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June 2006 June 7, 2006 I had a friend travel to see me for a few days. He came from the East of Niger yesterday and was thoroughly impressed with how green the landscape was in my area. (I have not ventured too far from here, but as one heads north or east the conditions become much more desert-like). I immediately put him to work as a guest on my radio program. Since he was trained in Hausa, not Zarma, we could not communicate too much on the air. He was able to say a few things in his tongue about projects he ahs done and about how smart I am. After the show we got sweet potato French fries and sat around by the river. Access to the river is limited in my town since it is flanked by fields and pastureland. The only place I knew of that we could reach it was where the canoes loaded. Because of the heavy commerce and our inability to blend in, it was not a tranquil picnic. Afterwards we went to the restaurant in my town. Unfortunately they were out of fish and salad (apparently they grow their own salad). We picked a beef dish at random which ended up being spaghetti and meatballs. It was actually pretty good. Today I decided to take him to Benin. Although I was not too impressed with Benin (the Benin border town is just a larger version of its Nigerien counterpart), we went just to say he was in another country. We arrived in the morning. Our first stop was a general store. The previous two times I was there it was nothing special. However, this time the store was fully stocked. They even had chocolate chip cookies. We then walked around the market for thirty minutes. I finally found the shrimp I heard rumored to be there. Though curious we were wise enough not to taste any (shrimp in an African market twelve hours from the ocean is a bit too risky for me). I also found a box of cereal with Tony the Tiger on the front. Cereal is not popular here, evident by the apparent age of the box. Our plan was to explore the town in the morning then find a bar to sample the foreign beers in the afternoon. With the exploration done we glanced at our watches: 9:20 A.M. "Close enough," we thought as we headed to a bar within sight. The confused waitress was happy to serve us. We each had a South African beer called Castel. By far the best beer I have had here. While drinking I told my friend a story I heard about an expatriate Frenchman who opened a hotel here. The story goes that he had gone away for a month leaving a local in charge. The new boss promptly tried to earn a few extra francs by allowing herders to graze their livestock on the hotel grass. Some venturous animals even went for a dip in the pool. The waitress was skeptical of the story (the hotel workers later refuted it), but told us the hotel and pool were real. She gave us directions and we were on our way. It was 10 A.M. when we left the bar. A little buzzed we made our way to the oasis. There we learned that for two dollars we could swim a day, a deal we could not pass up. We were the only ones there, but they kept the water clean. The staff said they are open year round but only get a steady stream of customers three months of the year. We stayed for a few hours than hitch hiked the two miles back into town. With the success of proving one rumor, I decided to test another. I heard that there was a pork restaurant in the town. We asked around getting different directions, usually contradictory. Finally we got a name, "Chez Matin." I asked a motorcycle taxi driver whom I knew about Chez Matin, the restaurant that served pork. He answered he knew exactly where we wanted and took us there. However, he dropped us off at a place that neither served pork nor bore the name Chez Matin. Lured in by a Beck's sign out front we entered and ordered one. They brought out a Beer Niger. We told them that was not what we ordered and inquired what else they had. They brought out a Flag (another poor excuse for a beer Niger has to offer). Sadly realizing there was no Beck's we said we would settle for another Castel then. They brought us Heineken. After a great lunch we decided to take a boat back to my town (we were low on funds and the boat is cheaper that motorcycle). I did not realize how low the river was. The normal dock was dried up so we had to walk a kilometer to the new site. On the way we were stopped by the border patrol. Usually we float by unbothered, but on foot they hassled us. We were forbidden to pass and sent across a field. After a twenty-minute walk we reached the bridge, counted enough change for a taxi and headed back home. With the river and bridge in the rearview mirror I realized the grass really is greener on the other side. June 12, 2006 My friend departed Thursday morning leaving me a full day to work. I finally caught hold of the director of the polytechnic school. Their year was over and all support staff was left for vacation. The students had not fared well on their exams. Only a select few received their certification. Since polytechnic schools are privately run, students whose parents faced periodic money crunches would keep their students out of school for a few weeks at a time to save money. This reflected in their poor performance. The director was grateful for my effort. He offered to compensate me with an appreciation ceremony followed by a reception. I was touched by the gesture, but knew my director is too busy to travel 350 kilometers to attend. I needed to give the impression that she would be interested, so I told him I would inform my office and get back to him next week. The owner of the school happened to be there as well. He showed me many letters he wrote to agencies specializing in aid development and the few responses he received. Unfortunately, all were negative -- "No money available, but best of luck in your endeavors." His determination has not waned. He is currently embarking on a letter writing campaign to procure solar energy equipment that could be used in teaching his students. "A grand idea," I thought. I told him I would search the internet for possible help. However, there is not a connection within four hours of here (hence the delay in getting these journal entries up). Kala Suuru. Have patience. It takes time. I spent the past two days in Niamey. It is time for the old education volunteers to go. The new ones will be coming next month. A dinner party was staged and I attended to say my good-byes. There was also a volleyball tournament to raise money for the fight against AIDS. I participated, as did the ambassador. She took over in the spring and immediately made a good impression. Aside from the tournament she had opened her pool up to the volunteers on the weekends. Citing our need for an occasional break from the difficulties of living in the bush. I took advantage of her offer. The pool was awesome. It even felt like American water. The ambassador came and chatted with us for a while. We played cards and in a very undiplomatic way, yours truly whipped her in hearts. She got her revenge on the sand though. Their volleyball team slaughtered us. Now I am back in my town. No vacations or visitors scheduled. It is time to work. June 21, 2006 While I was on vacation my first sensibilization came to a realization. Sensibilization is a French term with no English equivalent. It is a major part of our vocabulary here, so we Anglicized the pronunciation and pretend that it is an actual word. The Zarma equivalent translates into "head opening" It is a public meeting where presenters pass along knowledge that should, if followed (sometimes a big 'if'), directly impact the attendees lives. Popular topics include: the importance of education (particularly girls), immunizations, desertification, and AIDS prevention. My Nigerien friend who recently founded a youth cooperative initiated the project. Their purpose is to sell local crafts, but in receiving government recognition it was necessary to incorporate community service into their constitution. I was approached in March with the idea. The group wanted to travel to three bush villages to teach students about the dangers of AIDS. The plan was excellent, but the budget was outrageous. They managed somehow to get roughly $100 from the government agency in charge of repairing the roads, but were still way short. We were able to trim the budget by 75%, making the project appear feasible. We then began the search for funds, which was accompanied by stress and met with miscommunication and overly optimistic promises. A few times it seemed doomed, but the group kept at it. I rode the waves as the mediator between my organization and the group. The source of the funds, amount, and dates of the actual sensibilizations changed abruptly and quite frequently. With rainy season rapidly approaching, the assurance I was given about the project's delay by a month (from April 26 to May 26) turned out to be false. The project needed to happen at the beginning of May, before students traded their pens for plows (or in Niger's case for the two-foot long sticks with a spade attached to cultivate their fields, but that's another story for another day). Though upset I missed it, I was happy to hear it went off without me. I was short changed a bit in the funding, requiring me to add a bit of my own funds, but it was worth it to get it done. Three members of the cooperative and a doctor spent two days traveling to three villages. The sessions began and ended with a test, the same on both times. While they all failed the initial attempt, after the presentation they all passed. The sessions consisted of the doctor doing most of the instructing in French and the students watched a video as well. Condom demonstrations were originally planned, but the Inspector of the schools (like a superintendent) asked us to refrain in order that we did not invite controversy from among the parents (some things make me forget I left America). In all 143 students learned about AIDS and one group received much experience in planning, funding, and implementing a major activity. Almost 60% of the funds were from the local community, a huge figure and a testament to the group's efforts. Sohon, a ban. Ay ga fulanzam. Ay g'Irikoy saabu. (Now it's done. I can relax. Thank God). A copy of the report is attached to the end of this entry. June 30, 2006 I have spent over a full month in my town trying to get the soap training going. I have never spent so much consecutive time in one place (even during the forty days I lasted to begin my post I still took a few day trips to neighboring towns). Aside from waiting for meetings (and sitting through them clueless when they actually did happen) I have been trying to keep busy. Of course the World Cup helped tremendously in filling my schedule. I watched almost every game. It made for great conversation as well. Here to say a team lost, one utters the phrase �i si wani� Translated literally it means �They don�t know how to play ball� I first heard the phrase after America�s embarrassing opening defeat. Angered I tried explaining America had a bad game but they know how to play very well. �In fact,� I told them. �In 2002 they made the quarterfinals.� My counterparts looked bewildered and just responded, �They don�t know soccer. But they know basketball very well.� I quickly learned after repeatedly hearing teams considered very strong going into matches coming out apparently having forgotten how to play. Unfortunately, all the African teams did not know how to play. Kala Suuru. Have Patience. There is a new �restaurant� in my town. By restaurant I mean a one room metal shack with a table in front. It is half the price of the nicer restaurant, which resembles a more familiar establishment to me (it is indoors, has table cloths and menus...). My friend has been treating me to meals there. The food is very good, except it is all organ meat. It tastes fine but it is obviously intestines and heart going into my mouth. After a month of chomping on innards I discovered that they serve chicken as well. Psychologically it is much easier to eat. When not watching or talking ball, nor receiving an anatomy lesson while I dine, I have been looking busy. Since school is over I do not have to trek across town meeting administrators. I returned to the daily routine of sitting at my desk in the inspection working on language, project reports, and radio scripts. A few evenings I spent tutoring high school students in English. They have their final exam soon. I have been counseling them on how to write an essay. There is always an essay about a problem in Niger � corruption, family planning, unemployment, Aids. I�ve showed them an outline that will answer every question. Hopefully they use it. I finally began the English award program that we have been trying to commence for three years here. The top student at each level received a certificate and a comic book. We planned for a large event to acknowledge their accomplishment. However due to time constraints because of the exam and farming season rapidly encroaching, there was no ceremony. In fact, I was not even informed until after the small presentation happened. At least it has begun, which is the hardest part. Now we can work on improving it.
S.I.D.A. Project Final Report
Dates: May 12-15
I. Project Summary The aim of this project was to create a sustainable AIDS awareness campaign in the Gaya region. It hoped to create a better understanding of HIV/AIDS and reduce the risk of contamination in the Gaya region. This was accomplished by three sessions in larger bush villages to train 143 college students in becoming peer educators on AIDS. Three members of Cooperative Namuduka led the sessions with a doctor and PCV invited to supervise. Each session lasted approximately two hours. The first session was held on the morning of May 12 in Bengou with 53 students participating. The morning of May 15 was spent in Bana and the afternoon in Tanda, with 45 students attending in each village. Participants were given a notebook and pen and provided with a snack during pause. Each session focused on the ways one can and cannot become infected and dealt with attitudes towards those infected. A test on basic AIDS information was administered before and after the presentation. A video was also shown. 143 students were immediately impacted as a result of the training sessions. They have the potential to reach 1000 students in their three schools alone. II. Background Info
A youth cooperative of artisans recently formed in Gaya. Included in their constitution was a desire to run sensibilizations on HIV/AIDS. The disease is ravaging Sub-Saharan Africa and Niger is no exception. Gaya, a major trafficking route between Niger and Benin and Nigeria, is a high-risk area. In 2001, there were 32 cases of AIDS reported in the region and 14 cases of death. III. Evaluation and Follow-up This project provided a better understanding of HIV/AIDS and reduced the risk of infection in the three villages. A better understanding was witnessed in the test results. Before the presentation all the students failed a brief quiz on general AIDS information. After the session the students passed the test. The same cooperative plans on running a similar program on desertification during the next school year. With many of the same students projected to be in attendance there will be a chance to see how much information they retained a year from now. This will be done by either informal questions during pauses or by administering the previously used test. This was the group's first sensibilization. It proved to be stressful, but successful. They planned everything themselves, including acquiring 57% of the funding. They were extremely flexible and persistent through the many setbacks. IV. Changes from Original Proposal � There was an increase of 53 students from the originally planned estimate. � The sessions in Tanda and Bana were held on the same day, allowing for budget cuts in per diem, transportation, and equipment rental. The money saved allowed the group to increase the number of participants. � The Cooperative decided to document the sessions with either video or photographs. This is a useful tool in helping to improve themselves on the actual presentation. Also, it will be helpful in securing donors for future projects. � The condom demonstrations and distributions were cancelled. The Inspector of Secondary Schools requested we refrain from such activities in the schools in order to avoid controversy. � Spaghetti and sauce was served as the snack during pause. The cost per student was cheaper than planned. V. Suggestions � Find local supervisors to cut down on transportation costs. This one was chosen because the group felt comfortable with him. Now that they have more confidence they should be able to work with someone closer, even if they are not as familiar with the person. � Having funding secured earlier can cut back on costs, for example the AV equipment and photocopies could have been donated. � Created a seasonal calendar to choose a better time of the year. The beginning of rainy season (the end of school) rushed the project. � Involve the students more during the presentation; perhaps through games or role-play. This will further their ability and increase their confidence in presenting the acquired information to others. � The inclusion of a female animator was important for a mixed audience, but she should speak more.
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