National Day

20th May was national day here in Cameroon. This means it is a public holiday. We have just had a 5 day weekend (although we kept working as usual). Thursday was Ascension, Friday was declared a day of national mourning for the victims of the plane crash (although because Thursday was a public holiday no-one would have gone to work on Friday as there is no point for one day!) Then Sunday was national day so Monday was a public holiday in-lieu. So all government workers have had a nice long weekend. So National day is like many other public holidays in that there is marching to celebrate. This time the police/ army/ gendarmes/ prison officers march first, followed by schools then associations and political parties. so my group HINT-HED went to march with the associations. We got there early so we could go round talking to people first giving out flyers about HIV and red ribbons. It went well, we were only 10 but made the most of it. One member marched with the prison guards then did a quick change and joined us.

After the event I made a bee line for the beach to join Joe and the football boys for a party on the beach. We had a whole pig on the BBQ and the president got the snout to eat. The pork was delicious and with a beer it was almost perfect. The ants meant it was not perfect. The grass was full of these evil ants who had a vicious bite. You had to pull their nasty little teeth out of you foot to get them off, it hurt.

I then had great fun trying to teach the boys how to float on your back in the sea. Not many of them can swim (there are no public swimming pools, so you can only swim if you came to the beach) so it was not easy. I kept hearing calls of 'madam Joel, teach me how to float like that'. I tried and in most cases did not succeed but it was fun.

Achiever?

I went to the HOTPEC orphanage again yesterday. Hannah had asked me to go and speak to Mama and Auntie Grace (two of the staff who care for the the children) about first aid, disease prevention etc. However when I got there I ended up talking to all 60 of the children. so I quickly rearranged what I was going to say to aim it at the children. It went well and we had a good time.

While I was there I spent some time in the nursery. There are four babies at HOTPEC although one of them belongs to Auntie Grace. The room where they sleep is small and there are only two cots so they share.

Pictured is two of the babies. On the Left is 8 month of Harry, who is Auntie Grace's Son, on the right is 18 month old Achiver. He is skin and bones with a pot belly. He has terrible malnutrition. He can not walk or even stand. Also he cannot talk, he is very behind in his development. They have taken him to the hospital and can only afford the treatment because Hannah offered to pay. He has various intestinal infections which mean he is not absorbing his food well. The woman who cares for him cares also for the other three babies so it is hard for her to give him the intensive feeding regime he requires. The orphanage do their best to care for little Achiver but this may not always be enough.

Tenth Month

This will be the last monthly review I write as we will not quite make it to the 11 month mark. I know we said we were coming for a year but as we had exactly one year break from our jobs it means we can not quite do a whole year here. So we come home on the 7th June making our time here a grand total of 10 months and three weeks.

So the last month has been pretty busy. I am now based at the health centre every day so am finding it harder to keep up to date with the blog and emails - sorry. Things have been slow to start, I have had a grand total of 12 people come to visit me. With various problems, I have correctly diagnosed a couple of people with malaria and sent them to the hospital for treatment. I have helped people suffering with small niggling problems advising the correct drug to take. And I have had a few long chats about disease prevention. As yet I have not had much in the way of people with HIV. I am due to visit a lady tomorrow and have had many people tell me they are going to send someone to see me but no one has come. It will just take time and I am sure over the next few months it will get very busy. In a couple of weeks Helen Savage will be here. Helen is one of my friends from the ward I work on in Oxford and I am very excited that she will be here to continue to project and watch it grow. So soon I will be handing everything over to her.

HIV education work is going well. My last seminar had 28 people attending. Many keen to join HINT-HED our group of educators. Plus Hannah got a few from the orphanage to come along as currently they have no HIV education in the orphanage school. HINT-HED is also forming well, we had our first even on 1st May and the next is planned for 20th May. They are an eager group of volunteers who give up their free time to come and teach others about HIV. They are all very passionate about stopping HIV and very willing.

Joe has been busy teaching is photoshop course and is currently on his final batch of web design students - his best yet he tells me, which makes teaching much more enjoyable. He is busy doing the final touches to the HINT website also and teaching Genesis how to use it.

So our time here is coming to a close, we are very grateful to all who have supported us and look forward to seeing you all over the coming weeks. The next 3 weeks will involve tying up any loose ends, handing over to Helen and getting the last few events done.

How can I help?

I had a visit from a patient last week. She is in her 30's and overweight. Last week she was sick and sent to Douala to see a Cardiologist (we get one once a week in Buea). She had to pay so much money just for the hospital stay and consultation that when the doctor told her she should take what I assume to be GTN. The drug however will cost her 15 000 CFA (which is £15 but is little more than she gets in a month) so she cannot afford to buy them. She is a widow with 6 children, one of her daughters has HIV and is at a special school where she receives treatment. This takes most her money so there i little left for herself.

She comes to see me because she still has the pain in her chest. She wants to know if there is anything else she can do. I suggest eating healthy and exercise. Also buying aspirin could help and should be cheaper, however she has gastric trouble so they will not work. Really I am at a loss of how to help her. She needs to buy the drugs but has not means to afford it. People always moan about the NHS and you just cannot compare it to the third world country but come on. If you had angina in the UK you would not have all this added stress of travelling to see the doctor who tells you to buy a drug you cannot afford as you have spent all your money seeing him in the first place. What can she do, I fear for her. I fear she will have a heart attack, then who will look after her children?

Labour day

The 1st May each year is Labour day in Cameroon, on this day many business and organisations come together to march. Mainly it is a way of advertising, hence the registration fee I spoke about in a previous post. We went along as an organisation with the aim to sensitise people about HIV. We had t-shirts made and a banner, we had 200 flyers and ribbons to give out with the hope to collect a few donations. The event was being held in Limbe so we all got a bus down together. Soon after we arrived it started to rain so everybody hid and took cover. The rain soon cleared and we waited for the marching to begin. During this time we went round chatting with people giving out the flyers and made a few francs giving out ribbons. Most people were very receptive to us and asked what we were about etc. Many though said they do not need to know about AIDS as it will not affect them. These people are the ones who need to listen most but there is not much you can do.

The marching was of course disorganised chaos with no order and people trying to push in front of each other. Bit companies took various cars, trucks, buses which caused trouble in the lining up. But we found a slot to march in and did our bit. I was very pleased with the group, we had 20 turn up and most of them on time. The late-comers had to find there own way down to Limbe as we would not wait for them, but they followed. So our next task is 20th May, National Day. That should run a bit smoother now we have completed our first event. I really did not believe they would do anything before we left. So many groups form and talk about who will lead the group, the constitution etc. and never actually do anything. but this group said we will worry about things like that later and actually get something done first. That is what I like action not just talk.

Red Ribbon Day

Following one of my HIV educators' seminars we have decided to form a group of community educators. This group will visit schools, attend public holidays etc and educate people about HIV. I was very excited when they suggested this and am helping them run the group but not running it for them as I will not be here forever. We decided to get hold of some red ribbons to give out at these events so I went about trying to get some.

I went to visit the PTG (Provincial Technical Group)this is the local government office in charge of HIV control. I have been to visit them before to let them know about the HIV training we were doing. After about 4 visits I was actually able to see the controller and she was not interested. So I went up it took two visits to find her in office and I asked about getting red ribbons or other resources for our work. She told me 'those days are gone, we no longer give out resources you have to get your own'. This left me wondering what they do actually do as they were not interested to hear about our project or help. In fact the only thing I have seen them do in almost one year is create stickers to go in taxis to encourage testing.

I decided I would go about making my own red ribbons. So off I went to the market bought some red ribbon and some pins and off we go. I have enough ribbon to make about 200 which is a good start but I think I will never want to see a red ribbon again when I have finished.

It is all downhill from here

So we have been here nine months now, we have just under two months left to go. We are really starting to feel the accelerator as we race down hill to the finish. In many ways we are looking forward to going home but we often wish we could stay here for a bit longer.

The last month has been pretty busy, it started with a trip to the North of the country which was really interesting and well worth the nightmare journey. I then had some painting left to finish off at the health centre and we opened on the 2nd April following a dedication service a week before. Things have been pretty slow since opening, but that is not surprising as it takes a while to get established. I have had three patients so far and a few other visiting and getting HIV information. We have now posted posters all round the town and the sign board will be up next week so that should get things moving. I have had another well attended HIV educators' seminar and in the follow-up session for the previous group it was decided to form a team of community educators so we met last week to begin plans.

Joe has been busy with his 4th group of web design students and starts his new Photoshop course this week. He has also been catching out scammers using and abusing the Internet in our Internet cafe. People feel they have no work and no chance of getting work, a friend will tell them about these scam opportunities and they feel they are left with little option. Little do they know Handy Cafe (our time server) has a big brother mode so we can view their every move and strike while the iron is hot. You have too feel sorry for these guys, they are pretty ashamed at what they are doing but need to get money from somewhere.

Open for business

Today the long awaited, long time in planning health centre has opened (well actually it was Monday but due to lack of time and power it has taken me until now to post this). We have been planning this for eight and a half months - the whole time I have been here. Back in July last year Genesis and I started talking about the possibility of some sort of health centre or HIV centre. The next step was to get the opinions of the local people and chiefs, over 30% of people asked said the main thing this area is lacking is a health centre up to 50% said it is one of things this area is lacking. We then spent time talking to the delegate for health and other government people to see what is possible. We began compiling the paper work and searched for a building. By December we had found a building it took a few months for the previous tenants to move out then much work was needed to make the building suitable. And today it is open, we have been using the hall for HIV seminars already but now we are open for business.

A great deal of thanks must go to Didimus who has helped with the painting and helped us find a good builder after the last one ran away with a bag of cement having hardly done any of the work. A huge thank you must also go to Kidlington Baptist Church, Oxfordshire who donated money to help with the renovations and purchasing of equipment. The donation came as a great surprise to us and all of us at HINT are very grateful as we were having to cut corners on the work.

There are still some things to be done but I can currently work round them. The plumber has vanished after being given 16 000 francs to buy equipment so I currently have no running water. This means I cannot do any dressings at the moment and have to dash home to use the loo! We also need a sign board on the road to advertise our whereabouts.

Last Sunday we had a dedication service for the centre with an attendance of about 70 people, all the local people we invited including the chief so that was a great advert.

So now I am sat waiting for the first patient, I think things will be slow to begin with so I will not be discouraged. Time is needed to spread the word that we are here and offering a free service. (I got my first patient on the second day of opening, a cute little boy just over a year old, high fever. I sent him to the hospital with ?Malaria.)

So here is the after view of the reception/waiting area

And this is my office/treatment room


For a reminder of what it did look like

Month 8

So here we are at our eighth month of being in Cameroon, the time is flying by and we will be back home eating cheese before we know it. So this month as you have seen on previous posts I have been pretty busy preparing the buildings for the health centre. Didimus and I spent a few solid days painting making 2 of the rooms now usable. Here is a before and after of the main hall, soon I hope to post after photos of the whole building.

Before


After

The builder is currently working, we had to get a second builder as the first bought 2 bags of cement built a small wall then disappeared with one full bag of cement - grrr. So it has taken a few weeks to find a new more trustworthy builder who is working hard. Once he has finished we have a little more painting to do then soft furnishing and furniture and equipment to sort out. We aim to open on 2nd April with a dedication service on 25th March. The church has moved into the hall so we have more space.

I have run my second and third HIV educators' seminars, one to the general public a group of 13 and the other in the prison to a group of wardens. I am enjoying the teaching especially when I get an interactive group and we can have some great discussions. I have also held follow up meetings for the first seminar I held to see what they had been doing. Only 5 came but each was able to tell me what they had done since the course. I was impressed they had run seminars or talked in small groups, visited their village and held a meeting. This made me very pleased to see my efforts are paying off and the message is spreading as we hoped.

Joe is in quite a routine with his work now, he has run his third web design course but only had one student so it was pretty intense. We have quite a few lined up for the next course so hopefully there will be a better number of students. He is also writing a photoshop course which will run between each web design course. This pretty much means he will be teaching something all the time until we leave now, maybe with a few sanity breaks to give him time to tinker on the web site.

I have also been arranging my replacement, I was getting worried that the health centre would open just a few months before we depart meaning it would be difficult to keep it going once I leave. However a friend of mine from my hospital in Oxford was planning on volunteering and having difficulty finding a job, so I suggested she came here to continue my work. She accepted so in May Helen will be arriving. Which is funny because we have had all the same jobs in our nursing career from the beginning, just a year apart. Also she took my post over from me when I left so we will be swapping and I will continue in Oxford from where she leaves - how neat and tidy!

Almost there.....

There has been a lack of posts recently but I shall not apologise because I have been too busy to write and I see that as a good thing! As I said most of last week I was in the prison each day teaching the wardens. The rest of last week was spent painting, Didimus and myself spent all day each day painting in the health centre. I wanted to help as much as possible to try and save money as this renovation is costing us dearly, especially when you give a plumber 16 000 to go any buy parts and you never see him again. Didimus had to help me as a) I am not too skilled with a roller brush and b) I would have no idea how to mix the paint.

We bought a huge bucket (20kgs) of white paint we then choose the colour. There is a choice of about 5 colours - all end up looking pastel. We choose to paint in the same colour as previous so buy some blue and green. The colour is then mixed with the white until you get the shade you require, this means once all the paint is used it is almost impossible to get the exact same shade again.

We then set about painting, we have finished three rooms and just have the one left. We have run out of paint and have to wait for the builders to continue. The builders have so far piled up a load of soil in front of the entrance, making getting in and out pretty difficult. The builders have also scarpered after doing one days work.

This week I am running another HIV seminar, the room we are based in is now a lovely shade of green but the outside needs a little more improvement.

In the prision

For the last three days I have been going to the prison each day. I was able to organise doing my HIV educators' seminar for the prison wardens. It has taken a while to organise and has now finally taken place. The opportunity came about when a warden who uses the Internet at HINT participated in the first course I did, afterwards he spoke to me about doing a session in the prison. So off I went to meet the 'big man' and discuss it. I of course should have taken a stamped piece of paper with me to show which NGO I was from. However I did not have this, a week later I returned with said stamped letter and we began to organise the course.

It took about 4 visits up to the prison to finalise the date and time. We decided to hold the meeting in the barracks, prison staff are very wary of whites as so many just want to come and look at the prison and take photos, because of this I have no pictures to post as I wanted to respect their wishes.

I had a lively group of 14, I had some good questions and discussions with them. Some very in depth conversations about the ABC of abstinence, being faithful and condoms. I really enjoyed some of the discussions we had like 'what do you advice to a Fon (Chief) who has 62 wives and one is unfaithful?'

Each of my planning meetings I met with a superintendent of the prison, he organised things from their point of view. He told me during planning that the 'big man' should get a little extra for organising things. I was also told by a fellow warden at the end ' you must give the big man extra'. So to fulfil my keeping the big man happy duties and keep channels open with the prison I took him out for a drink and soya (beef) to thank him, at this he told me I was very wise oh and could he buy my UK phone off me when I leave. Now how much do I charge a Cameroonian (well paid Cameroonian who has free accommodation) for my 3 year old phone?

Working hard and freaking out

Yesterday and today I have been very busy working really hard cleaning the health centre. Peter our wonderful carpenter finished his work a day early and only 6000 francs over budget, you do not get workmen like that in the UK!! So I went in to clean - we still need the builders to work in the main foyer but the two main rooms are ready for painting. I have been sweeping, mopping floors, walls and ceilings, my ward back care nurse would have a fit if she saw me cleaning. As shown in the very unflattering photos it is all done with a small broom and cloth. I was doing pretty well all the walls are clean and ready for paint, then the building will look much better.

*Parental Advisory, some mothers (mine) may find the following paragraphs not to their liking and I would advice you do not read any further*

So there I was sweeping the hall and what comes through the door - a really big snake. It was long and I mean really long. I am not sure how many meters it was (and yes we would be measuring this thing in meters). At the point I could see it, the head was past the foyer and in another room and the tail had still not followed from the outside. I do not know what sort of snake it was or weather or not it is poisonous. All I know is that the South West is home to the Gabon viper who's venom can kill you in 5 minutes. I was pretty sure this is not a Gabon viper as they are fatter, I have seen one in Limbe wildlife park. I was not planning on taking any chances though. The tail eventually followed and I ran out of the building.

I did not know what to do, so I did what all women in distress do - I phoned my husband. 'JOE ITS A SNAKE' I holler down the phone, 'a what' he says. 'A SNAKE SNAKE SNAKE' I say getting more stressed. So up he ran with Joshua from the HINT office passing some boys on the way to collect a machete, who then all followed with various implements to hit or kill a snake with. By the time they arrived the snake had gone, I have no idea where it went I did not see it leave. They went round the whole building and decided it has left.

There is a pile of stones round the back where they suspect it may live. This kind of freaked me out and I did not get much done for the rest of the afternoon. We have been told that battery acid from old car batteries will keep the snakes away, so tomorrow we will surround the building and advise the landlord to get rid of the pile of stones.

Seven months

Well here we are seven months in and not that I am counting but we come home 16 weeks today!! I am not wishing the time away but really looking forward to so many things.

So the month started with me running my first HIV educators' seminar, which went very well. After that we had a couple of weeks off with Joe's parents. We had a great time together and got to explore a few more places in this amazing country. That is it for visitors now so 16 weeks hard work until we go home (with the odd Saturday on the beach of course).

Since Glenys and Ted left I have been re-working a bit of the HIV course ready for the next group on the 5th March. I am also planning to do a course in the prison to the wardens. I have a meeting there tomorrow to organise it.

Joe has started writing a photoshop course which will run after his next web design course due to start on Monday.

We have had our visas issued which we are very pleased about and we have the buildings for the health centre in our possession. The final few bits of paperwork are being put together for the government application. We needed a building plan from an architect, even though we are renting buildings. We have to have a long term plan to build to show we are serious. So once that is finished we will hand the application in. Everything takes months to sort out in this country. We will open as an advice centre once the building is habitable - I am off cleaning a little later.

What is it all about?

I often think why am I here? what is it all about? Not my life, I am pretty happy with my personal ideas's of why I am here and do not want a theological debate about it. I mean in Cameroon, many people think we are crazy to pack up shop for a year, leave our house, jobs, friends, family and live in an African country. Many admire us and wish they could do the same (what is stopping you I say). So what is it all about, a life experience for me and Joe, to change the world, to help those less privileged than ourselves.

Well I am not sure about the life experience business we did not do this for ourselves, I would have chosen a warmer beach climate is it was! Yes this is a life changing experience but that is not the reason I came. To change the world, we are helping a small portion of the world but are not going to change the big wide world. To help those less privileged than myself, that is the reason I came. It is something I have always wanted to do. I have wanted to be a nurse all my life and would say once I was a nurse I would go to Africa and help. So here I am, is that what I still think it is about, yes and no. Yes it is about helping the underprivileged, it is also about all the small things.
We have a thing going with a couple for the local kids near our compound. Every time we walk past they come running up shouting 'white man white man white man' then do a ever evolving hand shake with them. Joe playing football with Gabriel, seeing him smile and having fun (which does not happen much living here with his Aunt and Uncle and no friends). It's these things that make it all worthwhile. Do not get me wrong opening a health centre, teaching computers, setting up a school book library they are all worth it but its seeing the smiles on the kids that give you that warm fuzzy feeling inside.

so here I am half way through a year in Cameroon hoping to help the poor and hopefully bringing joy to children. I love it, I love what I am doing, I love that I gave up stuff to come here, I love seeing the children smile but fear not I love my life in England too and will be coming back!

This is the before

The old tenants finally moved out out the buildings we propose to use for the health centre and we took the keys on the 1st February. Well we thought they had moved out, while inspecting the buildings we found someone still there. Genesis and I went to visit yesterday with a carpenter to look at the work that needs doing. There is a lot to be done. The rooms are in a complete state. Fortunately it rained yesterday (just a one off I hope as it is the middle of the dry season) so we can see any leaks that may appear. So the carpenter is writing his estimate for us and them work shall begin. By the end of the month the first half of the building should be ready to use. We have still to submit the paperwork to the government as we needed a building plan even though we have rented buildings - to show a long term aim. We hope to get this in within the next couple of weeks. However we will open as an advice centre as soon as the building is ready. I hope by next month I can show you some lovely after photos........

Reception


Waiting area


Office/treatment room

First set of HIV educators trained

This week I have been training my first set of HIV educators. It feels like this has taken a long time to happen and now it is over. We had 17 attend which I thought was brilliant due to the short notice advertising that so often happens here. We aimed for 25 but 17 was good as the hall was pretty hot. There are still tenants in the building so we just rented the hall and will get the whole building on 1st February.

I had a really diverse groups about half were already involved in HIV and I felt I was teaching them to suck eggs but they all said they learnt something new so that is great. So of the other half for most of them it was their first training in HIV and it really empowered them and they are planning sessions within their groups and workplaces. One guy was a prison officer and I plan to talk to the prisoners with them as well as doing another training session for more guards. I hope to do this in February/ March.

We had some great group discussions and I actually really enjoyed teaching. Usually I hate public speaking but I found this really enjoyable and hope it will be a confidence booster for the future.

We asked for recommendations for the next course which will start on 5th March and have about 10 names already. I have also had ideas for other projects, I aim to start a home help support group. There are many women who give their time going to the homes of people living with HIV. There were trained at a local hospital but get no follow up. One women was telling me they get no update or support, so I aim to start a support group for these women.

We now have a break for a couple of weeks as Joe's parents arrive tomorrow. By the time they leave we will have the health centre buildings and today my aim is to hassle Genesis until we hand in the application for a permit. As for our visas.......still waiting!

Six months!!

I know I say this every month but Six Months!! that's like half a year, that's amazing. We are not over half way and moving in to the busiest period of our time here.

This moment has mostly been taken up with Christmas (but not as much as it would have been at home), new year and visa issues! Genesis has been really busy for most of this month teaching as our current teacher is in hospital in his home town and being a student on the web design course.

Joe has almost finished teaching his second batch of web design students. Feels like this course has been going for ages as it stopped for a week over Christmas and was delayed while we went to Yaounde. He will now spend some time writing an advanced course as everybody is keen to learn more.

I start my long awaiting HIV educator program this afternoon, a few people have registered already but I hope more will turn up later.

Due to Genesis being so busy he has not been able to submit the paperwork for the health centre as there is one more form he has to get signed together with the landlord of the buildings, getting the two together is impossible! So I am hoping this will be done once the web design course is finished and it will be sorted while Joe's parents visit. Oh and the old tenants are still living there grrrrrr.

The weather is HOT now, we had a few days of random rain at the end of December but otherwise it is sun sun sun, which leads to so much dust. Going on a journey is a nightmare, we get covered in, eat and breath red dust from the roads. But no I am not a golden brown as there is no time for sunbathing.

Trials and Tribulations

So far this year things are not going to plan. The worst case scenario is that the previous tenants remain as squatters in my health centre not that it matters as we will get deported. Well I am sure things will not turn out quite that badly!!

We were meant to get the buildings for the health centre on Monday. However when we went last week to see the landlord about getting the tenancy agreement the current tenants told us they have not been given enough notice and need more time to find a new place to live. As we are a charity and kind of feel bad about chucking people out of their homes. However we agreed the take the property over back in November giving then tenants two months notice, they claim to have only had a couple weeks. So they have two more weeks then they need to be out as I am running a seminar in there then.

Our six month visas expire soon so we went to the immigration police to renew them (we were told this is the correct procedure). However it turns out they can only extend three month visas. The suggestion was to get a residents permit, these cost approx £250 each although as volunteers we are eligible for free permits. Cool we thought we will do that so we collected all the paperwork and went to see the police to get it approved. The police man we saw was a real jobsworth and told us we did not have the correct forms. That out non-government organisation need an agreement with the government to take volunteers. However the person who actually issues the permits (once and only once they have the police stamp) says this is not true. So if the police will not stamp it we can not go any further. We have a week and half to sort something out or we will become illegal immigrants and may get deported or put in prison.

Genesis has a friend in the police who we hope will sort it out for us. Remember it is all about who you know in Cameroon and what favors they can do for you. If this fails the next step is a trip to the capital Yaounde to see some high up person in the police who is able to extend our visa's or we pay £500 for new visas. Or we could do the really bright suggestion made by the guy at the police, fly to London get new visa's and fly back - because that will cost less than the £500 permit!

Well we just hope and pray it will sort itself out in the end. These things usually do, if not you may be seeing us a whole lot sooner than you expected!!

Almost half way....

......Now that is a scary thought. Today we have been here five months. We will not be here for a whole year as we arrived in the middle of July and have to be back at work at the start of July. So at about new year we will be half way through. A lot of the last month has been taken up with me parents visiting, which was a welcome break for us. Joe finished teaching his first web design course a few days before they arrived, so he was ready to relax. The last few days of the course had caused particular stress due to lack of power and being closed down by taxation. resulting in the students only having a couple of days to complete the final project instead of the planned one week. Nevertheless the students did well and managed to get some stuff done. Power has been a real problem in the last few weeks. We are now protected from short power cuts as we have ups back-up. However recently the electricity board has been putting the power out for the whole day. Joe is due to start a new course on Monday.

We are taking over the buildings for the health unit (as it will now be called due to Cameroon bureaucracy) at the end of the month. Currently Genesis and I are going over all the paperwork we must collect and of course get stamped by the DO. Hopefully it should be a smooth easy process but I am sure somewhere along the line someone will make trouble. I will be training my first group of HIV trainers in January once we have the building. It has been a great frustration to me it has taken five months to get this far. I hope that by my six month update I will have completed it. I often feel we are getting nothing done and what is the point. However it is a slow gradual process and I am sure I will look back after my (almost) year and see the good things.

We are set to set up the school book pool. We will use storage space at the buildings for the health unit. We have been to visit the schools we will be targeting and have teachers elected to help us with the project. The only thing we need now is money to buy all the books. We have applied for funding from the British High Commission so fingers crossed. We are very excited about this project as it will really help the local children, education is so important. Once the initial books are bought it can continue for years.

We get very frustrated with people attitudes. People expect everyone to do everything at an instant yet they do not get stuff done themselves. Resulting in nothing getting done by anyone apart from moaning at each other for not doing it - sounds like the NHS I remember! There are still many cultural differences that we find difficult to adjust too. People can be very rude to each other and I think they do not view it in the same way we do. We are coming from a different perceptive and would not tolerate that behaviour in the UK. Here most people just put up with being shouted at without fighting their corner - does not matter who's right its all down to who is older or in a position of power. If you do fight back it may lose you your job.

So five months gone, we are still learning, still working and still enjoying life in Cameroon. We have good days and bad days but doesn't everyone. I cannot believe it is Christmas, I am sitting in a skirt and sandals and see no decorations, no lights and there is not irritating music in the background. It is great to avoid all the hype but I do miss it.

Update: What can I do?

Auntie Becky came to see me last night to let me know that the lady we visited on Monday died later that day. Its so sad and so quick, yet that is often the way where. They are unaware they have HIV during the time it can be treated. They were about to transfer her home but she did not make it.