On Saturday, after a leisurely breakfast, Tolstoy and I departed for our trek around 8 AM.
The sun was shining, the air was fresh from yesterday afternoon’s deluge and the backdrop of Lake Tanganyika was magnificent. The plan was to head up and over the mountain behind Kigutu to visit the commune (community) of Vyanda. This is where Tolstoy went to primary school (Grade 1-6) five days a week. As we left the driveway of Village Health Works, we passed many locals heading down the mountain to Mugara for the Saturday markets. Mostly women and children, carrying a variety of goods on their heads including bananas, enormous bags, a chicken, a goat and a foam mattress. Many stopped to socialize with Tolstoy and have their curiosity quelled as to who this muzungu (white person) was accompanying him. We stopped in at his mother’s house and he found a suitable walking stick for me from a pile of cut branches used for fence fabrication. Tolstoy is very conscientious about my well being.
Initially, we were on a very wide track (calling it a road would be stretching it) and later proceeded to climb up a narrow track passing mud brick houses surrounded by banana trees and burnt fields. I began to feel the heat and the elevation, (about 2000 metres) but the sights, sounds and frequent greeting of other walkers kept my mind occupied. I was also immersed in thinking of the experiences of the locals as they hid and fled the rebels during the war. We continued up a steep set of switch backs and reached a bit of a plateau, which gave my lungs and legs a bit of a rest until we proceeded to climb another steep incline up a narrow track. We were headed into the water catchment area for Kigutu. When we reached the top we had been walking steadily for three hours.
It was now wonderful to walk along the ridge on an undulating road. The views were terrific and gave me a great sense of the gigantic area and population which VHW serves. It certainly gives me a MUCH greater appreciation for the efforts required for people to come to the clinic to receive health care and how vital it is having VHW’s presence here. Without VHW they would have no health care available at all. It also impressed on me the important role that the community health workers play in the delivery of health care to this community. These are locals who have been trained to go to the people’s homes directly and administer their medications for HIV and TB (among other tasks). These committed individuals walk many hours each day to ensure that their job is done properly. I would love to see that they are able to be provided with decent raingear, good shoes, torches (many leave before dawn) to make their jobs a bit easier.
Tolstoy was eager to introduce me to some of his relatives along the way. They were all lovely people and greeted me heartily. Each of theml seemed to be amazed that a muzungu had come to them on foot!
We continued to the community which was another hour away over more hills. Everyone we passed on the track seemed to ask Tolstoy who I was and what I was doing. He explained that I was a volunteer from VHW and wanted to see for myself the communities which are served by VHW. My presence was definitely unusual.
When we reached the village it was wonderful to see Tolstoy have a bit of a reunion with some of his schoolmates. He showed me his school and was very happy and peaceful to be there again. It’s was amazing for me to realize that as a young boy he had done this walk every day, departing home at 0400 and arriving home well after dark at 7 PM.
As we turned back for home, ominous thunderheads were building overhead, which was quite dramatic. They definitely gave me an extra oomph in my walking pace. Tolstoy and I were able to share ideas and visions for the malnutrition project which is currently in the formative stages at VHW and needs to be “officially” launched as soon as possible. Our ‘mountains beyond mountains’ hike was really a great way for me to experience “community outreach” (a common phrase in the public health lexicon) in the truest sense. It’s wonderful having Tolstoy as my walking companion and guide too.
Soon after we entered the driveway of VHW the rains came down. The shower felt good after such a satisfying and memorable day.
Tolstoy & Helen on the track
Locals on their way to market
Helen
Helen with a local family
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