Prodigious son

Samuel Apollo, pictured in a surprisingly pristine white shirt, is the chief of Ndoromo and the neighbouring village of Namama.  He has approaching 25 children, 3 wives living with him and others scattered in the nearby area. A very fecund family and it must be the chief's right to father as many kids as he can. Whatever the total it sounds impressive and I'm not sure how one finds the time to procreate so much.

There was a multitude of stars but no moon, so it was pitch black without our torches. We had an evening meeting with the supportive chief and couldn't see each other three metres away. We ate beans and rice in the night air as a few members of the community sat around silently. The village is completely without electricity or network coverage. The quiet pace of subsistence life here drives many to alcoholism, which is a gigantic barrier to development. HIV has historically affected southern and more eastern parts of Africa much more and the conflict in Sudan could have slowed the spread of the disease. I fear it could explode here, spurred by polygyny and open attitudes to sex. In the small Ndoromo health post today I saw the HIV test log (lying open...patient confidentiality) showing some positive members of the community.

What to us may seem an idyllic way to spend a few days 'reconnecting with nature' is doubtless not viewed the same way by the villagers when they see foreigners turning up with their colourful and bizarre pieces of camping equipment. However the welcome here is truly warm.