This archive report was first published on 11 June 2020.
June 12, 2020, marked the end of a long and emotional journey for Ms. Diana Ndinda, a Research Manager at Transform Research Africa Ltd. She had been stranded in Nigeria since March 21, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As she prepared to leave, Ms. Ndinda reflected on her experience, saying, 'I have been busy looking for a Covid-19 testing centre all over Lagos.' Testing was one of the conditions set by Kenya Airways for her to fly back home.
Despite the challenges she faced, Ms. Ndinda found solace in the kindness of strangers. The two young women at the hotel reception and the security guard became her family during her stay. They went out of their way to make her stay comfortable, even going to the kiosk to buy her eggs and noodles.
Ms. Ndinda was touched by their selflessness and said, 'They felt a sense of purpose in serving me. They were aware what a challenge it was for me to be stranded and did all they could to make my stay comfortable.'
However, her joy was short-lived as she encountered a friend who believed that COVID-19 did not exist in Nigeria. The friend shared a story about an ambulance that drove to the next street, causing panic among the residents. It turned out that the ambulance was on a routine check-up for an elderly woman with a chronic illness.
Ms. Ndinda couldn't help but laugh at the irony, saying, 'I am so tickled that I burst into laughter. How great it feels to be happy yet again!'
As she prepared to leave, Ms. Ndinda expressed her gratitude to her new friends, saying, 'I cannot even imagine any kind of gratitude that would be sufficient enough for my new-found friends.'
