The worst kind of news
on Kev in Tanzania (Tanzania), 16/May/2009 07:28, 34 days ago
Please note this is a
cached copy of the post and will not include pictures etc. Please
click here to view in original context.
I wrote this on the 5th May when I returned from Dar.I got the worst kind of news on Thursday 30th April, one of our fellow volunteers from Dodoma a good friend called Saskia was involved in a road accident and later died in hospital.I am still in shock as a she was a wonderful friend and I used to really enjoy her company whenever I went on a break to Dodoma.She was riding her bike when she was hit by an unlicensed cab driver who should not have been behind the wheel. She later died in hospital in Dodoma which did not have a A&E department.One major worry here is that VSO did not answer the emergency number promptly and did not send anyone out to see Saskia until the Saturday. But now is a time of mourning not blame.One thing that did really upset me was the way the insurance company dealt with the body, they came to collect Saskia and to fly her body back to Dar. 3 of her friends requested to travel with the body but the women in charge refused claiming there was no space - it later turns out that she bought her 3 children along for a ride on a plane... That is such disgusting behaviour from an insurance company who are meant to be professionals!I am very upset and was not sure how to tell people about this - I was not sure if writing this on here as tacky but it is a way of helping me deal with the loss of good friend. I have many fond memories of times in Dodoma such as eating chinese for the first time in Tanzania, going to my first Tanzanian disco, eating ice cream at Aladdins, helping Saskia with here presentation for the AVC and meeting up for drinks on Zanzibar. I am really gutted that I did not get the chance to say goodbye...Saskia has since been cremated and has been returned to her native Holland. Everyone at VSO and especially those of us based in Dodoma were upset. VSO Tanzania say this has never happened before.I am feeling a little better, I do think of her often but the memories are nice ones. Peter and Liz have both helped me by letting me talk about it.Thanks for letting me share thisTake care
