KHAT - the drug of choice in Djibouti. Legal and even grown by the Prime Minister, khat is pervasive. It is sold every afternoon on every street corner, on every road inside Djibouti City and out in the countryside. Most of the khat is grown in Ethiopia and brought to Djibouti in trucks like the one above filled with armed guards. This truck has a lead car also filled with armed guards.
Khat is a stimulant. There are different grades - but it all looks the same to me - a handfull of twigs with medium size green leaves. It is chewed by men, rarely if ever by women. After several hours of khat chewing, the men are basically in a daze. No work can be done and the whole economy comes to a halt. It is really a debilitating drug. Djiboutians can spend up to 1/3 of their meager incomes on khat. But, it is a part of their culture.
Salt Investment is attempting to be a KHAT FREE workplace. We have so much heavy equipment here that it is dangerous to be drugged and working. This is a very difficult concept for the Djiboutians to grasp. Wish us luck.
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