refugees, 408 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 1: like they were like, I don't even understand what you're asking. 409 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: But for us audiences, like a Western audiences, like oh, 410 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 1: what do you dream about? It's like such a high consciousness, 411 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: like surreal topic that for them, you know, they can't 412 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: even get food or water, Like what does it matter 413 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:40,920 Speaker 1: what they dream about? Yeah? I think that's perfect cook of. Yeah, well, 414 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 1: now you have any two questions I need to ask? 415 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,640 Speaker 1: You're putting so much out here. Um. The first question 416 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: I did, I want to ask how many. Did you 417 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 1: have a lot of women that were willing to come forward? Um? 418 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: Wasn't easy to obtain that information because obviously they probably 419 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:00,200 Speaker 1: all interact with again, groups of people that come, they're 420 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 1: trying to get an assess in or maybe try to 421 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: help or not. How often would you have pushed back 422 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: and how often would you have like a flood of 423 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 1: people coming in, Yes, I want to talk, I want 424 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:12,640 Speaker 1: you to know what's happening. I think we had mostly 425 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: like floods of people who are willing to talk to us. 426 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 1: But I think it was more under the assumption that 427 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 1: we were there to do something or like fix it. Yeah, no, 428 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 1: I agree, and um, working with our partners Safeco, UM, 429 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:28,160 Speaker 1: they kind of, um you know, said hey, they're coming 430 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 1: and they want to talk to you. And so we 431 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,720 Speaker 1: would have you know, hundreds of people there in the morning, 432 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 1: UM that wanted to talk to us, and we're willing. 433 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,119 Speaker 1: But again the problem was that we really could do 434 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:41,399 Speaker 1: very very little for them, and some of them like 435 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 1: walked from nearby villages like just to be seen. Um. 436 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 1: And I mean we we did whole you know, like 437 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:49,520 Speaker 1: clinical hours where like we did clinical work, like we 438 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 1: asked them what their ailments were and then we you know, 439 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: had sent them to our little traveling pharmacy. Um. But 440 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:59,439 Speaker 1: you know, by and large for like this huge, large 441 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,200 Speaker 1: a myth of an issue of like s GBV, Like 442 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:06,359 Speaker 1: we really could only just talk to them, right, And 443 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: that was really sad. Yeah, and that could be especially 444 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:11,879 Speaker 1: if you're in the medical field and you want to 445 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 1: fix things as well. Um. And then the other part 446 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:17,560 Speaker 1: was as you were talking about people coming in and 447 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: this Western nice idea one of the big issues that 448 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:23,720 Speaker 1: I've had for so long when it comes to mission 449 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: trips and we know Western civilizations saying we're gonna go 450 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: fix things. Guy, I want to go to Africa. The 451 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 1: whole white savior complex. How often have you been running 452 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 1: into that? And can you kind of speak on the 453 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:40,200 Speaker 1: damages that can do constantly? And I think so, like 454 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:44,239 Speaker 1: it's really sexy. I think for organizations to be like, oh, 455 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:46,640 Speaker 1: we're gonna go for two weeks and like do this thing, 456 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 1: and these are our benchmarks, key performance indicators, how many 457 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,679 Speaker 1: people serve, how you know, how much drug supplies we delivered. 458 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:56,920 Speaker 1: But like there's very rarely kind of a plan for 459 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: sustainability because you know, that's a long term investment. It 460 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:05,160 Speaker 1: requires money, it requires like investments and energy, like supplies 461 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: and stuff. It could be like years, whatever. And I 462 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 1: think a lot of organizations just don't have the capability 463 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:13,440 Speaker 1: for that type of long term vision. And it's not 464 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: necessarily their fault, right Like, you know, we're volunteer organizations, 465 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:20,479 Speaker 1: were by nature limited in the scope and our funding. 466 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 1: I think lacking this makes this kind of industry sort 467 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:29,920 Speaker 1: of very myopic in its application, because when we arrived 468 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:32,840 Speaker 1: in some of these places, they were like, oh, so 469 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 1: you brought us drugs, right, Like, you're here to see 470 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 1: our patients, so our doctors don't have to work for 471 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:39,959 Speaker 1: the days that you're here, Like they really just expect 472 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:42,720 Speaker 1: you to do this work for them and then they'll 473 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: just go back to life as normal, and then another 474 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 1: group will come do that work and then they'll go 475 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: back to life as normal. Yeah. No, I completely agree 476 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: with that on all sides, right um, Because you know, 477 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 1: as the Westerners going, you know, people think, oh I'm 478 00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: gonna I'm gonna go help for two weeks, um, but 479 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 1: that's really just barely aband aid, right um. And really 480 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 1: what needs to happen is a longer term solution. I 481 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 1: mean and of course, there are emergency situations two weeks 482 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,440 Speaker 1: is perfect, right, like a typhoon or a hurricane or 483 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 1: an earthquake. You know that that's no problem. You can 484 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,639 Speaker 1: do that acute care. But for the most part, you 485 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 1: need longer term care. And you know that's why Global 486 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:23,959 Speaker 1: Outreach Doctors has been able to UM, you know, connect 487 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 1: with these thirty plus you know psych advisors from the 488 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:31,200 Speaker 1: United States to start doing some education UM in the 489 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:35,400 Speaker 1: Congo with the providers that have joined us as part 490 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: of our DRC group. UM. So that helps. So I think, 491 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: like what makes sort of our outlook on this Congo 492 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 1: mission a little bit unique is like we are trying 493 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 1: to implement like a much longer term plan UM and 494 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:52,359 Speaker 1: not necessarily in terms of like sending teams over and 495 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:55,119 Speaker 1: over again, but sort of like empowering the like the 496 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: local providers to take charge and ownership of like their 497 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:03,359 Speaker 1: own health care system, like we've with like suffrago UM 498 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 1: and like our local partners have to help, you know, 499 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:09,880 Speaker 1: nominate these community champions who could potentially apply this clinical 500 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: psychology training to their own communities and like hold workshops 501 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: for their own people instead of you know, having these 502 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: muzbu doctors come in and speak to them and then 503 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:21,879 Speaker 1: leave for two weeks. Um. And I think sort of 504 00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:26,800 Speaker 1: if this idea could be more widely adopted by other organizations, UM, 505 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:32,200 Speaker 1: it could really like change the face of humanitarian work. Yeah, definitely. 506 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 1: And UM, I mean I remember one example for me was, UM, 507 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 1: we were inundated with hundreds of people wanting to be seen, 508 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: and I was kind of doing my ear nurse triage 509 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 1: and there was one lady who was completely concerned about 510 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 1: UM and said, you know, she has to come next. 511 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 1: She just was not acting right in any way. And 512 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:51,239 Speaker 1: I didn't really know what was going on in terms of, oh, 513 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 1: this was the one that fainted in the middle of 514 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 1: the line. No, no, no, not that lady, and this 515 00:28:55,800 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 1: is actually stories. Yeah. But and so I said, you know, 516 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: we have to see her next, and and all the 517 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 1: locals just came up to me and said, oh, no, no, 518 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:07,959 Speaker 1: don't worry about her. She's just crazy, you know. And UM, 519 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: they kept saying, okay, yeah, she's crazy. UM, and we 520 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:15,360 Speaker 1: I finally got I pulled her in next to be seen, right, 521 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 1: So she kind of slipped ahead in the line because 522 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 1: she definitely looked the sickest in the line. Um. And 523 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 1: as an ear nurse, that's what I'm used to doing, 524 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:27,000 Speaker 1: is peaking the worst and um, you know, and and 525 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 1: it became quite obvious that she was schizophrenic. Um and 526 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:32,840 Speaker 1: you know, I was having some major problems and we 527 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: don't know why because she's just not able to communicate 528 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: in that way at all at that point. Um. But 529 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:41,960 Speaker 1: but more than getting her any help, it was the 530 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 1: other Congolese realizing that, like, she was a real person 531 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: and did have real problems. It wasn't just oh, she's 532 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:51,560 Speaker 1: crazy and we can leave her there, um, and we 533 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:53,920 Speaker 1: all get to get seen because you know, we have, um, 534 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 1: some other issues that you know, those are the major 535 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 1: issues that need to get dealt with, right. But I 536 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 1: mean you think about it in sort of their point 537 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 1: of view, like how often does a person get dismissed 538 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 1: for just like being a little off or like crazy, 539 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 1: But it's actually like maybe having like PTSD or like 540 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: some really serious underlying medical issue that they just you know, 541 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: get brushed off as like oh, she's crazy, don't worry 542 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: about her or whatever. Right. Yeah. One of the first 543 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 1: episodes we did together, we did a mini series on trauma. 544 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 1: When we first started. UM, so we've we've talked about 545 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 1: those kind of health those negative health outcomes that can 546 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:36,160 Speaker 1: be associated with it. A lot of the stories I 547 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:40,200 Speaker 1: read just seeing like things like STI is in pregnancy, 548 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 1: all these just things, Um, that's sort of yeah, yeah, 549 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:50,239 Speaker 1: I mean women used to get burned for existing pretty much, right. 550 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: I Mean that was definitely one of our big conversations. 551 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:56,320 Speaker 1: And that's. Um. I've been in social work before this world. 552 00:30:56,760 --> 00:30:58,840 Speaker 1: And one of the things that Georgia and the US 553 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:02,440 Speaker 1: has finally started talking about is trauma based and evidence 554 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 1: based therapy instead of just diagnosing with random things here 555 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 1: and there and saying, oh, that's just their behavior, understanding 556 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,479 Speaker 1: a majority of their diagnosis and their behavior is due 557 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 1: to trauma, and knowing that that's only starting now for 558 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:19,760 Speaker 1: the U. S can't imagine what that looks like for 559 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:22,560 Speaker 1: the rest of the world. Kim, do you remember that 560 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 1: one patient, She was like an elderly lady and she 561 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 1: came to us like genuinely fearing for her life because 562 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 1: she was like ostracized by her village because some kind 563 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:33,360 Speaker 1: of like sexual trauma happened to her. And then I 564 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:35,640 Speaker 1: think she had a family member dies within her village. 565 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:39,320 Speaker 1: Like I thought she was a witch or something, and 566 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 1: then she was like ostracized in her tent, like people 567 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:45,560 Speaker 1: don't approach her, um, Like sometimes they threw stones her, 568 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: like do you remember that one? And she was like 569 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:49,240 Speaker 1: begging us, like please help us, like I can't stay 570 00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 1: here and I'm gonna die, like they're gonna kill me. 571 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:55,280 Speaker 1: Remember that? And I think that that's I mean, that 572 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 1: wasn't the only time I heard that. You know, after 573 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 1: some sexual based violence happens, that then you're considered you know, 574 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 1: um ostracized, untouchable. I mean even so much so that 575 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:11,280 Speaker 1: the children of rape cannot go to the normal schools 576 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:14,840 Speaker 1: you know have to um, you know, are are also ostracized. 577 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:18,960 Speaker 1: So it's a it's a continual process. Yeah, And so 578 00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:22,480 Speaker 1: we had we had this one like super young teenage girl. 579 00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:25,600 Speaker 1: Um she was getting raped and then to the point 580 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 1: that she had like a rectal anal fistula um. And 581 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 1: she like did not speak for I think two years, 582 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 1: and even at like our interview, like she refused to 583 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 1: say anything to us, like she I think her mother 584 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 1: or her aunt or something like talked for her and 585 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 1: recounted her experience, and she was just like catatonic, like 586 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:53,280 Speaker 1: zero aspect UM. Yeah, it was. It was really depressing. Yes, yes, 587 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 1: I think that we're going to backtrack a little bit 588 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:58,040 Speaker 1: just to get all the information. But can you because 589 00:32:58,080 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 1: you've said it a few times and obviously it was 590 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 1: we were with the can you explain Global Outreach Doctors 591 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: and what it doesn't what its mission is? Sure, so 592 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 1: Global Outreach Doctors we are a nonprofit medical organization. UM. 593 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 1: We send volunteer teams of healthcare providers to you know, 594 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:20,480 Speaker 1: like high needs, low resource areas parts of the world. 595 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 1: And our missions range from like healthcare augmentation to like 596 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 1: various responses to like assessments. Really so I can name 597 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:33,600 Speaker 1: a few like recent ones. Obviously this Congo one, it 598 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:37,960 Speaker 1: was a healthcare assessment. UM. We did another assessment in 599 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 1: the Gonder Mountain region in Ethiopia last year. UM we 600 00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:47,120 Speaker 1: also went on like supplied volunteers for there was a U. S. 601 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 1: Southcom Navy trip in and around the Caribbean and South 602 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:53,400 Speaker 1: America sort of to help out with the Venezulan refugee 603 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 1: crisis and all the IDPs and refugees that were displaced 604 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:59,800 Speaker 1: from that conflict. UM we've also like sent people to 605 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: a most whole in two thousand seven during the anti 606 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 1: isis offensive. Currently we're like working on a project to 607 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:11,040 Speaker 1: support the Dangai fever outbreak and like the Marshall Islands. 608 00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:13,359 Speaker 1: So I mean there's a variety of missions that were 609 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:15,279 Speaker 1: involved in and they're not always sort of like in 610 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:18,080 Speaker 1: the same sphere um, but I think in general we're 611 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:22,719 Speaker 1: sort of moving more towards like this long term sustainable 612 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:26,560 Speaker 1: development like local empowerment type, whereas I think a lot 613 00:34:26,640 --> 00:34:30,279 Speaker 1: of our like pure organizations sort of are more into 614 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 1: like the quick in, quick out, like high speed, low 615 00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:36,080 Speaker 1: drag type of like two weeks patch, patch, patch, and 616 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: then get out type missions. And if you're interested in 617 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,560 Speaker 1: more information, obviously we have a website shameless plug. It's 618 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:50,400 Speaker 1: www dot Global Outreach Doctors dot org. Awesome normal spellings. 619 00:34:50,440 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 1: That's great, exactly what we need. Okay, So going back 620 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 1: to to this mission in the DRC, could you get 621 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 1: what was kind of a general just day like there 622 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:19,560 Speaker 1: and then what data did you end up with if 623 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 1: you can have is there any like analysis or like 624 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:24,160 Speaker 1: from what age to what age? How many women did 625 00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:27,040 Speaker 1: you see? Are people I can talk a little bit 626 00:35:27,120 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 1: more about like the day to day stuff because I 627 00:35:29,160 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 1: managed the legistics and then I'll kick it over to 628 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: Kim to talk about the data stuff because she was 629 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:35,879 Speaker 1: definitely more involved with that part. Um. I wouldn't say 630 00:35:35,920 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 1: that we had any day in like the two weeks 631 00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:40,920 Speaker 1: in some extra days mission that were the same. Like 632 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:43,720 Speaker 1: every day was either moving from one place to another, 633 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:46,040 Speaker 1: We're seeing patients at this one place, We're getting ready 634 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 1: to go to another place. At one point, like we 635 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:51,279 Speaker 1: had questions about our security because the area we were 636 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:55,200 Speaker 1: going into, you know, there's been known rebel activity and 637 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 1: violence in that area. Um So, then we had to 638 00:35:57,800 --> 00:35:59,759 Speaker 1: take a flight in. But then it had to be 639 00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:03,240 Speaker 1: like a minuscal helicopter because like the charter flight cancel 640 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:06,160 Speaker 1: so that our team got split. Um So, then like 641 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:08,680 Speaker 1: the people who had flights out of Rwanda really early 642 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:10,960 Speaker 1: went on the un helicopter, but the rest of us 643 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:14,840 Speaker 1: were like stuck in this enemy surrounded mountain village for 644 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:18,359 Speaker 1: like a few days with internet. I don't know if 645 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: you've ever seen like this movie called like the Tears 646 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:22,919 Speaker 1: of the Sun, but one of my security contractor friends, 647 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:25,400 Speaker 1: when I told him about it, he was like, Cocoa, 648 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:30,800 Speaker 1: that's literally the plot. Like if you were there for 649 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 1: a few more days, and I didn't hear from you 650 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:35,520 Speaker 1: like we would have sent several bearded men to go 651 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:39,759 Speaker 1: rescue you guys. I mean, obviously it didn't come to that. Um. 652 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:42,120 Speaker 1: I mean it was a beautiful place to be stranded 653 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:44,480 Speaker 1: and like the locals treated us like family and it 654 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:47,400 Speaker 1: was amazing every day dealing with some aspect of the 655 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:52,200 Speaker 1: logistics of being in that part of the world. Early. Yeah, 656 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:56,000 Speaker 1: So then UM, talking about the data, So, UM, we 657 00:36:56,560 --> 00:37:00,160 Speaker 1: did assessments in all the different hospitals are clean X 658 00:37:00,239 --> 00:37:05,440 Speaker 1: that we went to on both depression and mental health. UM. 659 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:09,880 Speaker 1: So the the scoring systems we used for the pH 660 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,480 Speaker 1: Q two UM in PHQ nine, which are both regularly 661 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:17,200 Speaker 1: used in the United States for depression, and we also 662 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:20,879 Speaker 1: use something called the Refugee Health Screening fifteen UM, which 663 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:25,920 Speaker 1: has obviously been studied only for refugees and or traumatized patients. 664 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:28,239 Speaker 1: So people would come to us and we would say, 665 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:30,200 Speaker 1: you know, are you a refugee or do you have 666 00:37:30,320 --> 00:37:32,440 Speaker 1: some serious trauma? And if they said yes, then we 667 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:35,719 Speaker 1: would use that RHS fifteen. If they said no, then 668 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,239 Speaker 1: we would just use the PHQ two. And if the 669 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:40,920 Speaker 1: PHQ two is positive, then you move on to the 670 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 1: PHQ nine. So obviously to add that like refugee is 671 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:46,920 Speaker 1: a broad term, also like including I d p s 672 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:48,960 Speaker 1: because a lot of these internally, these people you know, 673 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:53,160 Speaker 1: moved around DRC because of like nearby violence and stuff 674 00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:56,680 Speaker 1: like that. Yeah, that's very sorry, continues that thinks. Um so, 675 00:37:56,960 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 1: but most people said yes to the been I they're 676 00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:02,800 Speaker 1: a refugee, I d P or had some severe trauma, 677 00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:05,520 Speaker 1: and so we would score them on the um RHS 678 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:08,840 Speaker 1: fifteen and UM a hundred percent of the people that 679 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:14,320 Speaker 1: we use that on scored positive for severe trauma. And 680 00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:16,600 Speaker 1: then the PhD. You were like at one point you 681 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:19,440 Speaker 1: like ask you got to question for and that just 682 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:21,879 Speaker 1: like didn't bother asking the rest of the question because 683 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:25,759 Speaker 1: you were like, they're positive, let's move on. Yeah, very crue. Yeah, 684 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:28,680 Speaker 1: we were so overwhelmed and so busy with so many 685 00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:31,160 Speaker 1: people that I didn't we didn't always get to every 686 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:35,160 Speaker 1: single question because once somebody was positive had a positive 687 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:37,040 Speaker 1: score for it, then I was just like, they're positive. 688 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 1: I don't care for the rest of the questions, and 689 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:41,319 Speaker 1: we just need to get them to some assistance if 690 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:44,520 Speaker 1: we can. UM And really, again, this was more about 691 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:48,800 Speaker 1: teaching the local providers, UM, that these are important questions 692 00:38:48,840 --> 00:38:51,680 Speaker 1: to ask on every single patient because you don't know 693 00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:54,680 Speaker 1: if the lady who shows up with belly paine is 694 00:38:54,800 --> 00:38:58,960 Speaker 1: really there because she has um some mental health issue um, 695 00:38:59,440 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 1: rather than just you know, giving her some medicine for 696 00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:04,839 Speaker 1: her supposed belly paint and sending her on her way. UM. 697 00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:07,560 Speaker 1: So that was I think the big learning experience. And 698 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:11,799 Speaker 1: for me, sitting with local nurses and teaching them how 699 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:15,400 Speaker 1: to ask these questions appropriately and realizing why it was 700 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:17,880 Speaker 1: important was really the highlight. You know, getting to know 701 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:20,920 Speaker 1: these nurses and getting them to understand that this is 702 00:39:20,960 --> 00:39:25,040 Speaker 1: important to their community and how they can help their community. Yeah. 703 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:27,880 Speaker 1: And I think so we also did like gendered focus 704 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:30,640 Speaker 1: groups um. And obviously we had larger groups of women 705 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:32,680 Speaker 1: who are involved with these focused groups and like the 706 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:35,839 Speaker 1: men's groups, but like even being able to explain to them, 707 00:39:36,080 --> 00:39:38,640 Speaker 1: like you know, in like in a safe like crowd setting, 708 00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:42,040 Speaker 1: that like, not all of your symptoms are because you're sick, 709 00:39:42,360 --> 00:39:46,240 Speaker 1: like you're you could be like semantic sizing your psychological issues. 710 00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:47,880 Speaker 1: And I think a lot of that a lot of 711 00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:50,840 Speaker 1: them just didn't know that that was a thing. So 712 00:39:51,040 --> 00:39:53,120 Speaker 1: you know, you might not have headaches because you have 713 00:39:53,239 --> 00:39:55,840 Speaker 1: a brain tumor or something. You could be having headaches 714 00:39:55,880 --> 00:39:59,200 Speaker 1: just because you have psychological trauma and it's manifesting as 715 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:04,120 Speaker 1: this physical issue. You right, what was the age range 716 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:08,759 Speaker 1: of people you saw right right wide? Yeah, I mean, 717 00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:11,600 Speaker 1: you know, I would say it was the entire range. 718 00:40:11,640 --> 00:40:14,640 Speaker 1: I mean in terms of STBV. Obviously, the babies weren't, 719 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:17,480 Speaker 1: you know, nobody mentioned that, although I think we had 720 00:40:17,520 --> 00:40:20,400 Speaker 1: four year olds or stuff with STBV, but we just 721 00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:24,160 Speaker 1: certainly saw you know, babies with malnutrition and malaria and 722 00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:27,640 Speaker 1: other things. But then all the way to as old 723 00:40:27,800 --> 00:40:33,120 Speaker 1: as as possible, I mean, like definitely post menopausal age um. 724 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:36,520 Speaker 1: And like they you know, whatever age range, like they 725 00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:40,040 Speaker 1: had legit questions, Like there were elderly ladies who asked 726 00:40:40,120 --> 00:40:44,920 Speaker 1: us questions about like what to do about certain sexual situations, 727 00:40:45,160 --> 00:40:47,759 Speaker 1: like just as like the young ones do um, and 728 00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:49,800 Speaker 1: you know, mothers who were asking like what should I 729 00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:51,640 Speaker 1: do for my six year old daughter who was a 730 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:54,759 Speaker 1: getting rape? Like so and and one lady so like, 731 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:56,640 Speaker 1: she didn't ask this to me, she asked my colleague. 732 00:40:56,680 --> 00:41:00,520 Speaker 1: So like her question was so like, well, can you 733 00:41:00,640 --> 00:41:03,320 Speaker 1: what advice can you give us you know, as a 734 00:41:03,400 --> 00:41:06,200 Speaker 1: Congolese woman in this environment, like what can I do? 735 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:10,960 Speaker 1: And so our colleague answered this question and I wasn't there, 736 00:41:11,040 --> 00:41:13,239 Speaker 1: but maybe you were like she handled it very well, 737 00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:16,320 Speaker 1: because I definitely I would not have had any idea 738 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:18,640 Speaker 1: what to say. Um, but she was like, you know, 739 00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:22,880 Speaker 1: I know your situation looks really bleak, but it's important 740 00:41:22,920 --> 00:41:25,719 Speaker 1: to have this kind of solidarity, feel open with each 741 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:29,400 Speaker 1: other and support each other. I can't like replicate her 742 00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:33,799 Speaker 1: super eloquent answer, but it was just like a lot 743 00:41:33,880 --> 00:41:37,040 Speaker 1: of those types of questions that made you turn your 744 00:41:37,080 --> 00:41:40,000 Speaker 1: head a little bit and do a double take on yourself. 745 00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:46,400 Speaker 1: Hm hm yeah. And I sort of going off of that, 746 00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:50,440 Speaker 1: I m a lot of news media called the DRC, 747 00:41:50,680 --> 00:41:52,440 Speaker 1: like you know, the rap capital of the world or 748 00:41:52,520 --> 00:41:56,160 Speaker 1: the most dangerous place for a woman, And I did 749 00:41:56,239 --> 00:41:59,560 Speaker 1: read a lot of articles from written by Congolese women. 750 00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:02,359 Speaker 1: You were saying like, yes, the situation is really bad, 751 00:42:02,520 --> 00:42:05,640 Speaker 1: but there's also a lot of sisterhood and solidarity and 752 00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:08,920 Speaker 1: strength here and resilience. Do you have one of like 753 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:13,320 Speaker 1: the enlightening, eye opening things I think we encounter was 754 00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:17,480 Speaker 1: how many kind of like just informal women's support groups 755 00:42:17,840 --> 00:42:19,560 Speaker 1: there were right, because like one of the questions we 756 00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:22,560 Speaker 1: asked on these like interviews was like, um, so, what 757 00:42:22,640 --> 00:42:25,480 Speaker 1: are some activities that you do to kind of like 758 00:42:25,680 --> 00:42:29,080 Speaker 1: seek support? And I think most of them said that 759 00:42:29,200 --> 00:42:32,920 Speaker 1: there's some kind of like a local community like women's 760 00:42:33,320 --> 00:42:36,320 Speaker 1: group that they go to. But obviously the issue is 761 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:38,279 Speaker 1: like that if there was a leader for these groups 762 00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:40,640 Speaker 1: you or they're not really trained in clinical psychology, they 763 00:42:40,680 --> 00:42:43,080 Speaker 1: might not be giving out appropriate advice. But I mean 764 00:42:43,400 --> 00:42:46,840 Speaker 1: there was like what I felt was like this hunger 765 00:42:46,960 --> 00:42:51,200 Speaker 1: for like something better or like something to improve the 766 00:42:51,280 --> 00:42:55,400 Speaker 1: current situation with within this like gender meeting group, support 767 00:42:55,480 --> 00:42:58,919 Speaker 1: group thing. Would you agree with him? Yeah, definitely, Um yeah, 768 00:42:59,000 --> 00:43:01,000 Speaker 1: there seemed to be a lot um you know, and 769 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:03,480 Speaker 1: I don't think that there has to be some really 770 00:43:03,520 --> 00:43:05,640 Speaker 1: specific training. I think, you know, just sometimes you know, 771 00:43:05,719 --> 00:43:07,960 Speaker 1: sitting down and and listening to each other is all 772 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:12,200 Speaker 1: that's really needed, and and having that ability to say, hey, 773 00:43:12,320 --> 00:43:14,840 Speaker 1: I have had these problems. But the problem with that 774 00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:18,319 Speaker 1: in the congo, what I was told was that then 775 00:43:18,760 --> 00:43:21,239 Speaker 1: you know, then you become a victim for you know, 776 00:43:21,320 --> 00:43:24,480 Speaker 1: more violence because you have ostracized yourself of you know, 777 00:43:24,760 --> 00:43:27,840 Speaker 1: talk with other women sort of thing. So that's actually 778 00:43:28,320 --> 00:43:30,480 Speaker 1: I can't remember which religion was, but like someone was 779 00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:33,840 Speaker 1: telling us how, um, she was being targeted because she 780 00:43:34,080 --> 00:43:37,160 Speaker 1: was like championing this effort and then that was kind 781 00:43:37,160 --> 00:43:38,800 Speaker 1: of like a target on her back because she was 782 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:41,160 Speaker 1: sort of sticking her neck out on behalf of these 783 00:43:41,160 --> 00:43:43,759 Speaker 1: other women. Right. Well, we even had that one woman 784 00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:47,120 Speaker 1: who had been just attacked and michett ied um uh 785 00:43:47,480 --> 00:43:49,880 Speaker 1: just you know, in the last week because she was 786 00:43:50,120 --> 00:43:53,719 Speaker 1: a champion for it. Yeah. Um. But the other part 787 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:56,280 Speaker 1: of that I also want to mention is, I mean, although, 788 00:43:56,480 --> 00:44:00,800 Speaker 1: you know, going back to the Western media kind of question, is, 789 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:03,680 Speaker 1: although it's important to discuss all these things and realize 790 00:44:03,680 --> 00:44:05,279 Speaker 1: that this is happening in the world, I think it's 791 00:44:05,360 --> 00:44:10,920 Speaker 1: also important to discuss how beautiful and great the Congo is. 792 00:44:11,960 --> 00:44:14,640 Speaker 1: I loved it there. Um. Recently I was asked where 793 00:44:14,719 --> 00:44:16,239 Speaker 1: is my favorite place in the world, and I said 794 00:44:16,280 --> 00:44:19,600 Speaker 1: bukabu um which is in South Kivu, Congo. Um. I 795 00:44:20,239 --> 00:44:23,399 Speaker 1: really really enjoyed the country. It was beautiful, that people 796 00:44:23,440 --> 00:44:26,160 Speaker 1: were amazing, and so you know, I think we need 797 00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:30,799 Speaker 1: to also realize that good things happen in these places. Um. 798 00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:33,640 Speaker 1: It's just not all the trauma and badness, and I 799 00:44:33,719 --> 00:44:37,240 Speaker 1: think some of the stuff is forgotten. Yeah. So actually 800 00:44:37,320 --> 00:44:39,239 Speaker 1: two things I want to add to that where I 801 00:44:39,320 --> 00:44:41,520 Speaker 1: think back to your question about where media fails. I 802 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:43,800 Speaker 1: think we're so eager to highlight all of these like 803 00:44:43,960 --> 00:44:47,399 Speaker 1: negative problems and paint this like shocking picture almost kind 804 00:44:47,400 --> 00:44:49,560 Speaker 1: of you know, like people stopping on the side of 805 00:44:49,600 --> 00:44:52,200 Speaker 1: the road to stare at this grotesque accident. But like, 806 00:44:53,080 --> 00:44:55,120 Speaker 1: I don't think we do enough to sort of highlight 807 00:44:55,200 --> 00:44:58,400 Speaker 1: all these amazing initiatives that are coming out of this place, 808 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:02,680 Speaker 1: like telling stories of these champions who are like willingly 809 00:45:02,800 --> 00:45:04,800 Speaker 1: making themselves a target in order to stand up for 810 00:45:04,840 --> 00:45:07,640 Speaker 1: their sisters, or you know, these amazing women in these 811 00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:11,920 Speaker 1: communities who are empowering like the local girls to do 812 00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:15,200 Speaker 1: this thing, or you know, like being the person that 813 00:45:15,320 --> 00:45:17,880 Speaker 1: they can go to, or like providing housing and like 814 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:20,239 Speaker 1: a safe place for other women to speak up. I 815 00:45:20,360 --> 00:45:23,080 Speaker 1: don't think we do enough to highlight those stories. And 816 00:45:23,160 --> 00:45:24,800 Speaker 1: then the second thing is I'm going to make a 817 00:45:24,840 --> 00:45:29,320 Speaker 1: shameless plug for tourism because I got to go to 818 00:45:29,680 --> 00:45:33,359 Speaker 1: Arunga Park um the companies Viega Park and also as 819 00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:35,200 Speaker 1: part of the Arunga Park trip, I got to hike 820 00:45:35,640 --> 00:45:39,680 Speaker 1: Narago Volcano, which is the largest persistent lava lake volcano 821 00:45:39,840 --> 00:45:42,840 Speaker 1: in the world. Um and I have been to a 822 00:45:43,000 --> 00:45:47,560 Speaker 1: lot of African countries and I have never experienced amazing 823 00:45:47,680 --> 00:45:50,440 Speaker 1: hospitality at the level that I experienced it when I 824 00:45:50,560 --> 00:45:55,080 Speaker 1: did my Arunga trip. Like the tourism industry there is 825 00:45:55,160 --> 00:45:58,279 Speaker 1: really really starving for tourists and for obvious reasons, you know, 826 00:45:58,360 --> 00:46:00,479 Speaker 1: the violence, like the people people. They know that people 827 00:46:00,480 --> 00:46:03,200 Speaker 1: don't want to go there. So when they have tourists 828 00:46:03,280 --> 00:46:06,759 Speaker 1: who you know, are I guess crazy, you're brave enough 829 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:10,759 Speaker 1: to visit there, they're like they express their gratitude in 830 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:15,640 Speaker 1: such a genuine, almost heartbreaking way that like I don't know, 831 00:46:15,760 --> 00:46:18,600 Speaker 1: like I bought a stuffed guerrilla even though I like 832 00:46:18,920 --> 00:46:22,280 Speaker 1: rarely buy souvenirs, I bought the stuff guerrilla just because 833 00:46:22,719 --> 00:46:25,440 Speaker 1: it supports like the local community there, because like the 834 00:46:25,520 --> 00:46:27,600 Speaker 1: women there, they make it and they you know, the 835 00:46:27,640 --> 00:46:29,920 Speaker 1: money goes back to the rangers who protect the guerrillas 836 00:46:29,960 --> 00:46:34,320 Speaker 1: and stuff. So it's you know, your audience, whoever is listening, Like, 837 00:46:35,360 --> 00:46:38,680 Speaker 1: visit Congo. It's perfectly safe. You will have an amazing trip, 838 00:46:38,880 --> 00:46:42,400 Speaker 1: and the hospitality there is amazing, and you will not 839 00:46:42,560 --> 00:46:46,279 Speaker 1: regret it. Like literally I was within feet distance of 840 00:46:46,800 --> 00:46:53,359 Speaker 1: the guerrillas and it was like a spectacular experience. And sorry, 841 00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:56,880 Speaker 1: I forgot that it is much cheaper to do this 842 00:46:57,080 --> 00:47:01,760 Speaker 1: like guerrilla trek uh in Congo than Rwanda, for example. 843 00:47:02,080 --> 00:47:05,960 Speaker 1: So like my entire four day itinerary for the Ruina 844 00:47:06,040 --> 00:47:09,560 Speaker 1: Park and the New York and Volcano costs maybe, whereas 845 00:47:09,920 --> 00:47:13,280 Speaker 1: in Rwanda just the permit, the trekking permit itself costs, 846 00:47:14,600 --> 00:47:19,120 Speaker 1: not including accommodations all that. So it is very like 847 00:47:19,520 --> 00:47:23,160 Speaker 1: cost like your value for money, you definitely get more 848 00:47:23,480 --> 00:47:25,480 Speaker 1: bang for your buck if you do this in Congo. 849 00:47:26,480 --> 00:47:29,200 Speaker 1: All right, there we go side notes, So yeah, I 850 00:47:29,280 --> 00:47:34,120 Speaker 1: love this. We got too shameless plugs. And then off 851 00:47:34,239 --> 00:47:39,640 Speaker 1: of that, what else can listeners do UM if they're 852 00:47:39,800 --> 00:47:43,280 Speaker 1: interested in in helping out in any way supporting anyway 853 00:47:44,040 --> 00:47:47,640 Speaker 1: UM the situation and dear c well, I mean certainly 854 00:47:48,680 --> 00:47:53,840 Speaker 1: go docs always needs UM support, so both UM tears 855 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:57,640 Speaker 1: and from so financial support. So you're welcome to visit 856 00:47:57,640 --> 00:48:02,520 Speaker 1: our website again, will Lota doctors dot org UM doesn't 857 00:48:02,600 --> 00:48:04,680 Speaker 1: it doesn't have to be It doesn't have to be us, 858 00:48:04,800 --> 00:48:07,320 Speaker 1: you know, like if you're passionate about a particular issue 859 00:48:07,440 --> 00:48:10,120 Speaker 1: like there, I'm sure there's no shortage organizations that are 860 00:48:10,200 --> 00:48:12,759 Speaker 1: working on that issue. UM. I would say, like, do 861 00:48:12,880 --> 00:48:15,320 Speaker 1: your research. I always try to support like sort of 862 00:48:15,400 --> 00:48:19,640 Speaker 1: more grassroots local organizations than like large international ones like 863 00:48:19,760 --> 00:48:21,920 Speaker 1: I c r C or Red Cross, just because like 864 00:48:22,280 --> 00:48:24,320 Speaker 1: I want my money to go where I wanted to go, 865 00:48:24,440 --> 00:48:27,200 Speaker 1: as opposed to like overhead UM. And if you can 866 00:48:27,320 --> 00:48:30,840 Speaker 1: find if you do your research in a particular area 867 00:48:31,080 --> 00:48:33,360 Speaker 1: or issue that you're interested in, you find an organization 868 00:48:33,440 --> 00:48:35,600 Speaker 1: that works, and you know, I would just reach out 869 00:48:35,680 --> 00:48:39,040 Speaker 1: to them. Maybe you are you maybe you run a 870 00:48:39,120 --> 00:48:44,239 Speaker 1: podcast that could highlight some of these issues. If you 871 00:48:44,320 --> 00:48:47,040 Speaker 1: have deep pockets, you know, like you know, money goes 872 00:48:47,080 --> 00:48:48,840 Speaker 1: a long way in parts of the world like that. 873 00:48:49,600 --> 00:48:52,880 Speaker 1: And also if you have skills and will like to volunteer, 874 00:48:52,960 --> 00:48:54,600 Speaker 1: you know, like go Dogs and some of the other 875 00:48:54,719 --> 00:48:57,600 Speaker 1: organizations that work with We're aways looking for like volunteers 876 00:48:57,640 --> 00:49:00,520 Speaker 1: who can come on and join us on these trips. UM. 877 00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:06,120 Speaker 1: So there's there's definitely an abundance of ways to get involved. Yeah, 878 00:49:06,160 --> 00:49:08,080 Speaker 1: And it's just important to realize what's important to you 879 00:49:08,320 --> 00:49:11,000 Speaker 1: and how you want to use your time and resources 880 00:49:11,280 --> 00:49:13,400 Speaker 1: UM In terms of you know, do you want to 881 00:49:13,440 --> 00:49:17,160 Speaker 1: work on saving grillas to you know, want that help 882 00:49:17,239 --> 00:49:20,880 Speaker 1: with STBV. I mean there's thousands and thousands of different 883 00:49:20,880 --> 00:49:23,719 Speaker 1: groups out there who each help in their own little 884 00:49:23,760 --> 00:49:27,799 Speaker 1: teeny way. Yeah. And also I think just like keeping 885 00:49:27,840 --> 00:49:31,480 Speaker 1: the conversation alive goes a long way too. As a society. 886 00:49:31,600 --> 00:49:33,840 Speaker 1: There are certain topics that we kind of shy away 887 00:49:34,040 --> 00:49:37,240 Speaker 1: from talking about just because it makes people uncomfortable or whatever. 888 00:49:38,080 --> 00:49:41,400 Speaker 1: Sometimes when I mentioned instances of like sexual assault that 889 00:49:41,440 --> 00:49:43,200 Speaker 1: happened to me, like a lot of my guy friends 890 00:49:43,239 --> 00:49:47,120 Speaker 1: are like, what that happens? And it's like, yes, I'm 891 00:49:47,160 --> 00:49:52,000 Speaker 1: a woman, um, but like, you know, keeping that topic alive, 892 00:49:52,360 --> 00:49:55,560 Speaker 1: like bringing awareness to it, not just as people who 893 00:49:55,600 --> 00:49:57,400 Speaker 1: live in the West, but like, you know, did you 894 00:49:57,480 --> 00:50:00,239 Speaker 1: know that in Congo blah blah blah happens or in 895 00:50:00,360 --> 00:50:02,200 Speaker 1: this other part of the world blah blah blah happens. 896 00:50:02,239 --> 00:50:03,920 Speaker 1: I'm like, what are we doing about it? You know, 897 00:50:04,320 --> 00:50:07,200 Speaker 1: if if you keep it in someone's you know, like 898 00:50:07,280 --> 00:50:10,279 Speaker 1: the back of someone's mind, like and they happen to 899 00:50:10,360 --> 00:50:12,600 Speaker 1: be in a position where they can do something like 900 00:50:12,719 --> 00:50:15,680 Speaker 1: influence policy in any way, you really never know when 901 00:50:15,840 --> 00:50:19,719 Speaker 1: some of these topics and connections may come in handy. Yeah, 902 00:50:19,800 --> 00:50:22,560 Speaker 1: I mean, and another part that reminded me is um 903 00:50:22,920 --> 00:50:26,160 Speaker 1: eve in slur with the vagina monologues came out of 904 00:50:26,280 --> 00:50:29,960 Speaker 1: the drc UM. That's where she originally worked with Dr mccoige. So, 905 00:50:30,160 --> 00:50:33,640 Speaker 1: I mean even that has standard the conversation a little 906 00:50:33,640 --> 00:50:40,239 Speaker 1: bit awesome. Yeah. So one of the things we we ask, 907 00:50:40,600 --> 00:50:44,160 Speaker 1: as you've been sharing with what you do, I can 908 00:50:44,320 --> 00:50:46,560 Speaker 1: see I would say it's very stressful. It can be 909 00:50:46,719 --> 00:50:49,759 Speaker 1: very stressful over apps. What are things you do to 910 00:50:50,000 --> 00:50:56,480 Speaker 1: take care of yourselves? Actually, so I'm not very good 911 00:50:56,520 --> 00:51:00,600 Speaker 1: at this. My strategy for coping is just to myself 912 00:51:01,120 --> 00:51:03,759 Speaker 1: as busy as possible to the point where I don't 913 00:51:03,800 --> 00:51:07,640 Speaker 1: have any time to dwell. Um. So, like I finished 914 00:51:07,680 --> 00:51:10,600 Speaker 1: my contracting Afghanistan a few weeks ago, and since then 915 00:51:10,640 --> 00:51:12,959 Speaker 1: I've just been on the road NonStop, and in fact, 916 00:51:13,040 --> 00:51:17,480 Speaker 1: I'm calling you from Moldova right now. Appreciate that. Yeah, 917 00:51:17,840 --> 00:51:20,280 Speaker 1: And the day after tomorrow I'll be doing the medical 918 00:51:20,680 --> 00:51:22,759 Speaker 1: like a polar medical or anything in Norway, and then 919 00:51:23,120 --> 00:51:24,760 Speaker 1: I'll go back to the U S. And then literally 920 00:51:24,840 --> 00:51:28,120 Speaker 1: the day after I get back, I go straight to work. 921 00:51:28,239 --> 00:51:30,960 Speaker 1: So my strategy which personally works for me, but I 922 00:51:31,000 --> 00:51:33,600 Speaker 1: can't prescribe to anyone else. Is that I keep myself 923 00:51:33,920 --> 00:51:36,160 Speaker 1: literally so busy that I don't have any time to 924 00:51:36,239 --> 00:51:39,759 Speaker 1: dwell at anything else. Yeah, um, And I mean I 925 00:51:39,840 --> 00:51:43,080 Speaker 1: think this is a huge problem, um, you know with 926 00:51:43,880 --> 00:51:46,600 Speaker 1: medical professionals, even in the United States, even that don't 927 00:51:46,680 --> 00:51:49,800 Speaker 1: you know, adventure to any other place. And so I 928 00:51:49,960 --> 00:51:53,360 Speaker 1: think that's another huge topic that needs to be discussed, 929 00:51:54,040 --> 00:51:55,560 Speaker 1: you know, because I don't think we do a very 930 00:51:55,600 --> 00:51:58,680 Speaker 1: good job as a culture. UM. I certainly spent twenty 931 00:51:58,920 --> 00:52:02,640 Speaker 1: years in them are jency room and reached a burnout 932 00:52:02,680 --> 00:52:06,040 Speaker 1: phase and um and had to leave bedside nursing for 933 00:52:06,080 --> 00:52:09,319 Speaker 1: a while because of that problem. So, you know, recognizing 934 00:52:09,400 --> 00:52:13,480 Speaker 1: that it is a real thing, that it affects everybody. Um. 935 00:52:13,680 --> 00:52:15,920 Speaker 1: And it may not hit you on the call or 936 00:52:16,000 --> 00:52:18,360 Speaker 1: the situation or the mission that you think it's going to, 937 00:52:18,560 --> 00:52:21,480 Speaker 1: but you know something else it's going to hit you then, UM. 938 00:52:21,640 --> 00:52:25,800 Speaker 1: So recognizing it and just as we suggested with you know, 939 00:52:25,880 --> 00:52:28,440 Speaker 1: the women in the DRC seking, I think it's important 940 00:52:28,480 --> 00:52:32,400 Speaker 1: for us to talk that it happens to everyone. And 941 00:52:32,600 --> 00:52:37,040 Speaker 1: absolutely I think so you know, we should normalize conversation 942 00:52:37,160 --> 00:52:40,640 Speaker 1: about these types of issues, like people are not comfortable 943 00:52:40,680 --> 00:52:43,279 Speaker 1: talking about the state of their mental health because they're like, oh, 944 00:52:43,360 --> 00:52:46,080 Speaker 1: if I mentioned that I'm having, you know, feeling down 945 00:52:46,280 --> 00:52:48,719 Speaker 1: or suicide whatever, Like are my friends going to call 946 00:52:48,800 --> 00:52:51,200 Speaker 1: the cops enough or whatever? Because I've definitely had that 947 00:52:51,280 --> 00:52:53,160 Speaker 1: happened to my friends, and I've even had it happened 948 00:52:53,200 --> 00:52:55,960 Speaker 1: to me, you know. But like, I think we should 949 00:52:56,000 --> 00:52:58,400 Speaker 1: be more open about talking about these things, and we 950 00:52:58,480 --> 00:53:03,040 Speaker 1: shouldn't sort of like assume everyone who talks about it 951 00:53:03,200 --> 00:53:06,880 Speaker 1: is in some kind of dire emergency state. Maybe they 952 00:53:06,960 --> 00:53:09,279 Speaker 1: just want someone to vent to, Maybe they just needed 953 00:53:09,280 --> 00:53:10,680 Speaker 1: to get this off their trust, and if you just 954 00:53:10,760 --> 00:53:12,520 Speaker 1: listen to them, I was like, yeah, dude, like that 955 00:53:12,719 --> 00:53:15,879 Speaker 1: freaking sucks. No, I mean that makes perfect sense, because 956 00:53:15,920 --> 00:53:17,759 Speaker 1: you know, I know that I walked into the er 957 00:53:17,840 --> 00:53:21,120 Speaker 1: one day to work and um was crying hysterically and 958 00:53:21,280 --> 00:53:24,120 Speaker 1: told a friend, you know, I want to kill myself 959 00:53:24,239 --> 00:53:26,720 Speaker 1: right now. Um. And so then of course it became 960 00:53:26,760 --> 00:53:29,400 Speaker 1: a huge issue, and as she said, you know, police 961 00:53:29,440 --> 00:53:32,480 Speaker 1: and all that were involved, and it was just I 962 00:53:32,640 --> 00:53:36,080 Speaker 1: was burnt out and could no longer watch the parade 963 00:53:36,160 --> 00:53:39,560 Speaker 1: of car accidents and guns shooting victims come in the 964 00:53:39,640 --> 00:53:44,120 Speaker 1: door anylong. I actually so like I joke about sort 965 00:53:44,160 --> 00:53:47,120 Speaker 1: of maybe like some people consider morbid, but like I 966 00:53:47,239 --> 00:53:49,640 Speaker 1: joke about sort of morbid topics a lot. Like I 967 00:53:49,800 --> 00:53:51,879 Speaker 1: recently made a post that was like, does anyone get 968 00:53:51,960 --> 00:53:55,080 Speaker 1: this feeling where it's like, I'm not trying to actively 969 00:53:55,160 --> 00:53:57,440 Speaker 1: kill myself, but like if I walked on a grenade 970 00:53:58,040 --> 00:53:59,880 Speaker 1: or you know, if I stepped on a landline or 971 00:54:00,040 --> 00:54:03,200 Speaker 1: grenade landed in my lab, I wouldn't exactly be mad. Um. 972 00:54:03,320 --> 00:54:05,800 Speaker 1: And like a ton of people actually like message me privately, 973 00:54:05,840 --> 00:54:08,359 Speaker 1: I was like, dude, yeah, I know exactly how you feel. 974 00:54:08,920 --> 00:54:11,200 Speaker 1: And I think so many of us. It's not that 975 00:54:11,320 --> 00:54:15,480 Speaker 1: we're necessarily just like suicidal, but we have these kind 976 00:54:15,520 --> 00:54:18,880 Speaker 1: of self destructive, realistic feelings and we have no outlet 977 00:54:18,960 --> 00:54:22,320 Speaker 1: for it because we're so afraid of being ousted. Do 978 00:54:22,400 --> 00:54:26,080 Speaker 1: you know what I mean? Yeah, I completely agree. Yeah, 979 00:54:27,120 --> 00:54:29,560 Speaker 1: We've talked about that many, many, many times in this 980 00:54:29,640 --> 00:54:34,640 Speaker 1: show Burnout and especially especially in the medical profession. Yeah. 981 00:54:35,080 --> 00:54:39,000 Speaker 1: So yeah, normalizing it it's definitely something we should be 982 00:54:39,080 --> 00:54:43,440 Speaker 1: doing and hopefully moving that way. Okay, so what are 983 00:54:43,600 --> 00:54:48,680 Speaker 1: now that you've done this assessment mission? What are the 984 00:54:48,760 --> 00:54:51,480 Speaker 1: next steps what happens now. So now we have UM 985 00:54:51,800 --> 00:54:56,200 Speaker 1: the thirty plus advisor groups that are medical professionals mostly 986 00:54:56,320 --> 00:55:00,040 Speaker 1: psychiatrists from you know, places like Harvard, Columbia, Mountain, I 987 00:55:00,040 --> 00:55:04,080 Speaker 1: and I UM at their prestigious universities and medical centers 988 00:55:04,200 --> 00:55:09,279 Speaker 1: that are doing telehealth education providers in the DRC to 989 00:55:09,360 --> 00:55:13,399 Speaker 1: help them learn how to address some issues. We're trying 990 00:55:13,480 --> 00:55:16,680 Speaker 1: to gather a supply of medicines to provide them also, 991 00:55:16,800 --> 00:55:19,560 Speaker 1: but that's you know, a little bit harder, but at 992 00:55:19,640 --> 00:55:24,000 Speaker 1: least teaching them how to assess, um diagnose and then 993 00:55:24,120 --> 00:55:28,279 Speaker 1: treat people at a very basic level. Yeah, I think 994 00:55:28,320 --> 00:55:32,520 Speaker 1: so our long term goal with this project is to 995 00:55:33,000 --> 00:55:35,120 Speaker 1: sort of like be able to build up the local 996 00:55:35,239 --> 00:55:38,360 Speaker 1: indigenous capacity, like help them help themselves, like teach the 997 00:55:38,440 --> 00:55:41,480 Speaker 1: trainer or train the trainer initiatives if you will, UM, 998 00:55:41,920 --> 00:55:45,400 Speaker 1: And with these like weeklier monthly engagements, hopefully we can 999 00:55:45,440 --> 00:55:48,040 Speaker 1: build up the capacity and then those people can take 1000 00:55:48,440 --> 00:55:51,840 Speaker 1: their training to other communities and be able to deliver 1001 00:55:52,239 --> 00:55:55,000 Speaker 1: that information there. And you know, it is a bit 1002 00:55:55,040 --> 00:55:58,280 Speaker 1: of a lofty goal UM in a place like Congo, 1003 00:55:58,440 --> 00:56:02,400 Speaker 1: but we're i think pretty optimistic about it. And you know, 1004 00:56:02,480 --> 00:56:05,680 Speaker 1: of course there's always the potential for future teams to go, 1005 00:56:06,560 --> 00:56:09,600 Speaker 1: particularly like working in clinical psychology, like a little more 1006 00:56:09,719 --> 00:56:14,200 Speaker 1: on hands training, like bringing up these community champions um 1007 00:56:14,280 --> 00:56:17,160 Speaker 1: and giving them not only like the in person tools 1008 00:56:17,200 --> 00:56:19,080 Speaker 1: that they need, but maybe also sort of like some 1009 00:56:19,160 --> 00:56:23,239 Speaker 1: of the clinical knowledge like prescriptions or like pharmacology and 1010 00:56:23,320 --> 00:56:26,640 Speaker 1: stuff like that. That brings us to the end of 1011 00:56:26,680 --> 00:56:28,200 Speaker 1: our interview. But we do have a little bit more 1012 00:56:28,280 --> 00:56:30,960 Speaker 1: for you listeners, but first we have one more break 1013 00:56:31,040 --> 00:56:46,120 Speaker 1: for a word from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank 1014 00:56:46,160 --> 00:56:48,840 Speaker 1: you sponsor. And we did want to end on some 1015 00:56:48,960 --> 00:56:51,440 Speaker 1: positive things on the horizon for the d r C 1016 00:56:51,960 --> 00:56:55,080 Speaker 1: that will hopefully improve the sex and gender based violence 1017 00:56:55,280 --> 00:56:58,239 Speaker 1: going on there. One thing is getting more women in 1018 00:56:58,360 --> 00:57:01,680 Speaker 1: positions of power. To that end, in a group of 1019 00:57:01,880 --> 00:57:04,640 Speaker 1: NGOs and their local partners formed a movement called Nothing 1020 00:57:04,719 --> 00:57:07,400 Speaker 1: Without the Women to advocate for the Parity Act to 1021 00:57:07,480 --> 00:57:10,080 Speaker 1: get more women involved in all aspects of public life, 1022 00:57:10,400 --> 00:57:13,480 Speaker 1: although it did not come with specifics, and to push 1023 00:57:13,520 --> 00:57:16,240 Speaker 1: for a law that required at least one woman be 1024 00:57:16,480 --> 00:57:19,840 Speaker 1: listed on electoral ballots or the ballot cannot be registered. 1025 00:57:20,120 --> 00:57:23,720 Speaker 1: They received over two hundred thousand signatures after a march 1026 00:57:23,800 --> 00:57:26,160 Speaker 1: that drew more than six thousand people. The Parody Act 1027 00:57:26,240 --> 00:57:28,960 Speaker 1: was signed that same year, which is awesome. So just 1028 00:57:29,080 --> 00:57:33,320 Speaker 1: a little history of the Congolese women and politics. So Congress, 1029 00:57:33,440 --> 00:57:37,000 Speaker 1: women are not effectively represented and have never really participated 1030 00:57:37,000 --> 00:57:39,680 Speaker 1: in the governance of the countries ninety which is the 1031 00:57:39,760 --> 00:57:42,360 Speaker 1: year of the independence of the country. No woman has 1032 00:57:42,400 --> 00:57:44,840 Speaker 1: ever been head of State or head of government slash 1033 00:57:44,880 --> 00:57:47,880 Speaker 1: Prime minister, which neither have they in the US. So 1034 00:57:48,040 --> 00:57:50,520 Speaker 1: there's that um And there are a lot of reasons 1035 00:57:50,600 --> 00:57:53,600 Speaker 1: behind the lack of participation from women, including the mere 1036 00:57:53,680 --> 00:57:57,400 Speaker 1: family responsibility and sometimes the general fear in running for leadership. 1037 00:57:57,800 --> 00:58:01,960 Speaker 1: Although women constituted six a DRC electorate, the current overall 1038 00:58:02,040 --> 00:58:04,720 Speaker 1: representation of women is only seven point two percent in 1039 00:58:04,800 --> 00:58:08,360 Speaker 1: the high positions of recently established institutions Parliament as well 1040 00:58:08,440 --> 00:58:11,920 Speaker 1: as in the government. The DRC, Government, National Assembly and 1041 00:58:12,040 --> 00:58:15,920 Speaker 1: major institutions are all essentially run by men. Ironically, several 1042 00:58:16,000 --> 00:58:18,400 Speaker 1: of the organizations that are for women and support women 1043 00:58:18,480 --> 00:58:21,200 Speaker 1: are largely run by men as well, and according to sources, 1044 00:58:21,360 --> 00:58:23,480 Speaker 1: right now, there's no woman member of the Office of 1045 00:58:23,600 --> 00:58:26,120 Speaker 1: the Senate and there's only one woman among the seven 1046 00:58:26,200 --> 00:58:28,880 Speaker 1: members of the Office of the National Assembly. Out of 1047 00:58:28,920 --> 00:58:32,520 Speaker 1: the eight senators are only six women. There are forty 1048 00:58:32,560 --> 00:58:35,360 Speaker 1: three elected women out of five hundred elected members of 1049 00:58:35,440 --> 00:58:38,680 Speaker 1: the DRC National Assembly. Out of the forty five members 1050 00:58:38,720 --> 00:58:40,760 Speaker 1: of the government, there are only five women, of which 1051 00:58:40,840 --> 00:58:44,280 Speaker 1: four ministers and one vice minister, and there's no woman 1052 00:58:44,360 --> 00:58:47,120 Speaker 1: governor or vice governor of the eleven current provinces of 1053 00:58:47,200 --> 00:58:50,680 Speaker 1: the Republic. Getting more women in politics is really important 1054 00:58:50,800 --> 00:58:54,040 Speaker 1: for several reasons. Several things we touched on, one being 1055 00:58:54,520 --> 00:58:57,040 Speaker 1: finding from the International Peace Institute that when women are 1056 00:58:57,080 --> 00:58:59,880 Speaker 1: included in peace talks the chance of lasting peace goes 1057 00:59:00,080 --> 00:59:06,560 Speaker 1: up by thirty and also having women's spearhead these movements 1058 00:59:06,760 --> 00:59:12,040 Speaker 1: or laws around women's issues just kind of makes sense, 1059 00:59:12,360 --> 00:59:14,360 Speaker 1: right And as we know as we were having the 1060 00:59:14,480 --> 00:59:17,440 Speaker 1: interview with both Kim and Coco, there are women that 1061 00:59:17,480 --> 00:59:20,959 Speaker 1: are gathering together and it's incredible what you can see 1062 00:59:21,240 --> 00:59:25,280 Speaker 1: when women gather together. So hopefully we'll see even bigger progress. Shoot, 1063 00:59:25,320 --> 00:59:29,520 Speaker 1: they might exceed us on the levels absolutely, and we 1064 00:59:29,680 --> 00:59:34,040 Speaker 1: wanted to end on this quote from Justine Massica Biamba 1065 00:59:34,160 --> 00:59:37,800 Speaker 1: from The Guardian, we do not see ourselves as the 1066 00:59:38,120 --> 00:59:41,760 Speaker 1: capital of the world. Instead, I agree with Liberia's noble 1067 00:59:41,840 --> 00:59:45,920 Speaker 1: Prize Laureate Lima Wilbe, who called my nation the world 1068 00:59:46,040 --> 00:59:50,000 Speaker 1: capital of sisterhood and solidarity. Congolese women have decided to 1069 00:59:50,040 --> 00:59:52,880 Speaker 1: take our future into our hands. We have few resources, 1070 00:59:52,960 --> 00:59:55,640 Speaker 1: but we have an enormous amount of No how it 1071 00:59:55,760 --> 00:59:58,800 Speaker 1: really does seem like they do, just in the conversations 1072 00:59:58,840 --> 01:00:01,840 Speaker 1: and the glowing law of the Coco income had for 1073 01:00:01,920 --> 01:00:05,240 Speaker 1: that community. That sounds a powerful, powerful group of women, 1074 01:00:05,960 --> 01:00:10,360 Speaker 1: very much so, and it was so worthwhile to to 1075 01:00:10,480 --> 01:00:13,640 Speaker 1: have this conversation. We would love to have further conversations. UM. 1076 01:00:13,680 --> 01:00:15,960 Speaker 1: I know frequently we focus on the United States because 1077 01:00:15,960 --> 01:00:18,440 Speaker 1: we're based in the United States, but we don't want 1078 01:00:18,520 --> 01:00:22,040 Speaker 1: to be limited in that scope. So yes emails send 1079 01:00:22,160 --> 01:00:25,240 Speaker 1: us suggestions of what issues around the world we should 1080 01:00:25,280 --> 01:00:29,200 Speaker 1: be talking about, and you can send those to our 1081 01:00:29,280 --> 01:00:32,160 Speaker 1: email at Stuff Media, Mom Stuff at iHeart meia dot com. 1082 01:00:32,520 --> 01:00:35,520 Speaker 1: You can also find us on social media on Twitter 1083 01:00:35,920 --> 01:00:39,440 Speaker 1: at Moms offt podcast or on Instagram at stuff We 1084 01:00:39,560 --> 01:00:41,920 Speaker 1: Never Told You. Thanks as always to our super producer 1085 01:00:42,000 --> 01:00:45,400 Speaker 1: Andrew Howard, thank you, Thanks to our guest Cam and Coco, 1086 01:00:45,600 --> 01:00:49,280 Speaker 1: thank you, and thanks to you for listening Stuff I've 1087 01:00:49,280 --> 01:00:51,600 Speaker 1: Never Told You. The protection of iHeart radios, how stuff works. 1088 01:00:51,800 --> 01:00:54,600 Speaker 1: For more podcast on iHeart Radio is the iHeart Radio app, 1089 01:00:54,680 --> 01:00:57,400 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.