world
May 17, 2024

Help as a life dream: Why Damaris wanted to Africa as a child

I always thought that helpers were do-gooders who sacrifice themselves out of charity. I did not see on screen that they too could be about self-realization and about fulfilling a dream.

Childlike intent: With nine Damaris knows that she wants to Africa

Children's photo of Damaris

"Even as a child, these reports of hunger and poverty have always touched me deeply."

Damaris Kunz speaks with a calmness and deliberation, as I know of few people. Fortunately with one that does not make me impatient, but calms me down.

"I remember being so impressed by a report at nine that my childish purpose was to go to Africa later to help people."

This childlike intent determines to this day Damaris life path.

Youth, training, twenties? Damaris always keeps her goal in mind

After graduating from high school, the native of Ulm trained as a nurse. "Being a nurse was obvious to me to help people." At the same time, she tested how far she was able to cope with the foreigner, for example by spending several months in Ethiopia.

Damaris in Ethiopia

After completing her education and earning her first years in the profession, Damaris went to Uganda for a year through a Christian organization and helped provide health services to a village health station. She organized the financing of her stay by raising donations in her extended circle of acquaintances.

Damaris in Uganda. There she supplies locals in a village health station.

Finally, thanks to Medair, Damaris dream comes true

After Uganda, the topic of humanitarian aid for Damaris was anything but: "I always had the dream to do something like that for longer." Oddly enough, it does not seem so easy to fly to a developing country and help.

For Damaris came in 2007 again an opportunity. The organization Medair, which focuses on providing so-called emergency aid in crisis regions, hired Damaris for a three-year mission in South Sudan. Damaris and her husband she? The coincidence is such a fox - had met in Uganda.

The mission in South Sudan: Damaris saves children from starvation

While working for Medair in southern Sudan, Damaris worked in a nutrition clinic. Here she measures with a measuring tape on the upper arm of the woman, if she is malnourished.

South Sudan has been an independent state since 2011. Civil war has been raging in the country since 2013, and the malnutrition rate is higher than anywhere else. During Damaris first deployment, South Sudan was still an autonomous region within Sudan.

Damaris worked for Medair at a nutrition clinic that primarily treats the symptoms of ill health: staff look for and find malnourished children and regularly provide them with special foods. They supply them with all the essential nutrients until the deficiency symptoms are balanced and the children may even rediscover their desire to play. "It's nice to see how such underserved children become well-fed, healthy little people," says Damaris.

Damaris surprising motivation: the appeal of the challenge

In 2014, Damaris flew with her husband a second time for Medair in South Sudan and saved the lives of countless children for two years. Own children does not have the couple? they prefer life as a helper to a life with a family.

Since her recent return from South Sudan, Damaris has been waiting for the next mission for which Medair needs her and her husband. Because after she has implemented her childlike purpose and fulfilled her dream, she still feels drawn to the distance. Why? I was surprised by Damari's response: "I am also irritated by the challenge."

Damaris with a protege in South Sudan

My take: What I learned from Damaris

What impresses me is that people like Damaris think so blatantly beyond their own horizons that they are aware that far beyond their regular sphere of activity, there are people who urgently need help. I was a bit disappointed that neither Damaris nor Medair are working to ensure that people in South Sudan do not get into the situation they need help with, but then I understand that there are other organizations for that. Medair is not the physician who develops vaccines, but the doctor in the emergency department who sews the laceration. You also need that. Absolutely!

It also impresses me that Damaris has dedicated her entire life to her dream of helping needy people.I admire people with such dreams much more than, for example, women who dream of looking like Heidi Klum. At the same time, it was an awesome experience for me that Damaris (and possibly other helper people) do not sacrifice themselves, just follow their feelings and devote their lives to their dream. Probably that gives her the strength she needs to really help.

By the way: Help? that's how it's done

You do not have to be a nurse to get involved in an organization like Medair. For example, Damaris Mann is a carpenter, but is characterized by flexibility. From accountant to interpreter to car mechanic? anyone can help, even if the desire for it later arises as with Damaris. Job opportunities and lots of other info are available at Medair.