Zambian Lions
Image from inhabitat.com 1/13/13
Maya Angelou
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Pilots, doctors, and police women
4/4/14 today was our closing meeting at GLOW today. To say it was fun would be a huge understatement. The deputy head brought in his stereo and many teachers came to watch. The girls danced as a thank you to me, I danced as a thank u to them, and the teachers also danced. The girls did a great job talking about what they learned in GLOW this term; early marriage, abstinence, condom use, sewing stitches, and goal setting. I was super impressed to hear girls say they want to be: a pilot, a doctor, a teacher, and a policewoman. Looks like my area might be losing some future farm workin mamas and I'm super proud of them. At the end my counterpart, George, did a fantastic job of asking why the girls come to school, what are the challenges, and then teaching about HIV. Next up we had a brave woman from the HIV positive living support group get up and tell her story. Finally the head Prefect girl thanked all of us and said they would not disappoint me. After the session ended George and Jonathon (another clinic staff) went into the next room to do VCT, voluntary testing anf counseling for HIV. Out of about 70 or 80 girls, 33 were tested and all were negative. I am so proud of all of them amd cant wait for next term to start back up.
Empowerment
I'm going to try to write about an idea I spend a lot of time thinking about. Empowerment.
My first experiences learning about teaching are still relevant to my Peace Corps service. I worked in day care for years and it took a long time to learn the patience to watch a child struggle to do something, like tie their shoe, instead of taking the easier route which would be to tie it for them and be done with it. But ultimately that kid doesnt learn to tie their shoes. Not until I could give up power to them, and give myself patience.
More relevantly, I was trained in empowerment techniques at SafePlace when I did an internship for advocacy of domestic violence and sexual assault. It's one thing to be patient about a kid learning to tie shoes, its much harder and even heartbreaking watching people devalue themselves and slide into abusive routines. It can be easy to say, "its so obvious its a shitty situation, and you could improve it if u just got a job and an apartment, and didn't go back." It's harder to stand by and encourage them through failed interviews and painful rebuilding of self-esteem.
I have to remind myself nearly every day that my work is slow, and may take generations. It can be frustrating to me to see well-meaning organizations come into my community and provide goods. Not because people don't appreciate it, they do. But because when I want to teach them to get those same goods for themselves, they know they can just appeal to that organization and get it for free. I try to teach about community ownership and the importance of investing your own time and money into projects, and how much more it will mean, they agreed and then say, " so how much can u donate?" I got frustrated. I said "nothing and I absolutely refuse to do fundraising." Later that day my counterpart explained to another community health worker that I wanted the community to donate money for lunch at the training. he literally laughed. He knew it could be donated. This is my bottom line. For every single meeting or training, participants expect a free lunch and probably snacks. This is because organizations come in to do trainings and provide it. I refuse. People have food. They could each contribute a little food or money.
What do I do? Let them appeal to other organizations to get the food? Or insist that it all comes from the community? This has potential to make me bitter and I think it's a shame. I got excited about working with my community to raise money to buy bikes for our Safe Motherhood Action Group. It would be sustainable, a one time thing, and something I believe would make a gigantic difference in community health. My community has a special opportunity having me, I can write grants and teach them how, and I have access to peace corps grants and so many amazing family and friends willing to help. But am I continuing to enable their entitlement? Do they see a difference between fundraising for a a big project that is long lasting like bikes compared to lunches for every training? Or do i just become a piggy bank in their eyes? It's beyond frustrating. I want to teach classes on HIV, or reproductive organs and health (because people dont know), nutrition, sanitation, or whatever they want to actually learn, but I cant unless I provide lunch, or raise funds. Shouldn't there be a desire for the knowledge itself? I know attendance increases when people provide food at meetings but about 10.9% of people in eastern province have HIV, people see loved ones and friends dying, is it too much to ask for them to learn about their body and the disease? And so again I remind myself, baby steps. I cant make them want to learn, I can only let them know the information is available and im happy to spend my time teaching them. Also part of what got me excited about the bikes was initially they were coming up with their own ideas to raise money, like raising and selling chickens or pigs. Then i suggested maybe we could do a grant. I have Peace Corps approval but im hesitant. The open palms asking for money sure increased after I mentioned the grant, even though I explained I can only do one. So do I do it? I would love to hear what other people think. I would be trying to raise about $2500 USD and it would be coming from donations, similliar to gofundme, but through Peace Corps and tax deductible. If I do it will I be getting asked for money for the next 18 months, because that would surely drive me insane. In American culture, or at least in my mind, asking for money is really rude and inconsiderate. There is an expectation that if you want something u work for it. And I dont really see that as much here. I will say though my community is extremely generous with me. If I need garlic or chili peppers they just give it to me and won't accept money back, my host dad is having a big bed frame built that I will get to use until I leave and he also bought my small bed from me when I upgraded my mattress. I live in a giving, sharing place with a communal attitude, but sometimes I miss the idea that everything has a price and should be paid by you, not fundraised for. What are your thoughts?
My first experiences learning about teaching are still relevant to my Peace Corps service. I worked in day care for years and it took a long time to learn the patience to watch a child struggle to do something, like tie their shoe, instead of taking the easier route which would be to tie it for them and be done with it. But ultimately that kid doesnt learn to tie their shoes. Not until I could give up power to them, and give myself patience.
More relevantly, I was trained in empowerment techniques at SafePlace when I did an internship for advocacy of domestic violence and sexual assault. It's one thing to be patient about a kid learning to tie shoes, its much harder and even heartbreaking watching people devalue themselves and slide into abusive routines. It can be easy to say, "its so obvious its a shitty situation, and you could improve it if u just got a job and an apartment, and didn't go back." It's harder to stand by and encourage them through failed interviews and painful rebuilding of self-esteem.
I have to remind myself nearly every day that my work is slow, and may take generations. It can be frustrating to me to see well-meaning organizations come into my community and provide goods. Not because people don't appreciate it, they do. But because when I want to teach them to get those same goods for themselves, they know they can just appeal to that organization and get it for free. I try to teach about community ownership and the importance of investing your own time and money into projects, and how much more it will mean, they agreed and then say, " so how much can u donate?" I got frustrated. I said "nothing and I absolutely refuse to do fundraising." Later that day my counterpart explained to another community health worker that I wanted the community to donate money for lunch at the training. he literally laughed. He knew it could be donated. This is my bottom line. For every single meeting or training, participants expect a free lunch and probably snacks. This is because organizations come in to do trainings and provide it. I refuse. People have food. They could each contribute a little food or money.
What do I do? Let them appeal to other organizations to get the food? Or insist that it all comes from the community? This has potential to make me bitter and I think it's a shame. I got excited about working with my community to raise money to buy bikes for our Safe Motherhood Action Group. It would be sustainable, a one time thing, and something I believe would make a gigantic difference in community health. My community has a special opportunity having me, I can write grants and teach them how, and I have access to peace corps grants and so many amazing family and friends willing to help. But am I continuing to enable their entitlement? Do they see a difference between fundraising for a a big project that is long lasting like bikes compared to lunches for every training? Or do i just become a piggy bank in their eyes? It's beyond frustrating. I want to teach classes on HIV, or reproductive organs and health (because people dont know), nutrition, sanitation, or whatever they want to actually learn, but I cant unless I provide lunch, or raise funds. Shouldn't there be a desire for the knowledge itself? I know attendance increases when people provide food at meetings but about 10.9% of people in eastern province have HIV, people see loved ones and friends dying, is it too much to ask for them to learn about their body and the disease? And so again I remind myself, baby steps. I cant make them want to learn, I can only let them know the information is available and im happy to spend my time teaching them. Also part of what got me excited about the bikes was initially they were coming up with their own ideas to raise money, like raising and selling chickens or pigs. Then i suggested maybe we could do a grant. I have Peace Corps approval but im hesitant. The open palms asking for money sure increased after I mentioned the grant, even though I explained I can only do one. So do I do it? I would love to hear what other people think. I would be trying to raise about $2500 USD and it would be coming from donations, similliar to gofundme, but through Peace Corps and tax deductible. If I do it will I be getting asked for money for the next 18 months, because that would surely drive me insane. In American culture, or at least in my mind, asking for money is really rude and inconsiderate. There is an expectation that if you want something u work for it. And I dont really see that as much here. I will say though my community is extremely generous with me. If I need garlic or chili peppers they just give it to me and won't accept money back, my host dad is having a big bed frame built that I will get to use until I leave and he also bought my small bed from me when I upgraded my mattress. I live in a giving, sharing place with a communal attitude, but sometimes I miss the idea that everything has a price and should be paid by you, not fundraised for. What are your thoughts?
Girls Leading Our World
21/3/14 one gigantic culture difference that affects my work here in Zambia are beliefs about condoms. maybe because they were initially introduced as an anti-AIDS measure they are seen with such stigma here. Condom use in the states is about 85% and people generally assume using a condom is a good idea and seen as way to be safe and clean. Here when someone in a relationship or hook up suggests condom use it implies that person either has or suspects the other person of having HIV or other partners. This is especially true in the rural areas like where I live and work.
Today I came to my nearby school armed with 2 wooden penis' and condoms to do a demonstration. The public policy in Zambian schools is to teach abstinence only, and when they tell me that, all I can respond is I know of 13 year old girls getting pregnan, teenagers contracting HIV. Im not promoting sex, I am promoting knowledge and safety. I had to discuss with 3 teachers and the Deputy Head what I planned to do. As well as give them a demo. The men especially seemed skeptical. As if I was encouraging sex. Ultimately we had to ask the Head Teacher in charge of the school. I agreed it is an uncomfortable subject but its important. He said, "what is better to talk to our daughters about condoms, or see them in coffins?" Such a Zambian way to see it but I really enjoyed the shocked look on the male teachers faces when he agreed. And enjoyed it even more when they immediately got on board and started suggesting which girls would benefit most. I am beyond grateful to have an open headmaster who supports my work in the school. He even said there would be no male teachers in the room so the girls could be open and free to learn. Which really impressed me. Zambians really value authority and if we can get people in power supporting our work it makes it much easier.
Of course I had to stress the importance of abstinence but that didnt dampen my spirit. I had fun with the girls and made them laugh as much as possible to get them to loosen up. the female tachers were really on board and helped translating. After my demo we had six volunteers to do it also. everyone cheered for them and seemed supportive. I would like to have seen more volunteers but at least its a start.
A few weeks ago 3 girls from the GLOW club came to my house to chat and borrow crayons. I keopt trying to give them condoms but they didnt accept them. Today after session one girl offered me the crayons back and showed me a nice drawing she made. I told her to keep the crayons and keep drawing. Im so excited these girls are opening up to me, it makes me feel like part of the communituy and gives me hope they will come to me for condoms, crayons, support, or even just to chat.
Today I came to my nearby school armed with 2 wooden penis' and condoms to do a demonstration. The public policy in Zambian schools is to teach abstinence only, and when they tell me that, all I can respond is I know of 13 year old girls getting pregnan, teenagers contracting HIV. Im not promoting sex, I am promoting knowledge and safety. I had to discuss with 3 teachers and the Deputy Head what I planned to do. As well as give them a demo. The men especially seemed skeptical. As if I was encouraging sex. Ultimately we had to ask the Head Teacher in charge of the school. I agreed it is an uncomfortable subject but its important. He said, "what is better to talk to our daughters about condoms, or see them in coffins?" Such a Zambian way to see it but I really enjoyed the shocked look on the male teachers faces when he agreed. And enjoyed it even more when they immediately got on board and started suggesting which girls would benefit most. I am beyond grateful to have an open headmaster who supports my work in the school. He even said there would be no male teachers in the room so the girls could be open and free to learn. Which really impressed me. Zambians really value authority and if we can get people in power supporting our work it makes it much easier.
Of course I had to stress the importance of abstinence but that didnt dampen my spirit. I had fun with the girls and made them laugh as much as possible to get them to loosen up. the female tachers were really on board and helped translating. After my demo we had six volunteers to do it also. everyone cheered for them and seemed supportive. I would like to have seen more volunteers but at least its a start.
A few weeks ago 3 girls from the GLOW club came to my house to chat and borrow crayons. I keopt trying to give them condoms but they didnt accept them. Today after session one girl offered me the crayons back and showed me a nice drawing she made. I told her to keep the crayons and keep drawing. Im so excited these girls are opening up to me, it makes me feel like part of the communituy and gives me hope they will come to me for condoms, crayons, support, or even just to chat.
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