Delivery day at Nyobok

Hello everyone! Today was the first of two deliveries for Project GROW. We met with the original members of Project GROW and their entire community to make a delivery of goats, school lunch program supplies, diesel for the mill, and numerous other items. This delivery was small in comparison to tomorrow’s and that is largely because this village has been part of the program now for 4 years so we are moving to other things such as adult education, and beefing up the lunch program (I only wish it were with beef though). That said, there is still much to be done. People must travel a long way to seek medical help; they have no place to conduct adult learning programs, and of course, no electricity or sanitation. So today in Nyobok was as much about next steps as it was about delivering donations.
It is encouraging that the school lunch program was much of our focus. When the nursing students were here, they were told that personal bowls would be very helpful to ensure that everyone ate at lunch time. We went further and provided bowls, cups, and spoons, as well as providing a better and bigger cooking pot, and other lunch supplies. The lunch program is one of our Christmas card items and the money is well invested. Studies show that in the developing world, a lunch program is a major incentive for attendance and this is true in Nyobok. Although there is a government feeding program, it does not reach this school and even where it does, it is underfunded. If Project GROW is about education, then we want to remove as many barriers as possible and so we provide lunch. Beans, rice and grain were also supplied to supplement the program and we can leave knowing that lunch will be served for the balance of this school year and well into the next one.
When we were visiting the school for the deaf, the teacher who took us on the tour showed us their new poultry house. Cynthia, Josbert, and I immediately looked at one another and came up with the same idea; why not do this for Project GROW. A mud hut with walls half way up and wire mesh for the other half, a concrete floor, a decent roof of tin or straw and we are in business. Those of you who have been involved with Project GROW from the beginning might remember we tried to sell chicken cards. We had to give it up because there was no place to keep the chickens and they would simply fly or run away into the brush. This poultry house was an inspiration and would solve a lot of problems. Lack of protein in the diet affects the ability of children to learn, and while the lunch program is helpful, even an egg a week would make a big difference in everyone’s diet. The school could sell the chickens at the market, and sell the eggs to other villagers, and that way they would be able to sustain the lunch program and at the same time, vastly increase the diet of the whole village. So, we are now seriously considering that chicken card again, but this time with the intention to fund a poultry house that would serve many needs.
The other highlight of today’s celebration was the cutting of sod for the proposed community centre. I was honoured to be asked to participate in the ceremony and we hope that this part of the project will come together sooner, rather than later. A community centre would serve both the new village and the old one, as they are located quite close together. I shared a spade with the chief, and the District Chief Executive (a decision maker when it comes to infrastructure). The sod cutting is symbolic in that it represents the intention, but I have seen where intention can take us and hope that one day in the near future, we will go back to find a vibrant community centre in that spot.
The speeches and formalities were punctuated with entertainment; a drumming group who danced and drummed in the intense heat, sweat pouring, and incredible dancing. As well, a number of the girls who are sponsored through the Girl Child Education program staged a play around the theme of the challenges that face girls even when they are enrolled; parental expectations for helping with other children and chores that result in missed classes or no classes at all, and the impact of boys and marriage on education as well as many other pointed messages that push educating girls. In fact, using Vida as an example, the Girl Child education theme was predominant.
However, boys were not left out, and when it came time to hand out the goat, boys were in the limelight. Jonas made two sets of slips with the numbers 1 -15 and handed 15 boys a number. The other set of numbers went into a container (since we neglected to bring one, we used my camera case). The women drew a number and the boy with the corresponding number handed her her goat. It was a great idea, because there is always a chance that one or more of the goats are pregnant and this makes certain everyone has an equal chance for this bonus. Since every goat recipient will have to give the first female goat to the next woman in line, the pregnant ones speed up that process. The goats are the highlight of the day, actually, although Jan shuddered and couldn’t watch when the veterinarian began to do the immunizations. We want healthy goats and the immunization is an important factor. While we donated some goats today, many of those handed out were baby goats from a previous recipient. Capacity building again!
Speaking of Jan, she has a wonderful story to share, and will do so tomorrow. She is, as she so eloquently puts it, knackered after a long hot day, whereas I am the nighthawk. I won’t give the story away, but stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog. Another big day, and our last one in the region. Hard to believe that we leave for Tamale on Thursday and start working our way home. We will be sad to leave many new friends behind.
There is a gecko in my room and we have been having a standoff tonight. He doesn’t seem to anxious to leave, and I have decided I like geck’s over spiders, so I will allow him to stay. Even nighthawks must give in and tomorrow is another busy day

…til later!