On May 2nd, we celebrated World Malaria Day in Bonga, Ethiopia. World Malaria Day is actually April 25th but due to some scheduling conflicts, we celebrated exactly 1 week later. Malaria is still one of the top killers in Africa, especially for children under the age of 5 years old. Awareness is a big issue in Ethiopia as in many parts of Africa. To help raise awareness about causes of malaria and malaria prevention and treatment, I organized a 8 kilometer march in Bonga from the top of town near 2 schools to the bottom finishing at the Teacher’s College of Education.
We had about 130 students from several schools in Bonga participate as registered marchers. I had announced the week before that we would have a sign competition also, and for students to bring their signs to the march. There was a contest for the best Kafi noonoo sign, (local language of Kafa region), best Amharic sign and best English sign as well as a best overall sign and a few runnerup signs. Prizes ranged from an American mini-soccar ball for best overall sign, to bags of goodies like ping pong balls, fingernail polish, stickers, colored pencils, candy etc….for other winners. Each student who won also got a certificate, (which are a big deal here) and their photo taken with me and their sign.
We marched with a full size mosquito net and a boom box for music, but the students ended up singing and chanting songs and so it was loud walking through town. Once we reached the Teacher’s College at the bottom of town, we had tea and biscuits, (large donut holes) for students and I bought bottled water. (It turned out the college campus was out of water, and so that became a big problem with 130+ thirsty, tired student who just walked 8 kilometers on a really sunny day……so I bought my way outta that problem and bought 100 birr worth of giant water bottles) The only issues we had was the water not available on college campus and the 2 traffic police officers who were supposed to help us with safety along the road, did not show up, but it was a non-market day, so the car traffic was minimal.
Once everyone got water I had invited Ato. Legessee Haile, the Head of Disease Prevention and Health in Bonga to speak to students about malaria prevention, transmission and treatment. He even did half of the march with us to show his support! He talked to them about using bednets, closing windows before it gets dark, getting rid of stagnant water in their backyards, spraying to get rid of mosquitos and how to recognize signs if you think you are infected. Malaria is also treatable and usually cureable, so it’s important for students to also know that if they get infected, it’s still a big deal, but not a lost cause. Several students wrote poems in Kafi noonoo and Amharic and one students composed and sang a song about malaria. I gave a brief speech and thanked everyone for their help especially Chuck Adams, my “PCV Site-mate” for helping organize the event at the college and taking all of the photos and Ato. Alemseged, my counterpart (who is now nicknamed my Avatar for helping me so much) for helping me corral students and explain the events to them in Amharic.
After we announced winners of the sign competitions and gave out prizes, I arranged for the giant College bus to drive us all the 8 kilometers back up the giant hill to the top of town and I can honestly say, I think it’s the first time a group of students that large had ever been on a bus alltogether, they were singing and dancing and generally went a bit craized on the bus ride home. I wasnt even annoyed at all the screaming and being completly squished in the bus, I just basked in the chaos and absorbed the energy of their excitement and felt a total sense of accomplishment at our amazing day and how successful it was.
Overall, we had an amazing day, were truly successful in raising malaria awareness and I got to bond further with many of my students and the weather was a bit hot, but miraculously not a cloud in the sky, and as we just entered the rainy season, I was greatful there wasn’t a big storm. Truly one of my best Peace Corps days! And, just in time for my May 23rd anniversary as officially being in the Peace Corps for 1 year!!!
The next morning I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to walk to the bus station to get on a bus to Hawassa to visit friends and do the Every One run, to support maternal and newborn health, I planned to walk the 7 K one day later, but got a bit sick and so gave my support to the other runners and hung with friends…..what a week! Now, I wasnt completly selfless….I also enjoyed seeing PCV friends, hanging by the lake, looking at hippos and giant crane birds, eating pizza and drinking real cocktails, shopping and even managed to see the movie the Avengers in 3D in Addis Ababa on my way back from Hawassa. I enjoyed the modern part of Ethiopia for almost 2 weeks, but it’s good to be home. And it’s good to call Bonga home and feel like I truly mean it.
My Peace Corps Journey 