The meetings were held on 2 consecutive nights after dinner and each attended by about 25 people (men or women). I was given free reign to lead the meeting. Luckily, I had explained the meeting's intent to my host parents beforehand, so my host mom and my host dad each helped me to communicate my ideas to the group. (I have learned that speaking Wolof in the dark to a group is much harder than speaking it to individuals in the daylight.) I began by explaining that I'd just returned from my final 2 week training and was now prepared to begin my work. Prior, I had been working in the nearby town, but I want to work within the village to address whatever health or environmental concerns they have. I then asked what they expected from me. Langeen begge ma def? (What do you want me to do?)
This introduction was met with silence. They didn't know what they wanted from me because they were still confused about my role in the village. I had brought a woodlot, so maybe I was responsible for planting trees. But I also help at the health post yet claim I am not a doctor, so maybe I know something about health. They were all very perplexed and expressed this to me. So I began to list some of my project ideas. I was happy to learn that they supported all of them. This, then, meant that whenever I have a new project idea, the village will most likely be behind me on it. However, it also puts a lot of pressure on me to determine what the village most needs. At the moment, that task is a bit daunting, but I am sure that will become easier with time.
The village identified 3 main projects that it wants accomplished first. These are the creation of a village garden, bimonthly health talks, and the training of a "community aunt."
I have decided to tackle the task of a community garden first. My host dad immediately offered up the use of one of his fields for the installation of a dry season vegetable garden. However, this field (like all fields) is located outside the village while all the water sources are within the village. Therefore, my village suggested digging another well, and I heartily agreed only to learn later that this costs about $500,000 and is clearly not a feasible idea. My village then suggested extending the pipeline to their tapwater so that it reaches the field. Since the pipes would only need to be extended about 50 meters, this option seemed much more feasible. My host parents kept telling me to take everything slowly, not to rush into the project, so after the pipeline was suggested, I didn't push the topic further. But 2 days later, my host dad suggested we go to the town to talk with the water supply men about the creation of the tap. To my amazement, after meeting with them twice, the project has been approved, and my village keeps asking me when the supplies will be purchased. So much for Senegalese taking their time on projects; now my grant proposal to fund this pipe extension is causing the delays. But this is all very exciting news. After the grant money has been received and the pipe installed, a fence can be purchased and built and the garden begun. It will contain both vegetables and a tree nursery. The entire village is very happy with this idea, and people are constantly listing to me the types of vegetables they want the garden to contain. The vegetables will mostly be sold for profit in the market, and this money will be reinvested into the garden and divided among the villagers. I am so fortunate to have a community that shares so much among themselves without even thinking about the other option.
They are equally excited for the other two projects. I will be leading the health talks on topics such as malaria, AIDS, nutrition, handwashing, health advice for pregnant women, and any other health topic I can think of. They have left the determination of these topics to me because, as they have told me, they don't know anything about health so don't know what they should know. Women in my village keep asking me when these will start (I am waiting until harvest is over so that all the women will be available in the afternoon), men keep asking to be included, and some people keep relaying to me all the health information they know on certain topics. They are eager to learn. The only trick will be instilling behavior change; knowledge is not the same as acting on this knowledge, and I'm hoping to achieve both of these.
And finally, my host grandma has been voted as community aunt, and she is thrilled by this idea. She doesn't fully understand the responsibilities of this position (nor, frankly, do I at this point-it is a position created by the Senegalese government), but I am working to get her included in a national training of community aunts. She would then be able to provide health information to pregnant women and women with young children, would ensure that they are going for their necessary 3 pre-natal visits and taking their medicine, monitor health issues within the village, and essentially be a source of general counseling for women and couples. This program is extremely effective in Senegal, and I am glad that my village wants to be a part of it. I think it's a great way to ensure that the work I do here is sustainable; I essentially want to train her to look out for the welfare of the women and children in my community. And the other women in the community are excited for her to assume this role.
So these are my 3 current target projects for my village. They are subject to change and develop over time, and I am sure I will determine other project focuses as well. Additionally, once schools open at the end of October, I hope to do some work with the students. But I am glad that now I have some direction in my work.
No comments:
Post a Comment