1. our new house being made
2. kids visiting our insaka
3-5. on safari at mfuwe
Saturday, August 16, 2008
village pics and some more mufuwe
1. our new house being made
2. kids visiting our insaka 3-5. on safari at mfuwe
Saturday, May 24, 2008
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Friday, May 23, 2008
Donating to a good cause ;)
This is one of the big projects my community and I are working on. Please read the description below and go the the below mentioned website and donate to the project ;) Also, please feel free to refer other friends/family to this website to see how to assist with this project.
Under 5 Shelters
This proposal is aimed at meeting the health service needs of the men, women and children within the area. The community is planning on building three under 5 shelters. These three buildings will assist in allowing for the provision of needed health services, such as the attainment of timely and essential vaccinations, medications, nutritional assessments and health education for children under 5 as well as antenatal services for pregnant and postnatal mothers. The funds granted would also be used to purchase basic medical and education supplies for mothers and children of these communities. It is the job of the Zambian health system including the neighborhood health committees and community health workers to assist mothers and children to receive necessary preventative and curative health services. Health service delivery typically happens in the clinic or not at all. Currently the child health records in this area have been observed to not meet the goals of the district health office for immunization coverage nor adequate growth measures. Missing of these child health standards is intricately related to lack of access to health services. These communities closest health facility is at least 20 km away. The proposed size of the under shelters will allow for a two room under 5 shelter where general intakes/assessments and education can be done properly in one room, leaving the other for clinical care services such as vaccinations. This structure will be simple and made of mud brick, cement and iron sheets. Children not fully immunized nor meeting weight standards for proper growth are more vulnerable to disease and death. Thus, this project will in turn decrease the preventable and/or treatable illnesses for children and mothers in the area. Once approved and the funds received, the community plans on breaking ground in August 2008 and completing by the end of April 2009
Go to this website to donate to the project: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=611-037
Under 5 Shelters
This proposal is aimed at meeting the health service needs of the men, women and children within the area. The community is planning on building three under 5 shelters. These three buildings will assist in allowing for the provision of needed health services, such as the attainment of timely and essential vaccinations, medications, nutritional assessments and health education for children under 5 as well as antenatal services for pregnant and postnatal mothers. The funds granted would also be used to purchase basic medical and education supplies for mothers and children of these communities. It is the job of the Zambian health system including the neighborhood health committees and community health workers to assist mothers and children to receive necessary preventative and curative health services. Health service delivery typically happens in the clinic or not at all. Currently the child health records in this area have been observed to not meet the goals of the district health office for immunization coverage nor adequate growth measures. Missing of these child health standards is intricately related to lack of access to health services. These communities closest health facility is at least 20 km away. The proposed size of the under shelters will allow for a two room under 5 shelter where general intakes/assessments and education can be done properly in one room, leaving the other for clinical care services such as vaccinations. This structure will be simple and made of mud brick, cement and iron sheets. Children not fully immunized nor meeting weight standards for proper growth are more vulnerable to disease and death. Thus, this project will in turn decrease the preventable and/or treatable illnesses for children and mothers in the area. Once approved and the funds received, the community plans on breaking ground in August 2008 and completing by the end of April 2009
Go to this website to donate to the project: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=611-037
Saturday, May 10, 2008
more pics
(Left to Right) 1. The TBAs sewing the anatomy visual aids for their training
2. 
Suns
ets in Zambia
2. 
Suns
ets in Zambia
Monday, May 5, 2008
pics
(Left to Right)First pic is of a community health worker doing growth monitoring at under 5.
Next one is of some TBAs with visual aids (baby, placenta, uterus) that we made of chitenge (tradtional fabric) for the TBA training. 
The last is of a NHC tr
aining I did.
aining I did.Hello
So I just turned 28, and I think I might have had the best b-day ever. Rob and I went to Malawi. And he arranged the whole thing. We went snorkeling and saw beautiful fish. Other than the coral that was missing (cause it wasnt the ocean) it was such amazing snorkeling. I saw all colors of fishes- blue, orange, yellow, green, brown, purple--awesome. The water was really nice. We ate great fish meals, man how I love fresh fish. He arranged for candles in various meals so I could blow them out, like in pancakes and even in a cup with sand ;) We had a cheese and chocolate picnic ;) Probably the best point was when I woke up from a nap on a poolside lounger and found that Rob had pulled mine closer to his while I was sleeping, sooo cute! It was really just very nice. And when we came back I had tons of texts from friends and emails and letters/packages from you all ;) It was great!
Since we got back I have been doing the TBA (traditional birth attendant) training in the village with 2 district midwives, who are amazing and so dedicated. The TBAs are really picking up the materials and in turn I think the training will really postively affect women and childrens health in the area, yeah!
I also just wrote a grant with the NHCs and submitted it for under 5 shelters in the area. I believe some of you will get an email about assisting the project. Please circulate it to people you think would be willing to help. We are looking to build 3 under 5 shelters in our area. They will be for the 3 most remote communities we have, all over 20 k from the clinic. So these shelters will allow their communities to house regular health outreach services for kids in their villages. Those kids will be able to be more regularly assessed by clinic staff and community health workers and referred as necessary, they will also get essential vaccinations and growth monitoring. These shelters will enable these needed services to be more accessible and so effective in helping to prevent undiagnosed illness and death in the area. Moreover, they will be great venues for health education and community mobilization. So please check out the e-mail about donating to the cause when peace corps emails you the website. And let me know if you have any questions.
Otherwise, things are good. I will just mention as a side note that the bday might not have been 'the best' as I mentioned before. Just cause now, I am in lusaka because Im being testing for possibly having schistosimiasis/bilaharzia from the lake. But no worries if I have it Ill be treated and be fine. But you know every great time has some glitches, right ;)
I miss you all and would love to hear from you.
Since we got back I have been doing the TBA (traditional birth attendant) training in the village with 2 district midwives, who are amazing and so dedicated. The TBAs are really picking up the materials and in turn I think the training will really postively affect women and childrens health in the area, yeah!
I also just wrote a grant with the NHCs and submitted it for under 5 shelters in the area. I believe some of you will get an email about assisting the project. Please circulate it to people you think would be willing to help. We are looking to build 3 under 5 shelters in our area. They will be for the 3 most remote communities we have, all over 20 k from the clinic. So these shelters will allow their communities to house regular health outreach services for kids in their villages. Those kids will be able to be more regularly assessed by clinic staff and community health workers and referred as necessary, they will also get essential vaccinations and growth monitoring. These shelters will enable these needed services to be more accessible and so effective in helping to prevent undiagnosed illness and death in the area. Moreover, they will be great venues for health education and community mobilization. So please check out the e-mail about donating to the cause when peace corps emails you the website. And let me know if you have any questions.
Otherwise, things are good. I will just mention as a side note that the bday might not have been 'the best' as I mentioned before. Just cause now, I am in lusaka because Im being testing for possibly having schistosimiasis/bilaharzia from the lake. But no worries if I have it Ill be treated and be fine. But you know every great time has some glitches, right ;)
I miss you all and would love to hear from you.
Friday, March 21, 2008
hey y'all
Things are going well. Not too many exciting things going on. I have been making anatomy visuals with my TBAs for our training coming up. There is nothing like making a uterus from chitenge ;) It is fun. I have also been helping out with training the new trainees, they are a great group. Weird to think that them coming in means I have been here a year. It went by quick. We also just had our midterm conference, which let me see our group of volunteers we came in with, which was nice. It also gave me some computer access, which made me start thinking of job searching for after peace corps. It's a while away but goes quick. While I'm enjoying it here, I am starting to feel the travel bug in me again. I mean Rob and I don't usually stay in a place longer than a year. Zambia might be my longest residence for quite some time ;) Anyways, I've been looking at abroad opportunities as well as DC for 2009, if you hear anything let me know ;) I think I might also deal with the travel bug ok if some of you come visit-- hint hint!! Lots of other people have had visitors and lots of vacation travels, not us though. If you feel like coming to Africa, we could probably meet you somewhere and explore together ;) Plus, it would just be great to see you guys. Either way, it would be great to hear from you via letters. I have sent something out to most of you hoping to get letters back ;) If I havent sent something to you its cause I still need your addy, which I could get if you wrote me ;) Miss you all, hope all is well.
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