Post 10: Back in the swing of things with great new projects!

It’s been three weeks since I returned to site from the last training, and it’s been a series of up and downs. I realized that things go entirely too slow at site, and it’s hard to plan because most people don’t really work (i.e. most of the government health bodies in my town). So, I’ve started working with two community health workers (CHWs) linked to my CSB (clinic) that live in communities about 6-10km away (and one I return home by canoe!!). I love these new projects! I’m working with very “mazoto” (put in a lot of effort, hard workers) women that want to better their communities. This past week I spent two separate nights at these women’s homes and ate with them, had meetings in which we did PACA (participatory analysis exercises), and just enjoyed each other’s company (including me getting my hair braided more than once…I look like Sean Paul says Devyn).
So after doing exercises in these two communities, here are the interesting project ideas they have to improve their lives (on a peace corps budget, and their own budget as well):
The first community, Ambodimanary (6km away from CSB) wants to form a women’s association in order to improve conditions in their community. They struggle with being hardworking in regards to community development. They are also interested in improving their farming output for rice as well as vegetables and fruits, so I’m going to try and get more material on farming in dry/red clay conditions and I’m going to invite an environment volunteer to my site to help. Finally, people in Ambodimanary are concerned about education: there is an EPP (elementary school) in their village, but will very little supplies, and then once kids finish there, they must commute or live in Maevatanana (my big town), where school costs and rent is high and teenage pregnancy is vast. These are the issues this community is struggling with, which I think would be perfectly addressed by forming a women’s association that could function as a communal bank that could raise money for projects and supplies.
In the second community, Manganoro (10km away from CSB, an hour up the river by canoe) already has a women’s association (so I’m thinking of inviting the CHW from Manganoro to Ambodimanary to talk about forming the association and making it work, since it’s been done there…cross collaboration is awesome!). But, there are still many issues this community is facing in terms of health and development. First of all, there are NO bathrooms at all there (and i'm not one to do well with shiting behind a tree). Also, there is very little gardening, except for a halucinagenic plant called "Paraky", which I have yet to try, but i am looking forward to it... ;)
Finally, again there are problems with the school system there: very few teachers, very few supplies, little space for learning, etc. Then the kids are sent to the middle school (CEG) in Maevatanana if they are lucky (money-wise and smart-wise).

So these are my two new project towns, and i'm so excited about them! i plan to visit one each week and spend the day/night and having meetings and start projects. Then, with the help of a doctor from the next town over, i hope to conduct a few interviews of community health workers in my area (there are about 20-30), and then a survey focusing on the challenges they face working, and the kind of work they have been able (and not been able) to do.

Otherwise, things are going well, i'm busy (if you can believe it!), i have many friends and lots of drama and lots of fun, so life is good in my silly town in Madagascar! More to come, as always (and pictures will be posted in July!).