Training

Local Peace Corps office where I check internet once a week.

Village health center

We planted a garden!

I find out where I'll be for 2+ years (starting April 14) on March 8!

Classroom

My Community Health work

Here is some more information about the work that I'll be doing in Ethiopia as a Community Health Peace Corps Volunteer.

Project Purpose: 

To improve individual and family health in Ethiopia through strengthened health practices and care seeking behaviors.

Goal One:

Improved household water, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition. Parents and caregivers will adopt healthy behaviors to improve the health status of children under 5 years of age.

Projects include:
1. Training on latrine maintenance

2. Training on hand washing

3. Training on face washing 

4. Handwashing stations constructed

5. Individuals trained in household environmental sanitation

6. Education on exclusive breast-feeding and complimentary feeding

7. Education on nutritional needs of children from 12-59 months 

Goal Two:

Improved school water, sanitation, hygiene, and adolescent and youth reproductive health. Students will adopt behaviors to reduce risk of water, sanitation and hygiene-related diseases and to improve adolescent and youth reproductive health practices.

Projects include:
1. Training on handwashing

2. Training on latrine maintenance 

3. School health clubs that cover topics such as:

 - menstrual hygiene

 - life skills

 - empowering girls (self-esteem, assertiveness, etc)

 - HIV/STI prevention

 - anatomy and puberty 

 - sexual and reproductive health

market day

Veggies and fruits from market day with Yoseph and Kalu!

Host Family

It's good to be in Ethiopia!  I don't have time to write much now, but I wanted to share a few pictures.  This is my home-stay family in their living room!  They only speak a few words of English, which is helpful for my Amharic practice! (We also use a lot of sign language). I will live with this family for the duration of Peace Corps Training, until swearing in as a Peace Corps Volunteer on April 13.  After April 13, I will move to my permanent site, where I will be for 2+ years.  My site will be in the Amhara region or the SNNPR (Southern Nations) region. My home-stay family calls me "Aireek" for Erica. Masresha, the father, is 36, Buzai, the mother is 27, the son, Yoseph, is 11, the daughter, Kalu, is 7, and the twin 10-month-old sons are Mantu and Eliyas.

Buzai and her twin boys and the front porch

Buzai pouring coffee in the living/dining room

Kalu and Eliyas

Yoseph and Mantu

Masresha is a tailer

Buzai sifting tef, used for making injira, a spongy bread that is the staple food in Ethiopia.

Where I take my bucket baths

The family pit latrine. 

My bed with mosquito net.

Shoes, manuals, medicine kit

Buckets for bucket baths, etc.  Bottled water for drinking.  I'll set up my water filtration system tomorrow. 

Clothes, etc 

A neighbor enjoying coffee.

A neighbor brought his donkey into the backyard.

We visited a health post. 

Landscape

I would love some letters!

If you're up for sending a care package, that would be wonderful too! Padded envelopes will likely be far cheaper than boxed packages. Here is my wish list:
1. Emergen-C (especially the pink lemonade flavor)
2. Nutritional yeast in sealed packaging
3. Lightweight children's books
4. Pro-biotics that don't need to be refrigerated (if they are not too heavy to mail)
5. Gum