But let me start at the beginning:
Rachel and her father (who was here visiting these past two weeks) went to service at a local Mennonite church last Sunday; the were later invited (as was I, by proxy) to a delicious lunch that was particularly good, as it was not Haitian fare (I'm sorry, but it has now been nearly a month and a half of some form of rice and beans daily). Currently, there are 5 missionaries living in this Mennonite compound: a married couple who have been living/working there since 1985, as well as three young women (somewhere between the ages of 20-26, from what I could gather) who have each been living in Leogane anywhere from 1-3 years. They run a type of boarding school for approximately 30 girls (6-11 years old), who come from extremely impoverished families living in various villages across the country. The girls reside at this school for two years, receiving an education (as well as clothing, boarding and food) their families are unable to otherwise afford. Although the women running the school admit that these two years are hardly sufficient, the girls do return to their families after this time (as it was explained to me, they try to strike a balance between educating these girls and enriching their lives, without hindering their ability to reintegrate into Haitian society). However, as part of the program each child is visited after their return home at least twice per year (to assess living situations and ensure readjustment); in addition, the program guarantees continued education within their respective villages up until 6th grade.
While at lunch, Rachel inquired as to whether the girls are ever educated about health issues, particularly hygiene/sanitation, as this is a major concern not only in the cities, but also the rural areas most of these children call home. We were told that the girls do not have any specific sessions regarding potable water, hand washing, etc., but if we were interested in teaching one, that could most certainly be arranged. Thus, we agreed to return on Friday evening to do a quick, informal session on microbes and hygiene. (Initially, we were not entirely sure what would be appropriate, considering the age of our audience and our locale. Nutrition is certainly important, but not a good topic as many Haitians do not have the luxury of even an adequate, let alone balanced, diet. “Do not litter” also crossed our minds with regards to improving sanitation, though with the mounds of trash adorning every street, this did not seem likely to be effective).
In reality, Rachel did most of the talking (yes, I do get nervous even in front of 6 year olds… go figure), though I helped demonstrate proper hand-washing technique as part of our big finale: we had some volunteers lather up for the minimum thirty seconds, while the rest of the class counted (thank you, clinic, for teaching me how to count in Kreyol). We explained that microbes are everywhere, especially on your hands and that post-bathroom washing is key (as is covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing); though these girls knew their stuff (I think we may have been boring them just a little… as exciting as poop and hand-washing really are…), the general population often has difficulty understanding the link between the relatively common outbreaks of diarrhea (and other illness) and poor sanitation/hygiene. We also discussed the necessity of boiling water (if they can’t afford to treat or buy potable water) and the importance of bathing/constructing makeshift latrines faaaaaaaaar away from all water sources. While this information seemed most logical to all the girls, our hope is that they can pass it on to other, less educated family members and individuals in their respective communities.
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