After missing the first 2 days of the new school year due to illness (it was only a middle ear infection this time-very painful, but a piece of cake compared to my first bout with being sick in Mali), I arrived at the school reliving the same excitement and nervousness that would enveloppe me as a student each new school year. Yes, I was one of those who loved going to school and would never miss a class.
That day, I held a meeting with the teachers and the CGS, the Malian equivalent of the PTA. With the help of my homologue, we had a very indepth conversation about the difficulties and challenges with education that the school and village faces. We even briefly breached how they would like me to help them-which projects they would like to start. However, as none of that work can commence until December after my In-Service Training, I spent the rest of the week observing each class. It became apparent quite quickly how disfunctional the education system within my village is, and these challenges are something I would come to understand first-hand as by the end of the week, I had become the First Grade teacher.
To have one teacher instructing two grades is overwhelming, especially if it is the first and second grade filled with 5-8 year olds who can't sit still. Madame was so clearly exhausted by midday that I offered my assistance in any way that I could and thus became Madame Sira, Maitresse of the premiere annee. In this new role, I have come to clearly understand and appreciate how hard the teachers work and what they are up against. In the first grade class, I have children crammed in their seats- 4 to a table-bench that is supposed to seat 2. Some benches don't have backs to the seats and one bench doesn't even have the table. As I attempt to instruct the children (in French/Bambara) in the ABC's and introduce the basics to writing, half the class sits idle as they don't have a chalkboard or chalk. While the lack of learning materials poses quite the challenge, the students make up for it in their eagerness and motivation to learn. I always have a sea of hands to choose from when asking for a volunteer and usually have to shout over the cries of "Madame, Madame!".
As each teacher is overwhelmed with the 2 classes, I have noticed that some students fall behind never to catch up because there is no time for individual attention. These students are simply passed on to the next grade where they continue to get overlooked and eventually do not return. It is a vicious cycle. On the weekends, I have begun to give extra lessons to the children in my host family because as 4th and 5th grade students, they struggle to add, subtract, and even write ledgibly.
As this experience progresses, I have come to truly appreciate my own education and the opportunities it has afforded me. It has reinforced my belief in the importance of basic education as a tool for development. If you really want to enact change within a culture, to empower women, improve basic hygiene and healthcare, and fight high rates of infant mortality, the answer is education.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Nurse Taz
As I mentioned in the previous post, this time of year is especially perilous for young children and infants. Unfortunately, this became even more evident this past week.
Two of the women in my village, with whom I have become quite close, each lost a child. These are babies that I have held and carried, so the reality of how succeptible to sickness and death these children are has hit hard.
One of the infants that passed was from a set of one month old twin boys. When I first met the twins, I was shocked at how extremely tiny and fragile they were for their age. Their mother explained to me that she was having trouble feeding both of them as she could only breastfeed from one side as her other breast was infected.
Sidenote: Breasts are a very common sight here in Mali. Since they serve the purpose of feeding a child, there is no 'taboo,' so they are whipped out and exposed very regularly.
It is my guess that one of the reasons a twin passed was partly due to malnutrition. The mother had bought a bottle and supplementary powdered milk, but when she showed it to me, it was an ordinary sugary powdered milk, not an infant formula. I tried to reinforce that breastmilk was the best source of sustinence for the babies, but...
When I visited to give my condolences, I noticed that the surviving twin look emaciated. As he stared at me with his sunken eyes, it was both frightening and heartbreaking. I could clearly see his protruding ribs and hip bones- it seemed as if he wasn't carrying an ounce of fat on his tiny frame. I have never ever seen a skinnier baby. For a month old, he looked like a dying, decrepit old man.
The baby was still having trouble breastfeeding, but this time, thankfully, the mother showed me baby formula. I got the hint that she didn't know what to do- as she couldn't read the instructions on the cannister- so I became her guide. I showed her how much water to boil, how much formula to add, and explained that she had to wait and check that the mixture is not too hot before feeding the child. I gave instructions on how many times a day to feed the baby and that she had to wash (with soap) and sterilize the bottle after each use. After I made the first batch, we attempted to feed the baby- which was made all the more difficult as the bottle was broken and would not screw shut. As the mother held the child, I placed the bottle's nipple into the baby's mouth and poured the formula little by little. I was afraid that the baby would not accept the formula as most prefer their mother's milk, but thankfully, after some coaxing, the baby drank it all.
I have become invested in this child's well-being. I want him to live. And it is depressing that that is the first priority- that a child has to struggle to survive and live. But, that is very much the reality that each newborn faces here en brousse in Mali. I visited the baby every morning since then and will continue to do so, hoping that everyday he is eating, gaining some weight and simply living.
Two of the women in my village, with whom I have become quite close, each lost a child. These are babies that I have held and carried, so the reality of how succeptible to sickness and death these children are has hit hard.
One of the infants that passed was from a set of one month old twin boys. When I first met the twins, I was shocked at how extremely tiny and fragile they were for their age. Their mother explained to me that she was having trouble feeding both of them as she could only breastfeed from one side as her other breast was infected.
Sidenote: Breasts are a very common sight here in Mali. Since they serve the purpose of feeding a child, there is no 'taboo,' so they are whipped out and exposed very regularly.
It is my guess that one of the reasons a twin passed was partly due to malnutrition. The mother had bought a bottle and supplementary powdered milk, but when she showed it to me, it was an ordinary sugary powdered milk, not an infant formula. I tried to reinforce that breastmilk was the best source of sustinence for the babies, but...
When I visited to give my condolences, I noticed that the surviving twin look emaciated. As he stared at me with his sunken eyes, it was both frightening and heartbreaking. I could clearly see his protruding ribs and hip bones- it seemed as if he wasn't carrying an ounce of fat on his tiny frame. I have never ever seen a skinnier baby. For a month old, he looked like a dying, decrepit old man.
The baby was still having trouble breastfeeding, but this time, thankfully, the mother showed me baby formula. I got the hint that she didn't know what to do- as she couldn't read the instructions on the cannister- so I became her guide. I showed her how much water to boil, how much formula to add, and explained that she had to wait and check that the mixture is not too hot before feeding the child. I gave instructions on how many times a day to feed the baby and that she had to wash (with soap) and sterilize the bottle after each use. After I made the first batch, we attempted to feed the baby- which was made all the more difficult as the bottle was broken and would not screw shut. As the mother held the child, I placed the bottle's nipple into the baby's mouth and poured the formula little by little. I was afraid that the baby would not accept the formula as most prefer their mother's milk, but thankfully, after some coaxing, the baby drank it all.
I have become invested in this child's well-being. I want him to live. And it is depressing that that is the first priority- that a child has to struggle to survive and live. But, that is very much the reality that each newborn faces here en brousse in Mali. I visited the baby every morning since then and will continue to do so, hoping that everyday he is eating, gaining some weight and simply living.
Observations
After almost 2 months in ville I have made some significant observations that will indicate the direction of my work here within my community.
I have noticed that my village is very self-sufficient. Almost everything crucial they need: food, oil, soap, etc., they produce or gather themselves. Right now, it is nearing then end of rainy season, so everyday almost the entire village goes out to the surrounding fields to farm peanuts, millet, corn, and rice which are the main staples of the village diet. However, this self-sufficiency also means that there is very little money within the village (which seems to be a recurring theme for the root of many problems within Mali). Thus, this augments the viciousness of hunger season which we are currently experiencing the worst of. It has been almost a year since the last harvest, so the stocks of food and cereal banks are very low if not empty. This lack of money means that many families struggle to feed themselves sufficiently. This then also augments the frequency of illness, especially among young children. Most Malians have an insufficient diet to begin with; therefore, this, coupled with unsanitary practices, such as not washing their hands with soap after going to the bathroom (there is no toilet paper here, so use your imagination) or before they eat, they are more vulnerable to disease and illness. It is also the peak season for mosquitoes which means the threat of Malaria is substantially higher at the moment and threatens the lives of the weak and malnourished. Again, the lack of money means that many families have to forgoe efficient treatment of illnesses.
As an Education and Literacy volunteer, I thought that my main focus would be improving the access to and quality of education within my community. However, through my observations and conversations, all problems within my village, even those regarding education, seem to lead back to the lack of money.
As the farming and harvest season runs into November and December, and since this is the main livelihood of my village and surrounding hamlets, many children are needed to work in the fields to help sustain the family in lieu of going to school. This, coupled with the inability to pay the school fees, many families opt not to send their children to school. (Families also have so little money that they can't afford to buy their children a pen and notebook, so as my host mother said, "how are they supposed to learn?") Here in Mali, the government pays for part of the teacher's salary and the village pays the rest. Thus, the fee is split on a per child basis and will fluctuate based on the number of children attending school. From what I have gathered, each family usually pays around 400-600 cfa to send one child to school. That is approximately the equivalent of $1. This inability to pay results in a low attendance rate, with an average of 20 children per class in grades 1-6. We were taught that overcrowding was a major issue within the Malian educaion system with most classes packed with around 100 children, but my village, with a population of approx. 800-not including the students that come from surrounding villages-this number is shockingly low.
Again, this lack of money creates a problem for the teachers as well. Many times they go unpaid for months at a time which results in strikes. These gaps in the school year negatively affect the students learning. My village struggles to pay the three teachers they employ. Yes, only 3 for the 6 grades. One teacher splits their time between two grades in the three room school house. So, the 2 consecutive classes (1 & 2, 3 & 4, 5 & 6) must share a room and a teacher. Again,this impacts the efficiency of the students learning.
This is just the beginning.
While the tasks ahead of me may seem daunting (where do I even begin?!) I am hopeful that I can enact some sustainable change within the community to allow for their continual development and success long after I have completed my service. This may be the wishful thinking and hoping of a nieve, new volunteer, but I believe that positivity is the best way forward.
Peace and Love.
I have noticed that my village is very self-sufficient. Almost everything crucial they need: food, oil, soap, etc., they produce or gather themselves. Right now, it is nearing then end of rainy season, so everyday almost the entire village goes out to the surrounding fields to farm peanuts, millet, corn, and rice which are the main staples of the village diet. However, this self-sufficiency also means that there is very little money within the village (which seems to be a recurring theme for the root of many problems within Mali). Thus, this augments the viciousness of hunger season which we are currently experiencing the worst of. It has been almost a year since the last harvest, so the stocks of food and cereal banks are very low if not empty. This lack of money means that many families struggle to feed themselves sufficiently. This then also augments the frequency of illness, especially among young children. Most Malians have an insufficient diet to begin with; therefore, this, coupled with unsanitary practices, such as not washing their hands with soap after going to the bathroom (there is no toilet paper here, so use your imagination) or before they eat, they are more vulnerable to disease and illness. It is also the peak season for mosquitoes which means the threat of Malaria is substantially higher at the moment and threatens the lives of the weak and malnourished. Again, the lack of money means that many families have to forgoe efficient treatment of illnesses.
As an Education and Literacy volunteer, I thought that my main focus would be improving the access to and quality of education within my community. However, through my observations and conversations, all problems within my village, even those regarding education, seem to lead back to the lack of money.
As the farming and harvest season runs into November and December, and since this is the main livelihood of my village and surrounding hamlets, many children are needed to work in the fields to help sustain the family in lieu of going to school. This, coupled with the inability to pay the school fees, many families opt not to send their children to school. (Families also have so little money that they can't afford to buy their children a pen and notebook, so as my host mother said, "how are they supposed to learn?") Here in Mali, the government pays for part of the teacher's salary and the village pays the rest. Thus, the fee is split on a per child basis and will fluctuate based on the number of children attending school. From what I have gathered, each family usually pays around 400-600 cfa to send one child to school. That is approximately the equivalent of $1. This inability to pay results in a low attendance rate, with an average of 20 children per class in grades 1-6. We were taught that overcrowding was a major issue within the Malian educaion system with most classes packed with around 100 children, but my village, with a population of approx. 800-not including the students that come from surrounding villages-this number is shockingly low.
Again, this lack of money creates a problem for the teachers as well. Many times they go unpaid for months at a time which results in strikes. These gaps in the school year negatively affect the students learning. My village struggles to pay the three teachers they employ. Yes, only 3 for the 6 grades. One teacher splits their time between two grades in the three room school house. So, the 2 consecutive classes (1 & 2, 3 & 4, 5 & 6) must share a room and a teacher. Again,this impacts the efficiency of the students learning.
This is just the beginning.
While the tasks ahead of me may seem daunting (where do I even begin?!) I am hopeful that I can enact some sustainable change within the community to allow for their continual development and success long after I have completed my service. This may be the wishful thinking and hoping of a nieve, new volunteer, but I believe that positivity is the best way forward.
Peace and Love.
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