Hello all,
It is very hard to find an internet connection and if I do find internet, it costs a pretty penny!
Two days ago, I offered diabetes and blood pressure screenings to the village of Gbaru, where I am staying. We screened 71 people from ages 18 to 100 years. Our event was exciting for the village and the people were very responsive to the information we provided them.
I recorded patients information, such as height, age, sex, etc. The Peace Corps volunteer stationed in Gbaru, Solomon Lin, was an EMT in the States, so he administered the tests and I assisted. We began testing at 4:30 pm and continued until 8:30 pm. Since there is no electricity here in Gbaru, as it grew darker, we had to resort to administering the tests by torch light (flashlight).
Kendra measuring heights at Gbaru.
Solomon Lin, PCV, administering glucose test.
The following day we did follow up testing for those who had high blood pressure or blood glucose levels. We encouraged several of them to go to the near by hospital to seek further medical care from a doctor.
Judith Lahai giving follow-up info on test results.
We plan to continue to test, as we have 28 test kits remaining. I also plan to meet with secondary school students to discuss the village population's test results and how a nutrionally balanced diet can improve the village people's health.
In my free time, I've been exploring other nearby villages. Houses in the villages are either mud-walled or cement buildings with very thick walls for cooling. They have only a central living room and bedrooms on either side. Kitchens and bath/restrooms are in separate buildings behind the main house. The roofs are high for cooling and of corrugated tin or thatched. In medium and large villages, there is a market where farmers wives and children sell rice, vegetables, fruits, palm and groundnut oils, groundnut paste and more. And a courthouse where village elders hear and settle palavers (arguments) and the people can meet for events or discussions. There may be a primary school, a mosque, a church and some shops also.
In Gbaru, I stay at a "big man's" house which is outfitted with a generator that is run for about 3 hours each night. Students are drawn to this one lighted house to study. Primary school students come asking me to read to them. Secondary school students come for help with preparing for final exams. One student asked for help with Maths (with an S), but I only know how to solve the problem she had by using a calculator and there are no calculators in the schools or the village. Embarassing!
The kids I read to have been teaching me how to dance. Oh, and one of my friends braided my hair. I will try to post several pictures next Tuesday or Wednesday.
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