COSA Formation

Health Worker Formation

Opening our second day of the formation.  We started the formation a month ago and only got through the first day.  It was interrupted because of an emergency measles vaccination campaign.  Between the measles vaccinations and polio vaccinations, it took us a month to reschedule.  Although it didn't go smoothly, the COSA was very insistent that we schedule our second day as soon as possible.  The goal was to give them basic preventative health information since they are representatives of the health center in the community.  We talked about prenatal consultations, giving birth at the hospital, vaccinations, family planning, malaria, malnutrition, and cholera.

COSA members (community health workers) during our formation

One of the men, Awalu, demonstrating how to make ORS (oral rehydration solution) to treat cholera.

My friend, Fadi, explaining ways that we can teach the community about malnutrition.

The two Al Hadjis (rich guys) in the COSA provided lunch for everyone both days.

More of Danfili

Rain rollin into Danfili

C.E.S. (high school) de Danfili

More bird watching (forgot to write down the name, though!)

My office at the hospital with some of the nurse's kiddos.  Until the health center gets fixed up, my office also stores chickens, peanuts, and a moto from time to time, hence the filth.

The new gang chez Da Hawa.  Charifa and Missira will be living with us in Danfili this year to help grandma out.  They are wonderful, sweet girls who are always looking for things they can help me out with. 

Chillin with Hawa.  Her new favorite activity is taking photos so these won't stop anytime soon!

Soda shack in Ngaoundal

A Magic Lake & A River of Honey

Since my minor breakdown of restlessness in August, I have decided to make a better effort to have some adventures here.  It’s easy to forget that I am living in Africa and there are many exciting things to see and do.  Here’s how I’m doing so far:

Life in Danfili

The pump where I get water

Kids at Koranic School 

Crazy biting ants

Hawa with her baby doll

Manyaki

Red-throated Bee-eater

Weaver nests in the tiny town of Manyaki.  Manyaki is a Fulfulde word that translates to "River of Honey".  The town is known for producing honey.

View on our way back to town.  Manyaki is at the foot of these mountains. 

Abdul-Aziz, the health worker who I went to Manyaki with, crossing the dubious bridge

A structure for corn storage.  They keep it in the top to keep the corn away from animals.  If they find bugs, they light a fire on the bottom to smoke them out.

Mbakaou

Mbakaou, Dale's post, is right outside of Tibati.  It's a small town en brousse, but they have a huge dam.  All of the dam workers live in a small community outside of the village with paved roads and nice houses.

Victoria, Dale, Brian, and I in Mbakaou

Mbakaou Dam

Pin-tailed Widow- They have crazy long tails and are really interesting when they fly.

Off of Lake Mbakaou, there are many smaller lakes.  One I've mentioned before is Lake Mbella.  I had heard that it was magic and just recently learned the story behind it.  They say that there used to be a village where the lake is now.  One day a prophet came to the village.  He looked very ragged and no one wanted to invite him into their home.  One man let him spend the night and fed him.  The next morning, the prophet told him to take his family and follow him up to the mountains.  However, he left his staff in the village.  When they arrived, he told them to go back and see what their village had become.  When they got back, they found the lake  in the place where their village used to be.  The staff had turned into a snake, which lives in the center of the lake.  To cross the lake, one must move around the edge of the water because there is a force that pulls boats down in the center where the snake lives.  People say that they still hear the villagers under the water pounding their manioche and see the leaves from their roofs float up when they change them each year.

One Year in Cameroon

Last week, I celebrated one year of living in Cameroon.  Of course, I started thinking about the first couple of days I spent here and how much has changed since then.  Our first short walk around Yaoundé, the capital city, was incredibly overwhelming and now I frequently spend time there by myself with no problem.

·      Then: Seeing… more than the “suggested” number of people in a car shocked me

·      Now:  Seeing… a car so full of people and bananas that women are sitting on the roof takes me a couple seconds to notice

·      Then:  Speaking French… was to be avoided at all costs

·      Now:  Speaking French… is a wonderful break from “speaking” Fulfulde

·      Then:  Couscous and leaves for dinner… was a meal to be suffered through

·      Now:  Couscous and leaves for dinner… is one of my favorites

·      Then: Using a latrine… (a.k.a. pit toilet without the seat) sounded miserable

·      Now:  Using a latrine… is a daily occurrence and actually not so bad (http://jezebel.com/youve-been-pooping-all-wrong-1636521806?utm_campaign=socialflow_jezebel_facebook&utm_source=jezebel_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow )

·      Then:  Buying street food... sounded like a terrible idea and a great way to get sick

·      Now:  Buying street food… is a treat reserved for market day and visiting bigger towns

·      Then:  Leaving my room… was an exhausting task that was often unpleasant because really, who wants to be stared at all the time?

·      Now:  Leaving my room… is usually enjoyable as I am greeted by an entire neighborhood of people who know my name and are thrilled to see me

·      Then:  Bargaining… was an overwhelming and unpleasant experience

·      Now:  Bargaining…  can be fun, especially when you get the “westerner speaking Fulfulde” price

·      Then:  I got very nervous when… I met my host family.

·      Now:  I get very nervous when… I have hives all over my body and medicine is not available in Danfili

·      Then:  Traveling in Cameroon… sounded scary, confusing, and next to impossible

·      Now:  Traveling in Cameroon… involves walking to the road and finding a car facing the direction I want to go

·      Then:  Living alone in a small, rural village… sounded exciting, scary, and nerve wracking

·      Now:  Living alone in a small, rural village… is sometimes exciting, scary, and nerve wracking, but more often comfortable and slow moving.  It’s a place where I am greeted enthusiastically all the way to my house each time I return from a trip.  It’s a place where everyone cares about my well-being.  It’s a place where, after almost a year, I rarely feel alone.

I don’t mean to say that after a year, living in Cameroon is a walk in the park.  Some days are really tough.  Some days too many kids call me “nasarra”.  Some days I wish I could see my family and friends, whom I miss incredibly.   However, the past year has been one of growth and I hope that my second year here in Cameroon brings more.

Photo Update: September begins

Snacking on sugar cane

Hawa with her new baby doll from Mom and Dad Speech.

Proof that yes, sometimes I do work.  This is at a community health worker meeting in Betara-Gongo.  If I remember right, everyone is laughing because I was introducing myself in Fulfulde.  It's kind of like a party trick when the "white lady" speaks Fulfulde.

Chief of the village of Betara-Gongo, a village within the area that Danfili's health center serves.  In small villages such as Danfili and Betara-Gongo, chiefs have quite a bit of power because there is not a strong government presence.  Our mayor is based in Ngaoundal and although he is mayor of the whole area, he rarely comes to the small villages.  To start projects, it is important to go to the chiefs to get their support before starting.

The COSA (community health workers), health center chiefs, men from Betara-Gongo, and I .  The president of the COSA is an Alhadji.  This technically means that he has been to Mecca, but also means that he has a lot of money.  At our meeting, he donated some cleaning materials to the Betara-Gongo health center.  It is expected that Alhadjis will share their wealth with their extended family and community.

My friend Fadi and I.  She is one of the most "forward thinking" women in village.  Although she was not able to finish school herself, she is very serious about all of her children's schooling.  She hopes that her oldest daughter goes to university and is hoping to go back to school herself.  Also, she's just a great friend!

Doudou and I!  I was able to visit Doudou and her family when I came down to Yaounde to plan training.  Wish her luck as she starts school in Yaounde this week!  

Doudou's brother, Abdoul, and I.  He is in university right now and is hoping to work for the embassy.  He also speaks English really well.

Sharifa and I.  She is also a member of Doudou's family and visited Danfili for a couple weeks.  It was a surprise to see her in Yaounde.  Although she's 8 years old, she has many responsibilities and already acts like an old lady!

After training prep in Yaounde, I went to visit Lara's post in the west.  It was great to meet all of her friends and her village, Baleng.  The west is very different from my region, the Adamawa.  The climate is much colder.  Almost everyone is a farmer and spends all day every day in their field.  It is also much more developed.  The group of people who dominates in the west are the Bamileke, who are known for their drive to make money.

The Museum of Civilizations in Dschang, also in the west region.  It displayed traditional art from all of the regions of Cameroon.  It was very interesting to have more explanation for things that we had seen in our villages.  The city of Dschang is fairly developed because it is a university town.