Victor Odor has been part of the Rhine Valley Hospital team for six years. As office assistant, he has many duties to perform: Controlling water charges, preparing accounting, reviewing employee reports, organizing kitchen purchases, and keeping the community informed about hospital operations. Every year he prepares the circumcision of the boys.
In the Kasambara-Gilgil community, it is customary to ritually accompany a boy on his way to adulthood. Circumcision is a carefully planned ceremony. To ensure that the boys tolerate the procedure well medically and psychologically, the parents have it performed at Rhine Valley Hospital. Every December and January school vacations.
When hospital director Mama Matata (Ruth Schäfer) once again orders Victor Odor to take care of circumcision, he and doctor Benson Ogechi schedule the appointments immediately. This gives the boys and their parents enough time to adjust to the procedure. With a list compiled by Benson Ogechi, Victor Odor drives to the next larger town, Nakuru. There he procures medicines, bandages and all the utensils needed for a professional and sterile, albeit minor, operation.
When the appointed day arrives, the parents or neighbors take the boy to the hospital for circumcision. The doctors examine him thoroughly, reducing the medical risk of the procedure. So that each boy can imagine exactly what to expect and not to be afraid, the doctors also prepare him psychologically. After each group of six boys spends a full day in the hospital, each one is ready.
After surgery the next day, the boys are cared for and nursed in the hospital for another week. A doctor examines them daily to rule out any complications. Many of the boys enjoy their stay in the hospital, having never slept in a comfortable and clean bed before. They grow up in poor families or come from a refugee camp where they live as displaced persons in their own country.
Victor Odor has been part of the Rhine Valley Hospital team for six years. As office assistant, he has many duties to perform: Controlling water charges, preparing accounting, reviewing employee reports, organizing kitchen purchases, and keeping the community informed about hospital operations. Every year he prepares the circumcision of the boys.
In the Kasambara-Gilgil community, it is customary to ritually accompany a boy on his way to adulthood. Circumcision is a carefully planned ceremony. To ensure that the boys tolerate the procedure well medically and psychologically, the parents have it performed at Rhine Valley Hospital. Every December and January school vacations.
When hospital director Mama Matata (Ruth Schäfer) once again orders Victor Odor to take care of circumcision, he and doctor Benson Ogechi schedule the appointments immediately. This gives the boys and their parents enough time to adjust to the procedure. With a list compiled by Benson Ogechi, Victor Odor drives to the next larger city, Nakuru. There he procures medicines, bandages and all the utensils needed for a professional and sterile, albeit minor, operation.
When the appointed day arrives, the parents or neighbors take the boy to the hospital for circumcision. The doctors examine him thoroughly, reducing the medical risk of the procedure. So that each boy can imagine exactly what to expect and not to be afraid, the doctors also prepare him psychologically. After each group of six boys spends a full day in the hospital, each one is ready.
After surgery the next day, the boys are cared for and nursed in the hospital for another week. A doctor examines them daily to rule out any complications. Many of the boys enjoy their stay in the hospital, having never slept in a comfortable and clean bed before. They grow up in poor families or come from a refugee camp where they live as displaced persons in their own country.
Once the surgical wounds have healed, the boys are discharged. the traditional ceremony of circumcision is behind them. Each of them came as a boy. As a man, he goes.
