My Counterpart and I don't typically spend a lot of time in the Aid Post, but this week, we were busier than usual; Dorah had asked me to help her with a couple of tasks. I was really glad when she asked for my assistance, because it's usually me finding work for the two of … Continue reading Foto Friday: “Community Profiling”
World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is celebrated on March 24 every year in communities around the world. This week, Emae celebrated World TB Day by partnering with Shefa Provincial Health and local health workers to host a week-long awareness/ workshop about TB for communities in Emae and surrounding islands in the Sheperds Island Group. As community … Continue reading Foto Friday: “World Tuberculosis Day”
I've been running the Marae Kid's Exercise Club for well over a year now, and am always trying to find new ways to entertain the kids. Doing the same old exercises every time can get boring, so sometimes I give the kids free reign to choose how they want to spend our time together. This … Continue reading Foto Friday: “Kids Gone Wild”
My community has been trying to get solar light for years, to no avail. It's not that we don't have light here. It's that many families don't have enough light, while others have none. They may have a solar torch, or a couple flashlights, but most struggle to adequately light their homes. Most community buildings … Continue reading Let There Be Light! Bringing light to rural communities across Vanuatu
Do you know what a tippy tap is? I sure didn't before coming to Vanuatu as a Community Health Volunteer. Basically, a tippy tap is a device which allows you to wash your hands, hands free. It's especially useful in rural areas, and/or areas without running water. Tippy taps are a great addition to any … Continue reading Foto Friday: “Tippy Tap”
Empowering youth is an important part of our work as Peace Corps Volunteers. One way we can empower the youth in our communities, especially as Health Volunteers, is by educating girls and boys on their sexual and reproductive health. Last December, my Counterpart, Dorah, and I attended Camp GLOW/BILD (Girls Leading Our World/ Boys in … Continue reading “Ol Pat Blong Bodi” – Sexual & Reproductive health in Vanuatu
Vanuatu has a big problem with waste. The waste keeps piling up while space to put the waste is dwindling. For instance, things like plastic are typically burned (leading to pollution and health hazards), buried, or thrown haphazardly into the ocean or bush. Things like tin, which can't be burned, are buried or, again, thrown … Continue reading An island full of plastic in a world full of trash
My Counterpart, Dorah, and I often work in the village Aid Post. Some of our work includes doing simple health checkups, like BMI and blood pressure testing. Here, Dorah is testing her mama, Leitari, for high blood pressure, which is a common NCD in Vanuatu. On the wall behind, you'll notice posters for malaria medicine, … Continue reading Foto Friday: “Do I Have High Blood?”
My Counterpart, Dorah, and I have been teaching the women in our village how to bake cake using a bush oven. Some Mama's know how to bake, others don't, but in our baking classes, we introduce new recipes that many have never tasted before. The women who have never baked before now know how to … Continue reading Foto Friday: “Baking with the Mamas”
In April, I applied for a grant with the International Women's Group, asking for sewing machines and sewing supplies for the Women's Group in Marae. We got the sewing machines in early May and the Mamas have been using the machines to sew, earning money for their Group, and for their families, while also passing … Continue reading Foto Friday: “Sewing with the Mamas”
Peace Corps In Paradise 