Few people in the world have witnessed stories of endurance and survival like I have. On a trip to Africa accompanying my uncle who worked with the World Health Organization (WHO), I witnessed the devastating effects of extreme poverty, conflicts, epidemics and horror from poor hygiene and sanitation. My uncle was part of the medics sent to Africa to combat the Ebola virus which had killed thousands of people in West Africa. Although I feared to go on the trip with him as chances of infection were extremely high, I reluctantly agreed since I wanted to gain firsthand information about the socioeconomic and political conditions in Africa for my project. I always desired to write a book about the deplorable conditions, particularly poor hygiene …show more content…
Therefore, a trip to Africa, although presented with various dangers due to the Ebola virus presented a great opportunity for me to gather substantial information for my book. “Perhaps I might enjoy the African Safari,” I told myself as vivid imageries of wild animals in their natural habitat crossed my mind. I’ve always desired to view and interact with animals in their natural environment; therefore, I was excited to embark on a journey to Africa. I was on board a United Nations airplane in the company of my uncle and other medics and security personnel who were on a mission to save lives and combat the Ebola virus. When we landed in Monrovia the capital city of Liberia, the environment looked completely different. I could see vast tropical forests that painted the city green. The air felt fresh and for a second, I felt great …show more content…
In particular, my uncle was assigned the duty of researching the gruesome effects of Ebola. We both wore protective clothing to minimize chances of infection since Ebola was highly infectious and air-borne. As we approached closer to the forest, we saw a huge heap of human bodies. The scene was completely disturbing. The air smelled awful and bloody and my uncle stepped out of the jeep to have a closer look at the remains. When he came back, he exclaimed, “damn! We must act fast, cannot afford to lose this battle, otherwise, Ebola will wipe out the entire population of Liberia.” We drove off back to the United Nations camp and for days, the disturbing images of human bodies could not leave my