Blogs

It is June here in Mumbai, the peak of summer; hot and steamy. Monsoon rains are supposed to arrive in ten days, but I have my doubts. The annual rains have yet to douse Kerala, the first point of entry way south, delayed, and Indians have reasons for concern. Last years inadequate moisture was disastrous…

I am itching to visit Yemen; CAI has a feeding program in conjunction with ALLA and WABIL to feed the starving people ravaged by the sustained violence of war. But the doors shut on my face with every attempt to get a visa and a method of going in. So I try using wasta of…

The UN chopper hovers a few feet over the runway in Kabul, wobbles tentatively, gathers momentum, soars over the badbakth city and then speeds towards Nili, our destination. It is about 75 minutes uncomfortable but uneventful ride in this 1968 Russian monster. The alternative is a 7-hour drive through very dangerous Taliban-controlled territory to Bamiyan.…

5th April dawns pleasant and bright, perfect for my trip to India. This is my third trip to Sirsi, India working in Bahman Public English Medium School. I shall always be thankful to my Lord and to Yusufali of Comfort Aid International (CAI) who trusts me and allows me to work in their sponsored school.…

WhatsApp is more of a curse than a convenience; I am convinced of this fact. It easily consumes my everyday life, from the moment I get up to the time I shut my eyes in transient demise. And in between as well, for diehards like me. For reasons of blood ties or for preserving good…

Dakar, in Senegal, in W. Africa, is a world away, 10 ½ hours flying time from Dubai. Emirates, the supposedly premium airline it many times is not, does not make the trip comfortable. It uses the ancient Airbus 340-300 for the journey, worthy only for countries in Africa, never for destinations in Europe, Asia or…

Mumbai is sizzling; the heat is on. Mangoes, jammun, fannesi…and all the other summer fruits are ripening and will be ready to devour in about four – six weeks. But in my hotel room, away from the heat and pollution and flies and toxic mix of humanity just about 500 meters away, it is cool…

CAI gives me repeated opportunities and the good fortune of knowing and interacting with an overwhelming number of people I have never met! Some through CAI’s activity updates and many others through the Blogs I author. One such person is Farookh Khambathy, who lives in Tucson, AZ with his family. I did not know this…

Mullah Mchungu has promoted himself to a motorized wheelchair; he zips into my living room as soon as I open the door, as if escaping an assailant. I catch a glimpse of a vehicle backing out of my driveway and speeding away, the grim face of a youngish woman full of venom behind the wheels.…

Lubna Sheykh (name altered) is a rather assertive, rather plump, rather dark thirty-something, who works as a Guest Relationship Manager for the hotel I usually stay at Mumbai, near the Chakrappaty International Airport. Her most winning features are two deep dimples on her chubby cheeks that feature prominently, whether smiling (which is often) or scowling…

It has been very hectic four weeks on the road; living off suitcases, sleeping erratically, eating subpar airplane and restaurant foods across India and Afghanistan. Inaugurating two schools, housing projects, butting heads with contractors in tentative Dari while shivering in sub-zero Kabul weather, fretting over and juggling perpetual precariously low CAI cash flows, cajoling donors…

CAI’s India – Through My Eyes – Riyaz Like everything else Indian, the extremes in everything can be overwhelming, and the weather is no exception. I land in New Delhi to balmy weather conditions, quite nice actually. The last time I was here in January, why, I almost lost the feeling of sense in my…

I make this public only because my ailment has leaked out and there have been some awkward queries about it. The last thing I want is wild rumors swirling around my health, not that it should be of much importance. I suppose some people I confided in out of necessity unknowingly have leaky faucets? The…

There is, nestled among the old, winding lanes of once upon a time Catholic community of Juhu, a men’s barbershop. Here, I can get me a relaxing foot massage and a pedicure that takes care of my very painful – if not timely treated – ingrown toenails, all for about US$5. Now, where in the world would…

Magufuli rocks – For now Dar is the same, if not with more unruly traffic. The gajjar chicken, mishkaki and nundu remain robustly lip smacking. Remnants of the recent elections can be seen in half torn posters of candidates everywhere. The victor, John Pombe Magufuli is on a refreshing rampage through all government agencies, firing…