A passion for moving mountains
Jean-Philippe Bourgeois, an expert in avalanche control, is working to keep Afghanistan's high-altitude roadways cleared to allow the passage of humanitarian aid.
Jean-Philippe Bourgeois is back in the Hindu Kush, in the heart of Afghanistan where the lofty mountain peaks stand tall, daring travelers to attempt a crossing. He notes with deep satisfaction that the Afghans were able to maintain the road safety measures and the snow removal system that his team had put in place last year. During the 2001-2002 winter, while war was raging, this Quebecois from Drummondville worked with Christopher McGeough of Calgary to open several roadways in the northeast of the country so that the World Food Programme could transport badly needed food supplies.
With the help of a snowplough patched together from bits and pieces stuck to an old truck, they were able to clear the winding roads that cut into the sides of cliffs. In a region where avalanches are frequent and deadly, Jean-Philippe put his skills, learned with the Canadian Avalanche Association, to good use. Preventing this kind of catastrophe requires extensive know-how as well as detailed surveillance of the terrain and weather conditions. Often, to prevent avalanches, one has to trigger controlled avalanches.
In November 2002, Jean-Philippe traveled back to the Afghan mountains, this time as the Snow-clearing Program Coordinator for the UN Joint Logistics Centre. With his team, he travels up and down the alpine routes to set up–after the customary never ending discussions–agreements with communities whose land borders on the roadways. Local landowners will clear the snow with picks and shovels, the only suitable and accessible equipment, in exchange for a salary, tools, a heavy coat, and a pair of boots.
All throughout the winter, Jean-Philippe and his colleagues will travel from village to village, sleeping in mosques and living on bread, rice and tea, day after day, working to set up an organization that will be able to run itself next year. In early 2003, the teams already consist of some 2,000 men. Jean-Philippe considers himself rewarded a hundredfold when, during his inspections, he reads "pride in work well done in the smiles and the warm handshakes".
Find out more about how CIDA is helping the people of Afghanistan.
