Jessica Uno is winner of the World Briefing: Telling the Malaria Contest co-sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation and Malaria No More. Her winning essay earned her a trip to cover the MIM Pan-African Malaria Conference in Kenya and report back on the latest in the global effort to end malaria.

So far my stay in Nairobi has been full of juxtapositions and conflicting images. It was hot and humid when we arrived at the Nairobi airport. The first thing I remember was my annoyance at my checked luggage, which for some reason was soaked through with (hopefully) water. The second thing I noticed were the rows of families lining the walls of the airport. It took me a moment to figure out why all these families were sitting on thin blankets against the airport walls. Then I realized they weren’t going anywhere, they were spending the night there. Men, women, and children of all ages were either praying or leaning against the sticky walls watching the sudden surge of obvious foreigners pulling their luggage through the hallway to find the fresh air outside the airport building, where dozens of shiny-faced cab drivers solicited customers. The air was thick and smoggy, and having spent the last 27 hours on an airplane or in an airport, I was eager to get to the hotel.

After we got in a taxi to the hotel, the scene immediately changed. As we drove into the city, neon signs flashed everywhere, and 5-story high billboards advertised cell phones, Coca-Cola, and television shows. All the signs were in English. I was surprised at how few of the signs actually featured African individuals. The television ads all featured Caucasian characters. The buildings got taller and taller as we approached our hotel. The city reminded me of Buenos Aires or New York, with people milling about everywhere under the gigantic lit billboards, despite the late hour. The roads were obviously dangerous for pedestrians; our driver never slowed when people walked in front of the car. Everyone somehow made it across the street in one piece though.

When I got to my 12th  story hotel room, I tried to photograph the view. I failed because my flash ruined the photo and without flash it just looked like a bunch of dots, but it was quite beautiful. In the daytime, the city from above looks a lot like Los Angeles, but with more trees. They stick scarecrows at the tops of some of the trees to scare away certain birds. The Hilton Hotel where I am staying is very comfortable and well-furnished inside, as are the conference center and the other hotels where we are interviewing different people.

I feel really guilty staying in such nice conditions when I am constantly hearing and talking about the millions of families suffering from malaria. I think it is one of the greatest ironies about these kinds of conferences. Not that I’m saying we should all stay in huts for the conference, but the discussion of malaria and its impoverished victims contrast so starkly with the air-conditioned, well-dressed environment of the conference. I personally struggle constantly with the thought of being so fortunate when so many others are barely making ends meet. Spending time in Nairobi, as well as Argentina and Mexico this past summer, have forced me to re-examine my lifestyle and the privileges I take for granted while living in the Bay Area. These thoughts however make me more amazed at the projects and efforts displayed at this conference. As I interview more leaders in the malaria field, I am more and more inspired by their compassion and motivations for eradicating malaria. I will share with you some of these motivations in later entries. In the meantime, I have to get some rest. Our days are ridiculously packed, and my sleep debt from Stanford midterms hasn’t quite worn off yet…

Jessica’s trip to Kenya was supported by Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation and Malaria No More.

Tags: Guest Post, Jessican Uno, World Briefing

Tags: Guest Post, Jessican Uno, World Briefing
Categories:Jessica Uno: World Briefing Report