A good day....
when I actually achieved something. There are not too many of them.
Talked a couple from the former SU through the asylum application process.
They had been hearing the usual sets of stories and were very worried about not being able tell their story properly.
We sat and talked for the best part of two hours and they seemed much happier at the end.
We will do the usual role play and feedback session one evening next week.
A text message shows up from some Zimbabyan friends, their green books have been issued at last.
Now they can get jobs and start the next step of their lives.
A very good day indeed.
posted by Carigeen at Friday, May 23, 2003
"If I got my hands on those people ....
I'd deport them myself!" said S on the phone.
S loves and is loved by everyone and never panics, so this was something really difficult.
She was visiting A, when woman B comes in to ask A for advice on how to stop bleeding.
S made the reasonable assumption that it was B herself that was bleeding.
It eventually emerged that a baby boy had been circumcised by an amateur and was bleeding badly.
Then B froze and it was not possible to find out where the baby was, except that it was in rented accommodation in town.
S passed the matter to the Health board, who might take some action. I'm not hopeful though.
What to do?
We must respect cultural traditions but we can't allow children to die of loss of blood or blood poisoning.
Can we get a local doctor to do circumcisions? Is anyone willing to do it? How do we circulate the information?
Unfortunately the public health doctors are still on strike.
I'll see if I can talk to Doctor C quietly about it and see what she recommends.
posted by Carigeen at Tuesday, May 20, 2003
