Want more Africa info?
Check out the Everett School District website for a story featuring Becky and Luke and their experiences in Kenya.
www.everett.k12.wa.us/everett
Also good is the blog by Cassady Walters, another health volunteer and Whitman grad, who has been in Mali for a year so far. Her most recent post on the female role in Mali and the Famiy Code is great and is being published soon.
http://onairinmali.blogspot.com/
Monday, September 28, 2009
First day of work!
Hi all,
On Thursday, I went to the CSCOM (health center in my village) to help with weekly baby weighing and vaccination day. Of course, and thank goodness, I didn’t give any of the actual vaccinations, but I did get to weigh each of the babies, record their weight and track them on the growth chart. This is something that we practiced during my training so I had some experience in it already. And it helped my Bambara because I was required to read off the baby’s weight in kilos and grams, in Bambara, to the vaccinator sitting across from me. It also helped because I was in charge of finding out the child d mother’s name and locating their chart in the large stack that we had accumulated.
When we track the baby’s weight, we use a chart that puts the child in one of three categories according to their weight and age. The categories are green, which is good and on track, yellow, which is underweight and malnourished, and red, which is severely underweight and severely malnourished. A child in the red is directed to speak to the doctor at the CSCOM immediately, while a child in the yellow is counseled by the matrone (like doctor and midwife in one) or vaccinator on proper nutrition and steps to improve the child’s health.
Many of the babies we weighed were either in the yellow or red, which seems alarming to me. One of the other health volunteers I talked to pointed out that while it is wet season and many families are spending their days farming in the fields, we are in between planting and harvesting, a time that is also labeled as hungry season.
The very positive thin is that the CSCOM was already hosting these vaccination and baby weighing days, which is a HUGE step in the right direction, one which they took on their own. This makes my job easier and harder in that at least the CSCOM is well set up and knows how to take initiative and is functioning at a highly positive level. The hard part for me now is that I have to figure out where I fit in and how I can be best of service. Many CSCOMs don’t already have these practices in place and so I would be helping to set them up. Now my real job begins in identifying where improvements can be made and figuring out what my community needs and wants from me.
On Thursday, I went to the CSCOM (health center in my village) to help with weekly baby weighing and vaccination day. Of course, and thank goodness, I didn’t give any of the actual vaccinations, but I did get to weigh each of the babies, record their weight and track them on the growth chart. This is something that we practiced during my training so I had some experience in it already. And it helped my Bambara because I was required to read off the baby’s weight in kilos and grams, in Bambara, to the vaccinator sitting across from me. It also helped because I was in charge of finding out the child d mother’s name and locating their chart in the large stack that we had accumulated.
When we track the baby’s weight, we use a chart that puts the child in one of three categories according to their weight and age. The categories are green, which is good and on track, yellow, which is underweight and malnourished, and red, which is severely underweight and severely malnourished. A child in the red is directed to speak to the doctor at the CSCOM immediately, while a child in the yellow is counseled by the matrone (like doctor and midwife in one) or vaccinator on proper nutrition and steps to improve the child’s health.
Many of the babies we weighed were either in the yellow or red, which seems alarming to me. One of the other health volunteers I talked to pointed out that while it is wet season and many families are spending their days farming in the fields, we are in between planting and harvesting, a time that is also labeled as hungry season.
The very positive thin is that the CSCOM was already hosting these vaccination and baby weighing days, which is a HUGE step in the right direction, one which they took on their own. This makes my job easier and harder in that at least the CSCOM is well set up and knows how to take initiative and is functioning at a highly positive level. The hard part for me now is that I have to figure out where I fit in and how I can be best of service. Many CSCOMs don’t already have these practices in place and so I would be helping to set them up. Now my real job begins in identifying where improvements can be made and figuring out what my community needs and wants from me.
Ramadan and Independence Day
Hi all,
Happy fall! It’s the same season here, still wet and humid and hot. But I hear we have a change coming soon with a mini hot season and then a cooler season. You know I am looking forward to the cooler part. There’s no fooling anyone, I could never live in Arizona or New Mexico.
This last week marked the end of Ramadan as well as Malian Independence Day. Ramadan, which is a month of fasting and religious reflection in the Islamic religion, ended with a lot of feasting and celebration. During the month, there is to be no music or dancing, so the celebration of the end of fasting usually includes a big party. In my village, we had a lot of greeting through the day. People would go to see their neighbors and friends, bringing them blessings and sitting to chat for a while.
All of the women in my host family and their extended family cooked a large meal together during the day. There was lots of laughing and chatting and good smells. The women also painted their feet and hands with something similar to henna. The Bambaran word for it escapes me, but it is a very pretty art and is worn at almost any celebratory event. A lot of women also paint their eyebrows, the significance of which I don’t know. Some of them are very good at it, but the younger girls always seem to over do it. It is hard to take them seriously sometimes. Most families get new outfits for the end of Ramadan and they wore them proudly. They were very fancy, with special embroidery on brightly colored baazan, which is a special waxy fabric that holds the significance of a suit or evening gown in the states.
After eating dinner as one big huge family (think over 25 people around a bunch of different communal bowls) many of the older generations sat together to drink tea and socialize. The younger children, who had spent the day going from place to place reciting blessings and receiving small gifts in the form of small coins, were playing together in the different concessions and out in the streets, while the older kids and young adults really got down to business. They were singing and dancing, listening to loud music, both Malian, African, French and American late into the night. The next morning people were very quiet, as you can imagine.
Different villages seem to celebrate in much the same way, with some small variations. The circle of San has a much larger Christian population than most other parts of Mali at somewhere around 25%. Other volunteers who live in villages where there aren’t any Muslims or where the Muslim population is low traveled to friends’ villages to take part in celebrations.
Independence day in my village was sort of anti climactic in comparison. I did not notice any difference in the usual goings on. The only indication that anything was different was when my homologue, Alima and I went to visit the mayor’s office and he wasn’t there a fact that very much surprised her. It made me wonder, since I am in a small village, if the residents even knew that it was independence day. In talking to volunteers from other villages, it sounded like many of them celebrated the 22nd with town gatherings and more dancing or the delivery of speeches.
Hugs, kisses, and loves
Happy fall! It’s the same season here, still wet and humid and hot. But I hear we have a change coming soon with a mini hot season and then a cooler season. You know I am looking forward to the cooler part. There’s no fooling anyone, I could never live in Arizona or New Mexico.
This last week marked the end of Ramadan as well as Malian Independence Day. Ramadan, which is a month of fasting and religious reflection in the Islamic religion, ended with a lot of feasting and celebration. During the month, there is to be no music or dancing, so the celebration of the end of fasting usually includes a big party. In my village, we had a lot of greeting through the day. People would go to see their neighbors and friends, bringing them blessings and sitting to chat for a while.
All of the women in my host family and their extended family cooked a large meal together during the day. There was lots of laughing and chatting and good smells. The women also painted their feet and hands with something similar to henna. The Bambaran word for it escapes me, but it is a very pretty art and is worn at almost any celebratory event. A lot of women also paint their eyebrows, the significance of which I don’t know. Some of them are very good at it, but the younger girls always seem to over do it. It is hard to take them seriously sometimes. Most families get new outfits for the end of Ramadan and they wore them proudly. They were very fancy, with special embroidery on brightly colored baazan, which is a special waxy fabric that holds the significance of a suit or evening gown in the states.
After eating dinner as one big huge family (think over 25 people around a bunch of different communal bowls) many of the older generations sat together to drink tea and socialize. The younger children, who had spent the day going from place to place reciting blessings and receiving small gifts in the form of small coins, were playing together in the different concessions and out in the streets, while the older kids and young adults really got down to business. They were singing and dancing, listening to loud music, both Malian, African, French and American late into the night. The next morning people were very quiet, as you can imagine.
Different villages seem to celebrate in much the same way, with some small variations. The circle of San has a much larger Christian population than most other parts of Mali at somewhere around 25%. Other volunteers who live in villages where there aren’t any Muslims or where the Muslim population is low traveled to friends’ villages to take part in celebrations.
Independence day in my village was sort of anti climactic in comparison. I did not notice any difference in the usual goings on. The only indication that anything was different was when my homologue, Alima and I went to visit the mayor’s office and he wasn’t there a fact that very much surprised her. It made me wonder, since I am in a small village, if the residents even knew that it was independence day. In talking to volunteers from other villages, it sounded like many of them celebrated the 22nd with town gatherings and more dancing or the delivery of speeches.
Hugs, kisses, and loves
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Traveling
Hi all!
I’m back in San for the weekend; it was an adventure getting here yesterday. I had made plans to set out from Niasso early in the morning by bike so that I would not be riding in the hot sun. When I left my host family’s house, everything was running pretty smoothly. I took off down our dirt roads, saying hi to those that I passed, greeting everyone. As I approached the main road, I noticed my shadow looked a little off. I stopped my bike just in time to have all of my things fall off the back of it. Luckily, I was only just on the road, so I rearranged it all, re-bungeed it down and started up again. Not 5 minutes into my ride, with Adele’s “Right as Rain” playing in my ears, I heard a distinct and rhythmic flop, flop, flop. My back tire had gone flat. Not just a little flat but falling-off-of-the-rim flat. Of course I was traveling with my tool kits and my repair pieces, and normally I would have been also with a bike pump, but since the bike pumps that we received are gigantic, I had left mine at home. Oops! I decided that I would walk my bike in to San, still at least 19.8k from my destination, and hope that along the way a boshe (think over sized van for passenger and live stalk travel) might come by and stop for me. I was passed by many motos and a bunch of bicyclists, and one large truck, which I tried to flag down, but which did not stop. Finally, after about 20 minutes of walking, a man on a moto stopped to ask me if I needed help. Amazingly, he spoke English, small small, and we were able to get to an understanding that A) he did not have a pump with him; B) he was out working on the phone lines; C) I was planning on proceeding until a car stopped; D) and E) no I was not married, and unfortunately, no I did not have a telephone and there fore no number to give him.
Later, as I was talking to another passser-by on a moto, rescuing my load for the fourth time that morning, a small white vehicle approached. I successfully flagged them down. As the pulled up to me, weaving about the road way, I noticed it was an old Peugeot truck with a bed occupied by four other travelers. They were kind enough to take me, my bike, and my bags and I enjoyed a nice ride into San. The whole time we were riding in the back, enjoying the Malian scenes flying by, the truck was putting along, weaving slightly, wavering even more when it picked up too much speed. I was so very appreciative of the ride, but was crossing my fingers and holding on the whole time. So all in all, a journey that should have taken me an hour and 15 minutes by bike ended up taking me and hour by bike, foot, and Peugeot.
I’m back in San for the weekend; it was an adventure getting here yesterday. I had made plans to set out from Niasso early in the morning by bike so that I would not be riding in the hot sun. When I left my host family’s house, everything was running pretty smoothly. I took off down our dirt roads, saying hi to those that I passed, greeting everyone. As I approached the main road, I noticed my shadow looked a little off. I stopped my bike just in time to have all of my things fall off the back of it. Luckily, I was only just on the road, so I rearranged it all, re-bungeed it down and started up again. Not 5 minutes into my ride, with Adele’s “Right as Rain” playing in my ears, I heard a distinct and rhythmic flop, flop, flop. My back tire had gone flat. Not just a little flat but falling-off-of-the-rim flat. Of course I was traveling with my tool kits and my repair pieces, and normally I would have been also with a bike pump, but since the bike pumps that we received are gigantic, I had left mine at home. Oops! I decided that I would walk my bike in to San, still at least 19.8k from my destination, and hope that along the way a boshe (think over sized van for passenger and live stalk travel) might come by and stop for me. I was passed by many motos and a bunch of bicyclists, and one large truck, which I tried to flag down, but which did not stop. Finally, after about 20 minutes of walking, a man on a moto stopped to ask me if I needed help. Amazingly, he spoke English, small small, and we were able to get to an understanding that A) he did not have a pump with him; B) he was out working on the phone lines; C) I was planning on proceeding until a car stopped; D) and E) no I was not married, and unfortunately, no I did not have a telephone and there fore no number to give him.
Later, as I was talking to another passser-by on a moto, rescuing my load for the fourth time that morning, a small white vehicle approached. I successfully flagged them down. As the pulled up to me, weaving about the road way, I noticed it was an old Peugeot truck with a bed occupied by four other travelers. They were kind enough to take me, my bike, and my bags and I enjoyed a nice ride into San. The whole time we were riding in the back, enjoying the Malian scenes flying by, the truck was putting along, weaving slightly, wavering even more when it picked up too much speed. I was so very appreciative of the ride, but was crossing my fingers and holding on the whole time. So all in all, a journey that should have taken me an hour and 15 minutes by bike ended up taking me and hour by bike, foot, and Peugeot.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Moving in
This last Tuesday I moved into my new house. Peace Corps loaded up one of their cars with my stuff and another PCV's things and took us out to site. I was dropped off first and my host father and a few other neighbors were there to welcome me and help me unload my things.
Since then, I have spent my days visiting other people in the village and setting up my house. I am in town for right now and have picked up some fabric to make curtains for my multiple windows. The first night I was back in my house, we had a big storm. I was very nervous since the last time I was in my house, for site visit, my roof leaked and by the end of the storms, there would be standing water. But there was none of that this time. I think it is all fixed!
I biked into San for the first time yesterday. It took me about an hour or so and was actually quite a pleasant ride. It was very warm though, so I will be going back today later in the afternoon when the sun is not so hot.
Tomorrow is the first time I will be in my village during their market. I am excited to experience that. My village is small, only about 1500 people, but the place where they set up the market looks large. Plus, markets are always entertaining. I will probably go and meet up with my homologue and do some people watching.
Soon it will be the end of Ramadan and already my host dad has ensured me that there will be a BIG party. I believe that it is tomorrow, but it has been hard to pin down an actual date thus far. I am planning on bringing my camera with me, so hopefully I will end up with some awesome photos.
We are already in the planning for Halloween, since we hold fast to anything to look forward to in these first few months. The plan thus far is to travel to Segou, which is near by, for a costume dinner party. An added bonus: the hotel in Segou has a pool. We are lucky because Segou is the capital of our region, and therefore in our region, which means we can travel there in these first few months, when travel outside of our region is forbidden.
So if anyone has costume suggestions, send them my way. We have all kinds of "value village"-type vendors here, I am just drawing a blank. Hope everyone is doing well, enjoying the last few days of summer and going back to school. I miss you all!
Hugs, kisses, and loves
Since then, I have spent my days visiting other people in the village and setting up my house. I am in town for right now and have picked up some fabric to make curtains for my multiple windows. The first night I was back in my house, we had a big storm. I was very nervous since the last time I was in my house, for site visit, my roof leaked and by the end of the storms, there would be standing water. But there was none of that this time. I think it is all fixed!
I biked into San for the first time yesterday. It took me about an hour or so and was actually quite a pleasant ride. It was very warm though, so I will be going back today later in the afternoon when the sun is not so hot.
Tomorrow is the first time I will be in my village during their market. I am excited to experience that. My village is small, only about 1500 people, but the place where they set up the market looks large. Plus, markets are always entertaining. I will probably go and meet up with my homologue and do some people watching.
Soon it will be the end of Ramadan and already my host dad has ensured me that there will be a BIG party. I believe that it is tomorrow, but it has been hard to pin down an actual date thus far. I am planning on bringing my camera with me, so hopefully I will end up with some awesome photos.
We are already in the planning for Halloween, since we hold fast to anything to look forward to in these first few months. The plan thus far is to travel to Segou, which is near by, for a costume dinner party. An added bonus: the hotel in Segou has a pool. We are lucky because Segou is the capital of our region, and therefore in our region, which means we can travel there in these first few months, when travel outside of our region is forbidden.
So if anyone has costume suggestions, send them my way. We have all kinds of "value village"-type vendors here, I am just drawing a blank. Hope everyone is doing well, enjoying the last few days of summer and going back to school. I miss you all!
Hugs, kisses, and loves
Sunday, September 13, 2009
New joke!
Was at one of our last trainings the other day and heard this good description of peace corps service.
a man is building a well in his village when he realizes he is stuck. he is yelling for help, hoping to get the attention of anyone passing by.
along comes a missionary. "help me please, sir, i am stuck down here!"
the missionary throws the man down a bible and asks him to pray on his position. he then walks off.
an NGO worker approaches the same man in the same well. "help me please, sir, i am stuck down here!"
the NGO worker throws down a million dollars and walks off.
finally, a Peace Corps volunteer happens upon the same man stuck in the same well. "help me please, sir, i am stuck down here!"
the volunteer runs off. the man is obviously confused, until the volunteer comes running back with a tent and supplies and jumps down the well himself. (if you want to get sappy, we say that he has come to live with the man and his problems, to help him out of his well)
no hard feelings to anyone who falls into the other categories, it is only a joke. besides we are all here to do good work, maybe even together...
a man is building a well in his village when he realizes he is stuck. he is yelling for help, hoping to get the attention of anyone passing by.
along comes a missionary. "help me please, sir, i am stuck down here!"
the missionary throws the man down a bible and asks him to pray on his position. he then walks off.
an NGO worker approaches the same man in the same well. "help me please, sir, i am stuck down here!"
the NGO worker throws down a million dollars and walks off.
finally, a Peace Corps volunteer happens upon the same man stuck in the same well. "help me please, sir, i am stuck down here!"
the volunteer runs off. the man is obviously confused, until the volunteer comes running back with a tent and supplies and jumps down the well himself. (if you want to get sappy, we say that he has come to live with the man and his problems, to help him out of his well)
no hard feelings to anyone who falls into the other categories, it is only a joke. besides we are all here to do good work, maybe even together...
Its almost as if you were there! (words from swearing in ceremony)
The following is part of the speech givven by our country director at our swearing in ceremony. It was all in French, so this it the translation. Enjoy!
"I am delighted to welcome all of you here today for this time honored tradition: the swearing-in of Peace Corps Volunteers in Mali. That is to say, the dream continues. The international events of the last few years have not diminished their enthusiasm to go towards people of other cultures, for the purpose of cultural understanding and to share their know how.
The idea of creating the Peace Corps was presented nearly 50 years ago in October 1960, when then Senator John F. Kennedy, who was the Democratic party candidate for the U.S. Presidency, spoke to students at the University of Michigan. He challenged the students to commit two years of their lives to help people in countries of the developing world. Since then, 49 years have passed and nearly 200,000 Americans have answered the call to service made by Kennedy. Volunteers have served in nearly 100 countries around the world. Today, there are 8,000 Volunteers serving in 70 countries around the world, including in 25 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
These future Volunteers seated before you today are a manifestation of the ideals that helped to create the Peace Corps in 1961, and show that these ideals are still very much alive in the hearts of Americans today. These Americans come with the desire to work toward the noble causes of peace and development, as well as for the ideal of mutual understanding across cultures.
This event cannot pass without acknowledging that tomorrow is the 8th Anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001 on the United States. Since the passing of the horrific events of that day, Americans have been awoken to the dangers of the larger world around them. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, Americans understand the need for improved understanding across cultures and have continued to respond to President Kennedy’s call to service in record numbers.
The U.S. Peace Corps is here in Mali at the invitation of the Malian Government. For 38 years the Malian government, along with the Malian people, has warmly welcomed our Volunteers. During that time, nearly 3,000 Americans have served in Mali, where today, there are 110 Volunteers serving in five of eight administrative Regions throughout the country. Today, 64 more Volunteers will join them in a few moments.
I would like to sincerely thank the Malian government, as well as the Malian communities where are Volunteers work, represented respectively by the Ministers and Mayors present here today, for their support of the activities done by the Peace Corps in Mali. Allow me, ladies and gentlemen, on this happy occasion, to celebrate this newest group of Peace Corps Volunteers, and to acknowledge the exemplary nature of the cooperation that exists between the Peace Corps and Mali. Even the Malian President Amadou Toumani Touré expressed his gratitude and respect for the work that our Volunteers have done over the years in Mali, during a visit that he made to Peace Corps headquarters in Washington several years ago. He noted that they, “…live in the same villages as the Malian people, sleep on the same mats, eat the same food, and even get bitten by the same mosquitoes.”
The tasks that lie ahead for these soon-to-be volunteers is great, but will be facilitated to a large extent by the Malians in the host-families, organizations, and communities with whom they will be living and working. The Malians with whom our Volunteers collaborate have always proven to be more than willing to share their culture, wisdom, and know how with our Volunteers. For 38 years Peace Corps Volunteers in Mali have been welcomed by their Malian host-families and treated as they would a member of their own family. This is the best example of the fraternity that exists between the American and Malian people.
During the next two years these future Volunteers will have the opportunity to experience all aspects of what is a very rich and beautiful Malian culture. Here, in this country of ancient West African kingdoms and Empires lies a veritable kaleidoscope of diversity and cultures: united by the Malian values of teriya (friendship) and djatiguia (the ancient Malian tradition of hospitality, respect, and fair play), and co-existing in the amiable practice of sanankounya, or “joking cousins.” These qualities not only facilitate, but pretty much oblige the integration of our Volunteers into their Malian host families and communities, where hospitality has no limits. Our Volunteers respect Malian cultural norms, learn to speak the local language, and even adopt Malian names. Within this cultural context, these future Volunteers will be working in communities throughout the country.
To the trainees, I would like to be the first to congratulate you on having successfully completed your training program, and being selected to serve here in Mali. I am truly impressed by the manner in which you committed yourselves to learning as much as you could, during these past nine weeks. I am also encouraged by how much you have already given of yourselves, and how amazingly positive you have remained throughout a demanding training program. I must say, this bodes very well for the coming two years.
The sectors to which you are about to devote two years of your best efforts, are key to the hopes and dreams that so many Malians have for themselves, and their families. All of the Malians with whom you will soon be working, have not been as lucky as you in having access to reliable health care, clean drinking water, nutritious and abundant quantities of food, quality education, or opportunities that encourage entrepreneurialism and creativity. Even as you may find yourself slowly growing accustomed to this sad injustice during the next two years, I encourage you to act upon your passion for equality and social justice to do good work. Also, do not forget that each of you will serve as a model to be imitated in the communities where you will be living and working.
In addition to acquiring language and cross-cultural skills to facilitate their integration into their future Malian communities, we have also instilled in the trainees the ten core values that they are expected to uphold and respect during their service as Volunteers. These are listed on the cover of today’s program. One important aspect of these values is mutual respect and empathy for others, as well as being open to others. Not only will Volunteers be teaching others, they will be learning a great deal about life and themselves. While they may be living and working with people lacking the same level of formal education as them, these future Volunteers will soon find out that in doing their work here, they will greatly benefit from the knowledge and wisdom of Malians who have “graduated” from what the renowned Malian writer and ethnographer, Amadou Hampâté Bâ, called “the great university of the spoken word taught in the shade of baobab trees." By the time they finish their two years of service in Mali, our Volunteers may feel a bit of guilt that they have learned more than they taught. However, they will then realize, in the words of Mr. Bâ, that they have come to “know what they do not know, and only then, will they know.”
To the trainees, I will be honest in saying that Peace Corps service in Mali is not necessarily going to be easy. However, to help you get through those tough moments, remember to push your limits, but also be patient; keep an open mind but don’t lose sight of the values that brought you here; adapt to the local culture, but never forget who you are and where you come from; embrace the seriousness of your mission, but be ready to laugh when things get really tough. Help each other in your work and protect the good reputation of the Peace Corps in Mali. And if you become overwhelmed by the seeming impossibility of what you are trying to do - reach out for assistance. We all want you to succeed, and to do significant and sustainable work here. To this end, the quote of cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead is poignant:
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. - Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Trainees, I promise you will never forget your two years in Mali, and I promise as well that the Malians with whom you are going to be living and working, will never forget you.
To our entire staff, who have all assisted with some aspect of the training that has just been completed, I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done to help prepare our trainees for their service. You have worked long hours under difficult conditions to teach language, technical, and cultural adaptation skills to our trainees. Other staff have worked extensively and often, behind the scenes, to make sure the training was a success. From identifying Malian communities and host families suitable for training, to setting up the rooms where the trainees would be staying, and all the rest, they have done it all. To all of our staff, I would like to know that I am continually amazed by your deep sense of commitment to our mission, and the energy with which you so skillfully carry out the innumerable tasks that make up your work day. It is truly a pleasure and honor for me to work with you in helping us to achieve our common goals.
And to the officials representing the Malian government here today, I offer you these 64 future Volunteers who will serve for the coming two years to facilitate development in your country. Their work will be varied; including well construction, reforestation, food security, small business development, girls’ education, adult literacy, and infant and maternal nutrition.
I would like to thank Ambassador Milovanovic, for her endless support of our program as well as her deep appreciation of the work our Volunteers are doing here in Mali. We also appreciate the honor of having this ceremony in this lovely setting in front of this beautiful building that is the U.S. Embassy in Bamako. I would also like to thank all of our colleagues in the U.S. Mission here in Mali, who have always shown nothing short of enthusiastic support of our Volunteers and their work.
I join my Peace Corps colleagues in the excitement of seeing what you are going to achieve here in Mali – starting today. While your motivation and perseverance during training largely involved personal and individual efforts, and drew upon your personal strength, today they become a public promise. Thus, in a few minutes you will take the oath to become a Peace Corps Volunteer. You will promise before God, and these witnesses, that you will faithfully carry out your duty as a Peace Corps Volunteer. And what is that duty that you will be doing so faithfully? It is to fulfill the goals of the Peace Corps. That is your duty. You accept today to uphold an honorable tradition of volunteer service here in Mali.
In finishing, I would like to share with you a quote by President John F. Kennedy, during his inauguration speech in January 1961, during which he noted the numerous tasks that lie ahead of him and his administration. I think his words will ring true for our future Volunteers, as they think about the tasks ahead of them:
All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, not in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin,
Madame Ambassador, I invite you to swear-in these trainees, as new Peace Corps Volunteers in Mali."
"I am delighted to welcome all of you here today for this time honored tradition: the swearing-in of Peace Corps Volunteers in Mali. That is to say, the dream continues. The international events of the last few years have not diminished their enthusiasm to go towards people of other cultures, for the purpose of cultural understanding and to share their know how.
The idea of creating the Peace Corps was presented nearly 50 years ago in October 1960, when then Senator John F. Kennedy, who was the Democratic party candidate for the U.S. Presidency, spoke to students at the University of Michigan. He challenged the students to commit two years of their lives to help people in countries of the developing world. Since then, 49 years have passed and nearly 200,000 Americans have answered the call to service made by Kennedy. Volunteers have served in nearly 100 countries around the world. Today, there are 8,000 Volunteers serving in 70 countries around the world, including in 25 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
These future Volunteers seated before you today are a manifestation of the ideals that helped to create the Peace Corps in 1961, and show that these ideals are still very much alive in the hearts of Americans today. These Americans come with the desire to work toward the noble causes of peace and development, as well as for the ideal of mutual understanding across cultures.
This event cannot pass without acknowledging that tomorrow is the 8th Anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001 on the United States. Since the passing of the horrific events of that day, Americans have been awoken to the dangers of the larger world around them. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, Americans understand the need for improved understanding across cultures and have continued to respond to President Kennedy’s call to service in record numbers.
The U.S. Peace Corps is here in Mali at the invitation of the Malian Government. For 38 years the Malian government, along with the Malian people, has warmly welcomed our Volunteers. During that time, nearly 3,000 Americans have served in Mali, where today, there are 110 Volunteers serving in five of eight administrative Regions throughout the country. Today, 64 more Volunteers will join them in a few moments.
I would like to sincerely thank the Malian government, as well as the Malian communities where are Volunteers work, represented respectively by the Ministers and Mayors present here today, for their support of the activities done by the Peace Corps in Mali. Allow me, ladies and gentlemen, on this happy occasion, to celebrate this newest group of Peace Corps Volunteers, and to acknowledge the exemplary nature of the cooperation that exists between the Peace Corps and Mali. Even the Malian President Amadou Toumani Touré expressed his gratitude and respect for the work that our Volunteers have done over the years in Mali, during a visit that he made to Peace Corps headquarters in Washington several years ago. He noted that they, “…live in the same villages as the Malian people, sleep on the same mats, eat the same food, and even get bitten by the same mosquitoes.”
The tasks that lie ahead for these soon-to-be volunteers is great, but will be facilitated to a large extent by the Malians in the host-families, organizations, and communities with whom they will be living and working. The Malians with whom our Volunteers collaborate have always proven to be more than willing to share their culture, wisdom, and know how with our Volunteers. For 38 years Peace Corps Volunteers in Mali have been welcomed by their Malian host-families and treated as they would a member of their own family. This is the best example of the fraternity that exists between the American and Malian people.
During the next two years these future Volunteers will have the opportunity to experience all aspects of what is a very rich and beautiful Malian culture. Here, in this country of ancient West African kingdoms and Empires lies a veritable kaleidoscope of diversity and cultures: united by the Malian values of teriya (friendship) and djatiguia (the ancient Malian tradition of hospitality, respect, and fair play), and co-existing in the amiable practice of sanankounya, or “joking cousins.” These qualities not only facilitate, but pretty much oblige the integration of our Volunteers into their Malian host families and communities, where hospitality has no limits. Our Volunteers respect Malian cultural norms, learn to speak the local language, and even adopt Malian names. Within this cultural context, these future Volunteers will be working in communities throughout the country.
To the trainees, I would like to be the first to congratulate you on having successfully completed your training program, and being selected to serve here in Mali. I am truly impressed by the manner in which you committed yourselves to learning as much as you could, during these past nine weeks. I am also encouraged by how much you have already given of yourselves, and how amazingly positive you have remained throughout a demanding training program. I must say, this bodes very well for the coming two years.
The sectors to which you are about to devote two years of your best efforts, are key to the hopes and dreams that so many Malians have for themselves, and their families. All of the Malians with whom you will soon be working, have not been as lucky as you in having access to reliable health care, clean drinking water, nutritious and abundant quantities of food, quality education, or opportunities that encourage entrepreneurialism and creativity. Even as you may find yourself slowly growing accustomed to this sad injustice during the next two years, I encourage you to act upon your passion for equality and social justice to do good work. Also, do not forget that each of you will serve as a model to be imitated in the communities where you will be living and working.
In addition to acquiring language and cross-cultural skills to facilitate their integration into their future Malian communities, we have also instilled in the trainees the ten core values that they are expected to uphold and respect during their service as Volunteers. These are listed on the cover of today’s program. One important aspect of these values is mutual respect and empathy for others, as well as being open to others. Not only will Volunteers be teaching others, they will be learning a great deal about life and themselves. While they may be living and working with people lacking the same level of formal education as them, these future Volunteers will soon find out that in doing their work here, they will greatly benefit from the knowledge and wisdom of Malians who have “graduated” from what the renowned Malian writer and ethnographer, Amadou Hampâté Bâ, called “the great university of the spoken word taught in the shade of baobab trees." By the time they finish their two years of service in Mali, our Volunteers may feel a bit of guilt that they have learned more than they taught. However, they will then realize, in the words of Mr. Bâ, that they have come to “know what they do not know, and only then, will they know.”
To the trainees, I will be honest in saying that Peace Corps service in Mali is not necessarily going to be easy. However, to help you get through those tough moments, remember to push your limits, but also be patient; keep an open mind but don’t lose sight of the values that brought you here; adapt to the local culture, but never forget who you are and where you come from; embrace the seriousness of your mission, but be ready to laugh when things get really tough. Help each other in your work and protect the good reputation of the Peace Corps in Mali. And if you become overwhelmed by the seeming impossibility of what you are trying to do - reach out for assistance. We all want you to succeed, and to do significant and sustainable work here. To this end, the quote of cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead is poignant:
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. - Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Trainees, I promise you will never forget your two years in Mali, and I promise as well that the Malians with whom you are going to be living and working, will never forget you.
To our entire staff, who have all assisted with some aspect of the training that has just been completed, I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done to help prepare our trainees for their service. You have worked long hours under difficult conditions to teach language, technical, and cultural adaptation skills to our trainees. Other staff have worked extensively and often, behind the scenes, to make sure the training was a success. From identifying Malian communities and host families suitable for training, to setting up the rooms where the trainees would be staying, and all the rest, they have done it all. To all of our staff, I would like to know that I am continually amazed by your deep sense of commitment to our mission, and the energy with which you so skillfully carry out the innumerable tasks that make up your work day. It is truly a pleasure and honor for me to work with you in helping us to achieve our common goals.
And to the officials representing the Malian government here today, I offer you these 64 future Volunteers who will serve for the coming two years to facilitate development in your country. Their work will be varied; including well construction, reforestation, food security, small business development, girls’ education, adult literacy, and infant and maternal nutrition.
I would like to thank Ambassador Milovanovic, for her endless support of our program as well as her deep appreciation of the work our Volunteers are doing here in Mali. We also appreciate the honor of having this ceremony in this lovely setting in front of this beautiful building that is the U.S. Embassy in Bamako. I would also like to thank all of our colleagues in the U.S. Mission here in Mali, who have always shown nothing short of enthusiastic support of our Volunteers and their work.
I join my Peace Corps colleagues in the excitement of seeing what you are going to achieve here in Mali – starting today. While your motivation and perseverance during training largely involved personal and individual efforts, and drew upon your personal strength, today they become a public promise. Thus, in a few minutes you will take the oath to become a Peace Corps Volunteer. You will promise before God, and these witnesses, that you will faithfully carry out your duty as a Peace Corps Volunteer. And what is that duty that you will be doing so faithfully? It is to fulfill the goals of the Peace Corps. That is your duty. You accept today to uphold an honorable tradition of volunteer service here in Mali.
In finishing, I would like to share with you a quote by President John F. Kennedy, during his inauguration speech in January 1961, during which he noted the numerous tasks that lie ahead of him and his administration. I think his words will ring true for our future Volunteers, as they think about the tasks ahead of them:
All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, not in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin,
Madame Ambassador, I invite you to swear-in these trainees, as new Peace Corps Volunteers in Mali."
Swear in
Hi all,
Big news: I am officially a Peace Corps Volunteer! We were sworn in on the morning of July 10 at the American Embassy. Most everything that was said was spoken in French, but a copy of the country director’s speech, in English, is below for you to read. Everyone was dressed in Malian attire for the ceremony. I got a lot of good picture, which I will try to load on here, but other people also got some really good ones that are surfacing on Facebook and other blogs. A lot of other volunteers are blogging, and many of them are very good, so if you are interested they are worth checking out.
The rest of swear in day was spent at the American club, eating good food and playing in and by the pool. Look Ma, no sunburns! In the evening, we were shuttled to the hotel we stayed at and got ready for the night out. I had a very nice dinner of pizza and champagne with some friends (my first pizza in Mali. They do get a few foods right.) and then we went out to a place called thee Pirate’s Club across the street. There was music and lots of dancing, everyone had a really good time. At around midnight, most of us jumped into another shuttle and were taken to another club called the No Stress. Both places were very fun and really quite similar to a bar or night club you would find in the states. They even played the same music. We were finally taken back to our hotel around 3:30am, where some people continued on to the pool.
Needless to say the next morning, we were all a little slow. But we didn’t have much planned for us back at Tubani So and were able to relax a little. And pack! Friday night, we had a dinner with family members from our host families where the families were congratulated on keeping us safe and sane and encouraged to host future volunteers. The representative of the host families said a few words, congratulating us on our progress and wishing us luck in the next few years. They said that they looked forward to our visits and would want to know when our service was up because they would want to know what we had done and how we were doing and what we thought of Mali. The families all received a certificate which they displayed proudly. In Mali, a certificate for ANYTHING is treasured and usually displayed the way we might display a diploma or degree from school.
Yesterday, we got on a bus and began the long trek to San. We had already loaded all of our big bulk luggage onto a luggage truck that would follow us, stopping at each bureau or stage house to drop off our things, so we only had to load minimal luggage onto the bus. Which was good because we also loaded live stalk on. Two different families gave their volunteers a goat and a sheep, both of which traveled the long journey to Mopti under our bus. We checked on them every time we stopped and could usually hear them making noise while we were driving. The drive itself actually went smoothly for the most part, unlike last time. We stopped in Segou to drop off some other volunteers and then to get lunch before getting back on the road. It rained while we were driving and that is how we discovered that the us leaked. But still, we were almost to San and could get to a shower soon, so we weren’t too fazed by it. When we did finally get to San though, we realized that the luggage truck was not behind us anymore. In fact the truck had gone about 100k in the wrong direction and headed towards another stage house. We waited for them to catch up, finally unloaded our things and watched them continue on the way up to Mopti with the last 18 volunteers.
Today we are going shopping for the things we will need in our homes. The current volunteers will take us to find the things we need, the things they said they definitely needed, around town. The lists include things like a bed and mattress, a stove, tables and chairs, pots, pans, utensils, etc. While we are shopping, we will also explore San and locate other important things like the internet café and places to get good food while we are in town. I am set to install in my village tomorrow afternoon. Peace Corps sends out one of the staff members, an APCD , to come help us move in to our house, help us make sure we are settled and such. (I actually can’t remember the actually meaning behind each letter here, but each sector has an APCD who is in charge of the learning and progress of the volunteers. The APCD that is helping our region is the SED APCD, but will also be in charge of helping our region when we need it.) They will be traveling by PC transport, which means that we will just load that vehicle with our stuff and be driven out to our site.
In the next week or so, I will be getting settled, meeting more people and doing some work at my CSCOM. I plan to meet one of my friends at the market between our towns on Thursday and then next week is the end of Ramadan and Tuesday is Malian independence day. The next few weeks should go by quickly.
Big news: I am officially a Peace Corps Volunteer! We were sworn in on the morning of July 10 at the American Embassy. Most everything that was said was spoken in French, but a copy of the country director’s speech, in English, is below for you to read. Everyone was dressed in Malian attire for the ceremony. I got a lot of good picture, which I will try to load on here, but other people also got some really good ones that are surfacing on Facebook and other blogs. A lot of other volunteers are blogging, and many of them are very good, so if you are interested they are worth checking out.
The rest of swear in day was spent at the American club, eating good food and playing in and by the pool. Look Ma, no sunburns! In the evening, we were shuttled to the hotel we stayed at and got ready for the night out. I had a very nice dinner of pizza and champagne with some friends (my first pizza in Mali. They do get a few foods right.) and then we went out to a place called thee Pirate’s Club across the street. There was music and lots of dancing, everyone had a really good time. At around midnight, most of us jumped into another shuttle and were taken to another club called the No Stress. Both places were very fun and really quite similar to a bar or night club you would find in the states. They even played the same music. We were finally taken back to our hotel around 3:30am, where some people continued on to the pool.
Needless to say the next morning, we were all a little slow. But we didn’t have much planned for us back at Tubani So and were able to relax a little. And pack! Friday night, we had a dinner with family members from our host families where the families were congratulated on keeping us safe and sane and encouraged to host future volunteers. The representative of the host families said a few words, congratulating us on our progress and wishing us luck in the next few years. They said that they looked forward to our visits and would want to know when our service was up because they would want to know what we had done and how we were doing and what we thought of Mali. The families all received a certificate which they displayed proudly. In Mali, a certificate for ANYTHING is treasured and usually displayed the way we might display a diploma or degree from school.
Yesterday, we got on a bus and began the long trek to San. We had already loaded all of our big bulk luggage onto a luggage truck that would follow us, stopping at each bureau or stage house to drop off our things, so we only had to load minimal luggage onto the bus. Which was good because we also loaded live stalk on. Two different families gave their volunteers a goat and a sheep, both of which traveled the long journey to Mopti under our bus. We checked on them every time we stopped and could usually hear them making noise while we were driving. The drive itself actually went smoothly for the most part, unlike last time. We stopped in Segou to drop off some other volunteers and then to get lunch before getting back on the road. It rained while we were driving and that is how we discovered that the us leaked. But still, we were almost to San and could get to a shower soon, so we weren’t too fazed by it. When we did finally get to San though, we realized that the luggage truck was not behind us anymore. In fact the truck had gone about 100k in the wrong direction and headed towards another stage house. We waited for them to catch up, finally unloaded our things and watched them continue on the way up to Mopti with the last 18 volunteers.
Today we are going shopping for the things we will need in our homes. The current volunteers will take us to find the things we need, the things they said they definitely needed, around town. The lists include things like a bed and mattress, a stove, tables and chairs, pots, pans, utensils, etc. While we are shopping, we will also explore San and locate other important things like the internet café and places to get good food while we are in town. I am set to install in my village tomorrow afternoon. Peace Corps sends out one of the staff members, an APCD , to come help us move in to our house, help us make sure we are settled and such. (I actually can’t remember the actually meaning behind each letter here, but each sector has an APCD who is in charge of the learning and progress of the volunteers. The APCD that is helping our region is the SED APCD, but will also be in charge of helping our region when we need it.) They will be traveling by PC transport, which means that we will just load that vehicle with our stuff and be driven out to our site.
In the next week or so, I will be getting settled, meeting more people and doing some work at my CSCOM. I plan to meet one of my friends at the market between our towns on Thursday and then next week is the end of Ramadan and Tuesday is Malian independence day. The next few weeks should go by quickly.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Almost there!
I have officially passed all of my tests, including my language test, and will be sworn in tomorrow morning at the American Embassy! Volunteer status, here I come!!
In other news, I am gaining a reputation. For falling. A lot. Two Mondays ago, on my morning run, I took a spill into some very rocky ground. Luckily, I don't think anyone saw me, but my family was very concerned when I showed up back at our house with blood on my hands and knee.
As those wounds were finally healing, I did it again. This time, it was lat Sunday morning. I was running on a usual route that was a bit muddy. While I was trying to navigate the muddier areas, my foot slipped out from under me and I fell into the squishy mud right on my bum. I had mud all over my shoes, and pretty much from the middle of my back down to my knees. I called it quits and walked back home. The whole walk, Malians, children and adults, were giving me funny looks. They are famous for pointing out the obvious, so of course they kept telling me that I was dirty, that I had mud on me, that I should go home and wash.
The icing on the cake was yesterday when we went to visit a malnutrition center in Bamako. We were in a large van and I was one of the last people to unload since I was sitting in the back. As I try to step out, my foot misses not only the first step, but then the second and I went flying out of the vehicle. In front of not only my whole group, but all of the Malians who were at this center, which is, come to find out, a small part of a HUGE hospital. I got to have my first ER experience, cleaning out my wounds in a sink (with no soap!!) in the consultation office. The trip (no pun intended) ended with me smacking my head on the way back into the van.
Needless to say, I am trying to be more careful.
In other news, I am gaining a reputation. For falling. A lot. Two Mondays ago, on my morning run, I took a spill into some very rocky ground. Luckily, I don't think anyone saw me, but my family was very concerned when I showed up back at our house with blood on my hands and knee.
As those wounds were finally healing, I did it again. This time, it was lat Sunday morning. I was running on a usual route that was a bit muddy. While I was trying to navigate the muddier areas, my foot slipped out from under me and I fell into the squishy mud right on my bum. I had mud all over my shoes, and pretty much from the middle of my back down to my knees. I called it quits and walked back home. The whole walk, Malians, children and adults, were giving me funny looks. They are famous for pointing out the obvious, so of course they kept telling me that I was dirty, that I had mud on me, that I should go home and wash.
The icing on the cake was yesterday when we went to visit a malnutrition center in Bamako. We were in a large van and I was one of the last people to unload since I was sitting in the back. As I try to step out, my foot misses not only the first step, but then the second and I went flying out of the vehicle. In front of not only my whole group, but all of the Malians who were at this center, which is, come to find out, a small part of a HUGE hospital. I got to have my first ER experience, cleaning out my wounds in a sink (with no soap!!) in the consultation office. The trip (no pun intended) ended with me smacking my head on the way back into the van.
Needless to say, I am trying to be more careful.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Homestay a bana!
Hi all!
Again, I am back at Tubani So. Homestay is over (a bana in Bambara) and while I am sad to leave my family, I couldn't be happier to be done with it. I am not only happy to be leaving the village I was in, but very happy to be getting ready to swear in and go to my site! Later today I will take my CORE test, which covers the sessions we had on safety and security, administrative issues, personal health and sector specific topics. Tomorrow I will have my final language test. I am a little bit nervous for that but I feel pretty prepared.
This last week, in our homestay village, we had a baby weighing session where we weighed a total of 135 babies. A lot of them were underweight and even severely malnourished. I was actually surprised at how many babies fell into the severely malnourished category. The next day, we made ameliorated porridge for those babies who were in the yellow (malnourished) and red (severely malnourished) categories. We had a HUGE pot full of porridge and ran out! We got to try some of the porridge, and it was really pretty good.
Later in the week we built a soak pit which is a catch all for run off from things like wash areas and negens. We made our soak pit at the CSCOM in our village. First we built a wash area, a concrete slab with a surrounding wall for the women to wash clothing at. Then we built a sump and laid the pipe for the run off, which went to the soak pit. Finally, we constructed the soak pit, a giant hole filled with giant rocks that will help the water and run off to seep into the ground AWAY from any drinking water sources.
Last Sunday, we went to the National Museum in Bamako. It was very interesting, seeing the artifacts that have been found in Mali. Or at least I think that is what I was seeing. I think you learn something new every day and that day I learned that I like museums better when I can understand what I am looking at. All of the labels and information about each exhibit were in French. Later we went to a restaurant called Broadway Cafe that served American-type food. Lots of good breakfast food, hamburgers, ice cream, milk shakes, pizza... I am sure I gained a good 10 pounds eating there. It was so good that we (I went with a group of about 5 people) had breakfast and coffee (the first mocha I have had in two months!) and then stayed for lunch. For breakfast, I had banana pancakes, which were AMAZING and then for lunch a turkey sandwich, which was so-so. The highlight though was that I split desert with my friend Brad. He ordered us a banana split and I ordered us a mint chocolate chip milk shake and we finished them both, every last bit.
I have still been running, but I have taken a couple of days off and gone bike riding instead. Te road is REALLY bumpy, but the scenery is great. The other day during my run, I took a spill onto the rocky ground. After I finished falling and skidding along the round, I got up and luckily no one was around. Or maybe they had all ducked behind the bushes so as to help me avoid the embarrassment. I have a couple of sweet bruises and scratches, but other than that, no biggie.
Time for a test! Wish me luck!
Hugs, Kisses and Loves,
Holly
Again, I am back at Tubani So. Homestay is over (a bana in Bambara) and while I am sad to leave my family, I couldn't be happier to be done with it. I am not only happy to be leaving the village I was in, but very happy to be getting ready to swear in and go to my site! Later today I will take my CORE test, which covers the sessions we had on safety and security, administrative issues, personal health and sector specific topics. Tomorrow I will have my final language test. I am a little bit nervous for that but I feel pretty prepared.
This last week, in our homestay village, we had a baby weighing session where we weighed a total of 135 babies. A lot of them were underweight and even severely malnourished. I was actually surprised at how many babies fell into the severely malnourished category. The next day, we made ameliorated porridge for those babies who were in the yellow (malnourished) and red (severely malnourished) categories. We had a HUGE pot full of porridge and ran out! We got to try some of the porridge, and it was really pretty good.
Later in the week we built a soak pit which is a catch all for run off from things like wash areas and negens. We made our soak pit at the CSCOM in our village. First we built a wash area, a concrete slab with a surrounding wall for the women to wash clothing at. Then we built a sump and laid the pipe for the run off, which went to the soak pit. Finally, we constructed the soak pit, a giant hole filled with giant rocks that will help the water and run off to seep into the ground AWAY from any drinking water sources.
Last Sunday, we went to the National Museum in Bamako. It was very interesting, seeing the artifacts that have been found in Mali. Or at least I think that is what I was seeing. I think you learn something new every day and that day I learned that I like museums better when I can understand what I am looking at. All of the labels and information about each exhibit were in French. Later we went to a restaurant called Broadway Cafe that served American-type food. Lots of good breakfast food, hamburgers, ice cream, milk shakes, pizza... I am sure I gained a good 10 pounds eating there. It was so good that we (I went with a group of about 5 people) had breakfast and coffee (the first mocha I have had in two months!) and then stayed for lunch. For breakfast, I had banana pancakes, which were AMAZING and then for lunch a turkey sandwich, which was so-so. The highlight though was that I split desert with my friend Brad. He ordered us a banana split and I ordered us a mint chocolate chip milk shake and we finished them both, every last bit.
I have still been running, but I have taken a couple of days off and gone bike riding instead. Te road is REALLY bumpy, but the scenery is great. The other day during my run, I took a spill onto the rocky ground. After I finished falling and skidding along the round, I got up and luckily no one was around. Or maybe they had all ducked behind the bushes so as to help me avoid the embarrassment. I have a couple of sweet bruises and scratches, but other than that, no biggie.
Time for a test! Wish me luck!
Hugs, Kisses and Loves,
Holly
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