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'.

A little look at the inside ...

Of my pad/crib/house/room.

It's been a slow week work wise. School is out for
a couple of weeks and starts up again next Tuesday.
So a good source of activity was not available.
Basically did some baby weighings and one child was
14 months old and weighs a little under 9 lbs. The
child definitely needs some gaining of weight. There
is the making of the 'bouille' here for moderately
underweight children but this one could use more.
There is a program C.R.E.N. that works with this
but the mother has been refusing. She must have
a reason. Here you can't force her, so wonder how
it's going to work out.
The heat has arrived so the rooms in the picture
are heating up. I am thinking that if it's getting
hotter here the sun has got to be heading north
so it should be on it's way.
The rooms were actually the consultation
and examining rooms of the old health clinic.
So living in an old health clinic for two years goes
on the list of firsts.
Going to end this with a wish ... hope the Red Sox
repeat as champions in '14'.

Heading back ... it's time

Tomorrow morning bright and early it is back
to the village.
Our IST (in service training) is over and it's been
two weeks of re-connecting with the colleagues
from my group. It's been over 6 months and time
has just flied.
I am heading out at 5 in the morning and plan on
riding my bicycle back to the village. It's a little
over 50 miles total and it requires riding through
Ougadougou and then hitting the road towards
the homestead.
Really looking forward to getting back. It is always
a bit awkward to get back into the flow. I'm wanting
to see if the girls team is still practicing. Also, how
is the theater group going? Have to start thinking
of a topic for the usual wednesday visit to the one
room school house village.
On the agenda is a visit to the Fulani village which
is 2km behind the one room school village. That
will be a challenge of integration.
All these activities, actual or potential ... can't wait
to get back to.
In less than 24 hours it is back to no electricity and
pumping water ... simplicity again.

Did I just mention ...

Something about bicycles in the blog post I posted

yesterday?

Today as part of our IST (in service training) we 

visited another volunteer's village. She was 

finishing a little project and her and the village 

put together quite a spectacle/feast.

It went on for over an hour and a half with five

cultural groups performing.

In the picture is one of the groups. It is actually 

the lead singer holding a bicycle in his teeth while

singing at the same time. 

Didn't expect that I'd be seeing anything like that

when I woke up this morning.

It kind of takes the luster off yesterday's blog post.

I'm just using the bike as it was designed ... to

get around. This guy is doing some imaginative

and strange things.

I just have to say this was a first. I mean another

first. One gets a lot of those in Africa.

How we get around

In the picture is my trusty stead or more plainly put ... my bicycle.

My wheels in Burkina

All the members of my group received one in a various size and color
but also all are in the 'used' condition. Despite the fact that mine has been
used considerably, it is in great shape. The crank area where the
pedals meet the bike and where they turn was a bit loose and making
noise at times but I took advantage of being here in Ougadougou
and had the bike mechanic fix it. He did a great job and also put on
a pair of new front brake pads. Not as exciting as having the Maserati
tuned but it's kind of relative to the situation, and I'm happy
about having my main means of transportation in tip-top shape.

A few weeks ago after the language IST (in service training) I rode
from one transportation gare (where the mini-buses leave and arrive
to) through Ougadougou and then to the road that heads out to my
village and then 80km or 50 miles to the village.

I didn't have to but I had time and it is all part of the thing called
adventure. It was fine and I arrived under 5 hours and that's with
adding 3 stops for water and one for a plate of rice with peanut
sauce. And with the local language that I am learning it was a
lot of fun schmoozing with the people in the boutiques along the
way.

It was a chance to get some exercise and take in the view
of the Burkina/African countryside. It also was taking advantage of
the opportunity to slow down and enjoy a day.

Here in Burkina Faso ... bicycles are very much used and there aren't
very many obese people. It is what I've come to the conclusion is the
best exercise/diet plan of all ... lifestyle. It is a physical life and of
course if all the amenities were here, that same life would follow one of the
laws of physics where energy wants to go to a lower state and
people would begin to abandon their bikes.

We have one more week left of this IST and I am looking forward
to getting back to the village. Being here with my group mates
has been productive though. We've discussed activities we have
thought about and those that we've attempted. We also discussed
areas where we may collaborate. If just 25% of the ideas work there'll
be a few interesting blog posts.

So, while I have electricity and can use my little netbook computer
... gonna plug in a movie and kickback.