Zaane! La a yela? La a som-ma! La fine

Here I am. In Upper East Ghana during this special time when countries are in lockdown and Covid-19 is felt even here in this little village with population around 6000. It was just few months ago when I had call about possible deployment to Ghana from my NGO Mondo, and I decided spontaneously ‘'why not’’ to use this opportunity and go to Kongo village, to support local communities during this special pandemic time. Cold estonian temperature of -15-20C with big ‘’fat’’ snow has been now replaced with hot and dry climate, average daily temperature 39-40C. The climate of Ghana is tropical and there are two main seasons: the wet and the dry seasons. The harmattan, a dry desert wind lowers the humidity and causes hotter days, cooler nights.

My journey to Ghana went smoothly. The women and all the villagers have been really welcoming,  helpful, friendly, always smile and ask ''how your day has been’’, or ‘’ how is your family’’', having good discussion is ‘' a must’’ in village. I work here as a midwife with local communities, and mostly with women. Especially now, during Covid-19 pandemic, support is needed. I’m staying here with my lovely fellow co-volunteer Marina, from Spain, where she works as a ER nurse in Madrid.

First month has passed so quickly. First weeks we had lot of meetings starting with Victor More, the Executive Director of my host organization, Kongo Community Development Association (KoCDA), next weeks we met the Health directorate of Nabdam, Ghana Education Service, Nabdam district office, headmasters of Junior High School’s, and ofcourse my clinic, Ayamfoya Memorial Clinic where I will work besides my projects too. 

My home here was planned to be at the Catholic Mission’s Spiritual Renewal Center, a center on top of a hill reserved for retreats for fathers from the diocese. But, they built here for us new house for Volunteers what is composed of several houses around a central courtyard. We live in really nice area, with big household, people are always around. And not only people are around, roosters, guineafowls, goats, cows are my best friends here. And well what can I say about water and electricity, there is ‘’no lights’’ (no electricity) like locals say, and having running water at household is luxury. Every week we have Sunday mass either at 6.30 or 9.30am, it’s Catholic one, and the same time the colourful/ lively choir gives it an real ‘'African touch’’. At the mass people are dressed up, wearing colorful clothes and foreigners are more than welcomed, especially when you wear youself colourful clothes! 

After Covid-19 crisis schools reopened on the 18th of January in Ghana. The pandemic has seen a rise in the number of unwanted teenage pregnancies. They don't have access to birth control and sex education is virtually unheard of in school. So we made plan to organise ‘’Sexual Education Sessions’' (SES) for Junior High School students. The main objective of this activity is to promote health among young people in the community, especially sexual and reproductive health and to prevent teenage pregnancy and school absenteeism. 

School absenteeism is another big topic here- a lot of girls don't go to school when they have period. Because they can't afford or do not have access for sanitary pads. So another project we have is start to produce reusable sanitary pads for girls, with training sessions where we talk about period and hygiene. 

To be continued…. next post I will write about local food, Covid-19 circumstances here, work in Maternity clinic and reusable sanitary pads distribution.

Covid-19 pandeemia ajal Ghanasse vabatahtlikuks meditsiinieksperdiks? Miks mitte! 

Algselt pidin tulema ämmaemandaks Ghanasse aprillis 2020, kuid Covidiga jäi projekt ära. Ghana piir avati septembris uuesti ning tuli uus pakkumine! Mõeldud tehtud, hakkasin vaikselt meelt valmis panema ja siin ma siis nüüd olen, viibin kolm kuud Kongo külas. 

Olen viibinud nüüdseks pea kuu Ghanas, soojust on ~38-40C, mida jahutab maha Harmattani tuul märtsi keskpaigani. Praegu on siin nii öelda kuiv periood. 

Töö osas ma olen soojalt vastu võetud KoCDA (Kongo Community Development Association) esimehe Victor More poolt. Minu ülesanneteks on kogukonna ämmaemandatega koos töötamine, enamasti Ayamfoya kliinikus. Lisaks põhieesmärgiks seksuaaltervise edendamine, tundide andmine kohalikes koolides. Kuna menstruatsioonisidemetele võimalus paljudel naistel, eriti noortel teismelistel tüdrukutel puudub, siis tuli ka mõte hakata tootma taaskasutatavaid menstruatsioonisidemeid kooliealistele tütarlastele

Ämmaemandad on siin väga iseseisvad ning kogukonna poolt väga austatud. Ayamfoya kliinikus on tööl 2 ämmaemandat, kes töötavad tööpäeviti 7.30-13.30, mis hõlmab rasedate vastuvõttu, erakorralisi olukordi, operatsioonide assisteerimist, sünnituste juhtumist, noorte nõustamist, absoluutselt kõike, ülejäänud aja on nad koguaeg valves, tullakse sünnitama viimasel hetkel. Tihti ei ole arsti võtta, nii, et ämmaemand teeb kõik vajaliku ise ära.

 

Esimesed nädalad oli palju kohtumisi haridus- ja terviseametnikega, õpetajatega kuna me plaanime käivitada siin seksuaaltervise loengud ja lisaks taaskasutatavate menstruatsioonisidemete tootmise, siis põhirõhk oli saada ametnike, juhatajate, õpetajate ja koolidirektorite nõusolek. Kohtusime lisaks ka direktoritele lastevanematega Kongo Junior High Schoolis, kus meid vanemad väga soojalt vastu võtsid ja diskuteerisime läbi tähtsamad teemad, mida nemad tahaksid seksuaaltervise tundides käsitleda. Kuna koolid Ghanas olid pandeemia tõttu 9 kuud suletud, on teismeliste rasestumine kasvanud ning seetõttu ka seksuaaltervise käsitlemine koolides eriti tähtsal kohal.

Järgmises postituses räägin kohalikust toidust, siinsest Covid-19 pandeemia olukorrast,  rasedate jälgimisest ja taaskasutatavatest menstruatsioonisidemetest.