EmaProjects

Sanibonani!

We just had some PC training for project design and management ("ema" is a siSwati prefix denoting a plural, so Swazis sometimes throw it in front of English words -- emaProjects). My counterpart and I attended together to try to make a plan for what I'll be doing for the next year and half. We had some success, but it sounds like the project we focused on might not be what we had in mind. So ... back to the drawing board.

PC is interesting in ever so many ways. They tell you when you're applying that you must be flexible. They also tell you that you must be self-motivated and able to do self-directed work. They aren't kidding. There are tons of people in my community who want to improve people's health. The challenge is figuring out the top concerns and how to address them. But the real key is to make sure that the community is 100 percent invested in the project. I can't come in and say, "I want to help women in this community get better access to family planning by doing X, Y and Z that I learned in public health school in America." OK, I could, but I wouldn't get very far. My job is to help members of the community find ways to meet their own goals.

This, it turns out, is easier said than done.

But don't despair! My counterpart is lovely and motivated, and she and I already have had a good brainstorming session with plans to create a club for orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs). And my amazing tutor, who teaches at the high school, also has a ton of ideas for us to start working on with her students. Additionally, I have a couple of clubs planned with the career guidance office at the high school.

I'm also joining a PEPFAR conference this week in hopes of meeting people from some organizations that do family planning work. We'll see if I can't get a little bit of master's-related experience.

So rest assured, I'll figure out how to keep busy and stay out of trouble. I've also heard that you don't really get working until you've been serving a year. So by my calculation, I've got, like, four more months to figure it out before the hard stuff starts. Right?

Oh, and I think I told you I've been working as part of a three-person team on our newsletter. If you're ever reeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaally bored and want to check it out, you should be able to find it here.

Oh, and speaking of my master's, I'll be "graduating" from JHSPH on May 23. Pour one out for me on that day, bangani! (Bangani = friends.)

Keep fighting the good fight!

Salani kahle.