The Diary of a Volunteer

JeanMarc Phaneuf an unmarried electrical engineer travels to Burundi as a volunteer for the NGO Radio du Monde He finds a country ruined by grinding poverty famine war disease and appalling social inequality At the same time he meets a joyful brave people hungry for happiness knowledge and human dignity The camera that becomes his personal diary also helps JeanMarc expose the shaky ineffective workings of NGOs His investigations turn up a few praiseworthy examples of international cooperation but on the whole he finds himself drawn to a terrible inescapable conclusion humanitarian aid is a utopian mirage After falling victim to an attack and losing whatever ideals he still had JeanMarc becomes entangled in an impossible relationship He is ultimately forced to leave Africa in disgrace