Caprivi

Thursday morning Vincent and I wroke up at 5:30 and were out of Otjiwarongo by 6am. We were headed to Katime for the EduSector Health Day, the whole region closes schools and teachers and family all gather for health related matters. To my surprise his sister, much younger sister, was also catching a lift to Katima. She was accompanied by her baby son, who was so cute. We didn’t stop for food or the bathroom and made it in just over 8 hours. The little boy was very well behaved and thought I was the funniest thing in the world to look at, whenever I would turn around for a quick second he would laugh and giggle. When I got to the hotel around 2:30pm it was madness. There is a woman named Stephanie, who I met at the conference in Swakopmund and she was trying to get the ball rolling. The group had just finished a long important meeting about what needed to be done today to ensure that the event is a success, they were supposed to eat lunch and get going. Well, being African, most of the group began lingering around and it was ticking off Stephanie, as well as me. Stephanie is white but a born Namibian and people really need to respect her more, nobody was listening and all just sitting around chatting. There were some issues with the cars and how to get rides to where and when (most of the larger cars, the 4x4s and trucks were out in the bush of the region picking up rural teachers and bringing them into town so that they would be here for tomorrow). Steph was trying to explain what was the ride arrangement and this group of African women, who I was supposed to be working with, were completely disregarding her. It was making me furious, but being that I missed the meetings and was not sure what my tasks were for the afternoon I kind of had to stick with them. Of course as soon as we hopped in a car and left we got stranded somewhere because somebody else and already claimed the right to that car. It was a huge mess, and of course, Steph had to come pick us. From that point on I tried to stick with Steph being that she’s pretty much the only one in the group that has my full respect. We went to the Caprivi College of Education where the event it being held tomorrow and people, mainly students, were busy setting up tables and chairs. Steph new I was more competent than that, but that’s what needed to be done so she asked me to help. I agreed, yet after my first trip all the other girls helping quit and stood around chatting, it was very frustrating but I kept at it knowing that it had to be done (and not wanting to look like ‘the lazy American’). After a few rounds Steph told me to come with her, and after we got a few meters away she told me that there was no way she was going to make me help carry chairs while everybody else just stood around. I appreciated that, and asked what else I could do. She took me into an office where 3 women were printing and folding pamphlets for tomorrow’s event. (Obviously something that could have been last week)… but they too needed help, so I agreed. This girl ‘demonstrated’ how to do a 3-fold pamphlet, which too ticked me off, as if I don’t know how to fold paper… please people. I was nice and took it in stride, smiled and said ‘okay.’ A few moments later another women goes “can you make sure they overlap like ‘this’?” That almost put me over the edge. Here this group is procrastinating like the dickens and then trying to correct me. (Especially when you look at what she was doing: She was supposed to be cutting these printed sheets hamburger style and them folding each in half. She was folding each individual sheet of paper in half both ways (hamburger and then hotdog) then unfolding it and cutting along the hamburger crease and re-folding the other crease. She was doing this for each individual sheet of paper (dozens and dozens of times). Wouldn’t the sensible thing to do be to cut one piece of paper in half the hamburger way and then use that single half as a guide to cut all the others? And then fold them in half?) So anyways, I felt like an extremely patient person looking past all these low expectations of me and attempting to do it happily. It also helped that Steph was more that willing to acknowledge my competency when so many others were being so inefficient. At 5 people started quitting and walking off the site even though so much was no complete. I asked Steph what I could do to help and she told me to come back to the hotel. She said I’ve been more than helpful and after the long drive deserved to relax.
The next day was like a mad rush. We woke up somewhat early grabbed a very quick breakfast and headed to the college. The participants were meeting at the open market and then having a parade to the College. The band of people were led my the Caprivi army marching together, including their band. There were many speakers including Liman, our Chief-of-Party, the mayor of Katima, the governor of Caprivi and others, like the Deputy Minister of Education, and possibly Health, I cannot remember. Over 2000 people participated which was nice. Unfortunately only a fraction of those got HIV/AIDS tested which I thought was a slight let down considering that Caprivi has a 43% infection rate. But most got blood pressure checked, as well as glucose levels. Northern Namibia has a high incidence of diabetes and blood pressure because of their high meat, high salt diets. Additionally, individuals also recieved information on STIs, TB and could get tested for Malaria if they thought they needed.

Today the AED staff recieved the following e-mail from Liman, Chief of Party:
"We have done it once again. The NEPP team led by Steph was able to support HAMU and the regional education team of Caprivi to host the first every ESHD in Katima Mulilo. Well over 2000 teachers participated at the event and accessed various medical test including VCT, blood sugar, blood pressure, malaria etc. Logistics was a nightmare with that umber for one day and we owe it to Ephraim, Alfons, Dennis, Joors, who ensured that teachers from all over the Caprivi, in particular the swamp and islands were picked up and delivered on time, despite dangers to themselves from crossing rivers and mud flood plains. Theolida was wonderful wit ensuring proper food distribution and Rebekah helped chronicle the events as they unfolded and was there to support exhibitors with their displaysI have been to all four events and I must say this one was really the most successful in particular considering the logistical challenges that we faced due to flooding in the Caprivi. The Minister of Health and Social Services who graced the occasion was full of praise for USAID support and in particular AED leadership in initiating this great event which according to him is an innovation that he will make sure his Ministry learns from and emulates this approach. We await the final tally regarding how many teachers accessed what medical test, but even without that I can assure you all that it was a massive success by any measure. Partner collaboration and participation was as usual great. SMA, Know your medicine, Project Hope, Red Cross, VSO were all there and so was the Ministry of Health both regional and local staff.Congratulations to the team for making us proud once again. Liman, Audu Muhammed"

Overall my short time in Katima was the best time I have had to far, I finally felt more productive and it was nice to interact with locals in a constructive setting.

Tomorrow I leave for Ongwediva for yet another Stakeholders conference. I believe I am coming back Wed, so hopefully Thursday I will be back in the office and connected to the internet.