Saturday, January 26, 2013

The Girls Empowerment Conference is Going Downnnn


The last weekend in February!!!  It's going to be a really busy February because we are finalizing the girls conference, I am working on building this market in the village, teaching 10 English periods, and starting a new year of our health club!  Luckily the water tank is finished, and students are able to get drinking water at school now (though the rain has been quite sparse this rain season!)  The school's new goal is to raise enough money (about 200 dollars) to get a pump for the well, and it will be much more sanitary.  As things unfold with these projects in the upcoming months, I'll keep you all updated!!!

Here's a link to the finished well!  Enjoy!!!

http://appropriateprojects.com/node/1429

She has my HEART


One of my students in my health club truly is a bright star :)  Every time I talk her face lights up, and she hides her face in her hands.  Just as much as she was drawn to me, I was to her.  Her name is Sophia, and I've decided to have her live with me.  She comes from a neighboring village, and walks an hour and a half, one way, to school each day.  Sophia has taken this walk since she was 6, and leaves every morning, without breakfast, hiking the worst path I've ever seen, to get an education. (I wanted to put up pictures of the mountains I climbed, the sand I slid down, and the eroded cracks/crevices I walked in to get to her house, but I forgot my camera).  Not only does she walk this distance one way without food, but then studies all day, and returns, without eating once.  How one can concentrate (and still be number 4 in her class) I have no idea!  However, for the time being, it won't be something I have to fathom because I've decided I want her to live with me :)

She's going to live at my house, and be 4 minutes from school, where she can easily study, and eat 3 full meals a day.  I'm not sure if she is more excited to live with me, or me with her, but she is moving in Sunday.  I recently went to my banking town and bought her a mattress, a solar light, and stocked my house with food.  Next month, I want to buy her more clothes, better school supplies, and a frame for her bed.  However, for now, my house is a step up!  She was living communal style, in mud huts, with her entire extended family.  I know she was helping with household duties, and still managed to excel at school.  I can only imagine what she'll be able to do this year!  I think more than anything I'm excited to watch myself grow and evolve as I live these next 9 months with her.  If just walking to her house was a humbling experience, I can't wait to see what the future holds, and we are able to teach each other!!

World Aids Day 2012


On December 3rd, 2012 my villagers and I held an event in the village, in recognition of World Aids Day; I put up pictures on Facebook, but haven't had an opportunity to write about it until now.  It was definitely a highlight of my service thus far, and it was really nice to see everyone come together for it.  I was most proud of my students in The Bright Star (my health club) who not only organized a skit, but wrote and performed a song, to teach about HIV.

The day started around 9 am, with an opening speech given by myself, the village leaders, and the nurses who came from Singida District to test.  We then opened two classrooms at the primary school for testing, and were able to do so until 4 pm.  The plan was to test until lunch, but due to such a large turn out, the testers were willing to continue testing for the entire day.  We were able to test over 200 villagers, who otherwise wouldn't have been tested (as no one likes to use the health clinic, due to lack of confidentiality, and tests.)  I also got tested, and my students followed suit!! (All 20 of them, I was so happy :)

After lunch, my students performed their skit and song. The skit taught about the consequences of having multiple partners, having sex without a condom, and early pregnancy.  The amount of people who came to watch was surprising, and motivating too.  After the students' performance, a person living with HIV gave his testimony, reassuring people that life does not end if you are HIV positive.

(While you'd think health/sex education is culturally taboo (because no one talks about it!), I think this entire time they just needed someone to initiate it; someone to facilitate discussion, and wasn't afraid to do so.  I think as a result of World Aids Day, people are more open and willing to talk about these issues, and I feel the students and my committee have the skills and knowledge to do another event.)

We ended the day with a basketball game between the teachers and students, a soccer game between our neighboring village, and a video that night.  An organization called PSI came and set up a projector on the soccer field, showing two videos about HIV, and using condoms.  I could not have asked for a better turn out, and was really happy we were able to pull off such an event.  It was definitely something me nor my villagers will forget!