Pads, Condoms and Other Awkward Topics

After many months of dry season, we are officially in the rainy season!  Not only does it mean that my neighbors can begin planting and digging, it means it is finally cool at night, and I can collect rain water for bathing and washing clothes.  Sadly, I received a celebratory text message from all my closest PCVs for the beginning of rainy season.  Here's a photo to show how I "harvest" rain water.

Yes, all these basins and buckets are mine.  I couldn't have been more excited to finally get rain water- a well needed break from fetching water every two days.

Besides waiting for the rainy season to start, I've been waiting for the past eight months to begin what will be one of my biggest projects in my Peace Corps service.  In Uganda, menstruation management is a huge problem, particularly in the rural primary schools.  One pack of sanitary pads, like Always, costs about 3,000 UGX ($1.25), which seems reasonable to Americans; however, if a family has four or five girl children, they will not be able to afford 12,000-15,000 UGX per month to cover the cost of pads.  As a result, girls will turn to other methods to manage their periods.  Some will use unsanitary or uncomfortable items, like rags, socks, banana leaves, toilet paper, dried grasses, etc, which provide little security from leakage.  Some girls choose to stay home during their periods to avoid embarrassment.  Others will seek out older men, "sugar daddies," to provide Always in exchange for sexual favors.  Furthermore, many of these girls are not fully informed about changes to expect in puberty, her menstrual cycle, sexual health and HIV/AIDS. 


In order to address the issues of girl child poor performance and drop out, some PCVs and myself have developed a program for our primary schools.  Through a grant available from Peace Corps, we trained all Senior Woman Teachers and Head Teachers in female reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and menstruation management using "Reusable Menstrual Pads (RUMPS)."  After their training, I will travel to each school for a Presentation Day.  On that day, I will supervise the Senior Women Teachers as they deliver a lesson to all P5-P7 girls about their bodies, periods, HIV/AIDS and RUMPS.  The grant will subsidize materials for every girl to get a RUMPS kit for 300 UGX, usually costing 1,400 UGX.


RUMPS is a relatively new initiative in women's empowerment.  Our program focuses on using locally available materials to create washable pads.  These pads have a "pad holder," which wraps around a girl's panties to keep the absorbent towel liners in place.  The kits that we put together contain enough materials for two pad holders and three liners, so while one set is drying, she has another available to wear.  A RUMPS kit should last six to twelve months.  Our program stresses skills building, therefore the materials are cut, but not yet sown, ensuring that the girls and teachers can make RUMPS on their own in the future.


As I compiled all the materials for my workshop, the two girls that have remained living within my compound couldn't help but get curious about all the towels, clothes and needles strewn around my home.  Despite the pouring rain outside, they ventured to my door to offer their help in whatever strange things I may be doing.  As our rainy day activity, I gave them each a RUMPS kit to sew while I continued to run around my house readying for the workshop.  Both girls thoroughly enjoyed sewing as an activity and were excited to have the kits to take home.  Furthermore, I used their work as examples at my workshop, and they couldn't have been more proud.

Patricia and Namugere sewing their RUMPS kits

 Although I have been planning on implementing this RUMPS program in my all my catchment schools-15 total, it took months to get our grant approved.  When the money finally came at the end of March, we couldn't have been happier.  Or more stressed.  I don't think any of us foresaw how much work putting together a comprehensive workshop would be.  We wrote a 20-page manual for all the Senior Woman Teachers and Head Teachers.  We had to cut RUMPS materials for 50 participants.  We wrote a pre-survey to determine how knowledgeable they were prior to the workshop.  We made certificates of attendance.  Then we had to run around Mbale to print and photocopy all these documents, not to mention transport them back to our sites.  I don't think any of us knew what 2,200 pieces of paper looked like!  We had to purchase 30 rice sacks and get them tailored to avoid fraying once they were cut in halfs- we like using rice sacks to make instructional materials because they are durable and easy to transport.  Finally, we were ready!  Audrey and Bethany came to my site to help facilitate my workshop, the first of three.


Here's the agenda of our workshop:


Welcome
Pre-Survey
Introduction and Importance of RUMPS
Menstrual Cycle and Female Reproductive System
Construction of Instructional Materials for the Menstrual Cycle and Female Reproductive System
Family Planning
HIV/AIDS
Practice Q&A Session
Condom Demonstration
Presentation Day Planning at the Schools
Closing and Certificates


Needless to say, it was a very busy day!  Thankfully, I managed to get my teachers to come on time, which may be classified as a miracle.  I informed all my schools that only the first 20 participants would be given breakfast.  I think many teachers didn't think I would actually refuse participants breakfast, so the first people that arrived started calling their friends, "Madam Chelsea was serious.  HURRY to get breakfast!"  I was shocked that we could begin by 9:15 am!


Overall, the workshop was a complete success.  We covered all the material and managed to keep everyone active and involved.  We had a guessing competition about the number of eggs a woman has in her lifetime (300-500).  The winner got hard boiled eggs, which are a huge treat in Uganda.  We had an anonymous question box, in case teachers felt uncomfortable to ask sensitive questions.  We had a plate of condoms for the taking, which remained untouched until the last five minutes.  Once one teacher grabbed a few, it became a mad rush to pocket the rest!  We had fun energizers and life skills games to keep people interested in the material and from falling asleep.


You may be wondering why we covered some of the topics in our program if our program targets P5-P7 girls.  Yes, the girls should only be 10-13 years old, so it's kind of inappropriate to talk about family planning or condoms.  Well, in the rural schools, these girls tend to be any where from 10-18 years old!  And, children begin having sex very early.  So, we decided to clear the air about birth control techniques in case the girls ask about it during their opportunity to ask anonymous questions, but the Senior Woman Teachers will not instruct about it on their Presentation Day, even though family planning is in the P7 curriculum.  In one of our sessions, we practiced how to appropriately answer sensitive questions.


In Uganda, condom demonstrations are not allowed in primary or secondary schools, but we figured it was a good opportunity to show the teachers because they are leaders in the community.  Also, many girls believe condoms are pills that men take to prevent pregnancy and HIV; sadly, this is just a trick that boys and men play on girls, who don't know any better.  Even though the teachers cannot physically show condoms in class, they can explain how they are used, especially stress the fact that the girls should be able to see it.  Furthermore, Ugandan girls are extremely passive.  In many cases, girls will not look in the eyes of a boy or men when saying "no" to sex.  Therefore, we taught the teachers a life skills game called "Best Response," which practices assertive ways to say "no" to common pressure lines, such as "Com'on, everyone's doing it."  My favorite response to this line is "How do you know?  Are you watching these people have sex?  That's bad manners!"


Our teachers were very excited about all the hands-on activities at our workshop, which is rare at Ugandan workshops.  Each school made two instructional materials on rice sacks by tracing a big uterus stencils for the female reproductive system and mini uterus stencils for the menstrual cycle.  Each participant was given a RUMPS kit to sew.  We did not anticipate the teacher's eagerness to rip open the kits and begin sewing without instructions!  Much like my P7 class, I had to demand "Eyes up front!" so they could hear the instructions.  Despite our concerns, all the male teachers knew how to sew and moreover, were thrilled be making a RUMPS kits for their wives or daughters.  All the teachers were impressed by the design and reassured us that P5-P7 girls will be able to sew them.


Below are photos from both my workshop and Audrey's workshop.

Bethany showing a Head Teacher how to sew on a button

Audrey with a plate of 120 condoms

Bethany asking the teachers to repeat the name of each reproductive part.  When we came to vagina, there were more than a few snickers.  After some practice, the room was able to say it without even a smile.

The plate of condoms, the packs of moonbeads (a natural family planning method) and our question box

I'm showing how to use moonbeads, a natural family planning method

Now that our workshops are over, we have to start preparing for the Presentation Days at each school.  In my catchment, we will reach about 2,200 girls.  That's a lot of materials and many hours cutting.  Over our school holiday, starting next week, I'm going to try to get a head start in making the kits.  In fact, I'm about to purchase 75 large cotton bathing towels!

Texts from Uganda Part Deux

Back by popular demand, I've compiled some of the more ridiculous text messages we've sent to each other recently.  Enjoy!




its not a good sign when my younger brother, upon hearing how much money i make, says sheesh you broke as a joke


the kids were being brats and throwing trash under my door.  so i said no coloring today.  one said "no, just beat me." haha


lmao! who is afraid of butterflies?  you are fantastic


my house has been infested by giant moths.  this is unreasonable.


so just how toxic is bat sh@#?


hey y'all.  just FYI, due to the lack of power for the foreseeable future, my phone will only be on for a few hours each morning.


somehow he found a guy who sold him 30 eggs for 8500.  too bad i set them on a box and the box fell breaking 22 of them.  so i paid 1000 per egg.  opps!  (1000 /= is about 40 cents)


maybe it would change your life.  i think if i finally got cushions it would change my life...


i dreamed a mouse was attacking me


sweet relief!  power's back after only 2 weeks off instead of the 6 months they were threatening as punishment for those who were stealing


oh my god, woke up to a thousand white ants in my house.  not exaggerating


apparently im pretty pathetic here.  people were giving my neighbor shit for being a bachelor (40 & never married) "he sits and converses with himself" and he responded "i get more visitors than ryan" ouch


sick, a little chunk of poop in my hair.  must have run over a cow pie


someone just shouted the vehicle is pregnant!  we go!


i am in a taxi going so so fast im terrified we wont make it!  its out of control.  i wish i had one last waffle


why does garlic powder make my gas so potent?


people are going to be disgusted with us in america!!! we are going to be animals


i want blueberry pancakes.  really, i have a problem.  it's like constant PMS cravings in this country.


i think most people back home must think i am a two ton tess by the way i talk about food


there's a rainbow circling the sun right now... i was hurting my eyes but i couldn't stop looking


i think i have your farts right now.  we have problems


i feel like my mom is going to be horrified


i got so excited cuz i heard thunder... i think it skipped me :(  power is out, so i feel the universe should throw me a bone and make it rain


of course it would rain on a pool day!  what a bust!


making a penis stencil to accompany the uterus!  the kids are curious about what i'm doing to say the least


ya, i regret not eating more


i think all that eating wiped me out!!! but i really would like some of those chinese noodles right now.  i have problems...


i'm writing a blog post.  i wrote about pooping in my hand.  i'm forever sealing my fate of being single.


seriously just saw a horse and a camel on the side of the road


i just got all your texts from yesterday.  my phone was being weird since i got home.  i got none of my texts- thought everyone was ignoring me!!


woooo i'm moving up in the world: my house now has 2 light bulbs


and it's ok, you don't have to wait.  i wouldn't either.  i am so excited for this sandwich- it's almost a little pathetic


i feel like i eat an obscene amount of salt here.  i blame the heat.


maybe we are all dying!!! at least we got some good meals before we kick the bucket.

Skinny Jeans Part Deux

After one year in the Peace Corps, I think I can safely say that service seriously affects your relationship with food.  While I am at site, I think I have managed to find a healthy options and portions for my meals.  Even when I travel to my nearest town, Mbale, I can usually the restrain the primal urge to wolf down everything in sight.  I usually visit my pineapple man for a pre-lunch snack, indulge in a Coke Zero and get nachos from our favorite spot.  I feel satisfied, not stuffed.

All bets are off when a volunteer is in Kampala.  Seriously, I don’t know what happens, but the idea of variety and quality turns the average volunteer into a black hole for salami sandwiches, pizza, Chinese food, etc.  Ok, so maybe it’s just the volunteers I hang out with, but still.  Spending a weekend in Kampala will leave you feeling guilty and your pants a little tight.  Spend a week in Kampala?  Well, the results will be disastrously hilarious.

I want to preface this story with a post from an incoming trainee: “Silly-ish question: My family keeps telling me I need to gain a bunch of weight (slash stop losing weight) before I leave because I'll get super sick and lose weight during my first couple months in Uganda. Are they just being ridiculous, or should I actually start beefing up?”

Last week, I had to travel to Kampala for a District Security Representative training.  Yes, it makes me sound big and important, but it really means that I get to forward security update texts to all my closest neighbors.  I’m a pretty fast texter, so I think I’m well qualified.  Plus, no one else in my region could go to the training.  We did get to go to the American Embassy, which means AC!  The first 10 seconds were heaven, but sadly our bodies have become so well adjusted to the sweltering heat of dry season that we spent the next six hours shivering.  We learned lots about safety, security and staying vigilant.  Unfortunately, we did get trained in some simple first aid.  Why do I say unfortunately?  I’m not a huge fan of blood and guts.  Yeah, I’m a sissy, and I actually stepped out of the room several times to avoid passing out in front of everyone and creating a scene.  I guess Peace Corps didn’t change that pathetic side of me.

For our first dinner out in Kampala, we hightailed it to a Chinese restaurant across town.  Even though we had eaten a decent lunch at our training, we all were starved.  Aubrey and I had already decided our order before we even arrived: three spring rolls each, one plate of beef and broccoli and vegetable fried noodles to be shared.  The waiter gratefully brought us sugar-coated nuts, which we descended upon like vultures.  Apologetically, I said, “We’re just really hungry.”  He replied, “I know.  I can tell by your faces.”  That’s probably not a good sign.

Once our dishes came, they vanished in mere minutes.  We eyed each other, and someone finally suggested, “Round two?”  Yup, we got a second round of food.  The four of us shared ginger fried rice and Szechuan chicken.  In the middle of round two, my phone starts ringing.  It’s a private number, which means someone from America is calling me, so I begrudgingly picked up the phone.  This is the conversation my friends heard:

Hello?

Hi Dad, how are you?

Uh huh. (I’m trying to still eat at the same time)

Dad, dad, I’m eating Chinese food right now, and you’re ruining my experience.

Yeah, call me back.

Can you call me back, uh, in like two days?

At this, my friends can’t help laughing at the absurdity of the situation.  I refused a phone call from my father because I’m too dedicated to Chinese food, and possibly won’t recover for two days!  I actually said two days because I thought I would be home by that point.  Regardless, I called my dad the next morning to apologize for my Chinese food antics.  Sadly, he thought I was out partying and lying about being at dinner!  Nope, we’re just that excited about good food.

The next day, we voted to forgo lunch at our training in hopes that we would end early.  We didn’t finish until 2:30 PM.  Needless to say, we fantasized about lunch on the ride to Garden City, a hub of restaurants and shopping.  Once we arrived, we jumped off the bus and power walked to the restaurant we had predetermined on the bus.  Both Aubrey and Dylan were reaching the mean stage of hunger, so I volunteered to get us water and meet them at the restaurant. Before I could even sit down, Dylan burst out, “We ordered for you!  Sorry.  You wanted a bacon cheeseburger right?  I guess you could change it.  He’s right there.  But we ordered for you.  Is that ok?”  I couldn’t have taken more than five minutes.  Sure it was fine.  We all added milkshakes to the order.  Our milkshakes were ready first, and we saw them sitting on the counter waiting to be brought to our table.  Two minutes passed, and our eyes were glued to that counter.  “They’re melting!”  “Give it another minute, and I swear, I’m going to bring it over myself!”  Finally, they were brought over and helped alleviate some of the angry hunger symptoms.  When the food arrived, we simply inhaled our burgers and fries.  Best burger in country.

Now, I would like to think that the above events did not, in anyway, cause the upcoming one, but who’s to say.  That night, we decided to go out to celebrate the end of training.  Plus, I think we’d been a little exclusive and antisocial due to our eating adventures, so this was a great opportunity to do a little more socializing.  While we were visiting someone’s house, I received another one of those private phone calls.  Someone in America is trying to reach me!  I decided to step outside to take it.  From the covered veranda was yard, which would have given me a little more privacy, but it was completely dark.  The dude standing at the doorway couldn’t give me a heads up.  As I hurried out to the yard, I tripped down the two unnoticed steps and fell flat on my face.  This isn’t exactly out of my character, and I was pretty grateful that no one noticed.  Sadly, it ripped the knee on my favorite and only pair of skinny jeans!  I never found out who was trying to call me, and we soon left to go dancing.

Once we got to the club, Aubrey and I started busting out our awesome dance moves.  Within five minutes, I felt like something was little off about my attire.  Imagine my horror when I realized that my jeans were split up the back.  In America, I would have run home.  But, maybe Peace Corps has made me less susceptible to public humiliation.  I just keep on dancing.  Thankfully, I had an over the shoulder bag, which I could position to cover my rear.

Laughing, I called Nathan the next morning to tell him the funny story.  Well, apparently it’s not funny to everyone.  “You just kept dancing?”  Uh, I guess so?  But I don’t think anyone noticed…

Of course, we spent more time eating in Kampala.  Aubrey and I decided that we are great, but horrible eating partners.  We like the same food and we love ordering multiple dishes to share, but we’re a bad influence on each other’s choices.  One morning, we got lattes and shared a plate of amazing waffles.  We rejoiced over the fact that we both do not like soggy food, so we put the syrup in a cup for dipping.  I noticed that Aubrey mimicked my eating pace, which I eventually commented on.  “I don’t like eating faster than whoever I’m eating with.”  I thought it was a politeness thing.  Nope.  “Because then I get jealous of the other person’s food.”

After spending a week in Kampala, Aubrey and I decided that we should take a step in a different direction, hence Active April.  We’re trying to be a little healthier by positively encouraging each other to work out and run.  Also, for the month, we’ve decided we can’t eat together, unless it’s at Taufiq’s, where you can only order rice and beans.  I’m still thinking about those waffles though.