July 8, 2010

by Beth O'Connell
East Tennessee State University: College of Public Health
Rwanda

(Above: Child with Soap and Water -- Hand Washing Training) 

Health Education Continues at School

                Kiruhura Christian College has continued to allow me to educate all 112 of the students on various health topics. The week of June 21-25, I taught each class about dental health and provided them with toothbrushes and toothpaste. I got this idea from a student who asked me at the end of class one day if I could teach him how to “wash” his teeth. I also gave these supplies to the headmaster, secretary, matron (woman who cares for the girl boarding students), and two teachers who participated and assisted in the education. The handout used is in the appendix below. We discussed both why and how to brush.   These students were also given information on tuberculosis, conjunctivitis, sexually transmitted infections, and malnutrition. Students will write papers about these topics and include how to prevent them. The students of the general paper classes have also been finishing up in-class presentations of the topics they wrote about previously and all of the students are interested in hearing about each of the topics.  This oral presentation also helps evaluate how thoroughly each student understands their topic.

                I taught the students of the biology class about malnutrition June 30 and July 1. In doing this, I stressed the importance of eating food from each category of food as described by the United States Department of Agriculture My Pyramid program. Malnutrition is a significant problem in this village and the people seem to have no understanding of eating a variety of foods, not just a large quantity. I hope that this education at the school will have a ripple effect into the community.

Continued Hand Washing and Water Treatment in Community

                I am continuing to teach hand washing, hygiene, and safe water education in the village. This includes instruction on why and how to do these things and provision of soap and a water treating liquid for each family. I have continued to do this through visiting individual homes and also one group program.  I have reached 192 families of Cyegera with this intervention, 1034 people. There are a total of 256 homes in the village of Cyegera, and I am going to try to reach each of them before I leave. In addition, I also visited a church in a neighboring town called Ruyenzi. The 58 people in attendance that day received the same education and supplies. That is a total of 1092 people educated on hand washing since the beginning of my field experience.  If the people change their hygiene habits and drink safe water in the future, it will have a huge impact of the overall health of the community.

Biosand Water Filtration

                On June 25, I worked with the Rwandese Health and Environment Initiative Project to reinstall one of the biosand filters. Water had not been flowing through it correctly. Replacement of the filtration media, including a better type of sand has fixed the problem. All five filters at the Faith and Hope Children’s Home and the school are working well with flow rates at the standard of 0.7 liters per minute. They began producing clean drinking water on July 4. Some of them which required maintenance will not produce drinkable water until later dates.

Conclusion

                In continuing these two initiatives, I have continued to draw from reliable web sites for sources of information and on assistance from my preceptor, the children’s home administrator, members of the church, and members of the village leader’s staff. Visits to homes in the village have been very productive and are directed by the village leader and church members. Without them, I would have no way of knowing which homes are within the village limits and how to get to them. The administrator of the children’s home has been my translator for all home, church, and the public education sessions. I also continue to look for opportunities to expand my efforts.

July 7, 2010

by Jodi Southerland
East Tennessee State University: College of Public Health
Appalachia Region

Organization: Of One Accord Inc, a local grassroots non profit organization, which provides vital services to disadvantaged community members in Hawkins and Hancock County, TN.

Objectives: Provide supportive services to staff members, build lasting relationships with the community at large and ensure a brighter, more healthful tomorrow for local residents!

Background: Does poverty exist in a land of plenty? Do community members lack vital goods or services such as indoor plumbing, electricity, adequate nutrition and health services? To my dismay, I must answer ‘yes.’ Through my involvement with Of One Accord, interaction with community members and excursions into local communities on the rural roads less traveled, I have begun a journey which I hope will help me to understand more fully the roots of poverty and disadvantage in rural America. 

Activities: Over the past seven weeks, I have been conducting wellness assessments among community dwelling seniors served by the agency. The purpose is two-fold: 1) develop a client profile which includes demographic data and risk factors that lead to diminished quality of life and poorer health outcomes, and; 2) identify domains in which the agency’s services can be improved or tailored to meet the needs of this population. I also provide health supportive services, education and referrals to seniors through the information provided during the assessments and through my personal observations.

These interactions have led to the development of relationships with some amazing members of our communities, namely, the senior population. The stories of triumph and heartache, grit and tenacity, hard work and determination are too numerous to tell. There is one prominent theme that resounds as these senior residents reminisce and remember yester year: wisdom and the will to live are often developed through hardship and in the face of adversity.

I am also responsible for coordinating activities for our summer volunteer groups. These activities are focused primarily on our older community members and include home repair/renovation projects, house keeping, gardening, hair cuts/perms and visitations. These activities are very hands on and provide volunteer groups with an opportunity to utilize their expertise and skills and improve the lives of our senior residents in real and tangible ways. The agency’s Community Nutrition Program has benefited greatly from the services provided by our volunteer groups. Members assist with food preparation and delivery of both senior meals and youth lunches (Lunch Box Mobile Cafeteria). Volunteers accompany me as I deliver daily meals and a monthly food box to our community-dwelling seniors.

Reflection: A picture is worth a thousand words! But stories are priceless. Ms. M is a 69-year-old single woman. She has lived in Hawkins County for approximately thirty years but does not have any family members who live in the state. Five years ago she was diagnosed with cancer and her voice box was removed. She is unable to speak, smell or taste and is required to eat puréed foods. She communicated to me using a note pad. Ms. M is a very strong willed and vivacious woman but she told me that she is often lonely. The inability to speak has all but eliminated her ability to have quality social interaction with others. She does, however, attend community events and religious functions. She is not permitted to drive and depends on friends for transportation. In approximately 6 weeks, however, she will be able to speak for the first time in five years. She had a new medical device surgically implanted in her neck and is currently undergoing vocal rehabilitative therapy with a speech pathologist. Her story has been an inspiration to me. I have made several visits to her home and am always greeted with kindness and warmth. She has also been able to develop relationships with a few of our volunteers with whom she has exchanged mailing addresses.

What have I learned through my interaction with Ms. M and others like her? I have learned that making a positive impact in people’s lives is not as complicated as we may think. A little time, conversation and commitment can go a long way. People helping people, hand in hand along life’s journey! Impacting the world, one person at a time.

July 1, 2010 | www.mcc.gov

When Water Flows, Economic Growth Follows

Ashot Abrahamyan is a farmer in Armenia whose apricot orchards lie beneath picturesque purple mountains. His farm is 30 meters above the closest public canal; so in order to irrigate, he had to pump water for more than seven hours every day. For decades, less than three kilometers of the canal system were operational. Beginning late 2009, to respond to the irrigation needs of Mr. Abrahamyan and hundreds of other Armenian farmers, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) funded the reconstruction of gravity-fed irrigation systems as part of its compact with Armenia.

Mr. Abrahamyan describes his situation prior to and after the reconstruction, "The water in the old canal was limited and much of it vanished through the cracks in the concrete and the broken flumes. Thanks to the new canal, I will be able to save money and irrigate for two to three hours instead of eight. This will also increase the number of peaches I can grow and harvest."

MCC is funding $113 million in repairs to gravity-fed irrigation systems as well as the rehabilitation of canals, pumping stations, and drainage systems throughout Armenia. Major construction and rehabilitation have begun on 17 critical water pumping stations and five gravity-fed irrigation systems throughout Armenia.

• $36 million investment in pumping stations will provide reliable water for irrigation and improve agricultural productivity for 100 Armenian communities in six regions.
•  $7 million investment in gravity-fed irrigation systems will increase arable land and reduce electrical consumption.

A $16 million investment in the Ararat Valley Drainage System will reduce ground water levels in 35 communities of the Ararat and Armavir provinces and will increase crop productivity in the biggest agricultural zone in Armenia, while also maintaining an optimally balanced ecosystem in the wetlands.

Mr. Abrahamyan is one of the lead demonstration farmers for MCA-Armenia, which is managing the compact’s implementation. His orchards will benefit not only from improvements to the gravity system, but also from a more stable irrigation system that he developed after receiving training from MCC-funded on-farm water management experts. He learned ways to modify his system to improve its efficiency and save both water and energy. He will access water though the pipe outlet installed on the siphon of the canal, which will feed his pump. With construction completed in the areas near his farm, Mr. Abrahamyan is excited about the new irrigation season.

A year from now, more than 61,000 farmers in 23 communities in the Ararat, Armavir, Gegharkunik, Lori, and Shirak provinces of Armenia will see their own irrigation systems completed and precious water supplied to their lands without losses and at a lower price. MCC and MCA-Armenia look forward to making a difference in the lives of farmers like Mr. Abrahamyan, who are counting on the water, the technical expertise, and the hope that this program brings. After work is completed, even farmers at the farthest ends of the canals will be able to access water and farm lands that had been deserted.

MCC’s total investment in the agricultural and water sector in Armenia will be approximately $180 million when the program ends in September 2011. The Irrigated Agriculture project will benefit over 420,000 people by improving the quality of irrigation and increasing agricultural productivity. By rehabilitating and constructing main canals, gravity-fed irrigation systems and pumping stations; strengthening the capacity of local and national water supply entities; and providing technical and rural credit assistance to farmers, MCC expects farmers to shift from low-value to high-value crops and income from agriculture in rural areas to increase.

July 2, 2010

by Brittany Latimer
East Tennessee State University: College of Public Health
Namwianga, Zambia

    1.  Learn how to Knit

Most of the older ladies here know how to knit.  I wanted to learn how to knit so I could master this skill during my time here.  Luckily one of my aunts was kind enough to help me get started on this endeavor before I left.  After starting over twice, I am finally making progress and my scarf is coming along quite nicely.  Hopefully it’ll be finished by the time I come back. 

2. Use your head

A lot of the women here transport their goods on their head.  This is the ultimate etiquette lesson.  The other day when John, Joseph, and I were coming back from Livingstone, we decided to walk the 7 km back to the house.  I had bought some things that were quite heavy so this was not the easiest walk.  After about 1 km, Joseph suggested that I carry the bag on my head.  This worked for about 5 minutes before I convinced them to take a cab. 

3. Master tying a chitenge

A chitenge is a wrap that is worn around a woman’s waist.  They are also used to tie a baby onto the mother’s back.  Obviously since I don’t have any children I was using it for the former reason.  I am not a girly girl, so having to wear a skirt everyday has been quite difficult for me.  I would much rather wear jeans and a t-shirt, however it is very important to respect the culture.  So as they say, “when you’re in Rome do as the Romans do.”  It is very difficult to tie one unless you have some put onto the chitenge.  Unfortunately I found that out the hard way.  The first day I wore one without the ties, the chitenge constantly kept coming open.  The Zambian women can effortlessly tie them without any ties made and a baby on their back.  Maybe I can get some tips from the women and actually master this before I leave. 

4. Learn Tonga

In the southern region where I am staying Tonga is the main language spoken.  Many people can speak multiple languages, especially since there are seventy-two languages spoken within the country of Zambia.  I can’t talk the talk, but apparently I can walk the walk.  I say this because I’ve already had a couple people come up to me speaking in Tonga, but all I could do was stare at them blankly.  So far I’ve mastered about five words in Tonga, so I have a very long way to go. 

      5.  Start a family

The majority of the people here get married quite young and start a family almost immediately.  Everyone will ask me questions in this exact order.  1) How many children do you have?  2) Are you married?  This nurse Freddie told me the timeline for getting a spouse, which ironically sounds just like the philosophy that most Lipscomb students follow.  For those of you who don’t know what that is, it is to get engaged by your senior year and married the summer after you graduate.  Well I’m just going to have to nix this step because I don’t plan on accomplishing this before I leave.    

Although I am rather far away from my goal of becoming a Zambian and have quite a lot of work to do in the time left here, I look forward to learning more about the Zambian culture.  I love being able to experience another culture from a first hand perspective.  It has been an amazing experience so far and I enjoy every day of it.