True or False: If you have period pain, you should have sex with a man and it will go away?
True or False: If you have your period, you should not walk over a garden or it will ruin the crops?
Sitting in the dilapidated church, a poster of Jesus Christ sits next to a flip chart that lists “Changes of boys during puberty”. The Village Health Team (VHT’s), a dedicated group of volunteers who are committed to improve the health of their communities, are adding to the list…..
– voice deepens
– pimples
– hair under arms, genitals and chest
– wet dreams begin…..
Both men and women in the group raising their hands enthusiastically to add to the list before we move on to ‘changes in girls’. The VHT’s are a part of Plan’s menstrual hygiene program. They will learn the basics to pass on to their communities during village meetings, creative drama’s and song. Educating, breaking the silence and dispelling the myths around menstruation that lead to girls dropping out of school and entering into early marriage.
Our white 4WD negotiates the pot holes along the unpaved roads toward our next village where a previously trained Village Health Team greets us with beautiful harmonies and dance. ‘Yiy Yiy Yiy Yiy Yiy Yiy”, the familiar celebratory welcome rings out, and my colleague, Sharon from Plan Netherlands and I join in the dance to the delight of the groups. Hips shaking, hands in the air…..
We settle amongst a couple of hundred men, women and children that have gathered – responding to the call of a drum….and the drama begins.
The talented Health Team bring humour, life and important messa
ges that are usually taboo, and the community is drawn in. The re-usable ‘AFRIpad” – that we partner with as a part of our program, is intertwined in the story. Having visited the AFRIpads factory earlier that week and seen the production line and women who are now empowered with jobs and status in the community, I feel all warm and fuzzy to see the partnership messages in practice.
It is wonderful to see the program in action, and that the sometimes tedious administration behind a computer screen in Australia is making a difference on the ground. The previous day we visited some families in which the “Community Led Total Sanitation” program had been implemented.
It was hard to hold back tears back when meeting ‘Regina” and her family. Regina is a 14 year old whose mother left years ago and her father had died of AIDS, leaving her to care for her four younger siblings – 3 boys and a girl. The young family stood there shyly, barefoot and ragged clothing, as we asked them some questions. The community helped Regina build her latrine and pitched in to help as necessary to ensure all the children went to school. Regina’s favourite subjects were maths and science and she was adamant to stay as one family in their house rather than moving into the care of others. A strong young lady.
Then we visited a disabled man and his family. Samuel had one leg and moved with a sturdy stick as a crutch. Looking at him you would never have believed his story. A leader in his community, Samuel not only built his own latrine, wash room and even a smaller latrine for his children next to the house, as a part of community efforts to stop open defecation, but he was the main builder of all the thatched roofs in his community and beyond. As for how he scaled the mud brick houses to work on the roofs with one leg, I do not know.
Usually child headed households and disabled people are the most vulnerable within communities and left behind. So speaking to Regina and Samuel was a promising indicator that “CLTS” was a success here. This was backed up by the health department reporting decreased disease…and certainly a proud population.
After a few more days of intensive program planning and review workshops, back in my cousin, Kevin’s, guest house in Entebbe, I am also proud. Proud that I am a part of an organisation that is doing such good work……..
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