One of those times ...

That a project or activity actually works out

as envisioned.

As a part of our mandate as health volunteers 

is sex education classes or sensibilzations.

It can be a little sensitive as normally sex

isn't often discussed. Even more so in rural

areas. 

Last week one of the girls that was in our

theater group and also on the girls football

came to the maternity in the early stage of 

pregnancy. This one made me a little sad

(usually doesn't affect too much after all

these years) because she's a very intelligent,

active young lady with a possible big future

ahead of her. But now ...

The health center yearly receives trainees

or what they call stagaires to do what would

be considered a 2 month internship.

We had 5 very capable young ladies and two

were completing their studies as mid-wives.

So with these 2 stagaires we organized a 

girls only sex education class at the health 

center. 

A class of 35 girls ages between 14 to 16

showed up and the two Burkinabe stagaires

took charge and did a real tremendous job.

I just did the condom demonstration and

we didn't have a wooden penus but used a

7ft pole that was about the right width. It was

pretty humourous but it worked.

The girls were free to ask and talk about 

anything they wanted to. And they did.

It was energy filled and they laughed and

some of those crazy questions young kids

heard about sex was clarified. 

Having girls only is imperative here. The girls

to the last one didn't want any teachers or 

fellow boy students around. If they were, the

girls wouldn't speak.

So this one worked out well (not a usual 

happening) and next it's planning to talk

to the boys ... and then both together.

Oh yeah ... the picture was taken looking

out from the maternity building. It's just

to give a feeling of the health center grounds.

I must say as health centers go here in Burkina

this one is actually pretty nice. The lanes are

flanked by eucalyptus trees but there is the 

slight probldm with garbage. But we're working

on it.

Every so often things work out and everyone

gets that upbeat feeling ... just got to get

it to happen more often.

Theater Group's upcoming performance

This coming Sunday the Theater Group is going
to perform live for the first time. They're starting
out big with a small paid entrance fee and a lot
of tickets sold so far.
The group's presentation can be best described
as contemporary mixed with traditional. The kids
have really worked hard and seriously and every
practice is better than the previous one.
It's the kids first performance ever so it'll be
interesting to see how nerves affect the show.
It is going to be exciting either way and though
not broadway ... then broadway's not an African
village. So it will be a fun experience to never
forget.

The hot month

The people tell me that it is the time
of the year where the heat arrives,
then the rains.
It has also seemed to have brought
along the death of 4 elderly in the
village.
The social norm when someone dies is 

that basically all the villagers pass by the 

deceased homestead to give their condolences.
I tagged along to all four compunds but as I was
visiting the first I asked where do they
bury the body. They told me they buried
it in what is basically the front or side of
the compound.
One I figured was buried about 35ft. from
his house. So there is no cemetary in this
village. Don"t know if all the other villages
do the same.
School started back up on Tuesday but with
the heat it seems like reviving the projects
may be a little challenge. The time for the
activities was usually in the early afternoon
so don't think it can work the same way now.
Baby weighings always ongoing and saw a
few of the kids that were in the moderately
mal-nutrition area had gained weight. So that's
a positive.
With the heat the talks we've been giving is
mostly to reinforce drinking at least 4 to 5 liters
of water daily ... for the adults.
Hasn't been an earth shattering week here but
still something was accomplished.
So ... have put in the category of 'decent week'.