As you've all set back your clocks and our ground is drying up for the next few months, I figure it's time to give you a bit of an update.
I've been reluctant to blog within the past couple of months because my life has been so hectic, but more so relating to my work with Peace Corps Cameroon Admin "things."
I'm finally back in Fundong (and staying put) for [only] a week and a half, before the various Turkey Day activities begin. Then, with other things here and there at the start of December, before I know know it my Mom and Harry will be visiting! We're going to do a whirlwind tour of Fundong, spend Xmas in the Southwest region with my neighbor Peter and his family, see the beaches of Limbe, and then spend a little under a week in GABON!
Instead of writing paragraph upon paragraph in this entry, I'll just list things I've been doing, been wanting to do, and been thinking about recently. If you want more details/information, don't hesitate to ask me.
1) I really enjoyed helping out with the training of the new health/agro group - felt like an experienced volunteer and a therapist all at the same time
2) Having a year under your belt (as a PCV) feels very positive, especially seeing and hearing the anxiety of those just starting out
3) I love my community (here in Fundong) and miss them when I'm away too long. I enjoy continuing to learn the local dialect, Kom, and know that the locals appreciate it as well. As for Pidgin English, it's sort of like my inability to drive a stick shift, just not able to pick it up as easily!
4) I've caught up on the first 5 episodes of Glee, Season 2 --- not as great as Season 1.
5) I've decided to take the GRE in February, here in Yaounde. Hoping that the 2nd time around I perform better, this will help me figure out "what's next", after Peace Corps.
6) I recently acquired whole wheat flour (!) and made whole wheat tortillas this morning --- I can just feel the fiber having a hay day in my body, after so long!
7) My work as a PCV has taken a hiatus over these past few months and I feel is only going to continue that way until March (?). Don't get me wrong, it's not as if I've been sitting on my butt doing nothing. I've been continuing capacity building efforts with my NGO, Better Family Foundation, as much as is possible since I haven't consistently been around. I feel that a lot of my efforts have been towards preparing and executing training sessions for the new health/agro trainees. In addition to that, traveling within this country is an event in and of itself and takes time to accomplish and from which to recuperate!
8) I'm craving the ability to implement secondary projects (such as monthly Diabetes Awareness/Prevention sessions and more Choose A Future type activities) but lacking the consistency of being here to follow through.
9) I think I've decided that I prefer rainy season to dry season--a little mud is nothing compared with a lot of dust!
10) I have plans to travel, in mid-January, with a few friends from my training group to the East and Grand North regions of Cameroon! It's supposed to be a very different world around those parts.
11) I'm pleased to say that a small handful of Cameroonians (in and around Fundong) are thinking about making chocolate chip cookies for Xmas, instead of the traditional Chin-Chin (fried dough) - cross-cultural exchange is a success!
12) Pictures have been lacking from my more recent blog updates and I'm hoping that will change once my Mom arrives and bring the USB that I forgot while home in the States.
13) A Pencil for Pikins update is in the works, keep waiting patiently and I'll let you know when the new link is up! Thanks again for your personal interest in this project and to those connected to you who participated.
That's all for now.
Waka Fine Yah (You Be Well)!
Stef
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Making the Most of It
The title of this post is the last thing that my dad said to me as he left me at SFO with my 75 lb duffel filled with school supplies. I think nothing more perfect and timely could’ve been appropriate as his parting words. The reason I say this is because during my three week (incredible) whirlwind back in the US, I did a lot of reflecting on my Peace Corps experience, thus far. A lot of this was due to the questions I received about my experience, from genuinely interested people. Basically, I often question the impact of Peace Corps (at least in Cameroon), even though I know I’m not going to change the country, let alone an entire community. Also, I’m unsure how fulfilling the experience truly is, and I may not fully realize this until long after I have finished my service. I don’t at all regret becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer and truly feel this is where I belong right now, it just was difficult to leave my Cameroonian bubble and have a QUICK taste of the other reality that is my life in the United States. So…I’m planning to make the most of it, for the remaining 14 or so months of my service!
Before I go with my neighbors, Peter and Carine, to deliver the abundance of school supplies that so many of you (and your coworkers, friends and family) donated, I just wanted to personally thank you for your support and commitment to helping those less fortunate! As I said above, the school supplies donated were MANY and I began accepting monetary donations towards the end, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to carry more. Those donations ended up going towards the cost of shlepping the duffel from Pittsburgh to San Francisco and then from San Francisco to Douala, Cameroon – so thank you, they came in handy! After I come back from GHS Aduk, I will be sure to give you all an update, with pictures included.
Ever since returning from the States at the end of August, I’ve been quite busy away from Fundong. I almost immediately turned around and headed to Yaounde because I, and four others from my training group, was accepted to help out with the design of the upcoming training for the Community Health Volunteers who will be arriving this week! (I can’t believe I’ve just about been in this country for one entire year) I spent close to two weeks there both designing the training and determining which sessions I would be co-facilitating throughout their training. Here they are:
• Role as a Facilitator/Training of Trainers Approaches
• NGO Development/Capacity Building
• Action Planning
• Nutrition & Nutrition Applications for both Health & Agroforestry Trainees
• Cameroonian Education System
I’ll also be one of the representatives presenting on the Peer Support Network (one of the committees I was selected for in April) and also a new session on Resiliency Training. As a result of this, I’m busy brainstorming and preparing these sessions and will be going to Bafia, the location of the new training site, a couple of times in the upcoming months. I’m very excited about this; it just means that my ability to get work done at post will not be as easy.
As I get a grasp on my other work in Fundong, I’ll be sure to update you.
I’m hoping that this blog update is finding all of you happy, healthy and successful!
Take care, be in touch!
Until next time,
Stef
Before I go with my neighbors, Peter and Carine, to deliver the abundance of school supplies that so many of you (and your coworkers, friends and family) donated, I just wanted to personally thank you for your support and commitment to helping those less fortunate! As I said above, the school supplies donated were MANY and I began accepting monetary donations towards the end, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to carry more. Those donations ended up going towards the cost of shlepping the duffel from Pittsburgh to San Francisco and then from San Francisco to Douala, Cameroon – so thank you, they came in handy! After I come back from GHS Aduk, I will be sure to give you all an update, with pictures included.
Ever since returning from the States at the end of August, I’ve been quite busy away from Fundong. I almost immediately turned around and headed to Yaounde because I, and four others from my training group, was accepted to help out with the design of the upcoming training for the Community Health Volunteers who will be arriving this week! (I can’t believe I’ve just about been in this country for one entire year) I spent close to two weeks there both designing the training and determining which sessions I would be co-facilitating throughout their training. Here they are:
• Role as a Facilitator/Training of Trainers Approaches
• NGO Development/Capacity Building
• Action Planning
• Nutrition & Nutrition Applications for both Health & Agroforestry Trainees
• Cameroonian Education System
I’ll also be one of the representatives presenting on the Peer Support Network (one of the committees I was selected for in April) and also a new session on Resiliency Training. As a result of this, I’m busy brainstorming and preparing these sessions and will be going to Bafia, the location of the new training site, a couple of times in the upcoming months. I’m very excited about this; it just means that my ability to get work done at post will not be as easy.
As I get a grasp on my other work in Fundong, I’ll be sure to update you.
I’m hoping that this blog update is finding all of you happy, healthy and successful!
Take care, be in touch!
Until next time,
Stef
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
NJ, Pgh, San Fran...OH MY!
As I begin packing for my three weeks in the States, I figured I would check in with all of you (as I'm shortly going to be doing for a ton of flights).
I'm very excited for this "vacation" since I've been quite busy with work and could use a breather...say, in another country, on an entirely different continent!
I am looking forward to seeing as many of you as is humanly possible, given timing and location and all of those other logistics.
I will begin my travels on Thursday from Fundong to Bamenda and then to Douala, arriving Friday EARLY morning. I will, luckily, get to hang out with another volunteer returning from the US that evening, before I head off on my flight sequence from Douala to Paris to Amsterdam to NEWARK, arriving on Saturday late afternoon (around 4:30 pm).
I will not have my old cell phone number, or any cell phone of my own actually.
Below are "contact numbers" if you are wanting to reach me.
Sat, July 31 - Sun, Aug 1
732-310-1638 (Angela)
Sun, Aug 1 - Fri, Aug 6
973-687-3501 (Stef - the beautiful bride TO BE)
Sat, Aug 7 - Fri, Aug 13
412-681-6685 (Mom Home) or 412-779-9732 (Mom Cell)
Fri, Aug 13 - Fri, Aug 20 (I leave SF in the late morning)
202-669-5196 (Dad Cell) or 415-725-2497 (Jolie Cell)
Try not to abuse the numbers (for the sake of the owners), but I look forward to talking to whomever would like to be in touch!
Au Revoir Cameroon!
Bonjour Etats Unis!
I'm very excited for this "vacation" since I've been quite busy with work and could use a breather...say, in another country, on an entirely different continent!
I am looking forward to seeing as many of you as is humanly possible, given timing and location and all of those other logistics.
I will begin my travels on Thursday from Fundong to Bamenda and then to Douala, arriving Friday EARLY morning. I will, luckily, get to hang out with another volunteer returning from the US that evening, before I head off on my flight sequence from Douala to Paris to Amsterdam to NEWARK, arriving on Saturday late afternoon (around 4:30 pm).
I will not have my old cell phone number, or any cell phone of my own actually.
Below are "contact numbers" if you are wanting to reach me.
Sat, July 31 - Sun, Aug 1
732-310-1638 (Angela)
Sun, Aug 1 - Fri, Aug 6
973-687-3501 (Stef - the beautiful bride TO BE)
Sat, Aug 7 - Fri, Aug 13
412-681-6685 (Mom Home) or 412-779-9732 (Mom Cell)
Fri, Aug 13 - Fri, Aug 20 (I leave SF in the late morning)
202-669-5196 (Dad Cell) or 415-725-2497 (Jolie Cell)
Try not to abuse the numbers (for the sake of the owners), but I look forward to talking to whomever would like to be in touch!
Au Revoir Cameroon!
Bonjour Etats Unis!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Fundong - In All Of Its Glory
Bonjour!
Since I'm in Yaounde for a meeting, I figured I should greet you in French. It's been great over the past few days to be praciticing my French, full on.
I hope the 4th of July was great for all of you. Here in Yaounde we were invited to the US Embassy for an afternoon of "Americanness." The Embassy is equipped with a nice-sized pool (only for Embassy employees) and there's a golf course for the neighborhood, directly behind---a surreal neighborhood of WEALTH, only minutes away from the typical, somewhat downtrodden surroundings of this country. We sang the national anthem (interestingly a bit of nostalgia washed over me) and ate cheeseburgers, Doritos, and Oreos, OH MY!
Slowly but surely I'm trying to introduce you to my life in Fundong. You have seen pictures of people I live/work with, my house, and now some sights in Fundong town:
This is the center of town, hence the grandstand (painted in Cameroon's colors) on the left. On the right is the sculpture dedicated to the recent celebration of 50 years of independence.
Just wanted to add this in to show you the keen sense of income generation: many women selling the EXACT same items, side by side. Competition much?
Some more sights and stores in Fundong. I think I took this picture to help give a sense of the beautiful scenery that surrounds me on a daily basis.
The MC2 on the right is the Micro Credit Institution, but in the far distance is the Fundong District Hospital and this is the direction heading out of Fundong, towards Bamenda.
This is a crossroads in the center of Fundong. Up this road is my NGO and another village called Fujua. If you were to continue up this road and then turn right, you'd begin heading to my house.
Our Bread Store that doesn't really sell that nice of a variety of bread products. Baguette (mmm) is nonexistent in Fundong, it's only square white bread that's nothing to call home about.
"The Road" on Market Day. In my division, market days are every 8 days. Luckily though, in Fundong there is a nice variety of food stuffs everyday - market days just make for larger quantities of the same items and MASS CHAOS!
More of "the road". Slightly beyond here is called "the end of tar" - meaning that the paved road ends. Paved roads make for MUCH easier travel in this country.
Right behind the "benskin" (the local word for moto) is Simon's wife's blanket store. Usually she has many of them hanging out front on display, but since it was raining, she had previously brought them inside.
This is the road to Ngwainkuma, Simon's village. Three steep hills later, you arrive at his house.
I'm heading back to post tomorrow, after my meeting, and will be as productive as possible before LEAVING FOR THE UNITED STATES on July 30th!
Hope all is well with you and you're enjoying these summer months!
Until next time,
Stef
Since I'm in Yaounde for a meeting, I figured I should greet you in French. It's been great over the past few days to be praciticing my French, full on.
I hope the 4th of July was great for all of you. Here in Yaounde we were invited to the US Embassy for an afternoon of "Americanness." The Embassy is equipped with a nice-sized pool (only for Embassy employees) and there's a golf course for the neighborhood, directly behind---a surreal neighborhood of WEALTH, only minutes away from the typical, somewhat downtrodden surroundings of this country. We sang the national anthem (interestingly a bit of nostalgia washed over me) and ate cheeseburgers, Doritos, and Oreos, OH MY!
Slowly but surely I'm trying to introduce you to my life in Fundong. You have seen pictures of people I live/work with, my house, and now some sights in Fundong town:
This is the center of town, hence the grandstand (painted in Cameroon's colors) on the left. On the right is the sculpture dedicated to the recent celebration of 50 years of independence.
Just wanted to add this in to show you the keen sense of income generation: many women selling the EXACT same items, side by side. Competition much?
Some more sights and stores in Fundong. I think I took this picture to help give a sense of the beautiful scenery that surrounds me on a daily basis.
The MC2 on the right is the Micro Credit Institution, but in the far distance is the Fundong District Hospital and this is the direction heading out of Fundong, towards Bamenda.
This is a crossroads in the center of Fundong. Up this road is my NGO and another village called Fujua. If you were to continue up this road and then turn right, you'd begin heading to my house.
Our Bread Store that doesn't really sell that nice of a variety of bread products. Baguette (mmm) is nonexistent in Fundong, it's only square white bread that's nothing to call home about.
"The Road" on Market Day. In my division, market days are every 8 days. Luckily though, in Fundong there is a nice variety of food stuffs everyday - market days just make for larger quantities of the same items and MASS CHAOS!
More of "the road". Slightly beyond here is called "the end of tar" - meaning that the paved road ends. Paved roads make for MUCH easier travel in this country.
Right behind the "benskin" (the local word for moto) is Simon's wife's blanket store. Usually she has many of them hanging out front on display, but since it was raining, she had previously brought them inside.
This is the road to Ngwainkuma, Simon's village. Three steep hills later, you arrive at his house.
I'm heading back to post tomorrow, after my meeting, and will be as productive as possible before LEAVING FOR THE UNITED STATES on July 30th!
Hope all is well with you and you're enjoying these summer months!
Until next time,
Stef
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
My Cameroonian Digs
I haven't decided if I'm going to just continue with the picture fest that I began last blog update or whether I will also culture you a bit...
For starters, welcome to my home in Teacher's Quarter within Chaikain's compound. The first two photos are a sampling of the intensity of the rains during rainy season, a view from the front door and a view from the back door.
The next series of photos are the interior of my house!
The last two photos are my section of house from the driveway and then the entire structure with my Francophone neighbors' digs on the right.
Is it what you thought? It's no mud hut in the middle of nowhere, I'll tell you that, and you've seen for yourself. There is electricity (locally known as "current") and running water 95% of the time. It's more than I deem necessary for this experience, but am at least glad that I had more of a "village experience" during my training. Although I'm loving having internet and being able to watch tv shows or movies at night, I think I'd prefer running water to electricity. Then again, not having running water really allows for water conservation more than anything. I've learned, now that's it is rainy season, to use the rain water to clean my floors, my clothes, and occasionally my dishes and have been a conservationist when it comes to taking my showers. I only allow the water to run to wet my hair and my body and then to wash the soap off.
In closing, work has been a bit frustrating lately, the first time over the past almost 6 months at post. I was trying to secure the following "projects" until leaving for the US (some of them continuing once I return, as well):
~ Monthly Diabetes Clinic (slowly I am working with the involved parties to help it run more efficiently)
~ Assisting BFF with various projects that they want to carry out in the community, surrounding family planning and orphans' and widows' rights
~ A 1 week camp (in mid-June) with the other Northwest volunteers at an orphanage, touching upon health topics, sports, dance, arts & crafts, computer science, and agroforestry/farming topics
~ Weekly nutrition office hours (10 am - 2pm on Tuesdays) at the Fundong District Hospital which has not caught on so well and feels like a waste of my time (but I keep telling myself...patience, patience and how else can I go about making this better)
~ Choose A Future course for adolescent girls aged 12-20 years, which will be both leadership and empowerment focused, that I am hoping to begin this Thursday, for each Monday and Thursday until I leave for the US. Unfortunately though, the principals of whom I've asked to select the students and write them recommendations have failed to budge and I'm frustrated as to how to proceed...
I'm hoping this is only a fleeting period of feeling frustrated and that things fall into place.
Hoping all is well with you! Keep in touch, give me an update, and take care!
Until next time,
Stef
For starters, welcome to my home in Teacher's Quarter within Chaikain's compound. The first two photos are a sampling of the intensity of the rains during rainy season, a view from the front door and a view from the back door.
The next series of photos are the interior of my house!
The last two photos are my section of house from the driveway and then the entire structure with my Francophone neighbors' digs on the right.
Is it what you thought? It's no mud hut in the middle of nowhere, I'll tell you that, and you've seen for yourself. There is electricity (locally known as "current") and running water 95% of the time. It's more than I deem necessary for this experience, but am at least glad that I had more of a "village experience" during my training. Although I'm loving having internet and being able to watch tv shows or movies at night, I think I'd prefer running water to electricity. Then again, not having running water really allows for water conservation more than anything. I've learned, now that's it is rainy season, to use the rain water to clean my floors, my clothes, and occasionally my dishes and have been a conservationist when it comes to taking my showers. I only allow the water to run to wet my hair and my body and then to wash the soap off.
In closing, work has been a bit frustrating lately, the first time over the past almost 6 months at post. I was trying to secure the following "projects" until leaving for the US (some of them continuing once I return, as well):
~ Monthly Diabetes Clinic (slowly I am working with the involved parties to help it run more efficiently)
~ Assisting BFF with various projects that they want to carry out in the community, surrounding family planning and orphans' and widows' rights
~ A 1 week camp (in mid-June) with the other Northwest volunteers at an orphanage, touching upon health topics, sports, dance, arts & crafts, computer science, and agroforestry/farming topics
~ Weekly nutrition office hours (10 am - 2pm on Tuesdays) at the Fundong District Hospital which has not caught on so well and feels like a waste of my time (but I keep telling myself...patience, patience and how else can I go about making this better)
~ Choose A Future course for adolescent girls aged 12-20 years, which will be both leadership and empowerment focused, that I am hoping to begin this Thursday, for each Monday and Thursday until I leave for the US. Unfortunately though, the principals of whom I've asked to select the students and write them recommendations have failed to budge and I'm frustrated as to how to proceed...
I'm hoping this is only a fleeting period of feeling frustrated and that things fall into place.
Hoping all is well with you! Keep in touch, give me an update, and take care!
Until next time,
Stef
Saturday, May 1, 2010
You Want to See Pictures, Do You?
Happy May Day, well actually Labor Day here in Cameroon - seemingly a much grander celebration than our Labor Day in the U.S.
This blog update is going to be more pictures and less words - a big change as compared with all of my past postings (sorry they're so wordy).
Firstly, I wanted to let you know that I have booked my trip home to the U.S. this summer and my itinerary is as follows:
July 30th - Leave Douala, Cameroon
July 31st - Arrive in Newark, New Jersey
August 7th - Drive to Pittsburgh
August 13th - Fly to San Francisco
August 20th - Fly back to Douala, Cameroon
I will be a part of two weddings, one in New Jersey and one in Pittsburgh :) and am looking forward to spending time with as many people as possible in my three destinations!
Secondly, I have created a website (thanks to my cousin Mitch) to announce the collection of school supplies for a high school in my area. I hope you will check it out and decide to participate! Please spread the word to your friends and family as well, the more people who can help, the better! After my trip to the US, I will be bringing the collected items back with me to Cameroon to be distributed at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year.
http://www.pencilsforpikins.com
Okay, onto the pictures so that you can more easily picture my life here!
Meet some of my neighbors, within the compound in which I live:
Niya and Petra were dancing to Christina Aguilera in my parlor. They're good hip shakers!
Joyce and Nine are busy making Chin Chin (fried semi-sweet dough), a process that I often help them with. The Chin Chin is sold all throughout Fundong-it's delicious!
My Fulani neighbors, Sadatu, Bassi, Mikailu, and Amena eating sugarcane as all the locals do so well!
My francophone neighbors who I share a common wall with: Francois and Peggy and their children Cabrille ("Cabi" - about the same age as Chasin) and Joeskin ("Joe")
My wonderful neighbors, Carine (French teacher at GHS Aduk) and Peter (Principal of GHS Aduk) on our 17 km trek to Aduk!
Simon (my counterpart), me, and Rose (Simon's wife) at Lake Nyos, on a weekend trip to Wum.
My dad's visit to Fundong was wonderful, even though there were not enough meals in a day with which to welcome him. These are the members of Better Family Foundation after a welcome dinner for my dad, at my house.
On another note, for your understanding with regards to work and projects here in the Peace Corps, when we replace volunteers it is our decision as to whether or not to continue the work they had been doing. I believe it is very important for volunteers to be working on sustainability of projects towards the end of their service since often times the next volunteer has other interests and does not end up continuing their efforts. I have included this side note because I have received questions from some of you about this notion and I wanted to (hopefully) clarify "how things work" in Peace Corps.
And lastly, I will leave you with this disturbing remark made by a Fundong community member. Recently I have been helping the members of Better Family Foundation (http://wwww.betterfamilyfoundation.org) to seek funding from elites, local community members and local organizations within Boyo Division. One of the individuals who was approached for support in cash or in kind retorted, "organizations like BFF are supposed to help the community and thus members of the community should not help these organizations." That was difficult to hear but then I found out what he was also pointing out was that a "white man" (since all "white people" are rich) was already helping BFF's cause so why would anyone locally see a reason to assist. Clearly he was showing his ignorance towards my reason for being here as well as towards helping out his own community!
At the same time, I found out that Tangui water bottles are referred to as the "White Man's Drink," meaning that "we" are too weak to drink local water and can only be served bottled water. Interesting perspectives...
I will leave you with the following sunset when I was in training in Bamena.
The next post will have pictures of my house, inside and out as well as scenes around Fundong!
Take care until next time!
Stef
This blog update is going to be more pictures and less words - a big change as compared with all of my past postings (sorry they're so wordy).
Firstly, I wanted to let you know that I have booked my trip home to the U.S. this summer and my itinerary is as follows:
July 30th - Leave Douala, Cameroon
July 31st - Arrive in Newark, New Jersey
August 7th - Drive to Pittsburgh
August 13th - Fly to San Francisco
August 20th - Fly back to Douala, Cameroon
I will be a part of two weddings, one in New Jersey and one in Pittsburgh :) and am looking forward to spending time with as many people as possible in my three destinations!
Secondly, I have created a website (thanks to my cousin Mitch) to announce the collection of school supplies for a high school in my area. I hope you will check it out and decide to participate! Please spread the word to your friends and family as well, the more people who can help, the better! After my trip to the US, I will be bringing the collected items back with me to Cameroon to be distributed at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year.
http://www.pencilsforpikins.com
Okay, onto the pictures so that you can more easily picture my life here!
Meet some of my neighbors, within the compound in which I live:
Niya and Petra were dancing to Christina Aguilera in my parlor. They're good hip shakers!
Joyce and Nine are busy making Chin Chin (fried semi-sweet dough), a process that I often help them with. The Chin Chin is sold all throughout Fundong-it's delicious!
My Fulani neighbors, Sadatu, Bassi, Mikailu, and Amena eating sugarcane as all the locals do so well!
My francophone neighbors who I share a common wall with: Francois and Peggy and their children Cabrille ("Cabi" - about the same age as Chasin) and Joeskin ("Joe")
My wonderful neighbors, Carine (French teacher at GHS Aduk) and Peter (Principal of GHS Aduk) on our 17 km trek to Aduk!
Simon (my counterpart), me, and Rose (Simon's wife) at Lake Nyos, on a weekend trip to Wum.
My dad's visit to Fundong was wonderful, even though there were not enough meals in a day with which to welcome him. These are the members of Better Family Foundation after a welcome dinner for my dad, at my house.
On another note, for your understanding with regards to work and projects here in the Peace Corps, when we replace volunteers it is our decision as to whether or not to continue the work they had been doing. I believe it is very important for volunteers to be working on sustainability of projects towards the end of their service since often times the next volunteer has other interests and does not end up continuing their efforts. I have included this side note because I have received questions from some of you about this notion and I wanted to (hopefully) clarify "how things work" in Peace Corps.
And lastly, I will leave you with this disturbing remark made by a Fundong community member. Recently I have been helping the members of Better Family Foundation (http://wwww.betterfamilyfoundation.org) to seek funding from elites, local community members and local organizations within Boyo Division. One of the individuals who was approached for support in cash or in kind retorted, "organizations like BFF are supposed to help the community and thus members of the community should not help these organizations." That was difficult to hear but then I found out what he was also pointing out was that a "white man" (since all "white people" are rich) was already helping BFF's cause so why would anyone locally see a reason to assist. Clearly he was showing his ignorance towards my reason for being here as well as towards helping out his own community!
At the same time, I found out that Tangui water bottles are referred to as the "White Man's Drink," meaning that "we" are too weak to drink local water and can only be served bottled water. Interesting perspectives...I will leave you with the following sunset when I was in training in Bamena.
The next post will have pictures of my house, inside and out as well as scenes around Fundong!
Take care until next time!
Stef
Friday, March 19, 2010
6 Months in Cameroon, Exactly
It has been close to two months since I last wrote, my apologies for keeping you in suspense, haha!!
I now officially have wireless internet and have found a comfy spot on my bamboo "couch" out on my veranda to do my "interneting"-this way I can still be soaking up the Fundong atmosphere while being in touch with the rest of my life and the world at large.
This posting is going to be a melange (French for mixture) of thoughts, observations & experiences since I last wrote.
1) While I'm mixing in another language, let me give you a sampling in Pidgin English and Kom (the dialect and name of the people in Boyo Division-the area that I'm in):
Kom- (the capitalized letters are where the emphasis in pronunciation lies)
too LIE mah = good morning
Response: too LIE may = good morning to you
why EE cee ma = good afternoon
Response: why EE cee may = good afternoon to you
Pidgin-
Ma belay don flop. = I am full.
Ha fo skin? = How is your health?
A komot fo Amerika. = I come from America.
2) Here is some familial news: my Dad is coming to visit from March 28th - April 4th and I can't wait to show him my life here in Fundong. My sister and Brian are engaged, pregnant, and house owners-exciting time in their lives!!
3) I would just like to thank Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing for being in existence. I am working on training the members of my NGO to have computer awareness within the next six months (computer literacy to come in the future) and initially was trying to draw upon techniques from my typing 101 classes in middle school - obviously not as productive as a computer program that measures progress!
4) Spiders, flies, and crickets have become my enemies! Though I think spiders always have been, I've never shared an apartment with them and their webs. Flies are plain old annoying and don't hesitate to disturb you here, nonstop. Crickets you may think are harmless, except when they hop into your living space and their chirping echoes all throughout. I have come to greatly appreciate the sealant that is found on our doors and windows in America!
5) There is no single look for Cameroonians. I look around daily and all I see are different features and complexions of varying hues. I haven't yet met people from all of the ten regions of Cameroon, but I suspect that there is not one unified "look." I have watched portions of Nigerian movies (VERY BAD acting) and I can't distinguish a Cameroonian from a Nigerian because of the variety that is here. Additionally, there are many Muslims, called Fulanis, who obviously have their own look - a very beautiful one. The Fulani people speak Fulfulde and tend to live in the Extreme North of the country but they are also interspersed throughout the rest of it.
6) I have developed a guilty pleasure: taking in deep breaths when soil is being burned-I have grown to love the smell! It's a guilty pleasure because it is a little strange and also because it's a bad act that farmers do here, claiming that it helps the growth of crops (they do it during dry season in preparation for the planting in rainy season). It is illegal, but doesn't stop them.
7) Watching Cameroonians brush their teeth is pretty hilarious to me. They suck on their toothbrushes FOREVER, never seeming to BRUSH them. As for toothpaste, I'm unsure whether it is always used-no foam seems to build up as they suck endlessly on the brush, conversing at the same time. [Please note that not all Cameroonians a) brush their teeth b) do it this way]
8) Rainy season has begun...and when it rains, it pours! Granted, the first couple of months of rainy season are SUPPOSEDLY not as bad as June, July and August. I will have to see which season I prefer - I became VERY tired of all of the dust of dry season but I can't imagine "enjoying" all of the mud of rainy season.
9) Speaking of rainy season, I am having a small plot of land behind my house prepared for me, to become my garden. My mom & Nana have sent me seeds (carrots, peppers, tomatoes, basil, etc) and I will get advised as to how to plant and take care of the soil - my green thumb has never been in existence before this point, so I need much help! Having a garden here seems important to me, haven't quite figured out why, but it has something to do with the ease of growing things in this climate and the fact that I'm going to the market every other day to get fresh produce and would love to be able to walk behind my house to obtain some of the items!
10) While we're on the topic of food, I have to say that what I think I miss the most is cold milk and cereal to start my day! I add powdered milk to things, it's true, but it's not cold and it's just not the same. They have Corn Flakes in this country, but boy are they unsatisfying!
11) You can't imagine how incredible it is to be walking down a road or standing in someone's compound and have po-po (papayas), pears (avocados), and mango trees bearing so much fruit. Being that I love fruit so much (right Brian??), I'm just in awe and jealous that the climates I've lived in in the US do not allow for this growth.
12) Place I've visited over the past two months:
~ Wum (north of Fundong): to see Lake Nyos, Lake Wum and Menchum Falls - there was a gas explosion in this area in 1986 that killed ~2000 people.
~ Ndawara Tea Estate: beautiful scenery, first time seeing a tea plantation, largest employer in the NW Region of Cameroon, watched the tea leaf production process, proprieter wants to make it the largest tea estate in the world-currently is the largest in Africa.
~ Aduk: a remote village I trekked 34 km to with my neighbors who teach there, am setting up a pen-pal exchange with Stefanie's classroom in NJ to help give both ends exposure to the other.
~ Banso: a village on the way to Kumbo (east of Fundong) where the road was HORRIBLE. It was a hot day, we were packed in the car unable to put the windows down because the road was deep trenches of DUST, so much dust that the trees were no longer green but orange. I attended a memorial celebration with my 2nd family here in Cameroon (they live in Bambili, where I spent Christmas).
___________________________________
I've got some travel coming up but will tell you about it the next time!
Happy Easter, Passover and Spring.
Until next time,
All of my love - Stef
I now officially have wireless internet and have found a comfy spot on my bamboo "couch" out on my veranda to do my "interneting"-this way I can still be soaking up the Fundong atmosphere while being in touch with the rest of my life and the world at large.
This posting is going to be a melange (French for mixture) of thoughts, observations & experiences since I last wrote.
1) While I'm mixing in another language, let me give you a sampling in Pidgin English and Kom (the dialect and name of the people in Boyo Division-the area that I'm in):
Kom- (the capitalized letters are where the emphasis in pronunciation lies)
too LIE mah = good morning
Response: too LIE may = good morning to you
why EE cee ma = good afternoon
Response: why EE cee may = good afternoon to you
Pidgin-
Ma belay don flop. = I am full.
Ha fo skin? = How is your health?
A komot fo Amerika. = I come from America.
2) Here is some familial news: my Dad is coming to visit from March 28th - April 4th and I can't wait to show him my life here in Fundong. My sister and Brian are engaged, pregnant, and house owners-exciting time in their lives!!
3) I would just like to thank Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing for being in existence. I am working on training the members of my NGO to have computer awareness within the next six months (computer literacy to come in the future) and initially was trying to draw upon techniques from my typing 101 classes in middle school - obviously not as productive as a computer program that measures progress!
4) Spiders, flies, and crickets have become my enemies! Though I think spiders always have been, I've never shared an apartment with them and their webs. Flies are plain old annoying and don't hesitate to disturb you here, nonstop. Crickets you may think are harmless, except when they hop into your living space and their chirping echoes all throughout. I have come to greatly appreciate the sealant that is found on our doors and windows in America!
5) There is no single look for Cameroonians. I look around daily and all I see are different features and complexions of varying hues. I haven't yet met people from all of the ten regions of Cameroon, but I suspect that there is not one unified "look." I have watched portions of Nigerian movies (VERY BAD acting) and I can't distinguish a Cameroonian from a Nigerian because of the variety that is here. Additionally, there are many Muslims, called Fulanis, who obviously have their own look - a very beautiful one. The Fulani people speak Fulfulde and tend to live in the Extreme North of the country but they are also interspersed throughout the rest of it.
6) I have developed a guilty pleasure: taking in deep breaths when soil is being burned-I have grown to love the smell! It's a guilty pleasure because it is a little strange and also because it's a bad act that farmers do here, claiming that it helps the growth of crops (they do it during dry season in preparation for the planting in rainy season). It is illegal, but doesn't stop them.
7) Watching Cameroonians brush their teeth is pretty hilarious to me. They suck on their toothbrushes FOREVER, never seeming to BRUSH them. As for toothpaste, I'm unsure whether it is always used-no foam seems to build up as they suck endlessly on the brush, conversing at the same time. [Please note that not all Cameroonians a) brush their teeth b) do it this way]
8) Rainy season has begun...and when it rains, it pours! Granted, the first couple of months of rainy season are SUPPOSEDLY not as bad as June, July and August. I will have to see which season I prefer - I became VERY tired of all of the dust of dry season but I can't imagine "enjoying" all of the mud of rainy season.
9) Speaking of rainy season, I am having a small plot of land behind my house prepared for me, to become my garden. My mom & Nana have sent me seeds (carrots, peppers, tomatoes, basil, etc) and I will get advised as to how to plant and take care of the soil - my green thumb has never been in existence before this point, so I need much help! Having a garden here seems important to me, haven't quite figured out why, but it has something to do with the ease of growing things in this climate and the fact that I'm going to the market every other day to get fresh produce and would love to be able to walk behind my house to obtain some of the items!
10) While we're on the topic of food, I have to say that what I think I miss the most is cold milk and cereal to start my day! I add powdered milk to things, it's true, but it's not cold and it's just not the same. They have Corn Flakes in this country, but boy are they unsatisfying!
11) You can't imagine how incredible it is to be walking down a road or standing in someone's compound and have po-po (papayas), pears (avocados), and mango trees bearing so much fruit. Being that I love fruit so much (right Brian??), I'm just in awe and jealous that the climates I've lived in in the US do not allow for this growth.
12) Place I've visited over the past two months:
~ Wum (north of Fundong): to see Lake Nyos, Lake Wum and Menchum Falls - there was a gas explosion in this area in 1986 that killed ~2000 people.
~ Ndawara Tea Estate: beautiful scenery, first time seeing a tea plantation, largest employer in the NW Region of Cameroon, watched the tea leaf production process, proprieter wants to make it the largest tea estate in the world-currently is the largest in Africa.
~ Aduk: a remote village I trekked 34 km to with my neighbors who teach there, am setting up a pen-pal exchange with Stefanie's classroom in NJ to help give both ends exposure to the other.
~ Banso: a village on the way to Kumbo (east of Fundong) where the road was HORRIBLE. It was a hot day, we were packed in the car unable to put the windows down because the road was deep trenches of DUST, so much dust that the trees were no longer green but orange. I attended a memorial celebration with my 2nd family here in Cameroon (they live in Bambili, where I spent Christmas).
___________________________________
I've got some travel coming up but will tell you about it the next time!
Happy Easter, Passover and Spring.
Until next time,
All of my love - Stef
Thursday, January 28, 2010
"Work"
Fundong District Hospital
Laboratory on Monday (4 hours)
o While I felt that my exposure to the lab at the hospital was an eye opening experience (comparing what I know of the efficiency and technology of labs in the US), I felt that I was passing the time waiting for the Chief Medical Doctor to arrive, and he only did as I was leaving for the day. I was happy to be of assistance to Eunice (BFF member) who was handling a large case load all alone on a Monday morning, but it made it clear to me that the need for her to have an assistant is VITAL! Testing hemoglobin levels, retrieving blood from patients and then preparing slides to look for malaria parasites and white blood cell counts under a microscope, and recording all of the information in their patient handbooks (among other tasks) takes a lot of time and thus slows down the process of diagnosis and determining the level of care necessary, by the doctor. As a result of the lack of updated technology and sufficient number of staff in the lab, the process of coming to the hospital here for a consultation can take all day and this really affects the efficiency of the various triage areas of the hospital as well as the patient’s ability to go to school or work that day.
Maternity Ward on Tuesday and part of Wednesday (3 hours over 2 days)
o I was hoping to spend my time in maternity with Beatrice (another BFF member who is the RN in charge of the ward) but she was out because of a burial. I did get to spend a short time with her when she came back to work and found out about her daily routine at work. She has much responsibility taking care of the patients (hands-on), carrying out prenatal exams/consultations & deliveries, and discharging them (and all the paperwork that comes along with that process). There are antenatal and child welfare clinics (for new moms) each week and she, along with her assistant, Madame Achu have a list of about 15 topics that they cover over the course of a few months-very organized it seems. I was unable to observe a clinic at this site but hopefully will be able to in the future. I spent most of my time with Madame Achu, asking her questions, waiting for patients to arrive for prenatal consultations, and reading my own book during down times. No specific appointments are made and so the ability to plan the day accordingly does not seem to occur. Not only that but after doing a consultation, the patient has to go to the lab and get various blood tests done, wait for the results and then come back for a discussion with the results-again too long of a process and too much waiting for both parties. Through observation of a couple of prenatal consultations it was clear that family planning is a theme that the staff has to impart on patients as well as my realization of the need for discussion and a take home handout surrounding iron rich and calcium rich foods for their pregnancy eating plan. This is something I plan to create after truly grasping foods that are easily available and affordable.
Discussion with Chief Medical Doctor & Tour of Hospital Grounds on Tuesday (2 hours)
o Overall, I have to say that Dr Ntongsi is a very motivated Chief Medical Doctor and seems to have the hospital’s best interest in mind, at all times. He himself is a dental surgeon, trained in Russia, but came into this position three years ago, while also maintaining a private dental practice in Bamenda. He discussed with me the various ideas that he proposed to the Cameroonian Government upon taking this position and observing the then current state of the hospital. He had a separate building constructed for the laboratory; he extended the maternity ward, added running water faucets within each room/ward of the hospital, and currently wants to construct toilets and showers for more hygienic practices than the horrific pit latrines that are currently in existence and use. One of the ten additions that he proposed was a demonstration kitchen on the hospital grounds, that which was not given funding or approval. We spent a lot of time talking about this matter after introducing myself and telling him that I am a dietitian (I say nutritionist because it is a more well known term here) in the US. See below for my main project idea where I would like to focus my efforts during my Peace Corps service.
Diabetes Clinic on Thursday (3 hours)
o The first Thursday of each month, Eunice holds a Diabetes clinic which consists of some education, weighing, and the taking of blood pressure and fasting blood sugar. I was very impressed by the turnout, all Type 2 Diabetics ranging in age from late 30s to 70s (side note: average life span for men is 60 and women is 70 in Cameroon). My first observation was that the structure of the clinic could benefit from a slight change. Since I assume these patients have been awake for a few hours prior to coming to the clinic at 8 am and some of them have had to trek a bit of a distance to arrive, the blood sugar and other measurements should be taken prior to education so as to allow them to eat before the end of the clinic, around 10:30 am. Not only will this be healthier for stabilizing their blood sugar levels, but it will also allow for better concentration and retention during the education portion of the clinic. Through some basic counseling with a few men who’s blood sugars were well above normal, even for a diabetic (<200), I came to realize the following areas of INTERACTIVE education that would be necessary in the future, as listed below.
HIV/AIDS/TB Unit on Friday (1 hour)
o Again I was the one asking questions to find out information about how this “unit” functions. I do not really feel that I have a great grasp on HIV or TB statistics (numbers, causes, ages, etc) in the division, but did find it impressive that the hospital has an isolation area where TB patients stay for up to two months, free of charge, for treatment. HIV education seems to only go on in the communities during the week of World AIDS Day as a result of insufficient funds for travel. Margaret does pre and post counseling with couples who come to find out their status and unfortunately I had just missed her doing pre counseling with a couple wanting to get married, but not before knowing their status. Post counseling is confidential, as it should be, whereas pre counseling is something I could have witnessed.
Urban Integrated Health Center
Child Welfare Clinic on Monday (1 ½ hours, 1 hour spent waiting)
o Unfortunately I was only able to observe this clinic for a short amount of time because I was told earlier that morning that I would need to attend a meeting around 10 am elsewhere and because, although the clinic should begin around 8:30 am, it begins when the patients show up. I did some small orienting with Anna (the Chief Nurse) and by that I mean asking her questions because I did not feel she really knew how to orient me to the center and the goings on there. As for the clinic, many mothers and babies finally arrived and the portion of the clinic that I witnessed was baby weighing. It was incredible to see babies hanging in corduroy sacks from a hook that then determines the weight in kilograms above. Some of the children peed while waiting for their weight to be taken (as much clothing and cloth diapers as possible were taken off) and others freaked out at the realization that they were essentially hanging in mid air! The weighing took a long time and wasn’t half finished when I was called to my meeting. Supposedly some education is done after the weighing, but these mothers and babies have to wait a long time, especially if they arrived “on time”.
Antenatal Clinic on Tuesday (3 hours)
o Before the clinic began I was able to observe two circumcisions and had just missed a woman giving birth by about 3 hours. Again, this clinic began after a majority of the woman arrived, but this happened much quicker than the previous day. The women were weighed and one by one were called into the examination room to check if they had edema, to measure the size of the belly, check the position of the baby and to hear the baby’s heartbeat (through a metal, funnel device-I listened and heard a few heartbeats-very different from the technology I am aware of in the US). Anna, the chief nurse, did some small counseling and questioning when necessary and seemed to have a very good rapport with the patients, even if it was the first time meeting them. Each week a different education topic is presented as well. I was very impressed with the simplicity of the checkup, due to a lack of technology, but also how thorough it seemed at the same time. One issue I became aware of while observing the weighing-in was a) whether or not any counseling/discussion is done if they are not gaining sufficiently and b) the amount of unmarried 18 year olds who were attending with their 1st child. Even checking through records, women who were now 25 years old had already given birth to 2 children, the first one being at age 18. This poses quite a problem in this society because girls are still going to school for at least 1 or 2 more years before they take their exam to be ready for university. That means that either the girl is no longer attending school after giving birth or it is asking the mother to take care of the baby and may then prevent the mother from owning a business, going to the farm, etc. As a result, I feel that a teen pregnancy sensitization program is necessary in the surrounding communities, as mentioned below.
Delegation of Women’s Empowerment
(Total time: 5 hours over 2 days, 1 ½ hours spent waiting)
Overall, the two day experience with this delegation was quite a bit frustrating. My first day began after waiting almost an hour and a half for the delegate to arrive. Once he arrived, I initiated questions as to the duties and responsibilities of this delegation to which the questions were well answered. I was told that there were no cases that day and so it would be a day of “rest”. This shocked me, being that this delegation is responsible for many international theme days (i.e. International Women’s Day on March 8th) and in my opinion could be doing some preparation work by looking at the past years events and brainstorming on how to improve for this year’s events, once the theme comes through Yaoundé. Luckily a case came to pass that day and I was able to observe how the Delegate and his colleague carry out counseling. The most striking observation was that the door was kept wide open and that the Delegate sat behind his desk and put in a few words while most of the session was conducted by the other social worker. After the session was finished, I clarified a few points and then sensed that the Delegate had nothing more to offer me and I excused myself.
The following day the Delegate and another member of the delegation were doing a home visit in the early morning. I arrived at 9 am and looked at photos of past events related to this delegation with the secretary. The Delegate arrived after the home visit and stated that he was going home to bathe and I had to ask him if I could look through some cases, as he had mentioned was possible the day before. While the other social worker was off at the market and he was off bathing, I read through some cases and sensed that there was not much else that they were going to offer to me, in terms of information or experience, and I decided to leave. I felt that I received a small amount of exposure to the Delegation but feel that they have much responsibility that may not be time managed for completion and could benefit from more motivation!
Delegation of Social Affairs & Social Centre
(Total time: 4 hours over 2 days, 45 minutes spent waiting)
I spent my first day with this delegation at the Social Centre. Filo and Pola welcomed me warmly. I spent a few hours with Pola, discussing the goings on and responsibilities of this leg of the delegation. She oriented me to the fact that they work to assist people with disabilities or children of a parent with disabilities, orphans and vulnerable children and the elderly. I told her that I have a special interest in the fact that they work with people with disabilities because of my brother’s own disabilities. I was happy to find out that community sensitization is done by the Social Centre to educate about people with disabilities, being that a person in this “category” might be deaf, blind, learning disabled or developmentally delayed. She showed me a disability card and explained that a person who has this card is able to receive education for free and often reduced healthcare costs. Additionally some of her work involves giving monetary assistance to any citizen in the division that applies for the following areas of need: education, medical, those who have given birth to twins or triplets (or more), etc. My second day with this delegation was spent waiting for the Delegate to be available for about 45 minutes and then sitting and discussing with him for about 15 minutes. He essentially told me similar information that I had learned the day prior, including the point that even though the Delegation of Social Affairs is more administrative and the Social Centre is more technical, the Delegation also handles some of the technical work. When I told him that I am a nutritionist, we spent a short time discussing the nutritional needs of the elderly in this division and this helped me to include educating the elderly as part of the demonstration kitchen below.
Ideas for Projects/Work From These Experiences
• Demonstration Kitchen @ Fundong District Hospital
o Cooking Demonstrations
VARIETY
Appropriate intake for condition/age group
Alterations to typically prepared foods
o Taste Testing
o Education
Mothers with Young Children
Diabetics
Hypertensives
PLWHA (People Living with HIV/AIDS)
Elderly
• Diabetes Clinic – 1st Thursday of Each Month
o Education Topics
Food & Drink That Raise & Don’t Raise Blood Sugar
Portion Sizes
Exercise
Meal Variety on A Budget
• Teen Pregnancy Sensitization (and HIV/AIDS Prevention)
o With Help from Anna (@ Health Centre) & Pola (@ Social Centre)
• Handouts for Maternity Ward
(to be discussed with & given to patients during antenatal counseling sessions)
o Iron Rich Foods
o Calcium Rich Foods
Laboratory on Monday (4 hours)
o While I felt that my exposure to the lab at the hospital was an eye opening experience (comparing what I know of the efficiency and technology of labs in the US), I felt that I was passing the time waiting for the Chief Medical Doctor to arrive, and he only did as I was leaving for the day. I was happy to be of assistance to Eunice (BFF member) who was handling a large case load all alone on a Monday morning, but it made it clear to me that the need for her to have an assistant is VITAL! Testing hemoglobin levels, retrieving blood from patients and then preparing slides to look for malaria parasites and white blood cell counts under a microscope, and recording all of the information in their patient handbooks (among other tasks) takes a lot of time and thus slows down the process of diagnosis and determining the level of care necessary, by the doctor. As a result of the lack of updated technology and sufficient number of staff in the lab, the process of coming to the hospital here for a consultation can take all day and this really affects the efficiency of the various triage areas of the hospital as well as the patient’s ability to go to school or work that day.
Maternity Ward on Tuesday and part of Wednesday (3 hours over 2 days)
o I was hoping to spend my time in maternity with Beatrice (another BFF member who is the RN in charge of the ward) but she was out because of a burial. I did get to spend a short time with her when she came back to work and found out about her daily routine at work. She has much responsibility taking care of the patients (hands-on), carrying out prenatal exams/consultations & deliveries, and discharging them (and all the paperwork that comes along with that process). There are antenatal and child welfare clinics (for new moms) each week and she, along with her assistant, Madame Achu have a list of about 15 topics that they cover over the course of a few months-very organized it seems. I was unable to observe a clinic at this site but hopefully will be able to in the future. I spent most of my time with Madame Achu, asking her questions, waiting for patients to arrive for prenatal consultations, and reading my own book during down times. No specific appointments are made and so the ability to plan the day accordingly does not seem to occur. Not only that but after doing a consultation, the patient has to go to the lab and get various blood tests done, wait for the results and then come back for a discussion with the results-again too long of a process and too much waiting for both parties. Through observation of a couple of prenatal consultations it was clear that family planning is a theme that the staff has to impart on patients as well as my realization of the need for discussion and a take home handout surrounding iron rich and calcium rich foods for their pregnancy eating plan. This is something I plan to create after truly grasping foods that are easily available and affordable.
Discussion with Chief Medical Doctor & Tour of Hospital Grounds on Tuesday (2 hours)
o Overall, I have to say that Dr Ntongsi is a very motivated Chief Medical Doctor and seems to have the hospital’s best interest in mind, at all times. He himself is a dental surgeon, trained in Russia, but came into this position three years ago, while also maintaining a private dental practice in Bamenda. He discussed with me the various ideas that he proposed to the Cameroonian Government upon taking this position and observing the then current state of the hospital. He had a separate building constructed for the laboratory; he extended the maternity ward, added running water faucets within each room/ward of the hospital, and currently wants to construct toilets and showers for more hygienic practices than the horrific pit latrines that are currently in existence and use. One of the ten additions that he proposed was a demonstration kitchen on the hospital grounds, that which was not given funding or approval. We spent a lot of time talking about this matter after introducing myself and telling him that I am a dietitian (I say nutritionist because it is a more well known term here) in the US. See below for my main project idea where I would like to focus my efforts during my Peace Corps service.
Diabetes Clinic on Thursday (3 hours)
o The first Thursday of each month, Eunice holds a Diabetes clinic which consists of some education, weighing, and the taking of blood pressure and fasting blood sugar. I was very impressed by the turnout, all Type 2 Diabetics ranging in age from late 30s to 70s (side note: average life span for men is 60 and women is 70 in Cameroon). My first observation was that the structure of the clinic could benefit from a slight change. Since I assume these patients have been awake for a few hours prior to coming to the clinic at 8 am and some of them have had to trek a bit of a distance to arrive, the blood sugar and other measurements should be taken prior to education so as to allow them to eat before the end of the clinic, around 10:30 am. Not only will this be healthier for stabilizing their blood sugar levels, but it will also allow for better concentration and retention during the education portion of the clinic. Through some basic counseling with a few men who’s blood sugars were well above normal, even for a diabetic (<200), I came to realize the following areas of INTERACTIVE education that would be necessary in the future, as listed below.
HIV/AIDS/TB Unit on Friday (1 hour)
o Again I was the one asking questions to find out information about how this “unit” functions. I do not really feel that I have a great grasp on HIV or TB statistics (numbers, causes, ages, etc) in the division, but did find it impressive that the hospital has an isolation area where TB patients stay for up to two months, free of charge, for treatment. HIV education seems to only go on in the communities during the week of World AIDS Day as a result of insufficient funds for travel. Margaret does pre and post counseling with couples who come to find out their status and unfortunately I had just missed her doing pre counseling with a couple wanting to get married, but not before knowing their status. Post counseling is confidential, as it should be, whereas pre counseling is something I could have witnessed.
Urban Integrated Health Center
Child Welfare Clinic on Monday (1 ½ hours, 1 hour spent waiting)
o Unfortunately I was only able to observe this clinic for a short amount of time because I was told earlier that morning that I would need to attend a meeting around 10 am elsewhere and because, although the clinic should begin around 8:30 am, it begins when the patients show up. I did some small orienting with Anna (the Chief Nurse) and by that I mean asking her questions because I did not feel she really knew how to orient me to the center and the goings on there. As for the clinic, many mothers and babies finally arrived and the portion of the clinic that I witnessed was baby weighing. It was incredible to see babies hanging in corduroy sacks from a hook that then determines the weight in kilograms above. Some of the children peed while waiting for their weight to be taken (as much clothing and cloth diapers as possible were taken off) and others freaked out at the realization that they were essentially hanging in mid air! The weighing took a long time and wasn’t half finished when I was called to my meeting. Supposedly some education is done after the weighing, but these mothers and babies have to wait a long time, especially if they arrived “on time”.
Antenatal Clinic on Tuesday (3 hours)
o Before the clinic began I was able to observe two circumcisions and had just missed a woman giving birth by about 3 hours. Again, this clinic began after a majority of the woman arrived, but this happened much quicker than the previous day. The women were weighed and one by one were called into the examination room to check if they had edema, to measure the size of the belly, check the position of the baby and to hear the baby’s heartbeat (through a metal, funnel device-I listened and heard a few heartbeats-very different from the technology I am aware of in the US). Anna, the chief nurse, did some small counseling and questioning when necessary and seemed to have a very good rapport with the patients, even if it was the first time meeting them. Each week a different education topic is presented as well. I was very impressed with the simplicity of the checkup, due to a lack of technology, but also how thorough it seemed at the same time. One issue I became aware of while observing the weighing-in was a) whether or not any counseling/discussion is done if they are not gaining sufficiently and b) the amount of unmarried 18 year olds who were attending with their 1st child. Even checking through records, women who were now 25 years old had already given birth to 2 children, the first one being at age 18. This poses quite a problem in this society because girls are still going to school for at least 1 or 2 more years before they take their exam to be ready for university. That means that either the girl is no longer attending school after giving birth or it is asking the mother to take care of the baby and may then prevent the mother from owning a business, going to the farm, etc. As a result, I feel that a teen pregnancy sensitization program is necessary in the surrounding communities, as mentioned below.
Delegation of Women’s Empowerment
(Total time: 5 hours over 2 days, 1 ½ hours spent waiting)
Overall, the two day experience with this delegation was quite a bit frustrating. My first day began after waiting almost an hour and a half for the delegate to arrive. Once he arrived, I initiated questions as to the duties and responsibilities of this delegation to which the questions were well answered. I was told that there were no cases that day and so it would be a day of “rest”. This shocked me, being that this delegation is responsible for many international theme days (i.e. International Women’s Day on March 8th) and in my opinion could be doing some preparation work by looking at the past years events and brainstorming on how to improve for this year’s events, once the theme comes through Yaoundé. Luckily a case came to pass that day and I was able to observe how the Delegate and his colleague carry out counseling. The most striking observation was that the door was kept wide open and that the Delegate sat behind his desk and put in a few words while most of the session was conducted by the other social worker. After the session was finished, I clarified a few points and then sensed that the Delegate had nothing more to offer me and I excused myself.
The following day the Delegate and another member of the delegation were doing a home visit in the early morning. I arrived at 9 am and looked at photos of past events related to this delegation with the secretary. The Delegate arrived after the home visit and stated that he was going home to bathe and I had to ask him if I could look through some cases, as he had mentioned was possible the day before. While the other social worker was off at the market and he was off bathing, I read through some cases and sensed that there was not much else that they were going to offer to me, in terms of information or experience, and I decided to leave. I felt that I received a small amount of exposure to the Delegation but feel that they have much responsibility that may not be time managed for completion and could benefit from more motivation!
Delegation of Social Affairs & Social Centre
(Total time: 4 hours over 2 days, 45 minutes spent waiting)
I spent my first day with this delegation at the Social Centre. Filo and Pola welcomed me warmly. I spent a few hours with Pola, discussing the goings on and responsibilities of this leg of the delegation. She oriented me to the fact that they work to assist people with disabilities or children of a parent with disabilities, orphans and vulnerable children and the elderly. I told her that I have a special interest in the fact that they work with people with disabilities because of my brother’s own disabilities. I was happy to find out that community sensitization is done by the Social Centre to educate about people with disabilities, being that a person in this “category” might be deaf, blind, learning disabled or developmentally delayed. She showed me a disability card and explained that a person who has this card is able to receive education for free and often reduced healthcare costs. Additionally some of her work involves giving monetary assistance to any citizen in the division that applies for the following areas of need: education, medical, those who have given birth to twins or triplets (or more), etc. My second day with this delegation was spent waiting for the Delegate to be available for about 45 minutes and then sitting and discussing with him for about 15 minutes. He essentially told me similar information that I had learned the day prior, including the point that even though the Delegation of Social Affairs is more administrative and the Social Centre is more technical, the Delegation also handles some of the technical work. When I told him that I am a nutritionist, we spent a short time discussing the nutritional needs of the elderly in this division and this helped me to include educating the elderly as part of the demonstration kitchen below.
Ideas for Projects/Work From These Experiences
• Demonstration Kitchen @ Fundong District Hospital
o Cooking Demonstrations
VARIETY
Appropriate intake for condition/age group
Alterations to typically prepared foods
o Taste Testing
o Education
Mothers with Young Children
Diabetics
Hypertensives
PLWHA (People Living with HIV/AIDS)
Elderly
• Diabetes Clinic – 1st Thursday of Each Month
o Education Topics
Food & Drink That Raise & Don’t Raise Blood Sugar
Portion Sizes
Exercise
Meal Variety on A Budget
• Teen Pregnancy Sensitization (and HIV/AIDS Prevention)
o With Help from Anna (@ Health Centre) & Pola (@ Social Centre)
• Handouts for Maternity Ward
(to be discussed with & given to patients during antenatal counseling sessions)
o Iron Rich Foods
o Calcium Rich Foods
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