A couple more videos for your enjoyment. The first is my latest adventure in a taxi-brousse . . . proof that the ridiculous stories I tell about what it's like to travel in this country are NOT made up but in fact are rather commonplace occurrences. The second is of a condom race I did with high school students during a class about HIV and other STI prevention. Most people here don't use condoms, and likely have not even seen or touched them. Games are a good way to remove some of the stigma while teaching the proper way to use and dispose of condoms. Enjoy! Love love.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Girls' Club
One of the biggest projects I've been working on for the past couple of months has been starting a Girls' Club at the high school in my village. I've been working with a group of about 35 girls in the "Premiere" class (the equivalent of sophomores or juniors), mostly ages 16-18. The curriculum I'm using for the meetings is the Peace Corps Life Skills manual. It was originally designed as an AIDS prevention curriculum, though it has many applications. It includes activities that help build self-esteem, emotion management skills, communication and decision-making skills, goal setting, relationship skills, and other healthy positive lifestyle habits. I meet with the girls one afternoon a week for about two hours and do activities from the Life Skills curriculum, along with games, icebreakers, and team-building exercises. Another nearby PCV, Monique, is also doing a club at her middle school. We're hoping that our clubs will lead up to a joint camp this summer where we'll build on the skills the girls are developing and expose them to future career options.
I've had several meetings with the girls so far, and I'm thrilled at how well everything is going. In the midst of some miscommunication, teacher strikes, and a few rounds of cyclones, I was having a hard time getting things started, and I wasn't sure if there was a lack of interest or just a combination of unfortunate circumstances. Finally I had a couple of solid meetings and realized it was the latter. I have an incredible group of dedicated, enthusiastic, helpful girls that completely brighten up my week. We've been meeting on Wednesdays, which is perfect to get over that mid-week slump. The girls have been eager to volunteer to help with skits and other activities I need assistance with, and they are are incredibly patient with me while I try to explain things as best I can in my still-broken Malagasy. They ask lots of questions and are very engaged in the activities.One of the Peace Corps mantras I've heard many times is, "You won't teach them; they'll teach you," referring to the relationship between volunteer and villager. As always, that has proven true with the Girls' Club too. As much as I have learned about the Malagasy people and culture, I still can't help but approach many things with my American mindset. I often expect an activity to go a certain way and end up surprised by the results. This is definitely not always a bad thing--in fact, those have become the best learning moments for me. At our last meeting, we did an activity called "Statues of Power" (from which all of the pictures in this post came). In the exercise, participants break off into pairs and form statues depicting one person they perceive to have power and one person who does not. I had some guesses in my mind of how the girls might pose for their statues. Instead it ended up providing unexpected insight for me into the local culture.
I suppose it hadn't occurred to me how culturally loaded notions of power are. Wealth versus poverty was one dichotomy a few pairs depicted, for example by having one person give money to a beggar. One cleverly portrayed this by having the powerful person talk on a cell phone. I'd never really thought about how a cell phone--something nearly every American, age 8 to 88, owns--could be seen as a symbol of power. Another pair had the powerful person giving a speech while the powerless person walked down the road carrying a basket of "bozaka" (a thick grass used for building houses, etc.) on her head. But perhaps the most striking element of the exercise for me was the use of the Betsileo hats a couple of the girls had. The Betsileo are the ethnic group in my region of Madagascar. They are known for their handicrafts which include woven straw products, and are easily recognized by the straw hats they wear. Several pairs used the hats as props in the activity, and in every single instance the powerless person was the one wearing the hat. It became obvious to me throughout the discussion that the girls not only see themselves--young females--as powerless, but they also perceive their entire people to be powerless. While I was grateful for their honesty and candor, it nearly broke my heart listening to what they had to say. One of the biggest challenges for PCV's is these moments when we see a great opportunity for community growth but fear that our contributions will be inadequate. I can only hope that as I work with these girls over the next few months, they will come to see themselves the way that I see them. I pray that they develop self confidence, begin to see their strengths, and that their discussions start to reflect a sense of power and pride.I've also included a video of a skit two of them helped with several weeks ago. I thought it might be fun for you all to hear Malagasy being spoken, and to see what a great group of girls I'm working with. In the skit, Mboty was in Terminale (senior year) before she had to drop out of school because she got pregnant. Amina is a Seconde student (freshman/sophomore). Mboty has been advising Amina to focus on studies instead of a boyfriend, and has given her condoms in the past in case she wanted to become sexually active. Mboty also talks about the challenges of raising a child and the promises her boyfriend made to her that he has not fulfilled. Ultimately Amina confesses that she too is pregnant, and that she thought her decisions were justified because she is in love with her boyfriend and he too has made promises to her. The story was used to illustrate the bridge from information & knowledge to behavior change. Amina had all of the knowledge about how to avoid pregnancy, yet she still became pregnant. The activities we do every week refer back to the "bridge model" and some of the early lessons about Mboty & Amina.
Love love.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Water Projects, & Some Thoughts on Human Nature
Charity and I have been trying to facilitate some water projects in our commune. The water situation for our village is sort of all over the place. For the most part, there is no running water for most of the 20,000 people that live in the many smaller villages that make up our commune. There are dozens of pumps scattered throughout; a few still run reliably, but most are broken for any number of reasons. Some simply need replacement parts, some do not have enough water flowing from the source, some have leaks and have worn down over time. So, we've been visiting the different villages to see the problems for ourselves, talk with community members, and try to figure out what solutions are practical, feasible, and something we can actually help with. This whole process has been an incredibly interesting experience for me.
I suppose there was a part of me that figured at some point during my two years of service, it would be really easy to get work done. As I got to know more people and as my Malagasy improved, I began to feel like eventually I'd reach a point when I didn't have to work so hard at everything. In some ways this has proven true--I am much better able to express myself and while I am far from fluent, every-day conversations have become much easier. I guess what I had never thought about is the fact that Malagasy people are human beings--just like Americans are--and that my own development alone would not be sufficient to successfully complete projects. We are all HUMAN beings. This means that no two people are the same, and that group dynamics are always tricky. Some people are very hard-working. Some are lazy. Some are timid. Some are outspoken. Some like to very involved in every step of the process. Some wait till they are called upon but then will go above and beyond the call. Some like to hear themselves talk. Some like to have things their way. There are people who don't like each other. There are people who gossip. There are people who blame others for their own mistakes. I do not in any way intend for this to be a negative reflection upon the Malagasy people on the whole. Rather, it is simply the realization that we are all flawed, and that working in a group is always a challenge--be that in an office in DC or in a rural village on an island in the Indian Ocean. It has taken a lot of patience and careful listening on my part trying to figure out what needs to be done.
What's tricky with my work as a PCV is that often, the process is far more important than the end result. Sometimes getting people to work together in a healthy and effective way means that they're empowered to solve their own problems in the future. Development is a slow process, but it has to begin somewhere. At the same time, the end result is important too--especially with something like a water project. It would be rather silly if we sat around talking through the issues but never tried to take further steps. Hopefully once we work through a lot of confusion, frustration, and past mistakes, we can use all of the information to move forward.
Despite some of the unexpected roadblocks, I still have a lot of enthusiasm for the projects. The communities we've been working with have all been incredibly friendly, welcoming, and eager to share information as well as hear new ideas. True to the Malagasy way, they have always been unbelievably hospitable. We have at the very least been served a meal (often with soft drinks and meat--typically reserved for holidays and truly special occasions), and are usually also sent home with several pounds of potatoes, bags of rice, pineapples, eggs, or other food items. It is obvious that everyone appreciates our willingness to try to help, and we are well taken care of.
One village was especially fun. They threw a whole party for us, complete with soft drinks, biscuits (not like American biscuits, but the French word meaning cookie--here they're packaged and taste sort of like shortbread cookies), and "toaka gasy" (moonshine) for the men.
We thought we were only going to be meeting with a couple of men who were going to show us the issues at the water source. So, we were completely surprised when we arrived and were greeted by about 20 people ready to throw a small party. We watched as several people dipped a small twig in the toaka and sprinkled it on the concrete structure surrounding the water source (in the background of the first photo). We were then told it was absolutely necessary we do it ourselves as it is "FOMBA MALAGASY!" (Malagasy custom) When in Madagascar, do as the Malagasy do, right? In any case it was a fun morning, and we learned a lot about the issues regarding water in that particular community. That's my sitemate, Charity, on the right, so you all know who I'm talking about.
I'm including one more picture with my counterpart, Perline. She's a local health educator that has received training from NGO's and I've worked with her on a lot of things. We've gone out to various villages to give health education talks, and she has helped coordinate some of the water work in the commune. She's also the person I took to the project design management training back in November (where this photo was taken). So, now you know who she is too.
Further updates to come soon! Love love.
I suppose there was a part of me that figured at some point during my two years of service, it would be really easy to get work done. As I got to know more people and as my Malagasy improved, I began to feel like eventually I'd reach a point when I didn't have to work so hard at everything. In some ways this has proven true--I am much better able to express myself and while I am far from fluent, every-day conversations have become much easier. I guess what I had never thought about is the fact that Malagasy people are human beings--just like Americans are--and that my own development alone would not be sufficient to successfully complete projects. We are all HUMAN beings. This means that no two people are the same, and that group dynamics are always tricky. Some people are very hard-working. Some are lazy. Some are timid. Some are outspoken. Some like to very involved in every step of the process. Some wait till they are called upon but then will go above and beyond the call. Some like to hear themselves talk. Some like to have things their way. There are people who don't like each other. There are people who gossip. There are people who blame others for their own mistakes. I do not in any way intend for this to be a negative reflection upon the Malagasy people on the whole. Rather, it is simply the realization that we are all flawed, and that working in a group is always a challenge--be that in an office in DC or in a rural village on an island in the Indian Ocean. It has taken a lot of patience and careful listening on my part trying to figure out what needs to be done.
What's tricky with my work as a PCV is that often, the process is far more important than the end result. Sometimes getting people to work together in a healthy and effective way means that they're empowered to solve their own problems in the future. Development is a slow process, but it has to begin somewhere. At the same time, the end result is important too--especially with something like a water project. It would be rather silly if we sat around talking through the issues but never tried to take further steps. Hopefully once we work through a lot of confusion, frustration, and past mistakes, we can use all of the information to move forward.
Despite some of the unexpected roadblocks, I still have a lot of enthusiasm for the projects. The communities we've been working with have all been incredibly friendly, welcoming, and eager to share information as well as hear new ideas. True to the Malagasy way, they have always been unbelievably hospitable. We have at the very least been served a meal (often with soft drinks and meat--typically reserved for holidays and truly special occasions), and are usually also sent home with several pounds of potatoes, bags of rice, pineapples, eggs, or other food items. It is obvious that everyone appreciates our willingness to try to help, and we are well taken care of.One village was especially fun. They threw a whole party for us, complete with soft drinks, biscuits (not like American biscuits, but the French word meaning cookie--here they're packaged and taste sort of like shortbread cookies), and "toaka gasy" (moonshine) for the men.
We thought we were only going to be meeting with a couple of men who were going to show us the issues at the water source. So, we were completely surprised when we arrived and were greeted by about 20 people ready to throw a small party. We watched as several people dipped a small twig in the toaka and sprinkled it on the concrete structure surrounding the water source (in the background of the first photo). We were then told it was absolutely necessary we do it ourselves as it is "FOMBA MALAGASY!" (Malagasy custom) When in Madagascar, do as the Malagasy do, right? In any case it was a fun morning, and we learned a lot about the issues regarding water in that particular community. That's my sitemate, Charity, on the right, so you all know who I'm talking about.I'm including one more picture with my counterpart, Perline. She's a local health educator that has received training from NGO's and I've worked with her on a lot of things. We've gone out to various villages to give health education talks, and she has helped coordinate some of the water work in the commune. She's also the person I took to the project design management training back in November (where this photo was taken). So, now you know who she is too.
Further updates to come soon! Love love.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Superbowl Sunday
Looks like I need to apologize once again for a very overdue post. I’ll try to get a couple posts up in the next few days to make up for it. I finally caved and bought a nifty little internet stick, though, which means I can access the internet right from my house. (This is of course assuming the cell network is functioning, I still have battery life on my computer, a cyclone isn’t hitting the island, and other various factors that interfere with my connectivity in Madagascar to the outside world.) But probably this means I’ll be in touch a lot more. I can certainly check email several times a week and hopefully update my blog a bit more frequently. I still won’t use facebook and skype too much as they use up a lot of data very quickly (and the modem is based on amount of data processed, not on time connected). Anyhoo….
The past several weeks have once again been full of all kinds of adventures. A bunch of Mada PCV’s have decided to train for the half-marathon held in Morondava (near my old site) in July. Well, turns out the marathon actually hasn’t happened in a couple of years, but we’re hoping we might be able to help revive it. So I’m training assuming we’ll get it going, but if not I may find one to run in the states when I get home in September. So I’ve been running a lot. In other athletic news, Charity (the other PCV in my village) and I decided to work on one of the Peace Corps goals of helping others around the world better understand American culture during Superbowl Sunday. 
Just for ourselves we made quite the Superbowl Party feast—chili, nacho cheese, homemade tortilla chips, and a salad with a Mexican dressing—but then spent the rest of the afternoon teaching kids about the Superbowl. We talked about party traditions and explained how big the game is to a lot of people. We couldn’t find a football anywhere, so we decided to teach them how to play rugby since I played in college. We got girls and boys to play, and I think everyone had a lot of fun.
Work has all been going very well. I've been continuing the cooking club. Recently I've had a smaller group of people, and some of the regulars have been attending less frequently. The past couple months have been the hunger season in Madagascar--it's right before the major rice harvest of the year (usually beginning around March), which is the major source of income for many Malagasy. Most people are struggling a lot right now and have to spend any extra time they can trying to find odd jobs and scrape together the best they can. This doesn't leave much free time to go to things like cooking club. And then once it’s actually time to harvest the rice, everyone will be busy with that. I'm going to try switching to different days and times on occasion to see if that allows more people to attend. But, I'm probably just going to have to wait it out will a very small group, and attendance will likely jump back up by April. In any event, it's still going well even with just a few women each week. I don’t think we’ve done any especially noteworthy recipes recently, but I’ll be sure to post recipes as before if we stumble across something really great.
Just a quick update for now, but I’ll add more about my Girls’ Club and some water projects I have going later this week. Love love.
The past several weeks have once again been full of all kinds of adventures. A bunch of Mada PCV’s have decided to train for the half-marathon held in Morondava (near my old site) in July. Well, turns out the marathon actually hasn’t happened in a couple of years, but we’re hoping we might be able to help revive it. So I’m training assuming we’ll get it going, but if not I may find one to run in the states when I get home in September. So I’ve been running a lot. In other athletic news, Charity (the other PCV in my village) and I decided to work on one of the Peace Corps goals of helping others around the world better understand American culture during Superbowl Sunday. 
Just for ourselves we made quite the Superbowl Party feast—chili, nacho cheese, homemade tortilla chips, and a salad with a Mexican dressing—but then spent the rest of the afternoon teaching kids about the Superbowl. We talked about party traditions and explained how big the game is to a lot of people. We couldn’t find a football anywhere, so we decided to teach them how to play rugby since I played in college. We got girls and boys to play, and I think everyone had a lot of fun.Work has all been going very well. I've been continuing the cooking club. Recently I've had a smaller group of people, and some of the regulars have been attending less frequently. The past couple months have been the hunger season in Madagascar--it's right before the major rice harvest of the year (usually beginning around March), which is the major source of income for many Malagasy. Most people are struggling a lot right now and have to spend any extra time they can trying to find odd jobs and scrape together the best they can. This doesn't leave much free time to go to things like cooking club. And then once it’s actually time to harvest the rice, everyone will be busy with that. I'm going to try switching to different days and times on occasion to see if that allows more people to attend. But, I'm probably just going to have to wait it out will a very small group, and attendance will likely jump back up by April. In any event, it's still going well even with just a few women each week. I don’t think we’ve done any especially noteworthy recipes recently, but I’ll be sure to post recipes as before if we stumble across something really great.
Just a quick update for now, but I’ll add more about my Girls’ Club and some water projects I have going later this week. Love love.
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