SUNDAY 6 JULY 2014 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 inside Life Itself: CAMPUS Portrait of the • BFPIS students show excellence in Federal critic as a man Board SSC-I, 2014 exams P | 4 P | 8-9 MARKETPLACE • Sana launches Ramadan raffle promotion A local but highly efficient tradition, P | 5 the man-powered wooden scooters are HEALTH everywhere on the • Why it’s such a headache to schedule a paved highways and doctor’s appointment dusty sidestreets of Goma, Congo, holding P | 7 their own with the motorcycle taxis. WHEELS • Audi A6 TDI Quattro: A perfect blend of luxury and common sense P | 11 TECHNOLOGY • Britain hopes to catch up in global robotics race TSHUKUDU, P | 12 LEARN ARABIC • Learn commonly THE ALL-PURPOSE used Arabic words and their meanings TRANSPORT SCOOTER P | 13 2 PLUS | SUNDAY 6 JULY 2014 COVER STORY Man-powered wooden scooters A man stands next to a tshukudu, a wooden push- bike, in Goma. BY ALBERT KAMBALE A man makes a tshukudu in a workshop in Nyirangongo, HAT do you do when you in the Kibumba region. need to deliver several hun- dred pounds of potatoes, 150 stalks of sugar cane, 30 euca- lyptus saplings and eight sacks Wof coal, without motorised transport? For resi- dents of Goma, in the war-scarred east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the answer to this, and many other problems, is the tshukudu. A local but highly efficient tradition, the man- powered wooden scooters are everywhere on the paved highways and dusty sidestreets of Goma, holding their own with the motorcycle taxis. They’re operated by a group of 1,500 proud, often burly men who not only have their own union but saw a giant, gold-coloured statue erected in their honour a few years ago in this capital of North Kivu province, on the border with Rwanda. “The tshukudu is our whole life,” said driver Damas Sibomana. Their vehicles, pronounced “chookoodoo”, measure about two metres (more than six feet) long, have wide handlebars and a raised front wheel. They balance improbably large loads, as the tshukudeurs — as the drivers are known — push their vehicles along almost as much as they “drive” them. Many drivers live outside the city and their day begins by transporting agricultural prod- ucts grown in the verdant hills to the north, which feed the city’s markets. The good news? It’s downhill. PLUS | SUNDAY 6 JULY 2014 3 A man makes a tshukudu, a wooden push- bike, in a work- shop in Goma A man transports goods on a tshukudu, a wooden push-bike, in Goma Once in the city centre the drivers tobacco at a Rwandan market several entirely of wood and the wheels were have been marred by inter-ethnic vio- await further orders for deliveries or kilometres away, he said. “They used greased with palm oil several times lence and regional conflicts that would return, again fully loaded, back to their wheelbarrows but these where inef- a day to keep their gears from seiz- ravage Kivu and still mark the prov- starting point. ficient. This is where the design came ing up. ince today. Jean-Marie Firiki gets up at 4am but from” — inspired by bicycles. Sales began to pick up in the late It was paradoxically during this dark his descent stops in Kibumba, 30km The first tshukudus were made 1980s but the decades that followed period that the tshukudu experienced to the north of Goma, which boasts of significant upgrades: Old tyres glued on being the tshukudu’s birthplace. to protect the wheels, metal hubs and The 35-year-old works as a tshuku- In early evening after a hard day’s work the bearings and the addition of springs to deur at dawn and builds the machines scooter takes on another role: courting. The aid steering. during the day. roads are full of young drivers taking their Today, tshukudus cover vast dis- “A decent tshukudu costs $50 (¤36),” girlfriends out for a ride, both standing on the tances and can carry up to half a tonne. Firiki said, “but the cost of a beautiful tshukudu as the man, in back, scoots it along. Some models have a brake that works one can be $80-100 ” —quite a sum in by applying friction to the rear wheel. DR Congo, where the majority of peo- When a big load needs transport- ple live in extreme poverty. ing to Goma, Sibomana employs two But the boon is no fuel costs, and or three extra drivers for the day. driver Sibomana says they can earn Solidarity is strong, and thanks to help $10 on a good day. from other tshukudeurs, he was able to There are no machines in the work- buy a field and a plot of land where he shop that Fikiri shares with other is building a house. craftsmen. Like most of the country In early evening after a hard day’s Kibumba has no electricity supply. work the scooter takes on another role: The men work the wood — here it’s courting. The roads are full of young eucalyptus — with a handsaw, a chisel, drivers taking their girlfriends out for a plane and some sandpaper. It takes a ride, both standing on the tshukudu two days for a craftsman to make one as the man, in back, scoots it along. scooter. Men sit near a The profession is held in high esteem. Paulin Barasiza works next to Fikiri. tshukudu stop To have a daughter marry a tshukudeur The 52-year-old traces the invention of in Goma. means she “will not die of hunger”, said the tshukudu back to about 1973. local historian Dany Kayeye. Our fathers would sell potatoes and AFP 4 PLUS | SUNDAY 6 JULY 2014 CAMPUS BFPIS students show academic excellence in Federal Board SSC-I 2014 exams Students of Bright Future Pakistani International nine students secured A grade. Muniba Hassan and 485 marks. Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al-Meerm School confirmed their academic excellence by Sundus Haji Mohammad bagged the overall first Chairman of BFPIS, and Imran Waheed, Principal of superseding all local Pakistani schools in Doha position in the school by securing 492 marks, whereas BFPIS, congratulated the students and staff on this by bringing outstanding results in Federal Board Hafsa Khalid Bhatti stood overall second by achieving marvellous performance. In a joint statement, they SSC-I 2014 Examinations held in March 2014. The 489 marks. Fatima Nazar grabbed third position appreciated the efforts of the teaching faculty, and students posted brilliant results in the examination by scoring 488 marks. Among boys, Mohammad graded this wonderful result as an ample proof of as 22 students out of 44 secured A* grade while Adana scored the highest as he managed to get highest academic standards at BFPIS. QU’s Continuing Education Office signs pact with CPS ATAR University’s and public sectors in line with QU’s Continuing Education Office contribution to the country’s stated signed a cooperation agree- ambitions towards a knowledge- Qment with CPS Canadian based economy. It will further serve Petroleum Services Inc on June 25 for the objectives of Qatar National delivery of technical oil and gas train- Vision 2030 and the development and ing to corporate clients in Qatar. Qatarisation strategies. Starting in the third quarter of 2014, The agreement was signed by QU both organisations will jointly deliver VP and Chief Academic Officer Dr training in both the Upstream and Mazen Hasna and CPS Canadian Downstream disciplines to bring the lat- Petroleum Services Inc President est technical oil and gas training courses Nazmi Mohamed in the presence of and teaching methodologies to Qatar. members of the Embassy of Canada to Courses will provide opportuni- Qatar — Senior Trade Commissioner ties for personnel in the industry to John Rodney and Trade Commissioner upgrade their skills and proficiency Susan Kurdli – as well as Continuing FROM LEFT: Dr Rajab Al-Esmail, Dr Mazen Hasna, Nazmi Mohamed and John Rodney. to keep abreast of rapidly-changing Education Office Director Dr Rajab techniques and methods in the proc- Al-Esmail. working in all sectors of Qatar. It is a the organisation’s operations in the esses and procedures within the energy Commenting on the agreement, golden opportunity for both parties to Middle East. It will be exciting to see industry in Qatar. Dr Hasna noted that the Continuing embark on this initiative which will be this cooperation come to life later this The agreement will serve to Education Office is well-placed to part- of immense benefit to the burgeoning year, and we look forward to estab- strengthen the Continuing Education ner with CPS on training for personnel energy industry in Qatar,” he said. lishing a win-win-win relationship Office’s commitment to providing in the oil and gas sector in Qatar. “The “This cooperation will expand with Qatar University – Continuing professional development programs Office has a stellar history in helping CPS’ breadth in the Qatari market Education Office , and its corporate relevant to the needs of the private to advance the capabilities of staff and is a fundamental milestone in clients,” Mohammed said. MARKETPLACE PLUS | SUNDAY 6 JULY 2014 5 Incredible offers from Domasco with purchase Sana launches Ramadan promotion of any new Honda OMASCO, the exclusive distributor for Honda in Qatar, has introduced incredible offers with the purchase of any new Honda in celebra- tion of the holy month of Ramadan. Valid until July 31, all retail customers Dbuying a new Honda car will enter a raffle draw to win 20 Qatar Airways return tickets to a destination of their choice with their family or friends.