The training for the CHW's could not be going better! We have exactly 50 people -- 43 women and 7 brave men attending the training. Several from Congo traveled by foot for hours to get to the nearest transportation while many in Kasompe live only 2 minutes away. They are having a great time getting acquainted. Today the main lesson was "Social Community Mapping." We went outside in two groups and drew maps in the dirt of 2 of the villages. On that map they drew roads, houses, clinics, homes where a child had died the previous year, and many other places of interest. When they were all satisfied with the map, one person took a magic marker and recreated the map on a sheet of flip-chart paper. We then took them in the classroom and discussed our findings. It was a very lively discussion!
They then identified a long list of illnesses found in their villages such as pneumonia, AIDS, etc. etc. They had to agree on the top three and they identified malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia. Back to outside and the dirt drawing board. Three circles were drawn in the dirt representing each of the 3 identified diseases. Each person had one stone and "voted" by placing a stone in the circle of the disease they thought was the biggest problem. Malaria won by a large margin. Rita, the ministry of health instructor helped them then work through a scenario of moving from the problem to a hoped for/expected outcome. You should see meal time!
They are feeding 60 people by cooking on one little charcoal burner on the ground. Yesterday we had fried chicken (which they had to thaw by boiling in water before they could cook it), nshima (cornmeal mush), cooked cabbage and other greens. Today we substituted beef for the chicken but everything else was the same. Amazing production!
Several are asking about the paper bead making and wanting to teach those who don't already know how to make them. So tomorrow we will take the supplies that Cherry sent. Wish you could meet these incredible people!
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