A short but eventful week

May 11, 2010 at 11:21 am (Uncategorized)

Since the day I pounded a floor (monday) I was in the office for only 1 and a bit days last week! On Tuesday and Wednesday I was out in the field to 3 communities, helping to document the girls we are supporting. Tried some different foods, this time a soyabean kebab which was really good! oo and Koshey! Fried bean/dough thing.

Friday I had a brief but intense encounter with malaria, so stayed at home all day trying not to move,

A farmer and her sheabutter

until I was persuaded I should go to the hospital, which I did (for the first time in my life). The visit to hospital was an experience, it is a very old building and smelt very strongly of disinfectant.. but I guess thats the same for the uk? 14 pills and some sleep later and I felt better..

On Saturday I had planned to meet with the guy who is starting his own environmental organisation, and he was to take me to several communities to see their work and talk to the farmers. I felt confident enough with the pills that I would be well enough, so he picked me up on his motorbike and we drove out to Duzlugu, 10k away. On the way he showed me a sheabutter processing plant (who export their produce to China), and pointed out lots of different trees.. including the massive Baobao tree. We stopped by a sacred forest, which is all that remains of the forest that used to cover the whole area before everyone started chopping all the trees down. At Duzlugu I was introduced to all the farmers, men and women, and we all sat in the shade of a couple of trees to talk about organic farming, tree planting and the problems that they are facing. I wasn’t expecting such a formal meeting! But it was very interesting hearing their stories and learning about their farming techniques. The village were happy that I was visiting them, and gave me a gift of some guinea fowl eggs! I hope to return the favour by helping set the organisation up with a website, editing formal documents and sourcing some funds.

I was also shown the organic compost and tree nurseries at 3 or 4 other communities, was given some mangoes and some morenge leaves (to treat malaria) and then we rode home and I slept… after boiling a few eggs. A good day.

This week I am back to work and eating wachey!