Douna, UN's hardest working (unofficial) employee

Douna
Originally uploaded by parisdelhi

Meet the UN's hardest worker. Unpaid, unthanked, this man takes the UN's message from the offices in Geneva and New York straight to rural Africa.

Whether it is the millenium development goals or women's rights Douna will get on his rusted-out rickety bicycle and peddle in the intense sun many kilometres to spread the good word. He has just completed a series of trainings throughout the county concerning the Avian Flu. While many chuckle at all the theory, coming out of the UN's air-conditioned offices, aimed at poor African peasants, Douna takes it all very seriously and makes all that theory have a real effect on the ground.

He isn't that different from anyone else, just a bit of high school education under his belt and a powerful source of perserverence and patience.

I am lucky to be able to tag along with him and add my own messages after he has completed his presentations. Today I came to town in a vehicle because my body was tired after biking with Douna to his meetings mornings and afternoons for a week. In the vehicle we passed Douna on his bicycle, peddling to town, amazing...