Activity Update

So, what's been going on, you ask?


Well...let's see.


Work at the clinic is as usual--I still give talks to antenatal mothers about breast-feeding, stages of labor, nutrition, family planning, etc. I've slowed up a bit with my HIV talks. Last week, I learned that a girl who came to see the dentist heard my talk 3 times! Starting next week, I'll be doing interviews at children's clinic. I'll talk to mothers individually about their child's growth and development. I think this will be good because I'll feel more productive and I can think I'll be able to get important information across in this manner.


Besides the clinic I've been working with a Crisis Corps Volunteer named Bakary. Crisis Corps is a program that Returned Peace Corps Volunteers can do in a shorter amount of time (6 months). Bakary and I are identifying groups in which we can play the Guyanese radio serial drama, Merundoi, that promotes behavior change in order to reduce the transmission of HIV. We've already met with two women's groups (both in the village of Zeelugt) who are interested. We'll play an episode of Merundoi and then discuss it. I will help facilitate the discussion.

Just for your information the behavior change objectives of Merundoi include:

1. abstinence
2. faithfulness
3. condom use
4. reduction/prevention of alcohol
5. access to services
6. parent-child communication
7. stigma & discrimination


I had my first LDG today. I played the very first episode of the drama, which deals with parent-child communication. It went fairly well. There are definitely 3 strong personalities within the group, which helped get the conversation going. Plus, they encourage the quieter members to participate. One of them assured me that as the sessions go on the quieter ones will speak up. I hope she's right. After the discussion we did role plays in which I gave small groups a scnario to act out to help them practice what they learned. For example,
"Your daughter did well on her CXCs and got into Queens College (a prestigious secondary school) in Georgetown. She will now have to travel everyday from your home village to Town. You're excited about her furthering her education, but you're also worried about her exposure to men, sex, alcohol, etc. How do you communicate to your daughter about your concerns?"

Tomorrow I'll be doing the same session with another group. Also, tomorrow, I start teaching at Universal Academy. I'll be doing it every Friday. Eventually, I want to do the Merundoi sessions with this class too. I also want to enlist a permanent teacher from the school to assist me so that when I leave he/she will be able to carry on.