*Disclaimer: Yes, I know that I said I would do my best to write all my blogs with a somewhat positive spin, but I'll forewarn you, it'll be tough to do with this topic. Malaria is a really serious problem here and I can only begin to shed some light on the havoc it can cause to a Guinean family. So please, bear with me and I promise my next post will be all flowers, rainbows, and highlights of how I singlehandedly saved a baby from a burning building using only a tooth brush and a can of peanut butter. Maybe.
QUICK STATS:
--In 2010, an estimated 655,000 people worldwide died from the disease (most of whome were children under the age of 5)
--90% of these deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa
--100% of Guinea's population lives in a "high transmission area" meaning high risk, always.
These along with many other statistics and information sheets have taught me what kind of impact this disease has on not only Guinea, not just the region, but the continent of Africa. But, no session can compare to seeing the effects up close. The first time I really felt afraid of malaria was when a fellow volunteer called me to say that a little girl from her host family died during the night. The story is short and sad. She was running around playing and laughing in the evening, but then came down with a fever. She passed away as her family drove her to the hospital.
 |
| Teaching students about net maintenance |
Sadly, this storyline is not at all uncommon. I've seen it play out twice before myself. I lost an 8th grade student of mine unexpectedly. I asked around to the causes and my students cited a pretty similar progression of events that my friend had described. The second time was unfortunately much closer to me. One of my best friends at site, a ninth grade student named Lamine, came over to my porch like he normally does on a boring afternoon and sat down. I could tell something was off and then he told me that his little brother died. Same story, word for word. It was in that moment of shock that I truly felt how helpless the general Guinean population is against malaria. I didn't know what to do. Do I hug him? Do I talk to him? Do I ask about his brother? How do I even begin to console someone who's just lost his little brother in the most unexpected manner? I did what I could, I oiled his bike chain, gave him some water with propel powder in it, and let him sit at my house until he was ready to leave.
Yes, it's sad. It's horrible, terrible, awful and unjust. How can a disease that is mostly shrugged off by those in developed countries be so rampant here? In addition to all of those feelings and questions I felt something start. I knew I had to spend whatever extra time/energy that I have during my service to aid in the fight against this entirely curable disease.
This past month or so has been filled with malaria activities, plans, meetings and events. To start the month off, I channeled some of my former director's talent to write an educational theater sketch about malaria. Theater is a really great way to reach a lot of people in the community, but next I gotta translate it into the local languages! During the second week of April I had the pleasure to host three of my good friends here in my humble abode in Wonkifong. My friends, being much more "Livestrong" than I am, rode their bikes 250 km to see me. Along the way, they stopped in some smaller villages to give sensibilizations to community members. I got to join in for the last two villages closest to my house.
 |
| Malaria dance class! |
Just today I had one of the best times I've had in country so far! I gave a hip-hop dance class to a youth group in one of the regional capitals and turned it into a malaria dance to get them pumped up about the work they'll be doing in the next few months for the mosquito net distribution campaign that's scheduled for later this year. The malaria events continue tomorrow when I go to a middle school with a group of volunteers to talk about malaria and steps to prevent it. I wrote a small presentation piece for this event in the form of a Dr. Seuss-esque story about a student who goals get set aside when she gets sick!
To keep the ball rolling (hehe), there is also a HUGE soccer game (see what I did there) later this month. This event is my baby. I've been working with my community and it's leadership to make sure that everything will be prepped and ready to go when 25 volunteers come in to give sensitizations to the village as well as play a game of soccer. The spectacle of non-African, non-athletic volunteers playing against Guineans who are pretty much born with a soccer ball juggling effortlessly at their feet, is sure to pull a decent crowd. I may even have some big name chameos appearances in the audience but I don't want to jinx it so if all it goes as planned I'll update everyone. I plan to use this grand audience to our advantage and give an over-the-top sensitization that will knock their socks (and mosquito bites) off.
So as I continue to feel like I'm planning a school dance for high school student council, my sister said something that made me feel good "Dante, you're doing, like, real work over there!" I guess that I can only hope that my normally well-spoken sister was right and that my work will help my community to better fight malaria. I've biked, danced, and kicked to end malaria in Guinea, but it's all just a small step in the effort to STOMP OUT MALARIA in Africa. How will you Stomp Out Malaria in 2013?
*******UPDATE******
April has come and went. Malaria is still out there but now, thanks to PCV's, our Guinean communities are a bit more prepared to handle the task. Both the soccer events went very well. In my village alone we reached out to over 500 Guineans! Also the novelty of a soccer game has not worn off for them yet. I still get commentary from the game, now two months past. Which, given the theme, was the point! I'm very happy with my malaria work in April and have already started planning for longer impact projects like a children's book! Stay tuned, stay healthy.
Malaria-Free,
Dante
