February 8, 2011
Well, the rainy season is approaching and I’ve had a taste of what’s to come. We have had several short but powerful rains that are the worst of what we get in November on the Island. The rats that live in my ceiling become very active and I pray that they stay up where they belong! The dust settles when the rains come and people get ready to start planting. The fields are prepared and people here are getting excited about the shift in weather. Most people here are farmers and depend on what they grow for the majority of their livelihoods as well as food for their families.
I had the pleasure of having my first trek last Sunday. A group of us new and old volunteers headed for Belo- three taxi rides from where I am. I have included pictures which show the beautiful landscape. We are surrounded by mountains and hills, valleys and grazing land. There was a trail for parts of the trek, none for others; some of the trails went through farm lands, at other times we were on beautiful ridges. It was about 4 hours up, over and down.
Well, the rainy season is approaching and I’ve had a taste of what’s to come. We have had several short but powerful rains that are the worst of what we get in November on the Island. The rats that live in my ceiling become very active and I pray that they stay up where they belong! The dust settles when the rains come and people get ready to start planting. The fields are prepared and people here are getting excited about the shift in weather. Most people here are farmers and depend on what they grow for the majority of their livelihoods as well as food for their families.
I had the pleasure of having my first trek last Sunday. A group of us new and old volunteers headed for Belo- three taxi rides from where I am. I have included pictures which show the beautiful landscape. We are surrounded by mountains and hills, valleys and grazing land. There was a trail for parts of the trek, none for others; some of the trails went through farm lands, at other times we were on beautiful ridges. It was about 4 hours up, over and down.
Just a mention about taxi rides. On the way back we had 8, yes 8 passengers in a Toyota type taxi. Three with the driver, four in the backseat and one passenger in the boot. The driver drove full speed and we all prayed we didn’t have to push up the hills. It took about 2 hours to travel 44 kilometers, with waiting for taxis, driving, stopping the taxis to pick up other people and deliver them, cool off the car, etc. Traveling has become an adventure in itself!
My work with Ntankah Village Women’s Common Initiative Group is not as yet fleshed out but I am working hard at patience ( one of my virtues as many of you know!). The group functions as a collective, making decisions and planning cooperatively. As they grow and expand the areas they are wanting to work in, some staff and members have specialized in certain areas. There is an income generating project working with a piggery, raising fowl, operating a corn grinder which turns corn into flour for Fu-Fu. Members also hire themselves out to farmers to work and the income generated goes back into the organization. They have a savings program for members as well.
A nurse midwife is here every day and is training a member in basic nursing and medicines. We are able to do screening for HIV/AIDS, see pregnant women for consultation and treat problems that do not require hospitalization.
There are a large contingent of caregivers that visit widows, orphans and other vulnerable people in the community many of whom have HIV or AIDS. They have been trained over the years by attending workshops and consulting with the group’s leader. The caregivers are in the community and help identify vulnerable peoples that then can be followed up by others if need be.
The women are inspiring in the work they have done with very little money. The vision of helping the underprivileged is strong and members problem-solve frequently to come up with options for needy people ( this week after meeting together they have found a house for a woman with 5 children who lost her husband and whose father-in-law threw her out). They have formed a strong network with other grassroots women’s groups in the area as well as a doctor, a lab technician, a lawyer and others who can be called on for service. I am now part of that network of resource people that can be called on to support the counseling work, provide workshops down the road, work on proposals to access funding sources and anything else the members see that I can do.
Right now we are planning International Women’s day March 8th. This is a very important holiday in Cameroon and every community has a celebration. We are singing, dancing, having skits to impart HIV information as well as food and a soccer game (men versus women). I guess after all the years I’ve watched soccer. It’s time to play a game. That’ll be worth a few pictures.
For any of you reading this blog, please let me know if there are things you would like to know about. I would be happy to share my experiences via email.
Just a mention about taxi rides. On the way back we had 8, yes 8 passengers in a Toyota type taxi. Three with the driver, four in the backseat and one passenger in the boot. The driver drove full speed and we all prayed we didn’t have to push up the hills. It took about 2 hours to travel 44 kilometers, with waiting for taxis, driving, stopping the taxis to pick up other people and deliver them, cool off the car, etc. Traveling has become an adventure in itself!
My work with Ntankah Village Women’s Common Initiative Group is not as yet fleshed out but I am working hard at patience ( one of my virtues as many of you know!). The group functions as a collective, making decisions and planning cooperatively. As they grow and expand the areas they are wanting to work in, some staff and members have specialized in certain areas. There is an income generating project working with a piggery, raising fowl, operating a corn grinder which turns corn into flour for Fu-Fu. Members also hire themselves out to farmers to work and the income generated goes back into the organization. They have a savings program for members as well.
A nurse midwife is here every day and is training a member in basic nursing and medicines. We are able to do screening for HIV/AIDS, see pregnant women for consultation and treat problems that do not require hospitalization.
There are a large contingent of caregivers that visit widows, orphans and other vulnerable people in the community many of whom have HIV or AIDS. They have been trained over the years by attending workshops and consulting with the group’s leader. The caregivers are in the community and help identify vulnerable peoples that then can be followed up by others if need be.
The women are inspiring in the work they have done with very little money. The vision of helping the underprivileged is strong and members problem-solve frequently to come up with options for needy people ( this week after meeting together they have found a house for a woman with 5 children who lost her husband and whose father-in-law threw her out). They have formed a strong network with other grassroots women’s groups in the area as well as a doctor, a lab technician, a lawyer and others who can be called on for service. I am now part of that network of resource people that can be called on to support the counseling work, provide workshops down the road, work on proposals to access funding sources and anything else the members see that I can do.
Right now we are planning International Women’s day March 8th. This is a very important holiday in Cameroon and every community has a celebration. We are singing, dancing, having skits to impart HIV information as well as food and a soccer game (men versus women). I guess after all the years I’ve watched soccer. It’s time to play a game. That’ll be worth a few pictures.
For any of you reading this blog, please let me know if there are things you would like to know about. I would be happy to share my experiences via email.
