Saturday, October 27, 2012

Finding the Balance



Finding the Balance. . .

Volunteering at Gardens for Health is certainly a worthwhile endeavor, helping achieve the mission and vision of the organization. There are many roles that I have been involved with, such: as health trainings, writing protocols, home visits, planning for the Thanksgiving event and overall staff support. The days are full, sometimes frustrating and challenging, but always rewarding!

Beyond this framework of ‘office time’, there is also a fulfilling and rewarding ‘home’ time. The balance of recreation with work is vital. Sharing meals at home, participating in birthday surprise events, enjoying the widened horizons derived from spending time with such a dynamic group of ‘young people’ (check out www.verasolutions.org), getting groceries at the local Kimironko market, making new friends and being with the quintessentially adorable children, all help to provide this balance. It all feels good, helping me to feel younger and enriched!

Helen


  Family dinner

 Julie and Conner in the kitchen

 Birthday surprise for Nerea at Kimironko

 Taylor from Vera Solutions
speaking to the group

Taylor,Conner, Julie and Brett

 Grace,Mary and Julie

Kimironko market vendors

Linda, Helen and Lauren

 Aline with thank you


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Valuable home visits. . .

Valuable home visits. . .

Last week I accompanied the health educators on home visits, which always refreshes my perspective on the work that needs to be done to improve the conditions of peoples’ lives here.  As I sat with Claire on a hemp bag in the tiny, dirt floored, mud- walled, tin-roofed shack, I could see a myriad of holes in the roof, which appeared like constellations on a moonless night. Claire was incredible, her empathetic listening skills giving the woman a safe and comfortable place while eliciting intense and heartfelt conversation as the mama shared her travails of vulnerability and poverty.

At one point during the conversation, Claire paused and translated the woman’s words, “Being able to talk about depression is better than receiving money”. This profound statement held so much poignancy, especially in the context of sitting with this woman in her home who unquestionably qualifies as among the ‘poorest of the poor’ strata. It was amazing to think that we could begin to make a difference in this woman’s impenetrable emotional despair. Her statement completely affirmed that GHI’s newly introduced a unit on mental health to our health and training curriculum is certainly vital.

The mental health of mothers has to be targeted as a key variable when attending to the complex and interrelated factors that lead to malnutrition.
A recently published article, http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/commentary/rich-or-poor-depression-growing-global-crisis discusses that depression is a growing global crisis across all economic classes. “Psychiatrists can play an important role in improving global mental health — not just as physicians — but as advocates, strategists, and teachers. We must find ways to expand access to mental health care through community-based services and primary care. We must train local clinicians, even non-clinicians, to identify and treat patients with mental disorders, and we must work with local governments and community leaders to prioritize mental health care and reduce stigma.”  It’s good to know our work at GHI in this realm is contributing to easing the burden of depression and other mental health issues.

Besides providing a chance during home visits for these mothers to confide their individual problems and challenges, reinforcement of key messages from trainings to date, answering questions and providing clarity to issues is also a focus. Nutrition, family planning and mental health appear to be the trainings that spur the most dialogue.

Everyone visited had the printed handouts from the trainings close at hand for reference and some of them had nailed on the wall. Accompanying our extraordinary health educators on home visits is one of my favorite aspects of my work here. I love witnessing the development of their skills and the respect they hold as leaders within the community.

News Flash! 
Direct from the Gardens for Health website:
“Julie Carney, GHI’s incredible Country Director, was recently named an Ashoka Fellow. This is exciting news for both Julie and Gardens for Health! This prestigious fellowship recognizes the world’s leading network of social entrepreneurs – extraordinary change makers who find new solutions to social problems. As GHI has been lucky enough to witness firsthand, Julie is the definition of a change maker.”

Congratulations, Julie, we are so proud that you have received this well deserved recognition and opportunity.

Helen





 A home in the hills.

 Brewing storm, hope it doesn't occur
during our Thanksgiving feast day.

Claire on the home visit circuit.

Claire reviewing mental health training.

Naomi provides the mama a great
chance to share some concerns. 

Naomi reinforces health trainings.

 Home visit with Naomi. 

Helen teaching the field team how to
tie a bowline for hanging scales.
 
Heading home after a few kilometres of walking.
 
 Mama and children in a very humble abode. 

Innovations. . a torn mosquito net
being used as chicken coop.

 Lunchtime at the new tables.

Congratulations to Julie, recently
announced an Ashoka Fellow.


Sunday, October 14, 2012

Pig Roast!



Pig Roast!

As I was waiting this morning for a moto ride to the Kigali airport, where the fast internet and cappuccino will be my Sunday treat, I stood on the road by the house enjoying the lovely choir singing from the church across the road and watching the locals walk by in their Sunday best.

On the wall surrounding our house a great blue heron perched momentarily with a rat in its beak, looking somewhat stunned that it managed to nab such a large treat. A plethora of flying ants after yesterday’s deluge provided the neighborhood children with tasty tidbits. I always love taking the time to soak in a bit of the day-to-day in our Rwandan neighborhood.

Another week has flown by and as usual it has been full. The mamas had a fantastic training with Adam and Lissy from The Cookbook Project thecookbookproject.org. We greeted two new members to the staff; Brett Hawley who will be the communications fellow for the next year and Emma Uwodukunda RN who will be the manager of the health team. It’s exciting to be here helping Gardens for Health with transitions and growth.

On Friday we had an inaugural meal at the new community dining table overlooking the verdant fields. Under the supervision of Mama Isa, a pig was procured, slaughtered, butchered and prepared for the spit, where Conner was the master pig roaster for the day. The beautiful structure and table, built by Rasta and his team this past week were truly christened with bountiful food and abounding community spirit.

As Julie wrote in the invitation with Porky Pig’s visage “It ain’t all gardens, Folks!” It was a memorable night with the table decorated with candles on banana leaves and the benches filled to overflowing with probably 100 people. It will certainly be the first of many amazing meals and celebrations for this extraordinary community in this special location.

Helen



 Riding home in the back of the
truck after a local training 

 The Mama Chefs during their
Cookbook Project training 

 Cedric gazing in awe of the beast. 
He is just cruising everywhere now

 Mama Isa, Rasta and Julie get
the pig ready for the spit
 
Conner on roasting duty
  
 The table in place under Rasta's masterpiece 

 Ready for the meal

Julie with Claire, Naomi, Media and Annonciata 

Julie cuts the ceremonial ribbon
 with Rasta and Simon Pierre

Helen, Julie and Epiphanie excited
after the dish washing blitz! 

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Home sweet home a la Rwanda. . .



Home sweet home a la Rwanda. . .

It’s great to be back amongst the Gardens for Health community.  My airport welcome was very exciting and heartfelt, with Solange and the mamas lunging out of the behind-the-line crowds to give me hugs. On the way home Claire and I sat in the back of the truck and caught up. Warm sultry air with wafts of quintessential African smells was lovely after the long haul from Boston in airplanes. The reunion continued back at the house with Julie and meeting Oliver (new GHC fellow from NYC) and Conner (new agricultural fellow from Vancouver, B.C.). Sharing a delicious candlelit dinner at a new table was very cosy. 


This week I have been immersed in getting back into the old routine, reuniting with old staff members and getting to know new staff members. On Thursday I went to the health post at Ngiryi where the mental health training was officially launched for the first time into the training curriculum. It was rewarding to see that the seeds Alli and I had sown a year ago with our psychosocial support groups finessed into a very effective and clear training by Isa with terrific materials.

Perhaps the biggest news of the week was witnessing Cedric walk for his first time. These steps are huge, as the whole Gardens for Health family has been emotionally invested in his growth. Cedric realized that running was also a possibility! He did not stop all day. 

I am excited to be back and get some exciting projects fine tuned. Planning and helping organize the Third Annual Thanksgiving feast is one of my tasks which is both exciting and daunting since there is a great possibility we will have 1500 people gathering for this celebration! Since my departure at the end of April there have been new transitions and changes (both large and small) which all seem very positive. It’s great to see and be part of the unfolding visions.
Helen
 
 Welcoming Committee

Welcome back dinner
 Claire and Annonciata doing mental health training

 Claire explaining ways to beat your drum
for happiness to help with depression

 Mamas do yoga stretching at the
beginning and end of each training


 Cedric discovers his shadow