Ngwaga o Mosha!! Happy New Year. I realize that I have not posted anything in 3 months. In my defense, I was very busy doing projects that required me to be away from Gumare. I was barely home for much of November and half of December. Now it is 2010, which means that we will be done in 5 months. I can’t believe Close of Service is so close. Richard and I are looking forward to R&R next month in the Seychelles, where we will dive and lay on the beach.
In November, the District AIDS Coordinator’s office began working on its evidence-based plan for 2010-2011. During a 3 day workshop, our district planning group (government officers, NGOs, community leaders, etc) used the HIV/AIDS statistical information from the previous year to set priorities and activities for the district. Priorities included reducing teen pregnancy, increasing HIV testing, getting families to discuss HIV and sexual/reproductive health with youth, and increasing uptake of ARVs. This workshop was followed up with a another 3 day session with a small group of 10 people (including Richard, myself, my counterpart Pretty, and the DAC office), who helped put the plan and proposed activities together to submit for funding from the National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA). After evidence-based planning, I went to a four day GLOW Training of Facilitators workshop in Maun. Since I am on the planning committee for GLOW this year, I helped this year’s facilitators plan their sessions so they are both comprehensive and interactive.
I also spent a good amount of time in remote areas. The UN volunteer Pusetso and I spent six nights camping out “in the bush” to provide sexual and reproductive health to 5 remote villages in our district: Tsodilo, Chukumuchu, Nxau-Nxau, Qangwa, and Xai-Xai. Unfortunately, the route we took to Nxau-Nxau was impassable so we never made it to this village. At each village, we presented for 4-5 hours at the kgotla (central meeting place). We talked about topics such as the reproductive system, breast and cervical cancer screening, STIs, condom use, fertility, birth control, clitoris stimulation, etc. We had a good turnout of 30-40 persons, with an almost equal amount of men and women, at each village. There were many questions and discussions, and people were generally very responsive. When we were finished, I came back to Gumare for a few days before heading back to Tsodilo for a 6 day life skills camp for 12 female and 12 male students from 4 area junior secondary students. We all camped at Tsodilo for the week and had life skills sessions (ex. Our Bodies, Communication skills, Relationships, Decision-making, HIV and other STIs, etc) outside. We also took some time to hike to the rock paintings and learn about the cultural aspects of the site.
After the life skills camp, I headed straight to Maun so I could leave with Women Against Rape the next morning to Francistown and Selibi-Phikwe to buy supplies for GLOW camp. After buying supplies, we headed to Tsetsejbwe to prepare the junior secondary school for the arriving facilitators and students. Unfortunately, mosquitos, giant roaches, and big beetles were plentiful at the hostels were we were sleeping. GLOW camp lasted 8 days and the kids seemed to have fun and learn a lot. The goal of the camp is to teach life skills and create youth leaders who can educate their peers on HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence. After GLOW camp finished, I was very tired and went back to Gumare to rest for a few days.
Things have been slow around the office because of the holidays. We did go to Maun for a couple days to start processing our data for the Global Information Systems (GIS) project we are working on. For Christmas, we were invited to dinner by one of the local lodge owners in Shakawe. She ended up letting us stay for free for a couple days with our Peace Corps friends from Kasane.
It has been incredibly hot the last couple of months. In the middle of December, it was averaging a 110 degrees. It finally started raining heavily this last week, so hopefully it will break the heat.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Over two weeks have passed since we returned to our village after our three-week vacation in America. We had a great time visiting friends and family and eating all our favorite foods. It wasn’t actually a restful vacation, as we did not stay in one place for more than a few days a time, but it was well worth it. We were there for my father’s birthday and we managed to visit NYC, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, DC/Baltimore, Boston, and New Orleans in a short amount of time. We had no trouble adjusting to being in America, which was somewhat surprising, and it was an easy transition back to being in Gumare.
The weather was nice while we were home. We managed to miss the hottest part of the summer and there were only a couple of days of rain. Unfortunately, I picked on of those rainy days to drive to Baltimore by myself, after 2 years of not driving. That particular day, it was pouring so hard I could not see more than a few feet ahead. Luckily, I made it safe and got to see a great friend in DC.
I was expecting the worst weather-wise when we returned to Botswana, since September and October are the hottest months, but it hasn’t been too bad. It was hot the first few days, but then we got a few days of rain, which made it cool. The temperature is starting to steadily rise though! – it is already back in the high 90s.
Unfortunately, our electricity has been going out quite a bit. We have experiencing rolling power outages almost twice a week. We get our electricity from Namibia and there does not seem to be enough electricity to go around. We have also been on drought control, despite the recent rains and the flooding earlier this year, so we lose our water for most of the day, several times a week. Luckily, the water usually comes on in the evening, around the time we typically bathe.
Elections are next weeks so everyone has been gearing up for the big day. We have postponed events, such as a health fair in Xakao, until after the elections since everyone is busy preparing. Most of our projects, such as GIS mapping, are still ongoing, and we continue our work with our respective offices (Orphan Care and District AIDS Coordinator) as well as the basket co-op, Mothers For All, the schools, etc. Richard still continues to work on the same basket. I was chosen to be on the organizing committee for the national GLOW (Girls and Boys Leading Our World) camp in December. I went to a prep meeting the weekend after I returned for America and our organizing committee will be leading a training of facilitators in November.
Since the weather has gotten warmer and there has been rain, all the creatures have been out in full force. There are millipedes and grasshoppers everywhere and we have seen a few chameleons. My chameleon Fido is still happily living in the bush outside our house
He now eats grasshoppers (with his long sticky, tongue) from my hand. Also, there have been brush fires in the area, so some of the bigger animals have come closer to the main road between Shakawe and Maun (Gumare is the middle point between the two places). We see elephants from time to time and an occasional zebra.
It is nice to have our own yard. We have made a 2 nice cactus gardens. Richard started his second (or third) attempt at growing vegetables. He created several patches in the yard in hopes that something will grow. We did have two tomato plants grow by accident (bird droppings) and Richard is quite proud of them.
The weather was nice while we were home. We managed to miss the hottest part of the summer and there were only a couple of days of rain. Unfortunately, I picked on of those rainy days to drive to Baltimore by myself, after 2 years of not driving. That particular day, it was pouring so hard I could not see more than a few feet ahead. Luckily, I made it safe and got to see a great friend in DC.
I was expecting the worst weather-wise when we returned to Botswana, since September and October are the hottest months, but it hasn’t been too bad. It was hot the first few days, but then we got a few days of rain, which made it cool. The temperature is starting to steadily rise though! – it is already back in the high 90s.
Unfortunately, our electricity has been going out quite a bit. We have experiencing rolling power outages almost twice a week. We get our electricity from Namibia and there does not seem to be enough electricity to go around. We have also been on drought control, despite the recent rains and the flooding earlier this year, so we lose our water for most of the day, several times a week. Luckily, the water usually comes on in the evening, around the time we typically bathe.
Elections are next weeks so everyone has been gearing up for the big day. We have postponed events, such as a health fair in Xakao, until after the elections since everyone is busy preparing. Most of our projects, such as GIS mapping, are still ongoing, and we continue our work with our respective offices (Orphan Care and District AIDS Coordinator) as well as the basket co-op, Mothers For All, the schools, etc. Richard still continues to work on the same basket. I was chosen to be on the organizing committee for the national GLOW (Girls and Boys Leading Our World) camp in December. I went to a prep meeting the weekend after I returned for America and our organizing committee will be leading a training of facilitators in November.
Since the weather has gotten warmer and there has been rain, all the creatures have been out in full force. There are millipedes and grasshoppers everywhere and we have seen a few chameleons. My chameleon Fido is still happily living in the bush outside our house
He now eats grasshoppers (with his long sticky, tongue) from my hand. Also, there have been brush fires in the area, so some of the bigger animals have come closer to the main road between Shakawe and Maun (Gumare is the middle point between the two places). We see elephants from time to time and an occasional zebra.
It is nice to have our own yard. We have made a 2 nice cactus gardens. Richard started his second (or third) attempt at growing vegetables. He created several patches in the yard in hopes that something will grow. We did have two tomato plants grow by accident (bird droppings) and Richard is quite proud of them.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Last week was a very sad week for us. The health education officer, who I worked with a great deal and who was a good friend to Richard and I, was killed in a drunken driving accident over the previous weekend. The funeral was held last Sunday and over two hundred people came. Besides his family, he left behind a young son. Drunk driving is actually quite common in Botswana and the second highest reason for orphan hood after HIV/AIDS. Unfortunately, this is not an issue that receives enough attention.
The funeral was held in Ikoga, which is about thirty minutes north of Gumare. Traditionally, there are prayers every night leading up to a funeral, which can occur up to a week after the death. The evening before the funeral, the casket is picked up from the funeral parlor and mourners follow the casket to the family’s house. The mourners stay up late into the night praying. In the morning at 5AM, there is a viewing, and then the body is buried at 6AM. Women must cover their heads and wear a skirt/dress to the funeral. The family feeds everyone in the days leading up to the funeral.
Richard and I will be home for a visit in less than two weeks. We are very excited to see our families and friends. It will be interesting going from our village to NYC for those weeks we are home. Richard is already planning all his meals. I will be spending some time looking at PhD programs while I’m home, but I have to admit, I’ll also be spending a lot time planning for the next meal.
It is really starting to warm up here. June and July are the coldest months and September and October are the hottest months so we just watch the thermometer rise every day in August. We have actually been seeing quite a few elephants along the road near Gumare. Last week, when we were going to Xakao for a meeting, we saw a herd of females and babies about 30kms away.
I’ve been helping the Rehabilitation Officer, who works with people living with disabilities, write a big grant to create programming for people with disabilities. Unfortunately, people living with disabilities do not have much access to services and education and are often stigmatized due to traditional beliefs around the nature of disability. For example, many people in our area believe that disability is the result of witchcraft. Most rarely leave their houses and for those are physically handicapped; it is difficult to get around on the sandy terrain.
Richard is making progress on his basket. He is trying hard to finish before we go home. I suspect that the women at the basket co-op add on to it when he isn’t looking. Richard and I are still working on data inputting for our GIS mapping project, but we are making progress. We haven’t had too much trouble gathering the data we need. We are also planning for a health fair in Xakao, across the river, which will take place after we return in September. As a follow-up to the Employee Wellness Day I helped work on in May, I am now on the Workplace Wellness Program committee, which I really enjoy. School is out for most of August so we will resume mentoring and other school activities when we return.
The funeral was held in Ikoga, which is about thirty minutes north of Gumare. Traditionally, there are prayers every night leading up to a funeral, which can occur up to a week after the death. The evening before the funeral, the casket is picked up from the funeral parlor and mourners follow the casket to the family’s house. The mourners stay up late into the night praying. In the morning at 5AM, there is a viewing, and then the body is buried at 6AM. Women must cover their heads and wear a skirt/dress to the funeral. The family feeds everyone in the days leading up to the funeral.
Richard and I will be home for a visit in less than two weeks. We are very excited to see our families and friends. It will be interesting going from our village to NYC for those weeks we are home. Richard is already planning all his meals. I will be spending some time looking at PhD programs while I’m home, but I have to admit, I’ll also be spending a lot time planning for the next meal.
It is really starting to warm up here. June and July are the coldest months and September and October are the hottest months so we just watch the thermometer rise every day in August. We have actually been seeing quite a few elephants along the road near Gumare. Last week, when we were going to Xakao for a meeting, we saw a herd of females and babies about 30kms away.
I’ve been helping the Rehabilitation Officer, who works with people living with disabilities, write a big grant to create programming for people with disabilities. Unfortunately, people living with disabilities do not have much access to services and education and are often stigmatized due to traditional beliefs around the nature of disability. For example, many people in our area believe that disability is the result of witchcraft. Most rarely leave their houses and for those are physically handicapped; it is difficult to get around on the sandy terrain.
Richard is making progress on his basket. He is trying hard to finish before we go home. I suspect that the women at the basket co-op add on to it when he isn’t looking. Richard and I are still working on data inputting for our GIS mapping project, but we are making progress. We haven’t had too much trouble gathering the data we need. We are also planning for a health fair in Xakao, across the river, which will take place after we return in September. As a follow-up to the Employee Wellness Day I helped work on in May, I am now on the Workplace Wellness Program committee, which I really enjoy. School is out for most of August so we will resume mentoring and other school activities when we return.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
It has been over a month since I last posted a blog entry. July was a very busy month. We had our mid service training in Molepolole. This was the first time I’ve seen many people in our Bots 7 group since our last training in September – it was nice to catch up with everyone. We had 3 days of training, including a language test, and a day of check-up medical/dental appointments.
After returning from Molepolole, my college friend Jen came for a visit. I took two days off of work so I could show her the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, which is very close to Gumare. Luckily, my birthday fell over a four day weekend, so this was a perfect opportunity to relax and show Jen around the area. She also got to experience village life, as she spent a few days in Gumare and I took her to a malaria event in Tsau, a village about 120km away. She was my first (and probably only) visitor and I was happy to see her and show her where I live.
The weather was very cold in July. We bundled up in layers and we were still cold, especially at night. The temperature was in the low 40’s in the early morning and mid-60s during the day. It is now starting to get warmer – actually at an alarming pace. I’m quite sure that it will be very hot again in a few weeks. Unfortunately, September and October are by far the hottest, most uncomfortable months. The good news is that my chameleon has hung around all winter and is still living in my front yard.
We continue to work on several ongoing projects. Right now, Richard and I gathering health data, such as HIV, TB, STIs, Malaria, Mother to Child Transmission, and Unavailability of Medicine for our sub-district and entering the data in excel spreadsheets. We are then going to use the data to make a GIS map, which looks at health trends in the area and where resources need to be targeted. We are also planning a health fair in Xakao and I am collaborating with a NGO in Shakawe to do a Needs Assessment of adolescent orphans. In addition, my Orphan Caregiver’s paper bead jewelry group is starting to sell to Mothers for All – they have made amazing progress.
This time next month, we will be in the United States for a visit. Looking forward to it!!!
After returning from Molepolole, my college friend Jen came for a visit. I took two days off of work so I could show her the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, which is very close to Gumare. Luckily, my birthday fell over a four day weekend, so this was a perfect opportunity to relax and show Jen around the area. She also got to experience village life, as she spent a few days in Gumare and I took her to a malaria event in Tsau, a village about 120km away. She was my first (and probably only) visitor and I was happy to see her and show her where I live.
The weather was very cold in July. We bundled up in layers and we were still cold, especially at night. The temperature was in the low 40’s in the early morning and mid-60s during the day. It is now starting to get warmer – actually at an alarming pace. I’m quite sure that it will be very hot again in a few weeks. Unfortunately, September and October are by far the hottest, most uncomfortable months. The good news is that my chameleon has hung around all winter and is still living in my front yard.
We continue to work on several ongoing projects. Right now, Richard and I gathering health data, such as HIV, TB, STIs, Malaria, Mother to Child Transmission, and Unavailability of Medicine for our sub-district and entering the data in excel spreadsheets. We are then going to use the data to make a GIS map, which looks at health trends in the area and where resources need to be targeted. We are also planning a health fair in Xakao and I am collaborating with a NGO in Shakawe to do a Needs Assessment of adolescent orphans. In addition, my Orphan Caregiver’s paper bead jewelry group is starting to sell to Mothers for All – they have made amazing progress.
This time next month, we will be in the United States for a visit. Looking forward to it!!!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Monday was Richard and I’s 6th anniversary. Since there are no fancy restaurants, (though we do love the Chicken House take-away), it was a pretty low-key day. Friday was our 1st anniversary in Gumare, which was also a pretty uneventful day. Time really does fly, though.
The weather has gotten much colder, which means winter has arrived. There has been quite a decrease in bugs, to the detriment of the chameleon that has happily taken up residence on the bush in our front yard. Chameleons aren’t usual visible in winter – many believe they hibernate – so he is a welcome surprise, especially since he has stayed for over two weeks. I try to help him out by gathering grasshoppers and he thanks me by extending his long tongue. Funny enough, the UN volunteer found him in her back yard. She called me to collect him and said that it is a belief in Botswana that when you see a chameleon, it will rain. Sure enough, it rained the next day and a couple days after that, which is unusual for this time of year.
Richard has been learning to weave a basket and he is progressing quite well. He provides the ladies at the basket co-op in our village with a lot of entertainment, though they have been quite helpful and patient with him. The women in our area make beautiful baskets and Richard and I have spent a good portion of our living allowance buying them. Richard is actually helping the women assemble a catalog right now, in exchange for the basket-making lessons. The bead-making project for orphan caregivers is progressing well. There are 7 women in the group. Last week, 2 women from the Mothers-for-All NGO came and taught them how to assemble different types of jewelry. Hopefully, they will be able to start selling the jewelry next week.
June 16th marked International Day of the African Child, which commemorates this date in 1976 when hundreds of black school children were shot in Soweto, South Africa, as they demanded their right to equal, quality education in their own language. This day also brings attention to children’s rights, such as the right to education, health, lack of poverty, etc, in Africa. This day is celebrated in most schools in Botswana. Our office sponsored a commemoration in XaiXai, a mostly San village near the Namibia border. Richard attended the event, while I went to the celebrations at the Primary School and Junior Secondary Schools in our village. I keep forgetting that every time I go to an event at the primary school, they ask me and the other PCV in Gumare to lead an activity, without time to prepare. We ended up teaching (i.e. demonstrating in front of the whole school) the Hokey Pokey. I’m not sure if the kids got more fun out of learning the Hokey Pokey or watching us – actually I know the answer .
The weather has gotten much colder, which means winter has arrived. There has been quite a decrease in bugs, to the detriment of the chameleon that has happily taken up residence on the bush in our front yard. Chameleons aren’t usual visible in winter – many believe they hibernate – so he is a welcome surprise, especially since he has stayed for over two weeks. I try to help him out by gathering grasshoppers and he thanks me by extending his long tongue. Funny enough, the UN volunteer found him in her back yard. She called me to collect him and said that it is a belief in Botswana that when you see a chameleon, it will rain. Sure enough, it rained the next day and a couple days after that, which is unusual for this time of year.
Richard has been learning to weave a basket and he is progressing quite well. He provides the ladies at the basket co-op in our village with a lot of entertainment, though they have been quite helpful and patient with him. The women in our area make beautiful baskets and Richard and I have spent a good portion of our living allowance buying them. Richard is actually helping the women assemble a catalog right now, in exchange for the basket-making lessons. The bead-making project for orphan caregivers is progressing well. There are 7 women in the group. Last week, 2 women from the Mothers-for-All NGO came and taught them how to assemble different types of jewelry. Hopefully, they will be able to start selling the jewelry next week.
June 16th marked International Day of the African Child, which commemorates this date in 1976 when hundreds of black school children were shot in Soweto, South Africa, as they demanded their right to equal, quality education in their own language. This day also brings attention to children’s rights, such as the right to education, health, lack of poverty, etc, in Africa. This day is celebrated in most schools in Botswana. Our office sponsored a commemoration in XaiXai, a mostly San village near the Namibia border. Richard attended the event, while I went to the celebrations at the Primary School and Junior Secondary Schools in our village. I keep forgetting that every time I go to an event at the primary school, they ask me and the other PCV in Gumare to lead an activity, without time to prepare. We ended up teaching (i.e. demonstrating in front of the whole school) the Hokey Pokey. I’m not sure if the kids got more fun out of learning the Hokey Pokey or watching us – actually I know the answer .
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