Nshalagan’s Weblog

As of now, I have spent 3 weeks in Koupela and I am getting used to my new surroundings.  The first week here I spent meeting random people in the village and getting my house set up.  As of now I have begun working at the CCFC Office and out in the field.  For the last few weeks I was able to meet all the heads of the local organizations in Koupela which is the capital of this province (there is something like 40 provinces in this country).  I had the opportunity to meet the Mayor, Head Military Chief, Traditional Chief of the village, Director of the Hospital etc. 

            The hospital was by far the toughest visit, it is unreal how many sick children there are around.  I visited the hospital again this week with a young girl that CCFC sponsors for school.  I took her to the hospital to get an injection in her leg, she is only 15 and has a 8 month old baby.  So I carried the baby on my back while I waited for her, she explained to me that her parents that sponsor her do not know yet that she will not be retunring to school in the fall and that she was pregnant.  They sent money for her medical bills (for her leg) and hopefully they continue.  When we stopped at the pharmacy for the drugs she needed I was even more saddened because the shelves are litrerally empty and the drugs are old.  It is so hard for them to find generic drugs so they have to pay premium prices for brand named ones…and that is if they are lucky enough to find them.  I have searched all over Koupela and Ouagadougou for mosquito nets and there are non available!  Not a single one here!  So even if the parents have the knowledge and the means to get a mosquito net for their kids there are non to purchase.  The situation seems hopeless for so many of these kids, because I know that even if they make it through school, and don’t fall seriously ill,  there are no jobs here in the country…

            So after these visits, finding out that there is no coordination in Koupela on health matters between different organizations (which is my domain) I have to have my year planned out by next week.  There are so many things I want to do…but I have along ways to go.  So goal number one is create a network for all the community groups to work together on these issues…and learn Moree (native language).

Since it seems that everyone speaks Moree…

I will also start teaching English 6 nights a week for the local children and adults.  I am really excited for the classes to start, I hope to learn more Moree that way and meet everyone in the community.  Thankfully some schools have offered their classrooms that I can teach in so the classes will be free for everyone.

            As for social events, I attended a ceremony at a church in a village 45km from here, where a priest was being honoured…(not quite sure what was going on, it was in Moree)  So I sat through a 3 and a half hour sermon, where my clothes were so wet I could wring them out by the end of it…. Once again being the only minority I was trying to look like I knew what was going on because everyone is always looking at me…. But I am glad I went because the singing and music is amazing!

My neighbors baby girl is getting baptized this weekend, and it is going to be quite an event, we have live chickens running around the yard and people coming and going at all hours.  Everyone has been cooking and getting ready for this event for the last week so I am sure it will be entertaining.  When I got home yesterday they were waiting to move some more chairs and mats and food into my house to use for the weekend (they aren’t shy here and there is no such thing as personal space either….)