World Malaria Day 2013

World Malaria Day is April 25, 2013.  I am organizing my football (soccer) team, the Eagles, to be educated on malaria and then host a football match for malaria awareness.  My nurse Paulina Derry will be leading the education for the team as well as the community.  Materials for the event were provided through Standing with Africa to Terminate malaria (SWATm) to which I am the treasurer.  We hope that through the education we will see behavior changes such as increase in long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLIN) use, increase in early and complete malaria treatment and increase in pregnant women taking all three doses of prophylaxis offered for free at the clinic.

Here is a letter to the Philadelphia Eagles from my friend, Ibrahim Yussif. Please show support for him in telling Americans about malaria in Africa. I only changed a little bit of the grammar and chose to remove the name of his village. 

My name is Ibrahim Yussif. I come from _______ Junior High School.  I am in form two. I am one of the Eagles members as a player.  The position I play is defense. 

Hello my good friend, how are you? I hope you are fine as I am.  I want to tell you about malaria and how it affects us and the symptoms.  I know by the end of reading this page you will know well about malaria.

First in Ghana we have a lot of malaria.  Most of the people get it through mosquito’s bites and these mosquitos come from clean water.  There are many mosquitos that bite and don’t give you malaria.  The mosquitos called anopheles, which primarily bite at night, do give you malaria.  It kills very fast.  In my family this malaria killed my brother’s baby girl. In Ghana every year it kills more than a hundred people [actually 14,000 children under 5 years old die every year in Ghana].  It is a bad disease, which affects our people.

Secondly I will like to tell you the symptoms of malaria. If a person gets malaria these are the symptoms: [cyclical] fever, chills, headache and vomiting. This is how you prevent yourself from malaria.  You have to sleep under mosquito net, weed around your house and clear excess bathroom water by digging a hole for the water to go in [and cover it] so that mosquitos cannot produce new ones.  Sometimes we burn dry neem leaves to produce a smoke that deters mosquitos.  My friend, this is my idea I have for you. I hope you will be able to read this in person.

Ghana Eagles in the Upper West Region, Ibrahim Yussif is featured on the far left of this photo

To learn more about World Malaria Day activities happening across Africa in Peace Corps check out Stompoutmalaria.org

Christmas in the Krom

 My last Christmas spent as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana, was celebrated in Sean’s village in Western Region. We decided a local celebration would be best, because it was our last chance and quite a once in a lifetime opportunity. Now a morning safari in Mole National Park (Christmas 2011) may sound more interesting, but Christmas in the village was uniquely memorable. 

Tree, presents, fire and stockings

Planning happened months in advance. A package was sent from my mother and father with ingredients to make a grilled tamarind duck with smoky plantain cream over white rice and stovetop peach cobber.  Oh and we still had the premier canned ham.  Several taxis and tros finally brought me to Sean’s house on December 23^rd.  We had a duck picked out from a neighbor’s flock. An adult female who is smaller and tenderer cost about 20 GH Cedi. The adult male is 30 GH Cedi.  We went with a delectable female. The 24^th was a day of preparations. People were putting up their tropical Christmas trees decorated with balloons.  A medal pipe which looked like a ancient bazooka was filled with cobalt and lit by adults and children. Now I have never shot a shotgun, but I imagine that this was a similar sound.  We were warned that they would be shooting the bazooka off at 4am on Christmas morning and not to worry. It’s a tradition. The sound alerts people that a cow has been slaughtered at this house and you are invited to come and enjoy. 

The men with our duck.

Christmas colors! 

We decorated Sean’s house with a tree and lights, presents wrapped in newspaper for the kids living around Sean’s house, a picture of a fireplace and our stockings with gifts and candy sent from the Braun family. The first gift was some red wine (in a bottle) and olives to commemorate our wonderful time in Spain. Christmas Eve we enjoyed Penang curry chicken with veggies and rice.  I finally made coconut milk from scratch! Even though a small boy did the entire grating of the coconut, I am still proud of my cooking abilities.  After the dishes were washed we checked to see if the duck man would be sure to deliver our duck in the morning and we paid our 20 cedis. Then we went home to watch It’s a Wonderful Life.  This is Sean’s favorite movie and I really tried to stay awake and watch it all.

Grilling the duck.

Early in the morning we were not surprised to be woken up by the shotgun sound several times; however, we are so used to being woken up by things in the village that we soon fell back to sleep.  When I finally did venture outside I saw our tropical Christmas tree sprinkled with flour. I pretended it was an attempt at snow and smiled.  People were already gorging themselves on local dishes.  It reminded me of the Muslim holiday where people go house-to-house sharing food and eating plenty, especially cow meat.

Dada showing off her nails and bracelet.

The rumor had spread that Sean’s “wife” was making duck.  As we started cooking more and more women and children gathered to get their taste.  Besides having ingredients that they have never seen, marinating and grilling the meat were strange concepts in preparing food.  After a bloody finger, dropping a can of jalapeños, and having the duck resurrect after not being slaughtered properly the food was ready.  Sean and I fixed our plates and gave the rest to the crowd. We decided to have one woman be in charge of giving out the rest of the food so we did not have to deal with a mob or any people telling use that they didn’t get any.  We opened up some Champaign and ate under the neem tree.  Sean was lucky enough to have scooped out the head of the duck for himself (it’s really not my best).  After the duck the crowd disappeared and we ate the cobbler. YUM.

Following the food we called the children in to get their presents. The girls got earrings and bracelets and the boys got balls.  I painted some of the girls’ nails too.  Later on that evening we went around with a candy cane shot glass and introduced the candy glass to men in the community. They really enjoyed it!  We tried to visit the chief, but he was already passed out at 7:30pm. The night was filled with thanks and love for this community.  This was definitely a Christmas we will remember forever.

The Peace of Islam

I take comfort listening to my radio every night and morning. My solar charger keeps the batteries ready to go to bring me my world news.  One of the stories that I have been hearing is about is the drama surrounding an American made video about the Prophet Mohammad.  I hear about riots or protests in mostly North African countries against America.  All this strife is very upsetting. I live in a Muslim village, my housemate is a Muslim young man and I am an independent American woman.  There is no conflict in my community. Sometimes I wear shorts or shirts with no sleeves and no one throws rocks at me. Male training teachers whom I befriended would question me about my beliefs. Ghanaians love asking about your life; they are extremely courteous especially about America. My friends told me that since I am a “free thinker” it would be easy to become a Muslim. I told them how I have gone to mosque once in Northern Region and I found the prayer to be quite relaxing. Standing, bowing, prostrating it is all like a moving meditation that last about 5 minutes then you continue your daily routine.  In the dry heat of Africa it is refreshing washing your face, feet and general body each time before prayer.  The time for prayer is beautiful and peaceful and I enjoy being amongst the women.

I recall the Catholic Church I attended in America as a time to observe others. During the hour service I would be watching other families; how they were dressed, how they prayed, if there were any cute boys. Also I would fight with my brother if the kneeler should be up or down. For myself the Catholic way of praying did not inspire me to speak to God or reflect on my life. However, here in the mosque I felt the peace that I have only felt on lone hikes through the wilderness or meditation at the Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Ithaca, NY.

Should I become a Muslim? My village would be so proud of me. The schoolteachers say I already have a Muslim name. I have a nice voice to recite the Koran. The selfless lifestyle I have chosen through Peace Corps indicates that I am a good person. Lastly they believe I would look even more gentle wearing a head scarf.  My response, “While it does seem that I am quite qualified to become a Muslim woman, there is a problem. I like to eat pork and drink alcohol and I refuse to give that up.”

I find Islam to be a wonderful religion. I wish more American’s could experience the beauty that I experience in Ghana. You don’t have to be apart of a religion to appreciate it.  You don’t have to be a member to attend a service.  When I go back to America I hope to reach out to the Muslim community. Previously I never knew where mosques were or how Muslim Americans felt. Are they experiencing prejudices? I encourage all readers to become educated about Islam and if it is possible visit a mosque.  American’s have so much access to information via the Internet and well run library systems, you would think we are the most enlightened country in the world.  Always read and have new experiences to broaden your mind and heart. 

Cape Coast Festival with the Parents

After being in Jeyiri for one year. My parents have finally arrived! They packed tons of food for their “starving” daughter. Two suitcases full of food were presented to Sean and I at the Novotel in Accra. We have not been slightly hungry since that day.  Six types of cheeses, bloody marys, good beer, homemade cookies, bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon and chips… magical.

Cape Coast/Elmina was our destination after Accra. The original plan was to have a spa day for my 24^th birthday in Elmina, but it just happened to be the Fetu Afahye harvest festival in Cape Coast. It has been described as one of the most colorful festival in Ghana.  Villages in the surrounding areas all dress in the same cloth or in similar color. The chief and queen mother of the village parade down the main street under an elaborate umbrella. Since President Atta Mills was from Cape Coast many people wore red and black as traditional morning colors. Also the leaders of the villages walked in the parade rather than being carried to show reverence to the past president.

Walking among the colorful dancing Ghanaians, I was proud to show my family the people who I am working with. You can’t really compare a celebrating, smiling, dancing Ghanaian with anyone else. They were at their best.

All pictures were taken by Sean Blaufuss on September 1, 2012.

A chief in the Cape Coast, Ghana in traditional clothing. RIP Atta Mills in the background. 

Each chief has their own gang of drummers that follow him and the Queen Mother. Cape Coast, Ghana.

A Queen Mother dancing next to the chief. Cape Coast, Ghana.

Fetish priest dancing with flag and covered in white clay. Cape Coast, Ghana.

Young men dressed as warrior walking in front of their chief. Cape Coast Ghana.

World Malaria Day

April 25^th, 2012 was World Malaria Day (WMD). According to WHO 655,000 deaths in 2010 were a result of malaria. A majority of those deaths were children. A more updated statistic is that over 700, 000 deaths are caused by malaria every year. 90% of those deaths were children who never reached their 5^th birthday. In my host country Ghana, 1 in 15 children will be in that 90%. SWAT Malaria (Standing with Africa to Terminate Malaria), a Peace Corps Committee, had the goal to hold events in every region of Ghana for WMD. We had less than two weeks to organize and implement our activity.

Being in the village I couldn’t do much besides calling people to setup the venue, schedule and organize volunteers.  Jugaba immediately asked if he could come to the WMD event. I told him that I am finally going to be on the radio. I could see the excitement in his eyes. The way this boy loves music, how could I say no? I call him my Jukebox because he is always singing. When I explained to him what it was he said he would like to buy a Jukebox so he could listen to music and save his money inside. Yes Jugaba, the musical bank!

Jugaba and I before we go on the air.

When we finally got into the studio he was quiet and was only responding to our questions with a smile and a giggle.  We made him sit next to me close to the microphones.  After PCV Rachel and I finished our talk about malaria and promoted the event, the DJ at Radio Progress, Robert, began talking to Jugaba in Waale.  He was so taken aback that he was going to be on the radio that he paused and greeted, “Ansoma” too far away from the microphone for anyone to here. After some encouragement from all the PCVs in the room, Jugaba gained his voice and answered all the questions from Robert. What a memorable day for him.

Later that day we organized at the basketball courts outside the Ministries in Wa. We had a tent, speakers and DJ and a bed net to hang up. The bed net was the most difficult to assemble do to the strong wind blowing across the court. At around 3:45pm is when the music stopped and the education began. All the PCVs there were amazing and took part in different activities. Our main audience was a bunch of boys who lured in by all the nansalas (white people) playing basketball and dancing. The net never blew away, but had a couple close calls.

Demonstrating how to hang your LLIN outside.

Our translator educating about the myths of malaria.

Coach giving us a pep talk before the game.

After the education the Wa Unicorns (Yes this is a serious name of a basketball team composed of jacked tall African men) came because we challenged them in a game.  We had enough players to sub-in every couple of minutes. We were not used to this kind of physical activity.  Although they went easy on us, they beat us by only 6 points. We all had such a great time that we could be making the game an annual event. It is no wonder the Upper West Region has some of the closest friendships between volunteers; we love to get together and create something big.

Rainy season is beginning again. Which means that malaria cases will soon be increasing. Some new preventative measures Jeyiri has to protect themselves is long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) and the community has be selected for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS).  With the proper use of the nets combined with IRS in every house, Jeyiri should have a reduced malaria infection rate in humans and mosquito. A decreasing infection rate could cause for the eradication of the malaria sporozoan parasite in the female anopheles mosquito, thus eradicating malaria.  Between 1955 and 1978 most developed countries including America eradicated malaria, what is holding back Ghana? We have the tools and the knowledge, now is the time for the change.

Jeyiri woman proud to show me her new life saving LLIN.

Kayayo Mosquito Net Distribution in Kumasi

I would like to share with you an article from our latest Gender and Youth Development newsletter. The author is the notorious Zoe Sugg, the previous volunteer of Jeyiri.

The Strength of a Woman: A Story of Kayayo

By Zoe Sugg PCV

Looking into my friend’s bloodshot eyes I can see that she is tired. She wipes the sweat from her brow with a dirty rag, and smiles at me as she rolls the cloth and strategically places it on her head. She calls three other women over to help her lift an enormous sack of onions. I watch her bend down as they lift the sack and I see that she has lost weight; her shoulders, back and arms are rock-hard. Once the sack is positioned comfortably on her head she turns and says she is “going to come;” I take a seat on a bench. Onlookers gawk at me, surprised to see a white lady amongst the grit and grind. It is an area of Kumasi called Racecourse; it looks very much like a shanty ghetto, the structures all made from rotting plywood and scrap metal; the environment is hot and crowded, dirt paths snake between shacks as though pedestrians have been cautious not to step in muddy patches and filth. litter covers every square foot of the ground..“I’m going to market in Wa” – that is what she told me before she left and never came back. Six months passed until I heard her voice again.

Currently a third-year PCV in Cape Coast, I served my first two years in a small village in the Upper West Region. The three northern regions, in comparison with the rest Ghana, are predominantly underdeveloped and deeply influenced by Islam. Most of the population is illiterate and their main livelihood is suste- nance farming. Through the circum- stances of poverty, lack of education and various social obstacles the women of the north are at a great disadvantage. Many of the young girls are discouraged to attend school as it is seen to be a waste of family resources (females are con- sidered more useful on the farm). And education isn’t seen as a way to feed hungry bellies – it is a long-term investment that many homes cannot afford. It’s not uncommon for fami- lies to participate in the tradition of marrying off their young daughters to remove the stress of another mouth to feed in an already-impoverished household.

When it comes to work, there is a noticeable difference in the amount women are expected to complete daily versus men. Both attend farm and have various jobs to complete, but women are also given the tasks of firewood collection, caring for

the children and bringing back the harvest. It is a rare thing to see a

man fetching water, but a woman can walk upwards of 10k each day with heavy loads on their heads. All of this is done with grace – a look of ease, even as they carry a newborn baby on their back.

Without education or money to change their situations, the only es- cape for many is taking a chance on Kayayo (traveling for work as porters in Kumasi or Accra). Women who re- turn to the village from working in the south walk taller; they come back in new clothes, lobes sparking with shiny earrings; they can afford the things they need to make life better; they don’t have to ask any man for coins – they have a better sense of independence and confidence. But not all Kayayo stories are so successful. The mere facts of being

a woman and a stranger to a large city can result in a completely differ- ent lifestyle than what they are used to in the village. Most of the girls head to Kumasi with the intention of making some quick cash and going home, but city life can catch them like a predator. Vulnerable, they get trapped into prostitution, drugs, and theft; it isn’t until they arrive that they realize how difficult it is. Many girls sleep on the street and they are highly competitive – doing whatever it takes to make more money, more money! Young guys who stay in

the area hustle and scam to make a buck, usually they take a liking to one of the girls. Offering security by providing a place to sleep (in his metal shanty hut) it isn’t hard sell to a girl who is used to the safety of her compound. He’ll begin to make more demands of her; using his shack as bait, the young girls fall into a trap they can’t get out of.

When my friend returned from off-loading the sack of onions she was able to sit with me. I was wor- ried, I had so many questions – I’d heard so many different stories about Kayayo, but I wanted to hear her story. Tagging along, her older brother helped with the translation; her particular job site was the most competitive – they had regular pay and could go home with seven, sometimes eleven, cedis per day. It was an area of Racecourse filled with cattle trucks, brimming with yams and onions. She told me that many women coming to work for the day couldn’t finish the job; that it’s only for the very strong. Women on the street aren’t strong enough to carry from the big produce trucks, she said, sometimes they can’t carry at all – they beg; only posing as Kay- ayo. For women begging to carry personal luggage or empty a cargo truck near a store, the competition is very serious. They’re not guaranteed a single Ghana cedi a day; worse, they sabotage each other – hiding one another’s silver basins, they make it virtually impossible to carry loads.

My friend’s job was to off-load bulk produce and carry it to vehicles transporting it to buyers (restau- rants, chop bars, and market sell- ers). She was saving her money in a communal Susu box – every day she would take what was needed for food and the rest would be put into savings. Though the work was hard, her situation sounded ideal and I wanted to see where she was lived; I hoped she wasn’t secretly living on the street.

We walked through the makeshift ghetto and reached a very old (prob- ably condemned) structure. Outside of the abandoned warehouse naked kids were running around; some women came in and out of the bath- ing area, others perched over TZ coal pots. We entered a long room lined with suitcases – clothes dried on crisscrossed lines; prayer mats were propped or spread out; empty bowls lay everywhere. As I walked in women began to shout my local name – they were from my commu- nity – with true joy they rushed for- ward and hugged me, offering me a spot on their prayer mats and calling their new friends to meet me. I was bombarded by greetings. Many from my village asked to call their hus- bands or parents, some hadn’t been in contact for months; my phone was passed around and my credits finished in no time.

The warehouse was simply a trans- plant of village life; women had divided themselves by language and took turn babysitting and cook- ing – they created their own com- munity. As a custom of greeting, my friend came to bring me water; I sat with women hovering over me until the excitement died down. Soon

my friend was able to get back to her story; she’d seen girls leave the warehouse to move in with boy- friends, thinking they had made it big. Those who didn’t make enough during the day would try to make money at night; this I took to mean prostitution. She promised me she didn’t plan to do that; her goal was to save enough money to sustain her once she returned to the village. She considered herself a divorced woman, only thinking for herself and her children; she missed them ter- ribly. This took place about a year ago and my friend has since returned to Wa; she is no longer with her hus- band and is living a life independent of him. She took the money she earned and is now an apprentice at her aunt’s seamstress shop. Though her experience turned out well, not everyone is so lucky. Education in HIV prevention is important, but efforts also need to be put into helping safeguard these women in large and dangerous cit- ies; resources need to be invested in accommodating their transient sta- tus, instead of allowing them to be subjected to street life. Something as simple as open communication has the potential to go a long way in improving their lives; it’s only when they become isolated from their fam- ily and homes that they are truly in danger. The issue with Kayayo is not that women run off to Kumasi and end up in prostitution; it’s about women seeking independence through financial security. In a society that makes them feel inferior, incapable of bettering themselves, this is often their only choice. These women are courageous, driven, strong, and intelligent – they know they’re going into a hard life, but they weigh the risks versus the opportunies if they stay. The work these women do is vital – a good portion of the economy is carried on their heads – and un- less the financial and cultural situa- tion in the northern regions changes drastically, Kayayo is inevitable. What needs to happen now is the investment in keeping them safe.

Time Magazine

Stomp Out Malaria

These are the women I worked with for a week during the Long Lasting Insecticide Net (LLINs) distribution in Kumasi. This was a ProMPT-Ghana (Promoting Malaria Prevention and Treatment) initiative and funded by USAID.  Stomp out Malaria is the Peace Corps group supporting this program in which I am involved.

Previous to my arrival, PCVs along with Ghanaian volunteers went house to house and registered the Kayayo. Sleeping groups were given a ticket with a day, time and location to pick up their net.  My job was supervisor of Sylvester and Afia, Ghana nationals, from 8am-3pm at Roman Hill Street Children Project in Kumasi. Educational videos of malaria facts and care of the LLINs were shown and discussed with each group of Kayayo coming in.  The first day we quickly realized that our target group 1) couldn’t read the tickets, 2) were busy during the day, 3) didn’t believe they were going to get a free net, 4) generally didn’t trust the program. At Roman Hill tickets for 90 nets a day were handed out. In reality the distribution was about 30 nets a day.

A new plan was devised, a night distribution in the neighborhoods of the Kayayo. This would serve as an advertisement for the nets and encourage the people to come to the daytime locations.  I don’t know if the new strategy got more people to the distribution points. The first week was generally slow. The overall success of the project is hard to determine. We can only hope that the Kayayo are using the nets properly and consistently for their own health.

Jeyiri Happenings

Baby monkey at the chief's house...his mother was eaten.

Ace please open your eyes for the camera.

Master P. in his new bed.

Running through a cow herd on a run.

No Rain Does NOT Equal No Food

Recently I have come back from a dry season gardening IST in Tumu.  In the north of Ghana we go most of the year with zero rainfall aka dry season. This current dry season, which is just beginning, has been predicted to be very harsh.  The nutrition in Jeyiri is poor all year round. Imagine what it is like with no vegetables and fruit that you can afford.  Food security is an area that PCVs, like myself, are trying to improve.

Plan Ghana has constructed dams all over the north to increase the possibility for dry season gardening; however, the dams are under utilized. The system we installed was a gravity fed drip irrigation system, which uses water from the dam. No pump or electrical equipment is needed to run the system. Also a drip system uses the water the most conservatively.

I had a wonderful time out on the land getting the land ready for planting.  The future may hold a place for a similar but smaller system at my school. Enjoy the pictures!  

David the PCV organizer and leader

A dry season garden already growing beautifully   

Our drip lines (600 meters total)

Our water source

Another Day, Another Story

It is the people of Ghana that bring a smile to my face.  My evening runs through the yam farms always give me a revitalized perspective of my purpose here. It could be the elder man who hands me some giant yams and says we really love you. Earlier that day I had a meeting with my counterpart and leaders of all the sides of Jeyiri about future projects.  PCV Ryan Dunn is a Natural Resources Volunteer and we are going to be forming a farming group to organize monthly workshops on sustainable farming practices. The man with the yams is very excited.

It could also be the men pounding kapala in a hollowed out tree that invite me to join in on their meal before I turn around and run home.   The young men who catch bush meat with a slingshot and their dogs are so proud to show me their prize of squirrel and mouse and also invite me to eat with them. The children are out on the farm too. The small girls giggle continuously as they pass a headphone from my ipod between them and listen to the American music sent from my loving family and friends at home. 

Once three young boys ran back with me. They were already tired and covered in dirt, but they wanted to do as An la Mwine does.  One had broken his sandal and was running with one on foot and the other in hand. The second was just trying to run next to me. We fought for space on the small bush path. The last had a machete in hand. It made me laugh to think in America mothers always say don’t run with knives and here it is perfectly acceptable to run with machetes. It was a very Peace Corps moment that I will never forget.

Bush path as the sun sets

I know this year will be full or hard work and more inspiring stories. I am excited to keep you all updated on the achievements of Jeyiri.

Some of Tao's Pictures

I'm so proud of my kitchen!

Actually I took this one on a walk

XPRESS Camp

My friend Helen, a VSO worker in Ghana from 1999-2001, once told me you need to live in a place for 6 months to finally feel like the place is your home. This December I have reached that mark. This friend of mine sure has some wisdom. Let me tell you what has been going on that now I feel like I know my place in Ghana.

Kimmy Smith (Naama) my neighboring PCV in Kolpong organized a youth development camp focused on service learning and volunteerism. I had the authority to choose three young people to attend this 5 day camp in Wa. The selection process was based on an interview I held with students who wanted to attend. I already had an idea of whom I was going to take, but it was important to make the selection formal and professional to reduce the jealousy of those who did not get chosen. I had 5 boys from the Jeyiri Junior High School show up. I graded the students based on English proficiency, intent, understanding of the camp and potential to be a community leader.  One of the students who I really wanted to take did not show up because it was market day. I went to his house last night and told him I was disappointed he did not come because I see a lot of potential in him. I continued to explain my dilemma: teach him a life lesson, or think of the benefits of Jeyiri this young man could provide if he had an opportunity to attend the camp.  My heart and mind was on the improvement of Jeyiri so I invited him. The teachers and head master at the school approved my selections. Yusif (Jugaba), Haruna and Saliah were going to go to Wa.

The Gender and Youth Development group was in charge of the camp. So all the PCVs who have been in Ghana for a year were leading all the programs and did most of the work. I enjoyed being in the background, seeing how camps run and help out where needed.  There were 45 campers ranging from 12 to 25 years old. They learned how to do a service project, how to be a volunteer and why it’s important.  We talked about problems in our communities and what they wanted to be when they grew up. There was one program where the boys and girls split up to discuss health issues like sex, puberty and menstruation. A motivating guest speaker attended. There was a talent show where the PCVs did the thriller dance. Lastly it would not be a camp without skits and art crafts. The campers were busy from 8am- 9pm everyday. Trust me they learned A LOT.

Making masks 

One afternoon was spent doing a clean up Wa Market service project. Brooms, trash pickers, gloves and masks were all donated for the event.  Each PCV had 5 campers to watch over in the market. I was in the first group to enter. I was talking to a woman and asking her why are we cleaning, what is so vital about picking rubbish up in the community.  Well this conversation took a startling turn when she told me that we should get someone to clean up the dead man 2 meters from where I am standing. WHAT?!? WHERE?!? Ohhh She must be referring to the cloth, sticks and wooden crates that are covering the dead body there.  Apparently this mentally unstable older man died that morning and was still lying in the spot he fell. The police have to do some paperwork before they can come pick it up. Of course we did not know at that point that the police had already been called. One of the campers gathered us all together to say, “Since we are volunteers we need to clean this place, let’s call the police ourselves and make the report.” Awww he has learned so much at this camp, but what is the number to call the police? 911 won’t work here. After standing around a bit the police in a pickup truck came to remove the body. Mind you market is still happening and people are walking around the covered body. However, now a crowd is forming. Two Dutch women walk inches next to the body as the police start removing the crates. I call them over and ask, “Do you realize that you practically just walked over a dead body?” They were quite surprised. They stood next to my students and I was the removed the clothes to reveal the half dressed old man. The mother of the Dutch women said, “Are you sure he’s dead? He doesn’t look dead.” The police took some pictures then lifted the stiff body into a body bag and drove away. All was left was the crowd and a cloth with some bodily fluids on it. Several women began to tell the campers to pick it up. Of course they were frightened and said no.  After some discussion we decided for the health of the community we should pick it up. I then took the bag to throw away when I ran into some PCVs and told them the story and they took the bag from me to dispose of.

Ryan and Ruth cleaning up Wa Market

Ok body gone, shows over, let’s start cleaning again! We were out from about 1pm-4pm. To get the point across on the importance of a clean environment I would tell people, “A dirty environment leads to diseases like malaria, cholera and diarrhea. Did you not just see the dead body here? Did he not die in this dirty place? What happens to you if you live here?” All and all it was a success of a service project. Even after the camp my students organized a clean up Jeyiri day.

When the students came home they were proud to tell the school, chief, landlord and elders EVERYTHING they learned. I am so proud of them for their cooperation, leadership and attentiveness they gave this XPRESS camp. Now I now I can rely on them with anything I want to do. They are taking the responsibility of community volunteer very seriously and I know they will always remember this camp. Small change has occurred in them. Now I know I’m in the right place. My purpose in Jeyiri has become more evident.   

Times are Good in Jeyiri

These girls are always at my house. I gave them some flowers to put in their hair because they liked the one I had. Well it made their day and now everyone asks me for flowers.

Master P. Being cute at market.

Market Day in Kolpong, aka the one day a week I can drink and buy food! We are in the one hut that sells beer (sometimes cold!)

My counterpart's kids. Although it is a tough contest, I think they are the cutest.

Here he is! Sleeping with his best buddy. All my neighbors can't believe a dog can have toys.  Thanks mom, what will think of the dog bed you are trying to send???

Update:
1) Master P. is growing very fast and is bigger than in these pictures.
2) I will start doing health lessons on Fridays (this Friday Nutrition!)
3) Health and Creative Minds clubs will begin after Thanksgiving.
4) Considering being the kindergarden teacher because the kids just sit under a tree all day and cry and nothing else.
5) Thanksgiving will be spent in Accra with all my friends at the U.S. Ambassador's house.
6) I am going to start teaching Tao English. He's a man from China who is putting in electricity in my district.

Role Model

Everyone is watching you. They all know what you are doing, eating, wearing, saying, who you associate yourself with and how you do work. Eyes are everywhere. There is no escape. What do you do? Run, hide, and be frustrated from lack of privacy? On the other hand, do you think when is the next time you will have the stage and a full audience?

In Jeyiri I have center stage and I am in front of a packed auditorium.  When people are talking about me I don’t even know what they are saying to correct or support what their thoughts are about me.  So what do I do? I have made my mantra, “Live by example.” How can I tell people to eat more vegetables and a balanced diet if I don’t eat correct? Several people already come up to me and say An La Minne won’t eat the food if it has no vegetables. They are watching! How can I tell people to start a dry season garden (which they think is impossible) if I don’t have one.

Here are some things I am trying to do my example:

1. Wash hands with soap and water before cooking, before eating and after going to toilet
2. Eating Balanced
3. Grow Veggies all year long
4. Read (I want to build a library and start a creative minds club)
5. Diversity in gender roles (doing things men usually do like weed and play soccer)
6. Family Planning (aka not getting pregnant at 23 by telling people I want to continue schooling and saying I don’t have the money to have a family now)

Every decision I make or action I do is being judged and critiqued. Might as well send a positive empowering educational message while I have all eyes and ears on me.

Malaria Killing Real People

Most days I wake up, clean, read, eat and go over to the Jeyiri CHPS (Health Clinic). I have been filling in the books, taking weight and temperature and even doing malaria tests. This entails cleaning a finger, poking it with a sterile needle, squeezing the finger, drawing blood and placing it on the test strip. Then I wait about 3 minutes for the results. One line means negative and two lines means positive for malaria.  Now the test strips are only for one type of malaria. So even if the person is negative, but has bodily aches or a temperature we still give the malaria medicine along with multivitamin.  Soon I will even be able to distribute the drugs to people and write up their prescriptions.  The only thing that will take a while to do would here the patient’s complaints. I still don’t here the language all that well.  I will be getting a tutor with two other volunteers, so we can all practice.

It seems that every person who comes in has malaria. Most are woman and children. One child had a temperature of 42°C. He was rushed outside so we could throw cold water on him. I know that the people in my village are extremely strong and endure more that I thought humanly possible, so to see the suffering on their faces, I know their misery is more than I could bear.  Isn’t malaria that NGO disease that Westerns give money to all the time to help the poor Africans? How come I am in a place where people die because they cannot afford preventative bed nets and when they get sick they have no health insurance. The children die at home with no means for their parents to help them. 

I know that in America people die too without means to medical help, but is it worse in Africa? Who is suffering more? Is it even possible to compare the suffering of the poor in a first world country compared to a third world country? The situations are so different and are complex in their own ways. So what is more important domestic or international volunteerism? Again who is suffering more? Volunteers who have been on both sides like myself always come to this question. Is there a right answer? As long as am dedicating my life to decrease the suffering in the world, isn’t that enough. I would like to hear your thoughts on which path is benefiting the world more domestic or international volunteerism.  

More Pictures!

Sean Blaufuss hard at work

Baby weighing in Gushie, Northern Region Ghana

Waterfall 

The home stay family in Anyinasin. Michael, George, Felix, Yaa, Yaa, Akens

I'm getting a Dog!

Life in Jeyiri is one that goes by moment by moment. I can try to make a list of what I want to do throughout the day, but it never seems to work and is not as fun.  Maybe I’ll go greet the 6 new training teachers at the school. What actually happens is that I get roped into teaching a class. I started talking about malaria and then went into life in America. Some of the questions were: Is it easier to live in America? Does

America have night and day? Do you have a plane? I also told them that there is poor in America where schools don’t have books or supplies. We spent most of the time talking about farms. Their minds were blown to here that we have farms; however, they are under the impression that they are all massive and computers run them. I hope that it opened the children (actually teenagers) to come to me with more questions. The third goal of Peace Corps is to share American culture with Ghanaians. Check.

Another instance of doing something completely unexpected occurred yesterday. I thought it would be a day of mostly relaxing because it was too hot and the village was at farm. In the afternoon a nice new white truck pulls in front of the clinic. The men get out and call me over. They were scientists from Ghana Health Services. They are collecting flies in the town down the rode that cause River Blindness.  They want collect the DNA from the flies and see if they are still carrying the disease or are becoming resistant to the drug that they are giving the people.  The community health nurse, Paulina, will be monitoring the fly collectors. I told the men that I studied biochemistry and I would like to help in any way I can. Unfortunately they were from the Upper East Region and not the Upper West so I won’t be very close to do any of the heavy science things. I will help Paulina out in the fieldwork collecting and recording data. We all piled into the air-conditioned truck and took a ride to the most remote village that happens to be in Mole National Park and has monkeys and if you go into the bush a small ways you will see elephants.  It is beautiful going down the red dirt road with tall green grass on both sides. When I start running at 4 in the morning I will definitely go down this road.

In order to make my house a little homier I have decided to get a dog. When I went to market I walked with Naama (Chief’s mother), the PCV next to me, to go pick my dog out of a litter of six 8-day-old puppies. I choose the only black one. It has a white belly and tail. Keeping up with the tradition of naming pets after American food that we miss, the little boy is called Master P. The idea came to me after we ate pork in the market and I brought my Masterpiece BBQ sauce to put on it. I can’t wait to here the Ghanaians yelling, “Master P wa wa wa [come come come]!” All the dogs here are about the same medium size with short hair. Most of the dogs are a brown red color. If it happens that I fall in love with this dog and bring it back to America (yes mom welcome this possibility J), than I will tell everyone that Master P is an African dingo.

I hope all is well with you all readers and you are enjoying the beginning of the change in seasons. Ghana is really making me appreciate America. Here are some things Naama and I discussed:
1.   Teachers that take that job because they want to educate and not because the job is available (generalization)

2.     Free public flush toilets, even in McDonalds

3.     Malaria is eradicated

4.     Parents don’t yell/forbid for kids to go to school (generalization)

5.     A woman can tell off a man if he calls her “Woman” even if he knows her name

6.     Free Internet in libraries

7.     Abundance and diversity of food (generalization)

8.     Washing machines

9.     Running water

Meeting the President

On September 1, 2011 the Peace Corps class of 11-13 met with the President of Ghana. This just happened to also be my 23^rd birthday.  We originally found out that our going to site would be delayed because the President wanted to recreate a picture with us. 50 years ago on August 30^th the first ever Peace Corps group came to Ghana and met with the president.  These were group of strong idealist individuals that had no idea what they signed up for. Imagine the US President John F. Kennedy choosing you to go to Africa to help them.  No one has ever experienced or done what you are about to do.  The personal willpower and ingenuity of these people completely blows my mind. We were able to see some of the first volunteers at our swearing in.  I just kept thinking what if my mom, dad, grandma or grandpa were one of the first PCVs. What stories they would have! I will think of these people and channel their strength every time I have a tough time here.

Alright back to my birthday. I woke up that morning extremely worried. The day before I left my wallet on a tro with my PC ID, ATM card that had all my moving in allowance, a lot of cash to travel to my site and a flash drive.  We were sent to the PC Accra office before we met with the President so I figured I would talk to the safety and security people when I got there. After being in a very sassy mood all morning the PC staff said that a man called and said he had my wallet.  The first wave of relief hit. Although this man was far away, I was put on a PC car and sent to go pick up my wallet. I heard Rob the PC training Coordinator say that we have to be back at the site by 12:30pm or we won’t meet the President. It was 10:30am.  I didn’t even know if there was still anything in my wallet. A very large group was going to the bank because they were having ATM card problems. What if mine has problems? When will I have the opportunity to get to a Standard Charter branch bank? Worst-case scenario: I get my wallet back with no money in it, my ATM card is hacked and I miss meeting the President. This is all too much for me to worry about especially on my birthday.

Here is what actually happened.  The driver and I got stuck in traffic. It was almost noon by the time we reached the guy. I actually recognized him. Isaac was sitting in front of me in the tro and we had small conversation.  He returned my wallet with EVRYTHING in it.  I was so shocked. People really can be honest and trustworthy. My expectations now for the human race are very high.  Another wave of relief hits me.  Now its time for the race back to the Accra office.  The office calls us and tells us to hurry up (you would lol if you knew what the Accra traffic is like).  They give us until 1pm to get there. We do our best, but 1pm comes around and we still got a ways to go. The tell us to just go directly to the Castle.  I start thinking this ain’t that bad. Maybe I will miss the beginning of the ceremony, but I won’t miss all.

We make it to the Presidents Castle on the beach.  We have to go through many gates with men with big guns. The driver rolls down the window and tells the men with guns, “She is with the group.” They say ok and wave us through.  I felt like such a VIP. I then get escorted to the royal gardens where there are tents and a red carpet. I sit next to Sean and he says, “Happy Birthday! I arranged this all for you.” A man comes and brings me water on a silver platter. I feel underdressed in my Ghanaian made dress in such a high-class place.  Could this be happening? I hadn’t missed anything.  The Country Director, Ghanaian US Ambassador and Ghanaian President all give a speech. The President talked about how he had a PC English teacher and how he has not forgotten them. He told us that there is no way to repay the volunteers that have come to Ghana. It was a really touching speech that I believe you can find on the Internet. After the talks was a reception where they gave us friend chicken and beer. It was so laughable. There we were dressed the best we could, in a castle gardens, the President just walked down a red carpet and took a picture with us and feasting on chicken and beer. We could not have been anymore content with life. 

That night I said goodbye to some people, but Sean convinced PC not to let me travel 7 hours on my birthday. I stayed in Accra with him and friends to celebrate my birthday. I did not spend any money and had a fantastic time with people I am so blessed to be able to work with. BEST 23^rd BIRTHDAY OF ALL TIME.

Small Small Pictures

Children in Jeyiri

Boy herding cattle in Jeyiri

Stirring shea nuts in Jeyiri

One day in Ghana...

There is nothing like sharing what I am seeing and experiencing through the beauty of words. Today I woke up from a restless night of itching and vivid nightmares at 5:45am. Then I stumble from underneath the insecticide treated bed net to find my keys to unlock the door and cover myself from head to toe in cloth as my armor in the battle against no-see-ems. This all has to be in a rush before my bowels give way to unsettledness from the foreign food and water the night before.  I briskly walk across the green gulf course grass in the middle of Coca tree heaven to the family latrine. I pull up my cloth and get situated before I close the door in order to ensure I don’t sit on a lizard or cockroach. Yes, for those of you who know latrines, this is a nice one (Kumasi ventilated improved pit latrine to be exact). I have a ‘thrown’ to sit on rather than squat.  Next I go back to the house and wash my hands WITH SOAP to be a good consistent role model for the family. WATSAN! I then attempt to work out in the room, but I am constantly tired so not much happens.  I then pour water from my barrel into a bucket and carry it to the bathhouse next to the latrine. This morning it was colder than what I have yet experienced. With the first pour of water over my head a steam formed. Just imagine blue clear morning sky and the tops of Coca and plantain trees encapsulating your entire field of vision over the walls of the bathhouse and you are steaming. It was nothing short of magical.

I then go to my room, get dressed and pack my bag ready for language class. When I come out of the room my breakfast is waiting for me. Plain bread, a hardboiled egg and extremely hot sweet milk with a hint of coffee are the usual. I say goodbye to my older sister and niece.  She finally didn’t scream out like she was being brutally beaten when seeing my white skin; break through! After telling each individual family member that I was leaving for school and will be back at noon I go on my way. I always stop to see Sean on my way.

Since we have only 3 more classes left I put a lot of effort in class. My instructor Sheilo says I am making him very proud. My exam is next Wednesday at 9am. I have to talk straight for 20 minutes. The topics are introduction, daily routine (my best) and directions. If I knew that was going to be the test in June, I would have thought that’s impossible, but surprisingly I am only a healthy level of nervousness. 

For lunch I go home and Sean comes over to relax for an hour before we have to head back. Luckily today class let out at 2pm. It is so hot. I purchase a nice cold coke in a glass bottle for 70 peswa and drink it all before reaching home.  I joke that it is hot as Africa here. I unlock my door, undress, crawl under the bed net and write this blog. It has been a pretty awesome day so far. As the days pass (as long as I am not sick) I have become completely comfortable here in Ghana. I know that I am meant to be here and I have the ability to empower and improve the lives of many. Thank you all especially my parents for sending cards and packages quite frequently. It means the world to me and I know I am making you proud. I love you all.