Ok ok ok…so, I know I have said this a thousand times but I’m going to throw it out there one more time. I went to the RAC (Rural Administration Center) to talk to the man that’s been helping me push the second meal through, Motsumi is his name and he said it really is in the “final process/stages right now.” Like for real this time! Haha He was on his way to talk to the Senior Councilmen Secretary when I got there this morning to basically go above all the committee’s that were suppose to meet and decide that week. He cut out the middle man…this is why I love this man! He said all the committees were suppose to meet last week but had their own meetings and couldn’t make time for our meal thing. SOOOO, Motsumi said that instead of the committees he would go talk to the Senior Councilmen Secretary who will then contact the Chairperson for all the councilmen…between the two men it covers the administration and the politicians…which covers everyone that we need to approve or deny the meal program! I love it! So, he met with the Secretary this morning and hopefully he’ll approve it and then the Chairperson will and then we’re in business. When Motsumi was explaining this to me this morning my heart started racing. This has been my baby…I’ve spent the last 6 months fighting for this…fingers crossed!!!!!
PACT Club started last week. I have two teachers helping me with the club and helping me to plan it and put it all together! We meet every Wed afternoon after study. Last week we just spent about an hour and a half singing songs and playing games and doing energizers. The kids had a really good time and actually 5 out of 7 of the teachers came to the club and hung out to play games and sing songs…it was really cool to see more of the teachers volunteer and just hang out. After the games and everything I talked to the kids briefly about what the club is about and all the Life Skills topics that we will be talking about…I mentioned kissing at some point and that certainly triggered a giggling attack. I forgot how “embarrassing and horrible” talking about that is with 10-15 year olds. Haha This is going to be interesting but I think it will be good. We talk and learn about everything in Life Skills here like love, dating, sex, puberty, decision making in boy girl relationships, communication…everything embarrassing…we’ll talk about it here and then the kids take the information we learn and peer educate to the school. Its going to be very slow going. Children and people don’t talk about anything like these things here. Its not in the culture at all. Its all so unheard of to talk openly about these things….but I think that’s good and I don’t mind if they giggle…I always did when I was in school. Its just a weird feeling to now be on the other side, the adult side of the “sex talks”…that I now get to give weekly. Haha
As far as the STD 7 rebellion, not much has happened. I talked to the school head about it all and we talked but I don’t think a lot is going to happen on the administrative side, which I didn’t really expect would. I talked to one of my friends here about it and he made a really good point. He said that my kids are already learning to be pretty empowered on their own. So, I really need to just focus on that and encourage them to continue being empowered and fight for what they believe in. Changing this class and getting the teacher to stop is a huge process that might not ever happen….but empowering the kids to fight for change and to learn better ways to handle situations is a much better battle for me to take on…that’s what I’m doing. These kids are amazing and are already learning so much about empowerment and strength…I’m just going to keep that going and help them fight!
I’m losing my train of thought now. I had something to say and totally lost it. Anyways, I’ve said a lot so its probably time for me to stop rambling…
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
CHANGE is coming!
I’ve been back in Botswana for 2 weeks now…feels like months that I have been back but only two weeks. Started back into work the second I got back! Readjustment has actually been way easier than I thought it would be. I’m good. No big tears or breakdowns, a few moments of realization that I was recently at home in a comfy bed, good food, TV, a car, and all my friends and family and those moments are a bit uneasy. However, they haven’t even lasted long. I really just feel so grateful that I got to go home at all and spend time with everyone and the whole experience of going and coming back was a really great and needed one to have. I’ve realized in an obviously way that I’m happy and this really is the type of work and things that I want to be doing, which is a really amazing feeling to know that and feel it pretty confidently. It also has been two weeks and I have had frustrations but limited, so I mean, we’ll see just how excited and loving life I am in another month…hahaha.
Anyways, my first week back I was doing a lot with the Second Meal Program. Went in to go talk to the main guy helping me on it and progress had been made but no final decision yet. He had met with some officials one-on-one and they had put together more of a plan to they give to all the other officials. The chain of command here is mind numbing! It must be similar at home, but I think everything just goes faster there cause we’re Americans and we don’t really take tea breaks until work actually gets done…but we can also be fired in a heartbeat which is not the case here. Anyways, I’m going off on a tangent that will take forever, so never mind. I spoke with him and I had a big talk with him about how I want the whole school to be fed not just the ones on the list. Back in October the teachers made a list of all the children that are not officially on the Needy & Orphans List but they believe needs assistance. So the gov people concerning the meal program are debating not feeding the whole school but just the ones we put on the list. Botswana is currently in some sort of succession and everyone, I mean everyone, talks about how all the ministries have no money and they can’t just be throwing things away. I beg to differ…but more on that later. So, the overall speech I told the guy helping me is that I understand the lack of funds and needing to spend wisely, but despite what my village chief may think, I’m not god and neither are the teachers and its possible that if you only feed the list that we missed a few kids and they aren’t on the list and then the whole thing didn’t help everyone that needed it. He luckily agreed and said he would fight to feed the whole school. Still haven’t heard about a decision yet, but I’m hoping for the best and other meetings have taken place with officials and they have so far all approved of everything…so I’m hoping that’s a good sign.
Just this last week was interesting to say the least…and at the same time not at all interesting. I was at school on Monday and got a call from another volunteer that lives about 40K from me. She said, “we’re on our way to get you…” I said, “why? What’s happening?” she said, “Seriously? Dude…” yeah, now as entertaining as that little bit I’m sure was for you, the rest of the conversation went that way…I’ll spare you the rest. Basically, the Ministry of Education decided to have the other PCV and I spend out entire week drive in around our entire district, which is huge and extremely spread out might I add, driving to other schools and asking them about their Life Skills program. OK, so let me explain why this is “interesting.” For one, communication didn’t and doesn’t happen so for one we had no idea this was happening or going to now take away our entire week, meaning nothing else can really get done. Two: We couldn’t get a hold of the ministry so we didn’t even know what questions were needed to ask or info needed to get or why the hell we were really doing this anyways. BUT three: like true PC style, a driver showed up at our school everyday, we thought, “oh free transport,” and then just got in the car anyways….kinda scary when you think about it. All those “don’t get in cars with strangers” talks apparently didn’t really pay off with me. We spent hours and hours everyday, Monday-Friday driving all over Bots in some of the most remote areas I’ve ever seen, like villages 200K off any main road. O I have a whole new appreciation for my “rural” life. It still sucks sometimes and I’m sure I’ll still complain cause that’s just what I do, but I am more aware of how good I have it in comparison. 10K off the main road…not bad at all! I’m lucky! Hours and hours of driving, covered at least 2000K in 5 days going through the same bumpy dirt roads over and over but just in different directions to get to a school talk to them for 5 mins and then get back to the car. It was intense and I thought I a lot in the car as we were driving and filling up on petrol every 5 mins…really, succession…needing to save money….couldn’t we have just called these schools???? Hmmmm….. BUT it is what it is and I’m not in charge, so I don’t know.
Mark your calendars, cause yesterday, March 5th 2010 was the first real sign for me that things in Botswana might actually be changing…Life skills has actually happened at least a little in Metsivotlhoko! Shear amazement! I was waiting for the driver to come and get me for our last day and I was in finishing the pen pal letters with the Standard 4 class when my school head called me in. She had just had a meeting with some of the Standrad 7 boys, the oldest in the school and they went in to the school head, all on their own, and stood up for themselves…in a big way. They had walked in and told the school head in front of their teacher and guidance teacher that if the beating in class didn’t stop, they would drop out of school! They feel their teacher is beating them too much in class and they demand it stop and they be treated with respect or else they will leave. This is UNHEARD of!! I mean, 5 years ago even you would not have had children on their own standing up to adults and defending themselves! I love the teacher that is being accused to that’s breaks my heart a little but I’m so damn proud of those kids. I can’t believe it actually happened! The kids talked to the school head and told her what has been happening. It’s a culture where children aren’t really respected and they certaintly don’t stand up to their elders….and especially don’t talk about feelings and stuff, which apparently they didn’t very much but stood up and tried to change things for themselves! Amazing!!! My school head was worried and didn’t know what to do, we decided that I would go privately with the standard 7 children and talk to them alone cause my school head said they don’t trust the teachers but do trust me and they will be more open and tell me whats going on. So, that’s what we did. This is a big example of the “stick” being an issue. I even took that moment to explain to my school head that they reason why the kids trust me and are more open, which for the record has taken me almost a year to get them to be like this is because I don’t have a stick. It’s a huge difference. I think she actually heard me when I told her that.
So, I went in to an empty classroom with the kids and we talked for about 45 mins. Basically had a group counseling session. We talked about whats going on, what kinds of “abuse,” what they want to have change, how we can make the class happier for them, etc… The kids were very open. Visually got up and showed me example of the “abuse” and then we talked about what should happen and where we all go from here. The children actually said, “we’ll respect our teacher if she respects us!” I had a proud mama moment at that time. Haha We talked about everything which with the language barrier was hard, but do-able.The kids really opened up and worked hard. The school head, guidance teacher, and I will have to talk on Monday to figure out if maybe that teacher needs to move to a different class, more counseling for the kids and teacher, etc… figure out where to go. But the kids will be heard and not even with very much help from me…they did it on their own. AMAZING!!!! Botswana is changing, slowly, but its getting there!!
I’m working on getting a grant for the PACT Club at my school, that hasn’t entirely started yet, but I act like it has! I found a grant that doesn’t necessarily need an NGO…that never happens. So I’m really hoping that it will work. It’s a good one for a lot of money but they aren’t giving out too many so I really really hope!!! I’m still trying to figure out how to get a playground built in my village too. Between the playground and grant I’m running around Gabs and Moleps like a crazy person trying to research and find all the budgets and information I need. Also, little side note. I hate grants! Way too much work and I have experience with children, not business! Business is not my thing. Man! Oh well, if it works then it will be worth it and I’m trying to just keep in mind that this is a good thing to learn and will probably be handy in the future…I at least hope so!
I’m now in Gabs for the weekend to have a little birthday celebration with some friends. Yay! 24…I’m old. I know I’m not but man 25 freaks me out! I refuse to hit that next year! I won’t!
Anyways, my first week back I was doing a lot with the Second Meal Program. Went in to go talk to the main guy helping me on it and progress had been made but no final decision yet. He had met with some officials one-on-one and they had put together more of a plan to they give to all the other officials. The chain of command here is mind numbing! It must be similar at home, but I think everything just goes faster there cause we’re Americans and we don’t really take tea breaks until work actually gets done…but we can also be fired in a heartbeat which is not the case here. Anyways, I’m going off on a tangent that will take forever, so never mind. I spoke with him and I had a big talk with him about how I want the whole school to be fed not just the ones on the list. Back in October the teachers made a list of all the children that are not officially on the Needy & Orphans List but they believe needs assistance. So the gov people concerning the meal program are debating not feeding the whole school but just the ones we put on the list. Botswana is currently in some sort of succession and everyone, I mean everyone, talks about how all the ministries have no money and they can’t just be throwing things away. I beg to differ…but more on that later. So, the overall speech I told the guy helping me is that I understand the lack of funds and needing to spend wisely, but despite what my village chief may think, I’m not god and neither are the teachers and its possible that if you only feed the list that we missed a few kids and they aren’t on the list and then the whole thing didn’t help everyone that needed it. He luckily agreed and said he would fight to feed the whole school. Still haven’t heard about a decision yet, but I’m hoping for the best and other meetings have taken place with officials and they have so far all approved of everything…so I’m hoping that’s a good sign.
Just this last week was interesting to say the least…and at the same time not at all interesting. I was at school on Monday and got a call from another volunteer that lives about 40K from me. She said, “we’re on our way to get you…” I said, “why? What’s happening?” she said, “Seriously? Dude…” yeah, now as entertaining as that little bit I’m sure was for you, the rest of the conversation went that way…I’ll spare you the rest. Basically, the Ministry of Education decided to have the other PCV and I spend out entire week drive in around our entire district, which is huge and extremely spread out might I add, driving to other schools and asking them about their Life Skills program. OK, so let me explain why this is “interesting.” For one, communication didn’t and doesn’t happen so for one we had no idea this was happening or going to now take away our entire week, meaning nothing else can really get done. Two: We couldn’t get a hold of the ministry so we didn’t even know what questions were needed to ask or info needed to get or why the hell we were really doing this anyways. BUT three: like true PC style, a driver showed up at our school everyday, we thought, “oh free transport,” and then just got in the car anyways….kinda scary when you think about it. All those “don’t get in cars with strangers” talks apparently didn’t really pay off with me. We spent hours and hours everyday, Monday-Friday driving all over Bots in some of the most remote areas I’ve ever seen, like villages 200K off any main road. O I have a whole new appreciation for my “rural” life. It still sucks sometimes and I’m sure I’ll still complain cause that’s just what I do, but I am more aware of how good I have it in comparison. 10K off the main road…not bad at all! I’m lucky! Hours and hours of driving, covered at least 2000K in 5 days going through the same bumpy dirt roads over and over but just in different directions to get to a school talk to them for 5 mins and then get back to the car. It was intense and I thought I a lot in the car as we were driving and filling up on petrol every 5 mins…really, succession…needing to save money….couldn’t we have just called these schools???? Hmmmm….. BUT it is what it is and I’m not in charge, so I don’t know.
Mark your calendars, cause yesterday, March 5th 2010 was the first real sign for me that things in Botswana might actually be changing…Life skills has actually happened at least a little in Metsivotlhoko! Shear amazement! I was waiting for the driver to come and get me for our last day and I was in finishing the pen pal letters with the Standard 4 class when my school head called me in. She had just had a meeting with some of the Standrad 7 boys, the oldest in the school and they went in to the school head, all on their own, and stood up for themselves…in a big way. They had walked in and told the school head in front of their teacher and guidance teacher that if the beating in class didn’t stop, they would drop out of school! They feel their teacher is beating them too much in class and they demand it stop and they be treated with respect or else they will leave. This is UNHEARD of!! I mean, 5 years ago even you would not have had children on their own standing up to adults and defending themselves! I love the teacher that is being accused to that’s breaks my heart a little but I’m so damn proud of those kids. I can’t believe it actually happened! The kids talked to the school head and told her what has been happening. It’s a culture where children aren’t really respected and they certaintly don’t stand up to their elders….and especially don’t talk about feelings and stuff, which apparently they didn’t very much but stood up and tried to change things for themselves! Amazing!!! My school head was worried and didn’t know what to do, we decided that I would go privately with the standard 7 children and talk to them alone cause my school head said they don’t trust the teachers but do trust me and they will be more open and tell me whats going on. So, that’s what we did. This is a big example of the “stick” being an issue. I even took that moment to explain to my school head that they reason why the kids trust me and are more open, which for the record has taken me almost a year to get them to be like this is because I don’t have a stick. It’s a huge difference. I think she actually heard me when I told her that.
So, I went in to an empty classroom with the kids and we talked for about 45 mins. Basically had a group counseling session. We talked about whats going on, what kinds of “abuse,” what they want to have change, how we can make the class happier for them, etc… The kids were very open. Visually got up and showed me example of the “abuse” and then we talked about what should happen and where we all go from here. The children actually said, “we’ll respect our teacher if she respects us!” I had a proud mama moment at that time. Haha We talked about everything which with the language barrier was hard, but do-able.The kids really opened up and worked hard. The school head, guidance teacher, and I will have to talk on Monday to figure out if maybe that teacher needs to move to a different class, more counseling for the kids and teacher, etc… figure out where to go. But the kids will be heard and not even with very much help from me…they did it on their own. AMAZING!!!! Botswana is changing, slowly, but its getting there!!
I’m working on getting a grant for the PACT Club at my school, that hasn’t entirely started yet, but I act like it has! I found a grant that doesn’t necessarily need an NGO…that never happens. So I’m really hoping that it will work. It’s a good one for a lot of money but they aren’t giving out too many so I really really hope!!! I’m still trying to figure out how to get a playground built in my village too. Between the playground and grant I’m running around Gabs and Moleps like a crazy person trying to research and find all the budgets and information I need. Also, little side note. I hate grants! Way too much work and I have experience with children, not business! Business is not my thing. Man! Oh well, if it works then it will be worth it and I’m trying to just keep in mind that this is a good thing to learn and will probably be handy in the future…I at least hope so!
I’m now in Gabs for the weekend to have a little birthday celebration with some friends. Yay! 24…I’m old. I know I’m not but man 25 freaks me out! I refuse to hit that next year! I won’t!
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