Ever since my student days, it had lingered in the back of my mind as a “maybe someday” project, repeatedly brought back to my attention at events organized by “Doctors for the Third World” and later “Austrian Doctors.” Eventually, it matured into a genuine commitment — and that was how the Bangladesh adventure began for me, taking concrete shape with my registration, Babul’s letter of invitation, and the visa application.
“Can I really manage this at all?” “Will I catch a tropical disease?”
These were anxious questions for me before my departure. How reassuring it was that I could talk with colleagues who had been to Bangladesh once or several times before, and that my concerns gradually gave way to anticipation of my assignment.
On November 5, the day finally arrived: the plane landed in Dhaka, and it was not difficult for Babul to spot me as the only white face among the crowds of arriving passengers. The warm welcome from Babul’s family and the helpful, friendly reception by the clinic team made it easy for me to settle pleasantly into my working routine.
The work itself was extremely interesting and varied. The “Mobile Clinic” visits different slum areas every day. The journey to these locations alone reveals, in many facets, living conditions in a hopelessly overcrowded city that are hardly imaginable for us Europeans. Noise and garbage are everywhere. By contrast, our small health centers with their attached schools are islands of cleanliness, order, and motivation. At all locations, the classrooms are situated right next to the clinic, so I was occasionally able to observe both the daily meal distribution and the school lessons. It is currently exam time, and I get the impression that the children are very much aware of the value of their education. They are cheerful, self-confident, and well-mannered; some of them — including girls — told me about their career aspirations.
Here, one receives a very simple and clear answer to the question that is sometimes asked: whether our support makes sense or is “just a drop in the ocean.”
As a doctor, one gets to know the people in these areas on an individual level. Many illnesses could be prevented and are directly linked to the harsh living conditions.
Medical care for the poor, right in the midst of the slums, helps to fill gaps that are clearly still present in the public health system. Treating a large-scale burn on a beggar is complex and demanding, but ultimately successful. She would neither have been admitted to a hospital nor remained there… what would have become of her without our help?
With my dear flatmates Gerhard and Birgit, who had spent several weeks at the training center working as computer experts, project planners, and English teachers, I enjoyed many truly wonderful hours and days in a beautiful country during our free time. However, we also faced temporary “house arrest” due to political unrest, an earthquake that fortunately caused no major damage at our locations, and—most shocking of all—the large fire in Khorail.
It was almost miraculous that this devastating fire stopped just a few meters from our site. This allowed Babul, the coordinator of our project in Bangladesh, to launch an emergency program to provide first aid to the slum residents who had become homeless overnight, many of them families of our patients and students. For several days, meals were prepared at the school for 1,500 people. What impressed me most was the patience, discipline, and gratitude of these people who had lost everything. The students of our slum school helped organize the food distribution, and one could clearly see and feel their joy in being able to help. Afterwards, Babul also arranged warm blankets and tarpaulins for the families, as it is already quite cold at night at this time of year.
These days will remain unforgettable for me. Once again, my heartfelt thanks to all the donors who made this much-needed aid possible!
I am also deeply grateful for the warm hospitality of the entire team in Dhaka. It was truly wonderful to be part of this community, and I am already looking forward to returning.
