First free weekend

Another first. It is the first weekend we have free. So its washing and ironing and time to explore the Baptist Mission site. So after another shower and breakfast I asked Emmanuel direction to the church and he came with me and showed me around the place. First we walked to the church, passing many different buildings, some bigger houses that looked not dissimilar to those we lived in Kampala as well as the site carpentry and mechanics workshop. We also passed the primary school which Emmanuel attended. His intention is to become a Pastor. The church is very large and yes it does get full and sometimes people also stood outside. It is a very Christan society here in the North West and their belief is evident in all they say and do. On our way back we looked into the radio station, which broadcasts for the church and was in the process broadcasting the service currently underway and then on our return walked through the health centre. Here there is a dental service, promoting painless dentistry, i.e. tooth brushing and also an antenatal and child health clinic. There is a dispensary and consulting rooms. Payment has to be made before going to collect the drugs. There is also a clinic for HIV screening and monitoring, with lab services available at the centre. There is a shop that sells artifacts, necklaces, bracelets etc made at the missions, a book shop and a canteen that opens at lunchtime in the week. As we were walking up the steps I hear ‘Sister…’ a way to address a woman or catch her attention. It was an older man with a sack on his back. He did not look well but Emmanuel ushered me on warning me that he was a bad man who sells ‘drugs'. We moved on at the same pace and then returned back to the rest house, where I am staying. An interesting, and thankfully, uneventful walk around the site.

Weekend chores, I left my washing to be done, costing 1000 francs a load and later it was all dry and so I had to iron it all to make sure there were no Tumbo fly eggs. These can get transferred from clothes that have been out to dry to your skin, get settled and later hatch. One of the VSO volunteers gave a gruesome picture of what they are like before they hatch, you can see them moving under your skin. I do remember having something similar in Entebbe and they were safely removed in one go. Now I am more squeamish so yes I will be ironing everything!!

Sunday, after an early breakfast we accompanied Rose to her Church. It is a small Baptist church in Old town Bamenda. It was Fathers day here so it was a service for the men. An interesting, lively and interactive service during which time we had to stand and introduce ourselves to the congregation . We were made to feel very welcome. After the three hour service we walked back to the Mission and time to read and relax later. Later I met up with an American another volunteer, a well travelled person for an early evening meal. Broadening horizons ands experiewncing different cultures we do meet some interesting people here, both at the mission, through VSO and work.

Later I will take some photos to add to this posting...

First day in the office

Wednesday 10th June

First day in the office.

We arrived whilst the employer was having a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and someone from Finance along with the Board Members NWEFOR (North West Farmers organizations) is a co-operative group representing 11 Farmers Unions from across the North West Region. They were expecting us so at an approrpiate time they broke off the meeting and it was introductions all round. Later that afternoon Ibrahim arrived and together with the employers discussed our remit.

What are we here to do? Well it is around VSO helping with building capacity through organizational development. They have developed an explicit process which they want to review. Keri the other short term volunteer from Wales will be looking at the process as applied to NWFOR and another group of ornganizations and I have been asked to look at it in relation to its transferability and application to small community based organizations, such as the NWEFOR Unions and making recommendations. Ibrahim would like the focus to be health, hence us being matched to NWEFOR, that links with the Gender programme, HIV and Malaria.

Tomorrow we have to prepare the work plan for the next few weeks before Ibrahim goes back so that he can see it before he goes off to Canada on Friday. Ibrahim is a great support . Each day he greets you, shakes hands and says hello people, I wish you a happy new day. The way he works and his approach is impressive. He thinks strategically but in a way that he gets across where he wants go from VSO perspective but invites views and asks what people want and how do they want to arrange things. He is also looking out for us, making sure we are ok. So we will be moving rooms. We are across the road in very basic rooms and when the water pressure drops, each morning, there is no water) Power cuts are regular event so nothing new there. Also we are to take taxis not go on motor bikes. That is something that normally would not faze me but hey you see the roads and also how they drive, ride motor bikes. Scary and that’s just in relation to crossing the road!!

Hector, the long term VSO volunteer took us to a small café across the road and I had white beans for lunch, yes we have lunch. . Delicious, we thought it would just be plate of beans but it came with cabbage, carrots and beans, mixed and a piece of fish and meat. They do add both to the dishes. So I am not going out for a meal this evening, an early night is required. The world erupted at 5.30 or earlier today and the dogs had a howling session during the night. We are situated near a busy roundabout and the traffic is so noisy. I am woken up by the sound of lorries, car bikes, hooting and revving plus people shouting, chatting and I think ‘Goodness me Africa is so noisy!! '

What’s it like here? Looking back generally I would say fascinating. I have mostly enjoyed the in country training, learning pidgin was fun, health and security a bit scary. It will also get better once we move across to the main Baptist Mission site.

There is more to add internet access, power supply permitting and me balancing keeping a reflective diary, sending emails and all the other things that one does. So I will update again soon. Meanwhile I have taken some photos of the NWFOR office, the entrance, an arial view and have included the mode of transport they have purchased for staff to use, which are kept in the offce. Some of the farms and villages are extremely difficult to acces by car or it takes a long time.

First week - In Country Training

In Country Training (ICT) in Yaounde and now in Bamenda has been an experience. Difficult to describe Cameroon. It makes the opportunity of working here and the contribution NGOs and volunteers can make very real. I have found the people are very welcoming, open and direct. The time is passing fast but ICT has been a strange mix of working to Cameroon time but at the same time fitting in a lot .

We have covered a wide range of topics being introduced to government structures, culture, health, security and learning Pidgin. The first four days in Yaounde we spent with other VSO volunteers, a group of eight, most being long term vounteeers who will be here for one or two years. We stayed at the Diplomat Hotel, about 5 minutes or so walk to the VSO office. Four of the group are Canadians and they went to the far north, which is French speaking and two are from the Phillipines and are with us in Bamenda. However they will also be moving on leaving us the two WAG short term volunteers here in Bamenda.

We have a lot of support from VSO and the introduction to the ways here although initially daunting are helpful. We travelled up to Bamenda by local transport , a bus journey that took about six hours with one short stop. It was a good journey , we only had to wait an hour for the bus to be full before starting. Some of the roads were very rough, with the added extra of speed bumps but the bumps are not unusual to us. The addition of one passenger demonstrating and selling a cleaning product and the accomnpanying banter from the local women added to the experience. Also passing a lorry that had lost its cargo down the side of the valley, bottled drinks, and the local people taking advantage of the 'gift from the skies' led to great interest and cheers from those on the bus!

Sunday afternoon we went to the Fons palace in Bafut and were shown around the museum and the compound by the Fon's third wife. He has five wives and she has nine children. The culture and ways were described and the visit concluded with a traditonal womens dance. The queen has a great sense of dignity and her role within the Fons community. By ' day' she is a nursery school teacher and her eldest son , who has just finished college, studied maths and physics. Her yugest daughter, one of the dancers had great style and composure; for someone so young she was very special.

Tomorrow I meet my employer and then later we will discuss the detailed work plan for the next seven weeks with Ibrahaim, the Programme Officer. More to follow...