Psisa: The Libyan Viagra

Six beautiful young ladies holding up their thumbs in Libya. Strange ? No, you just need to have the right food.
Nina, Diana, Mireille, Lamia, Asala, and Nayla  from the "Libya Youth Center", an OMV sponsored charity project in Tripoli, have found the right recipe. One of the girls discovered the great tasting mixture of flour, pistachos, honey, grain, nuts, etc. and introduced it into the group.
From that day onwards, everybody seemed to be happy. No more sorrows, bad moods or misunderstandings.

They disclosed to me that they were eating up to a jar a day. And they also found a an excellent producer who would let them have only the freshest jars.
After some time they found out that the delicious "desert" was used in Libya as an aphrodisiacum since many years. It is called Psisa and must be in the shelves of any serious household in Libya.
Which explains also their extremely good mood, recently.
However, I forgot to ask them if they increased or reduced the dose once they discovered the effects of "Psisa".

Mit Karim Gawhary bei der Arbeit II

Wenn eine Wahl bevorsteht, dann lässt sich auch der ORF (Österreichischer Rundfunk) nicht lumpen. Er schickt dann seinen Starkorrespondenten Karim Al Gowhary samt Team von Kairo nach Tripolis.
Aber ja nicht zulange bleiben dürfen sie, denn in Zeiten wo jedes Unternehmen Kosten und Zeit sparen muss, soll es dem ORF auch nicht besser gehen. Und das führt dann dazu, dass man Karim, Iris und Team kaum zu sehen bekommt. Zu intensiv ist man damit beschäftigt die Geschichten "in den Kasten zu bekommen".
Aber eines weiss ich, das Sparen liegt nicht daran, dass ich vielleicht "schwarzsehe", denn alle zwei Monate überweise ich 46,19 Euro dem ORF, damit ich auch im Ausland zwei Kanaele sehen darf und ab und zu dabei Karim zu sehen bekomme.

Und das bedeutet dann Stress. Wie bekommt man beispielsweise einen Bilhaj so schnell vor die Kamera zu einem Interview ? Da werden dann schon alle Kontakte angerufen und auch ich spannte zwei libysche Freund ein, die mir immer wieder von ihrer innigen Freundschaft zum "Eroberer von Tripolis" erzaehlten. Und dann endlich klappt es: Einer meiner Freunde ruft mich an und erzaehlt mit stolz und siegessicher er habe Bilhaj gerade erreicht, und dieser sagte zu die österreichischen Journalisten empfangen zu wollen ! Naja, ein halber Erfolg, denn Karim hatte erst zwei Stunden davor Bilhaj "in den Kasten bekommen". Einen halben Nervenzusammenbruch hat das Team bekommen, als man 500 MB Filmmaterial über Internet nach Wien spielen musste. Wer einmal libysches Internet kennengelernt hat, bekommt bereits beim Gedanken an das Unterfangen alle Ausschläge und Gemütszustände. Da hilft dann auch kein Hotel Wifi oder privates Netzwerk mehr. Bei mir versuchte man es dann noch einmal - aber bereits beim Verbindungsaufbau scheiterte das Projekt. Also blieb Iris und dem Kameramann nichts anderes übrig als den angebrochenen Abend bei tropischen Temperaturen in der Liege verstreichen zu lassen.

 Glücklicherweise war dann auch Heidi Burkhardt da, und so konnte Karim wenigstens die letzten weltweiten Hilfsaktionen des Hilfswerk Austria kennenlernen. Eines davon ist fürwahr spannend, es geht um Libanon und Syrien.

Austrian Air Force in Libya

The pride of the Austrian Air Force: Hercules C-130 arrived in Tripoli on 3 May. On board: 18 medical doctors, nurses, physotherapist, in total 30 persons.
Wafa (we are for all) helped organize this humanitarian trip initiated by the Society for Austro-Arab Relations, during which many operations, consultations and therapies were carried out.
But why would they not take Austrain Airlines www.austrian,com , flying five times a week Vienna-tripoli?
Was it because of the catering?
Or maybe comfort?
Or did the pilots need some training hours ?
No, the real reason was that tons of medical supplies and equipment was brought to Libya. Donated by Austrian companies an institutions.

Although, when our beautiful bird arrived at Tripoli international airport, the usual confusion broke out:
"Why is this plane here?"
"Where are the visas?"
"Where are the import licenses for the goods?"

After grilling two hours on the rollway, everything was resolved.
"Mafish mushkila"

If you are interested in more activities of the Society for Austro Arab Relations (GÖAB-SAAR) pls. follow the link:
www.saar.at 

Spende der Europaklasse 3E Ursulinengymnasium Graz

Eigentlich sollte dieser Eintrag auf Englisch sein, denn in der Europaklasse 3E des Ursulinengymnasiums in Graz wird diese als Unterrichtssprache verwendet.
In dieser Klasse gibt es eine Schülerin, die nur knapp dem Flüchtlingstrauma entgangen ist. Bereits im Jahr 2010 durfte Kathi mit ihren Eltern das Wüstenparadies in geordnetem Rückzug verlassen. Das Mandat des Vaters, Bernhard Spreitzhofer, Niederlassungsleiter der Fa.Asamer, war in Libyen abgelaufen. Da half kein Wimmern und Jammern des Vaters, kein Verstecken in Tunnelsystemen, verschanzen in der Wüste, die Familie meinte: genug ist genug, und man zog nach Graz.
Dort verfolgten natürlich alle das Schicksal der jungen libyschen Demokratie und kamen dann auch den vielen Hilferufen nach: In der Klasse organisierte Kathi unter ihren MitschülerInnen eine Sammlung um dies Libyern in irgendeiner Art und Weise zugute kommen zu lassen. Stolze 300 Euro zwackten sich die SchülerInnen von ihrem Taschengeld ab. Ich hatte die Ehre vor wenigen Wochen in die Klasse zu einem Vortrag über Libyen eingeladen zu sein, das Geld entgegenzunehmen und es vergangene Woche Heidi Burkhardt, Generalsekretärin des Hilfswerk Austria International, in ihrem neuen "Libya Youth Center" zu übergeben (siehe auch Blogeintrag  http://wdintripolis.blogspot.com/2012/05/opening-of-libya-youth-center.html ).
Die libyschen Youngsters waren von der Aktion jedenfalls schwer angetan und konnten es kaum glauben, dass andere Kinder in ihrem Alter in Österreich an sie dachten.

Opening of Libya Youth Center

On May 8, over a year of hard work got rewarded: The Austrian energy group OMV financed a youth center for the treatment of traumatised children and youngsters. Hilfswerk Austria International, an NGO, was entrusted with implementing the project. Since a couple of weeks children have registered at the youth center and are trained by professional social workers.
Of course they also had a small performance during the official opening ceremony and it seems they all felt more than comfortable in their new environment.

Senior Vice-President David Lattin of OMV during the ceremony, Vice-Minister for Education, Dr.Khoja, and Secretary General of Hlfswerk Austria International, Dr.Heidi Burkhardt together cut the red ribbon.
It is indeed impressive, how, within only 6 months something real could be established. 

Libya Youth Center, Dahra

Nina Boroufka, Project Manager of the "Libya Youth Center", enjoying her coffee after having worked non-stop for many months now. And the efforts shall be rewarded soon. Let´s start from the beginning:
Hilfswerk Austria International (HWA), an Austrian NGO started to focus its activities on Libya already during the early days of the revolution. Its secretary general, Heidi Burkhardt, travveled as early as April already to the Jebel Nafusa, delivering humanitarian aid to the war plagued "Rebels´ area".
After the fall of Tripoli, HWA continued their efforts, and also participated in a tendering process for the installation of a youth center for traumatised libyan children and teenagers.
The whole project was and is financed by the Austrian Oil company OMV and fits into their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy.

Nina started as project co-ordinator in Libya in November 2011 and made the nearly impossible, possible. Remember the old saying among foreigners: Libya, where the possible becomes impossible, and the impossible becomes possible.Within only a few months a house for the center was found, additional staff (e.g. psychologists) hired and the whole center was adapted to its specific needs.
Only a few days ago the first kids were received in the center. Actually it was the screening process to identify those children who need special attention and treatment. Nina and her team visit schools and kindergardens to also convince teachers of their work and the need to identify the children and teenagers in need of treatment.
These days the preparations for the grand opening are under way. Some more days, and you will read on this blog about it.
Oh yes, and if you have kids or teenagers who you think need treatment - feel free to visit them in Dahra !!

The (Austrian) hero from Tripoli

Finally ! A newspaper in Austria (actually the biggest one) came out with the story of the Austrian NGO "Hilfswerk Austria International"  http://hwa.hilfswerk.at/ working in Libya.
And especially for you, Asma (2nd photo), this entry is in English !
Heidi Burkhart, the CEO of Hilfswerk travelled already to Libya when others were still paralyzed by the events in Misrata and Eastern Libya. first aid deliveries arrived the Jebel Nafusa as early as April, more trips were to follow. By taking along Austrian journalists, Heidi made sure that Austrian media would report about the "rebels" in the Jebel, and some nice stories resulted from it.
When OMV decided within their CSR to launch a project for children and the youth in Libya "Hilfswerk" was invited to take part in the tender procedure, and finally they won it.
Their taking part in humanitarian projects from the beginning of the revolution made them an excellent partner.
Since October, Nina Borufka - Project Manager (oh, thx to the article I finally know her age :-D  - and Asma Khalifa are working day and night in our office. Preparing the opening of the Youth centre in the heart of Dahra.
1.500 children and teenagers will soon be treated with Art- and playful therapy of their traumas of the war.

And Asma?
Well, if she is not busy in organizing meetings with the Minister of Health, Minister of the Wounded, Minister of Education, etc. she is looking for a signal for her Wimax Internet connection.