So, who says international development can't be cosmetic AND health related?
I have been assigned an unusual task- it's quite fitting, if you ask me. I have two full boxes of bras to distribute to women around Lautoka. The program was something developed through Rotary Australia called "Project Uplift Fiji" - check it out: http://www.upliftbras.org/.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Cyclone season
I've decided I'm not too fond of cyclones, as they have severely put a damper on my ability to access sunlight. hmm. The sun hasn't appeared in a week and a half and thats very uncommon here, in the burning west.
So how do I explain this. I live in Lautoka, as you all should know by now, and Lautoka is the only city in the west that doesn't have a river running through it. This means that we are safe from major flooding. Unfortunately for my neighbors, they are not so lucky all being cursed with large rivers that flood under extreme weather conditions (i.e. lots of rain= flooding). Their deluged state has put an even bigger damper on their lives, most of them have had to move to safe houses and consolidation areas like schools and large community halls. Water is scarce, and electricity is unreliable, so people have been collecting rain water like mad, and buying anything that isn't reliant on refrigeration. I don't know who the makers of tin tuna are, but they are surely making a fortune.
This is the worst flood seen in this area in 20 years.
If there were ever a time to highlight cultural differences between the two major ethnic groups in Fiji, this would be it. The extreme downpours have left, [almost] rivers running through the streets. Any crevice, any groove, there is water, and A LOT of it at that (and like I said, comparatively speaking its not even that bad in Lautoka), forming water-slide like entertainment for those who squint enough to imagine it to be so. As Fijians flock outside with their wild imaginations, Indians retreat to the comforts of their dry couches and televisions. I'm not sure what exactly this all means, but I DO know that I think I might be turning Fijian. Dont be surprised if I come back 100lbs heavier with a mustache-- it could happen. I LOVE rain and I too have seen the water slides, splash in the puddles and sit on my roof is the heaviest of rainfall.
The rain should be dying down soon, but peoples houses are left with a single dirt line marking the duress left behind by the last few weeks.
For those of you planning to visit.... Take note: January= not a good time to visit Fiji.
So how do I explain this. I live in Lautoka, as you all should know by now, and Lautoka is the only city in the west that doesn't have a river running through it. This means that we are safe from major flooding. Unfortunately for my neighbors, they are not so lucky all being cursed with large rivers that flood under extreme weather conditions (i.e. lots of rain= flooding). Their deluged state has put an even bigger damper on their lives, most of them have had to move to safe houses and consolidation areas like schools and large community halls. Water is scarce, and electricity is unreliable, so people have been collecting rain water like mad, and buying anything that isn't reliant on refrigeration. I don't know who the makers of tin tuna are, but they are surely making a fortune.
This is the worst flood seen in this area in 20 years.
If there were ever a time to highlight cultural differences between the two major ethnic groups in Fiji, this would be it. The extreme downpours have left, [almost] rivers running through the streets. Any crevice, any groove, there is water, and A LOT of it at that (and like I said, comparatively speaking its not even that bad in Lautoka), forming water-slide like entertainment for those who squint enough to imagine it to be so. As Fijians flock outside with their wild imaginations, Indians retreat to the comforts of their dry couches and televisions. I'm not sure what exactly this all means, but I DO know that I think I might be turning Fijian. Dont be surprised if I come back 100lbs heavier with a mustache-- it could happen. I LOVE rain and I too have seen the water slides, splash in the puddles and sit on my roof is the heaviest of rainfall.
The rain should be dying down soon, but peoples houses are left with a single dirt line marking the duress left behind by the last few weeks.
For those of you planning to visit.... Take note: January= not a good time to visit Fiji.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Testing in paradise
Upon my return from the tumultuous Suva experience I was informed that I was off to paradise. A team was being sent to top end resorts to provide HIV information and test their staff. As you might imagine, resorts are importing testing places with their influx of oversees tourists. Without so much as a blink, I was pushing my schedule forward by a week. A going away party for a friend happened on a Tuesday instead of Friday- who holds a going away party on Tuesday? My hosting skills are clearly deteriorating, not to mention we had to change the venue. Nothing else really changed, because after all, 'Fiji time' takes occasions like this into account- in other words, very little is set in stone.
The boat departed on Wednesday morning, 10 December- three days before my dad was scheduled to arrive, and with 'Fiji time' I wasn't sure whether I would be back in time to pick him up... but I went anyway. Four hours on a catamaran and we were off to the last island in the Yasawa group- Yasawa i-ra ra. I looked out into the crystal clear water at the boats coming to retrieve passengers to take them to their respective destinations. Amidst the modern/steel looking boats I saw a single boat painted blue, a village boat, and I knew that our ride had arrived. We were off.
the boat... stuck.
We stayed at the medical center on Nacula island. A single doctor provides all medical services for 6,000 people on a bunch of different islands. hmm, again, hmmm. I guess I can better understand why a chopper was needed for an asthmatic patient that day (if you've been following my blog, you would know this reference...).
Upon arrival we immediately starting working. At Orasmans Bay resort, we sat around the Tanoa bowl (where kava is served) and gave an informational session followed by a Q&A. The Q&A sessions seem to be the most informative and helpful for everyone. When the sessions were finished, the testing started. There were three counsellors, two women and one man. Fiji has taken the VCT (voluntary counseling and testing) approach to HIV testing- therefore every person tested must undergo pre and post test counselling. This process was repeated at- Yasawa Lodge, Nanuya resort and Turtle Resort (where McCain decided to spent his Christmas this year). There were around 20 people tested at each resort, and more who attended the informational sessions.
Overall the program was quite successful. The only problem is that everyone is required to travel into Lautoka to pick up their results. I suppose it sounds worse than it really is. Almost everyone, these days, comes in to do their shopping once a month or so. That said, I am still trying to convince the doctor and counselors to return and personally deliver the results.
Oh, and I did make it back in time to pick up my dad from the airport at 5am on Saturday morning.
We stayed at the medical center on Nacula island. A single doctor provides all medical services for 6,000 people on a bunch of different islands. hmm, again, hmmm. I guess I can better understand why a chopper was needed for an asthmatic patient that day (if you've been following my blog, you would know this reference...).
Upon arrival we immediately starting working. At Orasmans Bay resort, we sat around the Tanoa bowl (where kava is served) and gave an informational session followed by a Q&A. The Q&A sessions seem to be the most informative and helpful for everyone. When the sessions were finished, the testing started. There were three counsellors, two women and one man. Fiji has taken the VCT (voluntary counseling and testing) approach to HIV testing- therefore every person tested must undergo pre and post test counselling. This process was repeated at- Yasawa Lodge, Nanuya resort and Turtle Resort (where McCain decided to spent his Christmas this year). There were around 20 people tested at each resort, and more who attended the informational sessions.
Overall the program was quite successful. The only problem is that everyone is required to travel into Lautoka to pick up their results. I suppose it sounds worse than it really is. Almost everyone, these days, comes in to do their shopping once a month or so. That said, I am still trying to convince the doctor and counselors to return and personally deliver the results.
Oh, and I did make it back in time to pick up my dad from the airport at 5am on Saturday morning.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Success
So... the 'Condoms and Clubs' campaign was a success, despite having lost all funding two weeks before the official launch. We passed out 14,000 male condoms and 800 female condoms in four days.
There were two demonstration sights- one in Traps Bar and the other at the TOTAL gas station, and three participating nightclubs. Trained volunteers went around from 8pm to 11pm and handed out packs of condoms and lube. Although the response could have gone either way, we were delighted to see it favored our campaign. As the week continued we had to incorporate additional nightclubs by request from managers and owners.
I've finally returned to Lautoka and feel ready to start the campaign again here... but first I'm off to the Yasawas for three days with work, then vacation when my dad arrives on Saturday :o)
I've added a sort of photo diary below because people keep asking me to post pictures... enjoy.
Project coordinators with two male Peer Educators in Suva
Wednesday night
Promotional red tequila shots from one of the Bars- they were delicious!
There were two demonstration sights- one in Traps Bar and the other at the TOTAL gas station, and three participating nightclubs. Trained volunteers went around from 8pm to 11pm and handed out packs of condoms and lube. Although the response could have gone either way, we were delighted to see it favored our campaign. As the week continued we had to incorporate additional nightclubs by request from managers and owners.
I've finally returned to Lautoka and feel ready to start the campaign again here... but first I'm off to the Yasawas for three days with work, then vacation when my dad arrives on Saturday :o)
I've added a sort of photo diary below because people keep asking me to post pictures... enjoy.
Suva sunset
Plenty of condoms and lube
Condom packing parties
Packing with the HIV Project Officer for Ministry of Health HQ
Condom packing parties
Packing with the HIV Project Officer for Ministry of Health HQ
A trainer for the campaign (left), and a volunteer (right)
Fiji Network for HIV+ People (FJN+) volunteers packing female condoms
PCVs [and Kaori- my JICA counterpart] watching 'My Best Friends Girl' at Carla's house
Dec. 2nd- the first day. Setting up the demonstration sight at TOTAL gas station.
Boxes of 25
Project coordinators with two male Peer Educators in Suva
Tuesday night volunteers
Wednesday night
Thursday night PCVs
Promotional red tequila shots from one of the Bars- they were delicious!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Lost idealism
I don't believe in fairies anymore....
Funding seemed so simple when the Ministry had $400,000 to spend in 2 months... a bottomless pit as far as our condom distribution campaign was concerned. But somehow it up and left, tapped, ran dry, no longer. So now we sit and wait. Corporate sponsorship... not by Monday. UNFPA is our last hope and they're already funding most of the project as it is. Tomorrow is dooms day.
I suppose it wouldn't be so bad if it was a matter of our condom distribution campaign not getting off the ground, but the National Advisory Council for AIDS (NACA) fund has left Suva- the capital city- sans a World AIDS Day celebration. Everything has been transferred to Lautoka, where buses will filled with youth and MoH staff will be piled to capacity. What?! No World AIDS Day celebration in the capital. I'm afraid not.
It's raining again in Suva, quite appropriate for the somber mood filtering through the HIV/AIDS division at HQ.
On a lighter note, we have finished most of the preparation for the campaign. The club owners/managers have been really excited about the campaign. One club is going to have $2 shots of red tequila, another has agreed to promote our signature drink- the "rub-her"... hehe. Laugh, its funny. We've also prepared everything for for the workshop/training we'll be having with our 50 some volunteers. The list goes on, but the funding does not.
Worst case scenario, we'll have to move the campaign to another week. Anyway, the saga will continue, so stay tuned.
Funding seemed so simple when the Ministry had $400,000 to spend in 2 months... a bottomless pit as far as our condom distribution campaign was concerned. But somehow it up and left, tapped, ran dry, no longer. So now we sit and wait. Corporate sponsorship... not by Monday. UNFPA is our last hope and they're already funding most of the project as it is. Tomorrow is dooms day.
I suppose it wouldn't be so bad if it was a matter of our condom distribution campaign not getting off the ground, but the National Advisory Council for AIDS (NACA) fund has left Suva- the capital city- sans a World AIDS Day celebration. Everything has been transferred to Lautoka, where buses will filled with youth and MoH staff will be piled to capacity. What?! No World AIDS Day celebration in the capital. I'm afraid not.
It's raining again in Suva, quite appropriate for the somber mood filtering through the HIV/AIDS division at HQ.
On a lighter note, we have finished most of the preparation for the campaign. The club owners/managers have been really excited about the campaign. One club is going to have $2 shots of red tequila, another has agreed to promote our signature drink- the "rub-her"... hehe. Laugh, its funny. We've also prepared everything for for the workshop/training we'll be having with our 50 some volunteers. The list goes on, but the funding does not.
Worst case scenario, we'll have to move the campaign to another week. Anyway, the saga will continue, so stay tuned.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Back and forth
It's been a while and I think an update is in order. I've been working on a condom distribution project three major cities in Fiji; Suva, Latuoka/Nadi and Labasa. I'm working with two other JICA volunteers to set up our launch to pilot the program in Suva. We're targeting high risk youth that attend night clubs by providing the bars with condoms. the intention is to increase "off-peak" accessibility to condoms.
The project began as a small campaign- just some condom dispensers, t-shirts and print material. It hasn't exactly happened that way... it's blown up into a $50,000 project involving public service announcement (PSA), billboards, and 10,000 condom carrying cases.
The launch will start on December 1st, World AIDS day, and will last throughout the week. There will be outreach along the main drag in Suva- inside and outside of the clubs. I think the owners/managers are just as excited about the event as we are... some of them have gone as far as making entire drink menus for the week with price cuts given to participants who will be identified by a stamped hand. Others are bringing in red tequila for two dollar shots - who knew red tequila even existed?
I just got back to Lautoka this Saturday and am off to a conference on Project Design and Management. When the conference is over, I'll be back to Suva to work on the PSA and get ready for the event. I wont return until I have to pick up Pops from the airport in December. Thankfully this'll be my last trip to Suva for a looonnnggg time.
The project began as a small campaign- just some condom dispensers, t-shirts and print material. It hasn't exactly happened that way... it's blown up into a $50,000 project involving public service announcement (PSA), billboards, and 10,000 condom carrying cases.
The launch will start on December 1st, World AIDS day, and will last throughout the week. There will be outreach along the main drag in Suva- inside and outside of the clubs. I think the owners/managers are just as excited about the event as we are... some of them have gone as far as making entire drink menus for the week with price cuts given to participants who will be identified by a stamped hand. Others are bringing in red tequila for two dollar shots - who knew red tequila even existed?
I just got back to Lautoka this Saturday and am off to a conference on Project Design and Management. When the conference is over, I'll be back to Suva to work on the PSA and get ready for the event. I wont return until I have to pick up Pops from the airport in December. Thankfully this'll be my last trip to Suva for a looonnnggg time.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Life, liberty, and fireworks
Two big things happened this week; 1.) Yesterday was Diwali and 2.) I VOTED!
I wont go in the order I wrote it- because that wouldn't be fun and voting needed to be second for dramatic effect. I feel very.... well, patriotic. I certainly never thought I would say that, let alone write it down in a place for everyone to see. But, living in a country where elections are constantly postponed due to cues and other political strife, I feel very fortunate to have the ability to draw tick marks on a piece of paper, and have it mean something. In fact, it was so satisfying that once the postage was placed on the letter, I strutted over to the FastPost bin, kissed the letter, and gently dropped it in. That's it. I VOTED, and I think I should get a sticker for that. Wheres my sticker?!
Like most Americans and the rest of the world, I'm very anxious to see what happens. Every morning I listen to the innumerable opinions broadcast on the BBC about the matter- I'm not sure its healthy to have your anxiety peak at 8am. I cant imagine what its like in the states right now, with this sort of news blaring throughout the day. I guess my 30 minute breakfast anxiety is nothing compared to what many of you are exposed to.
Diwali- the festival of lights, the Indian equivalent to Christmas, happened yesterday (Oct.28), and since almost 40% of Fiji is made of Indo-Fijian, its national holiday. Lights of all colors (I would call them Christmas lights, but that would be wrong in this context) framing many houses, fireworks everywhere, and the smell of sweet molasses coming from many kitchens consumed Lautoka. From an outside perspective, Diwali is a day for eating sweets and playing with fireworks... and both are done in excess, its fantastic.
The day itself of wasn't terribly exciting for me because the evening was spent in Nadi saying goodbye to the first of our group to be sent back to the U.S. - the cause, medical separation. Sad. I didn't feel too bad about missing the celebrations because I had been to two parties the weekend before. I even wore a salwar kamis on two different occasion. The first was a loan from a Bangladeshi doctor and the second was my first Fiji purchase of Indian attire.
It's really nice to be back in the Sugar City- Lautoka. I came back this past friday from my two week adventure to Suva. I was welcomed by 15 puppies. Three of the six dogs that guard my house gave birth while I was away. They're all really cute and I would probably be more cuddly with them if they werent infested with fleas. The owners are trying to get rid of them because there are already 6 at the house. Anybody need a puppy? No charge, you just have to come and pick it up.
I wont go in the order I wrote it- because that wouldn't be fun and voting needed to be second for dramatic effect. I feel very.... well, patriotic. I certainly never thought I would say that, let alone write it down in a place for everyone to see. But, living in a country where elections are constantly postponed due to cues and other political strife, I feel very fortunate to have the ability to draw tick marks on a piece of paper, and have it mean something. In fact, it was so satisfying that once the postage was placed on the letter, I strutted over to the FastPost bin, kissed the letter, and gently dropped it in. That's it. I VOTED, and I think I should get a sticker for that. Wheres my sticker?!
Like most Americans and the rest of the world, I'm very anxious to see what happens. Every morning I listen to the innumerable opinions broadcast on the BBC about the matter- I'm not sure its healthy to have your anxiety peak at 8am. I cant imagine what its like in the states right now, with this sort of news blaring throughout the day. I guess my 30 minute breakfast anxiety is nothing compared to what many of you are exposed to.
Diwali- the festival of lights, the Indian equivalent to Christmas, happened yesterday (Oct.28), and since almost 40% of Fiji is made of Indo-Fijian, its national holiday. Lights of all colors (I would call them Christmas lights, but that would be wrong in this context) framing many houses, fireworks everywhere, and the smell of sweet molasses coming from many kitchens consumed Lautoka. From an outside perspective, Diwali is a day for eating sweets and playing with fireworks... and both are done in excess, its fantastic.
The day itself of wasn't terribly exciting for me because the evening was spent in Nadi saying goodbye to the first of our group to be sent back to the U.S. - the cause, medical separation. Sad. I didn't feel too bad about missing the celebrations because I had been to two parties the weekend before. I even wore a salwar kamis on two different occasion. The first was a loan from a Bangladeshi doctor and the second was my first Fiji purchase of Indian attire.
It's really nice to be back in the Sugar City- Lautoka. I came back this past friday from my two week adventure to Suva. I was welcomed by 15 puppies. Three of the six dogs that guard my house gave birth while I was away. They're all really cute and I would probably be more cuddly with them if they werent infested with fleas. The owners are trying to get rid of them because there are already 6 at the house. Anybody need a puppy? No charge, you just have to come and pick it up.
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