In the final part of our interview series, Dr Ione explains the action undertaken by her NGO to support health centres during a period not exceeding five months. She emphasizes the need to quickly switch from humanitarian assistance (providing medicine and care) to development in order to restore the system as it was before the turmoil. After 34 years in the country, Dr Ione is still full of optimism, convinced that peace and development can and will be restored in the Central African Republic. She will keep on carrying this message to the rebels, to the government, to the population, and to whoever feels that the current situation of Central African men and women is unacceptable.

In the previous episodes, Dr Ione described her engagement in CAR and her life though rebellions and mutinies. In the region of Ngaounday at the border with Chad and Cameroon, she shared the hope of the population and assisted their initiatives to improve their living conditions. She witnessed the quick and promising establishment of community social services and the destruction of twenty five years of hard work by the successive rebellions. She recalled the attacks on Ngoundaye, and how she shared the fears of the inhabitants and had to hide with them in the bush in order to protect he life and her hospital. Finally, she was able to see the rising interest of the international community for the Central African crisis, and the response of humanitarian actors.

Living convictions: Dr Ione describes her incredible experiences in the Central African Republic. A thrilling eye-witness account of the country’s history.