In a village where it is rare to see a
car a day, and when that car is likely to be a beaten up old taxi held together
with duck-tape, it is known that a 9 car convoy of white UN landcruiser
vehicles will cause a stir.
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Causing a stir in the community. All in a day's work. |
The UN Country Team was in the northern
region for a visit, and I was able to join on behalf of Health. We were to visit
key sites of the different organisations, to observe what each one is doing,
and see if everyone can join together and work as ‘one big family’. Many a
corny reference to the UN being a family was made... I couldn’t tell you who most
of my family members were! But it was a great experience.
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Opening the water flow. The lady in orange is in charge of the water flow, and charges each barrel 5 peswars (about 3 cents) to be filled. She only had 1 tap open of the 6. We asked that they are all used. We were prepping the site before the convoy arrived |
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Preparing the Health Facility before the 'Family' arrived. They were sticking the table together with sticky tape. The volunteers and mothers waited patiently for a few hours. |
We visited Tampion in the Northern
Region to look at our organisation’s work. We met the chief of the village
which is an experience in itself. Talking through interpreters, most of the
community came to listen in to what was going on. The media brought some
awesome old school cameras and put them right in the chief’s face and other
representatives. They were late but made a good deal of noise as they arrived
when we were deep in discussions!
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The chief and his men |
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The media getting right among it. Loved their camera! |
The water supply had been improved in
the area, and Guinea Worm eradicated because the drinking water was now safe,
it was previously a large problem here. The initial intervention was supplying
the school with clean water, however the community were now crowding the water
tanks, as the water supply is not adequate enough for the whole community.
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Collecting water for home use. Complete with child on your back. Done with such skill and ease it looks easy. I couldn't pick up that bucket I don't think, let alone lift it to my head. |
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The handwashing facilities that we donated to the school. The water gets pretty hot out in the sun all day, but it has improved hygiene significantly. |
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Clean drinking water for the kids now in place at the school. Cross contamination isn't heard of here, but it was great to watch so many kids come out and enjoy a drink. |
Previously to our interventions, no
houses in the community had latrines, open defecation was practiced, however
now all houses had a toilet, and some communities in the district are declared
ODF “open defecation free”. Inspecting the facilities at the schools brought
this into perspective; urinals for both boys and girls, and a hole in the
ground for other business. However it’s a vast improvement on nothing.
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The Tuck Shop at school |
There is a small health facility in
Tampion, with two nurses and bad road access. The small building was inspected,
while meeting the community volunteers that the health service relies upon to
treat all children under 5 for malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia. There is also
a malnutrition clinic here, with three new cases as we arrived. I spoke with
one woman who asked what we are going to do about ensuring families have enough
food. Simply treating malnutrition with food at the clinic is not going to stop
the problem of inadequate supplies. Fortunately I have heard of some
interesting schemes and programs aimed at addressing this. I hope it reaches
this community.
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Inside the health clinic |
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The mothers of the malnourished (current and cured) children, and the community volunteers on the right with their donated boxes of medication/treatment. |
A quick in and out visit, but we were
sure to leave our mark behind as we kicked up the dust all the way back to
Tamale. The team visited the Upper East Region, complete with police escorts in
the high (well, it’s all relative) risk areas, and I met up again with them in
the Upper West.
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