Manic March

I have been dreading to write this blog entry. How on earth do I describe this last month in a few paragraphs? If I tried to describe everything that has taken place I would end up writing a thesis.

Work has been overwhelming. Over the past month we have been conducting about 15 school lessons a week (in 3 different schools), sessions with 2 Out-Of-School youth groups, workshops with In-School Youth Clubs, working in a Youth Resource Corner in our Health Centre (where youth come to visit for advice and referrals) and organising 4 large events (V.C.T, Sports Event, Gender Focused Workshop and a Agriculture Visit to a Model Farm). We have been working our little socks off!

Initially work was very tough! I kept asking the question: why on earth am I here? Is this work really making any difference? It is so tough to really see positive change with your own eyes. We live in a very rural community with countless issues. Day in and day out we work with people who lack so much hope and enthusiasm. We spend hours teaching people new skills and knowledge....yet, does behavioral change occur? Are people really going to use this new knowledge to improve their lives? In the end, it is their call. We may teach somebody to protect themselves from HIV and AIDs by abstaining or using a condom....however, in the end it is their choice whether they us this knowledge.

On the bright side, I've kept persistent and in positive spirits. I've told myself that even if I just affect one persons life in a positive way during these 6 months of work, it is all worth it!

In fact, I feel as though we are really starting to achieve things. More and more youth are approaching us for advice. I really feel as though the method of 'peer-to-peer education' is effective. Young people are comfortable to talk to us about relationship, health and social issues (where as nearly all the youth fear to approach their health center, their parents and their teachers about sensitive issues). Talking about Sexual Reproductive Health issues is a great taboo in society. Hence, the issue of HIV transmission gets even worse.

Our events have also been a great success (on the whole). For our V.C.T (Voluntary Counciling and Testing for HIV and AIDs) event 200 people got tested for HIV. We were so pleased with the turn up. People really fear to know their HIV status as their is so much taboo relating to HIV in the society. For our 'Exposure Visit' we took our Out-of-School Youth Groups to a Model Farm where they learned about effective agriculture techniques and method.

Aside from work, I am really getting into this village lifestyle. I am now quite the expert at all those strange new challenges at the start. These days I find myself skipping along with a 20 litre jerry can, lighting a charcoal stove in under 5 minutes and bouncing out of bed at 6:30 in the morning.

Food variation is definitely lacking! Most days we tend to have rice and beans. At times we also have the odd vegetable. I can't remember the last time I had dairy (oh how I miss Dutch dairy). We've even treated ourselves to meat on 2 occasions. When it was Rose's birthday I bought her a chicken. She gave me the honers of slaughtering it. A rather  disturbing yet fascinating experience. The photo on the right is our local spring (where we collect water everyday).                        

In terms of health, things have gone a little down hill (quite literally) again. The other day I crashed on my bicycle while riding down a steep muddy track (rather different from flat tarmac cycle paths in NL). I am currently covered in cuts and bruises. I'm healing slowly but surely!

This weekend I've managed to escape to Jinja for the first time. It was crazy awesome to have a warm shower, use a flushing toilet, ride on a tarmac road, eat chocolate and drink a cappuccino for the first time in almost 2 months! Bliss.

Time to go and eat lasagna with MILK in Jinja town. Must rush off.

I hope all is well, wherever you are!

                                                  

                                                         Some more snaps:

The rainy season is awesome!

                                                                    Pupils in our Primary 7 class

                                                                                                       My neighbour