Xai-Xai Life

I moved to Xai-Xai at the end of Feb 2013.   I moved from Chokwe because of floods, but that is whole other blog to come at a later date.   Xai-Xai is my province’s, Gaza’s, capital and is one of the largest cities in Gaza.    I have always thought it was a beautiful city, with hills of sand and lush with banana, papaya and palm trees.  The scenery is something you would expect to see in Africa and I love it.   It has a big open air market with rows of capulana’s, shoes and clothes, a calamidades (used clothes) dream.    At first I was nervous to move because I would be living with a host family in a bairro, filled with twisty turny dirt paths going in every direction and I am easily lost.   But thankfully it wasn’t that difficult to get to and from my house, to work and the main road.      Peace Corps was trying to find a new place for me to live quickly because I had been living off their dime in the national capital, Maputo, for 2 month!   So eventually, when my original site still wasn’t safe to move back to, it was hurry up and find a place to live.   I would be doing the exact same work, at a hospital and at a preschool.  Haha who knew.  

My host fam ended up being real cool.   They are definitely traditional but I actually have some privacy which is nice… notice that I said SOME!   My first night here I came home, took a shower and was laying on my bed when my 29 year old host sister just walks through my door and lays on the bed next to me.   She still does that to this day but I don’t mind most of the time.   Her name is also Elisa so she is my chara or person with my same name.    It is nice to be able to have someone my age that I can somewhat relate to.   I also have an older sister, Maezinha (little mother), in her 30’s who was 9 months pregnant when I got here, now her baby Shirley is a few months old.    The parents are older, im guessing in their 60’s, and yes mom that is older for Mozambique haha.    The father, Sr Tovela, is retired  and the mother, Ester,  works in the Mercado Monday through Saturday.    The father is out passearing (walking around) a lot and talking with his best friend, papa Gabriel, the guard at the preschool I work at.   That is how they found the house, they just asked the nice neighbor next door lol   The father always has the “in America… “ questions.  Every time we are watching the news its always, “La na America la… “   I thought he would get over it after a while but hes still asking haha.  It’s a good thing to share culture but I wasn’t prepared for the “in America” conversation every day for the last 4 months of my service.    Even though sometimes its annoying, it is worth it to live with a family and be able to have discussions on the differences of culture, health systems, food, sex, poverty and debt in America and domestic violence.    

One night there was something on TV about domestic violence and the father asked me what could end domestic violence.   The question caught me off guard by its vast possibility of answers, I kind of chuckled and said I didn’t know.    It just so happened that I was giving a presentation on domestic violence at the hospital the next morning, so I was prepared for this conversation.    We started talking and I said that hitting someone doesn’t make them learn anything but just makes them more angry and hurt.  He responded that if his child is coming home late at night and they do not listen to him when he says for them to come home earlier, what choice does he have but to hit them.   We went back and forth a few times and I brought up gender roles and how domestic violence mostly involves women.    He said gender roles were part of the culture here, that the men were meant to do the heavy labor like cutting grass with a machete and the women stayed in side and prepared food.    But then I reminded him of all of the women who carry a stack of wood on their heads, a bucket of water in their hand and a baby on their back when they walk back from the machamba, he gave me that one.   I said I thought it all came down to women’s rights, does a man have the right to hit his wife when she does not prepare dinner for him?   I think Mr. Tovela would say yes, but I told him that I thought it was a woman’s right to decide whether to cook him dinner or not and that if she decided not to cook then he could cook his own dinner.   He raised his head up and chuckled, I think that one threw him though a loop.   But the next afternoon I was walking into the house and saw him washing some of his socks.  I had never seen him do any house work before and asked the girls if he ever normally washes his socks.   They said sometimes but he is lazy.    Then I was in the kitchen and he was taking out the trash and sweeping the floor.    He walked outside to dump the trash and says, see there is no domestic violence here.   LOL I still am not sure whether that was a random coincidence or behavior change but ima give one point to the team. 

I feel really blessed for the work situation that I was given in Xai-Xai.   In Chokwe I worked for an established preschool with a director who has vision and strong leadership skills, she is always pushing forward.   I learned a lot about preschools in Mozambique over the past year and a half, stregths and weaknesses, teaching methods, formalities etc.     In Xai-xai I stepped into a small preschool of 50ish children, with two small reed class rooms, bare minimum materials and teachers without training.    They were extremely welcoming and receptive to any suggestions I made.   They actually supervise the children!  They say that the children cannot be left alone because they will beat each other!!  YES! I think this is a rarity for preschools and even most parents in Moz.    When we make a plan to do something during a break or snack time they actually come to me and tell me they are ready for our discussion!  This type of follow through and eagerness to learn is like a pizza to a PCV, we hardly ever get it.    I feel like I get to do my whole year and a half service over again at the preschool except I know what im doing this time haha.   Thus far, we have worked together to teach health lessons, learn new songs, write learning objectives for each class and create a weekly work plan, build a hand washing station, and add more nutrition to their menu.    Not only do I feel blessed to be able to have the end of my service end this way but I also feel that God has also intertwined benefits for my future through this negative experience.   My chefe, Ilidio, told me that the saying in Portuguese is “sempre Deus escreve certo em linhas tortas”  directly translated “God always writes right in twisted lines.  

There are also 2 little girls with developmental disabilities who attend the preschool who I get to work with every day.    Chudy is 4-6 years old (not sure) and has down syndrome.  She is a leader and a loner all at the same time.   She doesn’t care about what kids are doing, she wants to hang out with the adults.   She hits a lot but is also really sweet and hilarious.    Her laugh kills me!  She is always telling people that she is going to hit them and then throwing her head back with laughter.   The other little girl, Tacia, I think is 3 or 4, and im not sure what her diagnosis is.       Before coming to Moz I was working in the 1 on 1 department at a developmental disability day program for adults and I liked it.   I liked it a lot but all my co-workers LOVED it and it was their life, I wasn’t sure I felt the same way and thought I would move on.    

While I have been in Moz I have been interested in the lack of mental health services available and wanting to somehow get involved.     I was able to work with one little girl in Chokwe and now these two girls, all whom I have really enjoyed working with.    I have been looking into an applied behavior analysis program through the Peace Corps fellows program and it is amazing!   Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is basically the study of behavior change, normally used and focused on working with individuals who have developmental disabilities.    Most fellows programs offer 10-30k off per year but this program is a full ride, with a living stipend and health benefits!!   I found this a while back and have been contemplating it ever since, all the while my interests in working with people with disabilities and learning about behavior has been growing.  

 When I met Chudy I could see that her behavior was not being controlled, she doesn’t listen to any directions, just does what she wants, hits a lot and no one really said anything.  I wanted to help the teachers with what little experience I have.  When I worked at MORE they would use reward systems to curb unwanted behaviors.    I was trying to think of something Chudy likes to try and entice her to not hit and to listen to the teacher’s directions.   I notice that she likes to spend time with adults and likes to help so I am trying a reward system 2 times a day where she can help set up for breakfast and lunch if she doesn’t hit and listens.    We will see how it goes but I feel lucky that even in Africa I have been blessed with this kind of unexpected experience.    The other little girl Tacia was being spoon fed all of her meals when I arrived at the preschool.    I liked being around her and wanted to help with one of the meals.   The first day I fed her, the second day I had her use the spoon with me and by the second week she was eating by herself.     At this point she is more comfortable, eating more quickly and with less mess.    At the end of every meal she wipes herself off and takes her plate up to be washed by herself.   There is a huge lack of information about individuals with disabilities in Moz and I hope that eventually I will have a chance to speak a little bit with the parents of these girls.  

Now about the hospital…. Yeah I know I lucked out with this hospital as well but im a little bitter at the moment.  It has been a long journey with EGPAF lol   Basically I focus on the program called GAAC.  It’s a program where HIV patients form groups with neighbors or family members who live near them and one person brings the whole groups medicines back from the hospital each month.   So instead of all six group members having to pay for transport to the hospital every month to get their meds, one person can go each month, cutting their time down to 1 time per 6 months.   And they can cut costs even more by contributing to transport costs each month for that one person, travel costs split by 6 each month.     The program is great and I have an amazing counterpart who is also willing to work.   I am also trying to get the busca system up and running.   Buscas are when community health volunteers go and look for patients who have stopped coming to the hospital and abandoned their HIV treatment.   All funding in Moz is moving from prevention to retention so this is a pretty important system.    I am satisfied to actually be doing HIV while living in Africa, because in Chokwe it was none existent, but the hospital’s politics and slow moving processes are always frustrating.   

Sorry I havnt written a blog in I think 6 months so I had a lot to catch up on!

Over half way through...

I have been living in moz for over year now.    PCVs say that the year mark is the hardest and now I understand why.    I miss the United States of Ameerrica!    I miss Alex and I miss seeing my family grow and change.    So I decided to write a blog to focus on what I have learned thus far and all of the wonderful benefits of pcv life in Moz!

I have learned how to small talk!  haha   Im pretty sure that is my biggest personal accomplishment yet.   So for all of the people in the past that I have offended by not seeming interested in talking with, the truth is that I just didn’t know what to say.   So I apologize, but now I have plenty of ideas and practice on how to have an everyday conversation.   Typical conversation in moz… “good afternoon.  are you coming back from work?  Yes I am returning from work.  It was hot today, yes it was so hot today.    You are eating beans for lunch, yes I am eating lunch.  Ok well I am going to go and cook lunch too.  Ok compliment or say hello to your family (aka your dog and cat) at home”   People literally tell me to compliment my dog em casa because I live alone which is extremely strange for this culture.    Before I had a dog people would tell me to compliment my family in America at the end of every conversation.  Its also important to ask how someone slept when you see them in the morning. Sometimes you don’t even have to say anything. People are ok with sitting in silence here, don’t make it awkward, haha because they aren’t.       It doesn’t matter what you say, the point is that relationships are important.    

Something I find interesting and didnt see the point of but that I actually kind of like now…  If I am looking for something or someone in the community, you cannot just walk up to a house and ask where someone is.     First you have to greet the person in the yard, they will bring you a chair, you sit down with them, greet again and ask how they are, and then you can ask the question you came to ask.   This is a tradition with friends or strangers.   

I really like feeling part of a community here.   When I walk to the store down the street or into town I will usually see people I know and we will stop and converse for a short while and it makes me feel good to know that I am part of the community.   I not only feel like I have many acquaintances but also many good friends here.  When I arrived I really didn’t expect to have real friendships here because I didn’t think it would be possible to relate to people past a surface level.   But I have been very blessed to have friendships with young women around my age who are studying and waiting to get married or have a family, just as I am doing.    When I arrived here I always felt like an outsider but now I feel like I have a group of people I can feel at home with.   When I am with the preschool staff or with my REDES group or with my other girlfriends I feel completely comfortable like I belong here with them. 

I really like the fact that everybody is family in Moz.   All people older than you are your aunt or uncle, your older sister can be called mother as well and your friends are called sister or brother.    If you are at a friend’s house during lunch time you will eat with them.  I actually feel bad cause I hate moz food and the last two times I have been at my landlords house for all of 10 minutes his wife tries to feed me a meal and I have given excuses like … oh thank you, but I just bought food to cook with at home or I already ate.   I don’t think the excuse is sufficient but I just can’t do it haha cause its never just a small plate of food.

I like that people here have a lot of respect for the elderly.   Everyone who is elderly is called grandma or grandpa by any passersby and for the most part the elderly are taken care of by their families.   Any family member can live with any other family member.   I have neighbors who’s children go and live with aunts and uncles in Maputo so they can go to school.   I have another neighbor whos grandchildren live with them to go to school in chokwe.   So if you have family that lives in a town where you want your kid to go to school at, the child can live with that family no problem.    If someones parents die usually the children go to live with family… there are not many homeless people in moz.   The young does everryythinngg for people older than them.   If you are carrying a bag or a jacket the younger person walking with you will offer to carry it for you.   All the cooking, cleaning, bring me a cup of water … eveerrything is done by whoever is younger. 

I have had incredible work experience opportunities!   I am the current inter-group exchange coordinator for REDES.  We call these events trocas das experiencias or exchanges of experience, where two or more REDES groups get together and learn or teach the other group a skill.    My job description is to review applications for groups who want to have a “troca” group exchange and approve their activities and budget.  I will be writing monthly updates to all REDES participants about recent trocas and writing an annual report including budget details.  As troca coordinator I will also help coordinate annual regional REDES conferences.   

I have my own REDES group with whom I am able to facilitate weekly meetings and I have the freedom to teach the girls whatever I want, accompanied by which ever activity I choose.   I have already hosted my own troca between 6 groups, including 10 facilitators and 40 girls, where we learned how to make banana jam, discussed HIV and played soccer.   Planning the event was a great experience for me to see what all goes into planning an event for a large group from start to finish.  

Of course the language is a huge benefit that I don’t even realize.   I am going to make the transfer over to Spanish when I get home.  Spanish and Portuguese are extremely similar.   There are many of the same words, conjugations and the structure is the same.    I am so lucky to be able to learn Portuguese in Africa instead of French, English or a local dialect.   When I get home I will get a job with Spanish speakers in order to practice and not loose what I have learned thus far.  

I think another benefit that I do not realize I am gaining is some managerial experiences.   As a PCV you are expected to come into a group that does not know who you are, does not speak your language and tell them what they have been doing their whole lives is wrong and they should do it your way instead.   This is intimidating and in my opinion difficult to do.  It has been a constant struggle with preschool staff to have good supervision with the children.   There has been some tense moments but it really is for the safety and wellbeing of the children so I have been persistent.   I think the awkwardness has paid off because things have gotten better, not perfect but better.   

Sometimes it is difficult to take the lead and teach people who are older than myself something they think they already know.   But I have learned that it is what PC wants me to be doing and that the people here really do need the education and it is for their benefit.   I really try to approach the situation as being a part of a group and learning together because I don’t feel I have the authority to demand them to learn from me.   But I can see in the future when I am given the authority to lead a group that it will be a whole lot easier with the experience I have gained here.    And of course being able to speak in English in that situation will make things a whole lot easier. 

Mana Gloria

Mana (Sister) Gloria was the first person that I met from Chokwe.    Before volunteers go to where they will be living for the following two years, they attend a conference with their supervisors or counter parts and Gloria attended the conference with me as my counterpart.    I remember that the first day we had to present each other’s histories but we didn’t have enough time to discuss everything about ourselves.    So mana Gloria wrote down her history for me to read and was reviewing it with me while other people were presenting.    She was very worried about it, like we would be in trouble because we didn’t have enough information about each other.   I thought it was cute.  After the conference I moved into my new house in Chokwe.   Of course it is always hard and somewhat awkward to be living in a new place but mana Gloria was always welcoming with a smiling face, interested to talk and catch up with me whenever we worked together.   

A while back I got the chance to interview Gloria on her life story, in order to write a biography to share with churches in the states in hopes that she would get a sponsor to pay for her to go back to school.    She had been working in youth development for over 10 years, first with World Relief and then with Hlauleka.   While working for Hlauleka she facilitated kids clubs in the community 3 days a week.   When she was not teaching the kids clubs she would stay busy at the preschool buying our monthly supply of food, helping in the kitchen or in the classrooms.   She was married and a mother to 5 children of her own but also a stand in mother to multiple orphans in her neighborhood.   Gloria had a heart for children, especially orphans because her husband was an orphan.    During the interview we talked about the fact that she would be going to school out of town and so her husband would have to help out a lot more at home.  He said he didn’t mind and that he wanted her to take the opportunity to go to school.   In this culture that is nothing less than amazing for a man to be willing to do this for his wife.  It was really cool to see a relationship like that within this society. 

Later on in the year I invited Gloria to another conference where we learned about grant writing and project management together.    On the drive to the conference we chatted and laughed a lot.  I remember there were some Asian people on the bus with us and she asked me if I could ever marry a Chinese person.   I told her I could, that race wasn’t important to me and we had a long conversation about relationships and different cultures.   During the 3 day conference we worked together to write out a chicken raising project proposal.   When we returned home we continued writing and planning for the project and before I left to visit the states in Sept 2012 I turned in the proposal to Peace Corps.   I am still waiting to hear their response.  

Unfortunately Mana Gloria had been sick since 2008 and was only getting worse with time.   She always felt weak and sick and had been coughing up blood for a long time.   She had gone to both hospitals in Chokwe to try and discover the problem but no one could diagnose her.     Instead of sending her to specialists to find the real problem the hospital prescribed her tuberculosis medication for 6 months.  Finally after the meds didn’t fix the problem they referred her to the hospital in Maputo.   When I was traveling to Maputo to come visit the states in Oct Gloria was on the same bus.  We sat together and were able to chat a little bit.  She had some tests done in Maputo and returned home.   A few weeks later she got up to use the bathroom early in the morning and passed out on her way back to bed.    They took her to the hospital but she passed away a few hours later. 

When I returned from the states the first thing I was told is that there is bad news … Mana Gloria died.   I didn’t know how to react.  I was told so nonchalant, matter of factly, it just caught me off guard.   We attended the funeral the next day.  There was three parts to the funeral.    First everyone met at her house.  Neighbors, family, co-workers etc… it was a packed house, inside and out.    They had her body at the house and were letting people walk through to look at her.  I realize now that I got there as soon as her children were walking out from seeing her.   I am friends with all of her children and that was definitely the hardest part, seeing each of them reacting in their own painful way. 

I saw Tlongi, 14, first and she was being carried by 2 women screaming crying mama! Mama!  As I walked closer to the house I saw Milda, 19, sitting against a wall on the ground crying by herself.  A little further in front was Katoura, 18, who had already passed out once that day.  She just looked like a zombie, completely void of any emotions or thoughts.   Dorka,13, came out of the house crying being held by 3 women, collapsing and having to be carried.   Nelson, 10, came out being helped by 2 ladies, went and laid down with someone.    It became very real after seeing these children morn for their mother who they had all been so close with. 

My co-worker, Paulo, told me he would go with me if I wanted to see the body, but before I had a chance to respond my other co-worker came and brought me to where all the preschool staff were sitting.    When I first walked in I didn’t recognize anyone but as I looked around I realized that I knew everyone around me.   Our whole group was sitting together crying for their loss, so I just joined right in.   After a little while we all got up and got in cars to go to the church.   Friends and local business owners offered their cars to transport everybody to the church and later to the cemetery.   I think there were around 10 busses and trucks packed beyond capacity. 

In the car ride over some of my co-workers just lost it, whimpering uncontrollably.  I could feel that this was becoming real, the last goodbye.   We all entered the church and listened to a few groups of people sing songs and say something about Gloria.  They opened the casket one last time for people to see the body but I just couldn’t do it.   I know its supposed to be for closure but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.     We got back in the cars again to go to the cemetery and we sat for a while more while they buried her and said some more words.   The whole ceremony was in changana so I couldn’t understand anything.  

Afterwards we all went back to her house to talk and eat some food.   The family slaughtered a cow and cooked 75 kilos of rice for all of the guests.  It was very odd to me that as soon as we left the cemetery people’s demeanor immediately changed.  They were back to normal, like they had done their morning and now the event was over.    The older children were still distraught but the younger two were even smiling and helping serve food.  The way this culture deals with death is just amazing to me.   I guess if you dwelled on every death you would be constantly depressed but it is still something I don’t understand.  

People here do not die just from HIV/AIDS.  They die from unnecessary, treatable illnesses.   I am not saying that what Gloria died from was preventable but I do know she would have had a much better chance with better doctors and technology to help her.    It just irks me that her husband and close friends are doctors and still no one saw this situation as grave, needing immediate attention.   She had been sick coughing up blood for over 4 years and worked up until her last day.   

Instead of dumping butt loads of money into “fixing the problem of HIV” foreign aid should be going towards education and work experience opportunities.   Doctors should know that yes, coughing up blood is grave, usually ending in death and should be taken very seriously!   I heard recently that the only thing doctors in moz can diagnose is HIV, malaria and TB and from my experiences here it seems pretty true.   Because of this doctors just hand out malaria and TB meds like candy when they cannot find the real problem, thus provoking the sicknesses even more.   

I guess I just feel like putting money towards HIV is an easy out, only dealing with the surface issue that cannot be fixed without really getting to the deep rooted problem which is lack of education and experience.     But that would just take too much time and energy to deal with… lets just give them the medication… never REALLY monitor or evaluate the process and hope the problem fixes itself.       If we really want to help these people merely giving them medication and training them on how to use it, one time per year, is simply not enough!   Sorry if the end seems like a tangent but it is all relative to me. 

Formacoes/ Trainings

Recently I have been blessed to able to participate in two really great trainings/conferences. The first was a training for coaching youth in soccer, with a health/HIV component as well. I was asking a PE teacher for his feedback on a youth soccer program I am working on and he mentioned that he was going to a training the next week for all the PE teachers and coaches in Chokwe. So I casually invited myself, lol and he accepted. I had no idea that it would be a three day training complete with lunch each day, actually playing soccer, a manual and of course a certificate. Mozambicans are real big on certificates and cannot complete a training or conference without one to add to their resume.

Each day we have practical training where we practiced simple drills of all the basic skills and it was pretty humorous because me and my friend Elisabetta had to play with grown men who were experienced players and we had never played before. Some of the activities were practicing head butting the ball and a team building exercise where we closed our eyes and our partner led us around the field. The catch to the team building activity was that we couldn’t talk, we had to use hand motions to communicate and the motion to start walking was a slap on the butt LOL a tap on the shoulder to turn left and right. I chose to break the rules and just tell the guy to walk but he did not return the curtsy haha but all jokes aside it was harmless and my partner was a respectable guy.

It was a really great experience and opportunity to meet a lot of contacts in Chokwe. We will be starting our project soon and I was able to get everyone’s names and contacts to participate in our project! The training was led by German government and the National Mozambican Futebol (soccer) League! This was an amazing opportunity to stumble upon. We are going to invite the leader of the Moz Futebol to our final meeting with PC for our project in hopes to create a partnership between the two organizations. The best possible outcome would be that Moz Futebol funds our project and helps us train our coaches… so all prayers for that J But if nothing else Moz Futebol will be aware of our project and be able to help us promote it.

The other training was the REDES conference in July for all the groups in Gaza and Maputo provinces. REDES is a group for young girls to learn about health, women empowerment and entrepreneurship to better their futures. I have a group of around 20 girls in Chokwe. We were able to bring 3 girls from our group as well as our Mozambican counterpart. I brought two girls from my neighborhood, my counterpart and an older girl that we are friends with that might help facilitate in the future.

There was over 100 girls ages 10-24 as well as the facilitators and PCVs. It was a 4 day conference held at a high school in Macia, Gaza. We were served 3 meals a day and snacks in between. Every day was filled with sessions covering topics of HIV, self-esteem, finances, reproductive system of a woman, communication with sexual partners, yoga, how to make jewelry and more! It was awesome and it feels really great to be a part of something where you can see a tangible difference being made in the life of young Mozambican girls.

It was also a great experience to be a part of the behind the scenes organizing/coordinating part of the conference. PCVs were responsible for assisting a Mozambican facilitators in their session, preparing materials, shopping for food, preparing snacks and serving meals. Each day there was a facilitator training where our Mozambican partners discussed how things were going and asked any questions they had. PCVs were able to participate in this activity as well.

In the next year the current PCVs leading the REDES program will hand over the project to my group and I hope to be involved in the planning of conferences and other events. There are several leadership positions available for the REDES group such as curriculum development, program director and financial director. I might be interested in being the contact person for my province if possible and depending on the responsibilities. However, right now I don’t have time to be a part of leadership, I just want to continue my own group in Chokwe as well as stay active in helping planning and participating in events.

Vamos Jogar!

Me and my friend Elisabetta are working on a new project that we hope will become a new Peace Corps secondary project.  Currently the PC secondary projects are REDES, a project that teaches young girls about health, income generation projects and woman empowerment.   There is JUNTOS which includes boys and girls and teaches about HIV and health through the arts: photography, drawing, painting, dance, drama and music.   There is English Theatre where Mozambicans can practice their English by writing a play and presenting it in a competition against other PC English Theatre groups.   There is also Science Fair where students can compete in a science competition.   We are starting a competitive sports project that will include boys and girls, soccer and hopefully basketball and volleyball in the future.   We will be teaching about health, values and entrepreneurship in efforts to fight against HIV, corruption and aid dependency.  

We are including ages 11-18 that will make up soccer teams with a maximum of 20 people.  The coaches of each team will participate in a training in the beginning of the season to learn how to teach about the various health and values lessons.   Each coach will receive a manual that describes the each lesson accompanied by a related activity.  The coach will present the lessons at each game and so not only can the players can learn but the audience will have the opportunity to participate.  

The PCV and coaches will lead a life skills workshop two times per month.   The topics of the workshops will range from cooking demonstrations to practice good nutrition, guest speakers sharing information on their profession and the steps it took to reach their position, or how to make toys out of wire that the youth can sell.    The workshops are meant to put the health lessons into practice, learn how to make crafts that youth can sell, and get them excited about the future possibilities of education and careers.   At the end of the year we will have another training and follow up for the coaches.   The PCV will be responsible for checking in with the coaches throughout the year to ensure that they are giving the health lessons and participating in the preparation and presentation of the workshops. 

We have had one meeting with PC staff to explain the project and see what the steps are to get PC to fund it and put their name on it so other PCVs can participate in the future.  They liked the idea and told us to apply for a grant to fund the first year and if it goes well they will recommend the project to the public affairs office, which funds all other PC projects.  We are still working out all the logistics and trying to put together a manual which has been a long process. 

We are trying to include the community as much as possible.   We are currently working with the directors of youth sports and activities of Chokwe and Guija to get their opinions and cooperation for the project.   It is going to be huge if they can actually organize things through their side in the government and community because at the end of the day we want this to be a project run solely by Mozambicans.  

In efforts to involve the community we are also holding a competition for the high school students the design the name and logo.  We are handing out a flyer to the art and PE teachers that explains the competition and what we are looking for in the name.   We also handed out documents with the projects description, mission, vision, goals, objectives and a list of the lessons to various community members to get their opinions and to help with correcting spelling and grammar of Portuguese.   

We are getting down to the final steps of writing our grant proposal to PC and editing all of our documents.  We have had 2 games between our two towns, Chokwe and Guija.  Guija won the first game and the second game was a tie… Chokwe is going to win the next one!    After the grant is approved we will start implementing the project throughout Mozambique and start writing the very detailed manual in English and Portuguese.   The project is a lot of work but we are really excited and motivated to be completely finished by the end of our service!  

Malaria

 
Most people think that HIV/AIDS is the biggest problem in Mozambique.  It is a big problem, that is true, but in reality more people die from malaria in Mozambique than from AIDS.   Malaria is a tropical disease that is contracted from mosquitos.   Malaria is fatal and can kill an adult within a week, it can even take the life of a child within days.   Malaria is more dangerous than other fatal sicknesses due to the commonality of the symptoms.    Symptoms can range from a head ach, fever, stomach ach, diarrhea, and vomiting.  So you can see why it would be difficult to diagnose malaria when the symptoms could lead to any number of things.   

 In Mozambique it is very common for someone to get malaria multiple times a year.  The symptoms are similar to those of the flu or common cold.  It is such a common disease that the hospitals hand out medication without even testing for the sickness.    Many times medical staff assumes that someone has malaria and prescribes the medication, when in fact it is a different sickness.  When this happens the patient creates anti-bodies for the medicine and becomes more resistant the next time they actually have malaria.   Due to the different strands of malaria and people becoming resistant to the medication it is becoming harder and harder to control.  

One of the many methods to fight against malaria is the use of mosquito nets but unfortunately a lot of people either don’t have them or don’t use them.    The problem is that people either cannot afford to buy them, they don’t like to use them because sleeping under a net can trap the heat or its just annoying to put up and down every day.    People here are so used to getting malaria and it becomes normal and so prevention goes out the window.   

One of my goals for this year is to start mosquito net distribution to the families in our orphan and vulnerable children program.  Hopefully we can distribute nets and teach about the importance of using a net and how it can significantly lower the rate of malaria.   I will also be preparing lessons on malaria that will be presented to kids clubs and the guardians of the orphans in our program.     

One of my fellow pcvs is working on malaria awareness and our goal is to raise awareness through blogging for the month of April!  So I am really late haha but better late than never  :D

Paulo

This blog is about my friend and co-worker Paulo.  We work together at a christain preschool called Hlauleka, which means praise in the local language.   He is enrolled in college right now but did not recieve the financial support that he  was counting on from the preschool, and is therefore having a hard time paying for school.   He is a really nice christian guy with a young family to take care of and I think he really deserves the extra help. 

 The director of the preschool came up with the idea that Paulo could pay for half of his tuition up front and have the other half loaned to him by the preschool.   After he graduated, he would be contracted to work with the preschool for two years and pay off the debt.   However the preschool functions completely on donations.  So I interviewed Paulo and wrote his story to share with the regular donating churches and personal friends of the director, in hopes of getting some extra finances for him specifically.    The donated money would be processed through the preschools bank account but would go directly towards the loan he would be working off in the two years following his graduation.  

 I really like this idea because most of the time people here just get free hand outs. Free aid has become part of the culture, which ultimately is not helpful because the people arent learning how to be self sufficient.  So this plan of a loan system is great and really progressive! 

 Unfortunetly, none of the friends or church donors have offered to help him.  The preschool is also having trouble with finances at the moment so they are not able to help Paulo as planned.  He was depending on the money and Im afraid he might have to drop out of school if he doesnt figure something out soon.  There is no financial aid system for education in Mozambique like there is in the states so it is really hard for people to get  a college education.  

Paulo did not ask me for help, he just mentioned his financial dificulty in conversation this week.   I thought it would be worth it to check and see if anyone at home was interesting in helping him finish his education.  His school is between $100-$150 per month but I am not sure of the exact amount.  If anyone is interested in even making a one time donation, I know it would be greatly appreciated!   Any amount of donated money would be recorded and paid back after he graduates.   So in retrospect, your donated money would be put back towards the preschools finances in a few years when he pays it back from his salary.   

Here is Paulo's Story:

Paulo was born in 1984 in Guija, District of Chokwe, Province of Gaza.   Paulo finished primary and secondary school in Chokwe.   He has two siblings, one brother and one sister.  His mother still lives in Chokwe, however his father passed away in 1991.   Paulo was married to his wife Rebeca in 2010 and they had their first child in 2011.   They had a baby girl, Ilda, who is now four months old. 

In 2008 Paulo started working at Hlauleka as a driver and administrative coordinator.   Paulo also manages all of the construction projects for Hlauleka.   Some of his responsibilities at the preschool are to file government documents, make bank deposits, pay utility bills, maintain vehicles, process salaries, and create the report of income and expenses. 

In order to improve the quality of his work at the preschool, Paulo would like to attend an 18 month course for public administration in Chokwe.   He is going to finish his last year of secondary school at the same time as the first semester of college.   Paulo will continue working for Hlauleka during the day and attend school in the evenings.  Paulo said “I have difficulties with finances and this money would help me immensely, in order to complete my education.”

Paulo enjoys working at the preschool and working with the children.   Each morning he picks the children up and drops them off in the afternoon, so he is able to get to know the children and their families very well.   In the future he would like to see the preschool grow in many areas.   At the moment we have one car but he would like to see us have 3 cars for the children.  We are also in need of an office and he would like to manage the building project in the future.     

Outside of work Paulo is actively involved with his church.  He has music practice on Saturdays and leads music on Sundays.   He is also the activities director for his church.  On his free time Paulo likes to spend time with his family, read the bible and work on cars.      

Please let me know if you are intersted in helping Paulo!!  You can leave a comment here on my blog or send me a facebook message.   Thanks!!