Close of Service

October 2012

I know that people will be asking me about what my Peace Corps service was about.  I won’t have the time or even be able to fully explain to them what happened to me in my 2 years.  But I will be able to offer this take away:

Building Relationships

Peace Corps service to me is about development through building relationships.  The relationships that I built with the people there is what is going to play a huge factor in their development.  They are always going to remember that they built a rainwater catchment system with Moises.  They are going to remember who introduced a composting latrine to them.  They are going to remember how I showed them a bucket of sh*t to prove to them that composting latrines don’t smell. 

 

But aside from work, they are going to remember that Moises wanted to hang out with them.  They are going to remember that for 2 years Moises was excited about going to their fincas, going fishing, learning about canastas, and liked to make jokes.  I became a son, a primo, a cuñado, a friend, an uncle.  I know that we both value this relationship, and that we have enriched each other’s lives by knowing each other.

Composting latrines are going to be built and used in Alto Playón, we have more work to do to realize that.  Families are going to build themselves better rainwater catchment systems.  What will get them there?  Not money, not projects, not grants – but the relationships that we have created.

I leave my site not only proud of the work that I have done along with my community, but proud of all the work that my fellow Volunteers in Panamá have done and are continuing to do.  The Peace Corps is the toughest job you will ever love.

Therefore, I humbly end this blog.

Host Families

October 2012

I made sure to get pictures with all of the people I was closest with throughout my service.  You have enriched my life and I hope I have enriched yours.

Leaving Alto Playon

October 2012

I’m writing this post as I sit on my last bus ride from the Darién, and an unexpectedly emotional day.

I was almost on my way out.  I made my last minute visits, took the best photos with Misa, and I stopped to visit Chicheme’s house for the last time.  It was just his kids there at the time, who I have been very close with.  My favorite little boy Geraldo crawled into my arms and hugged me.  He wouldn’t let go when I pulled back and we exchanged our affection for each other.   In that minute I had rush of emotions flow through me like a 1000 megavolts of electricity that brought me to tears.

I couldn’t stop, and am watering back up as I write this.  I said good-bye and walked back to my hut and broke down in tears for 20 minutes.  It was a fusion of emotions that I’ve never felt before:  happiness, sadness, excitement, pride, pain.  I suppose I needed to that to happen.

I tried to gather myself back together and walked out to the Casa Comunal where everyone was in a meeting.  I looked from the outside in the community talking about a coffee project.  It was obvious to them that I had been crying a bit.  After a while, I walked away and it was fine.  I had some water in my eyes as I left, and people came and said good-bye for the final time.  Misa, Irasema, Leidis, and Celideth left me at the port.

As I tried to take my last picture, my camera read:  “Memory Card Full.”  

Indeed.  As Alto Playón and I depart full of fond memories of each other.

Despedida!

October 2012

I was stoked to throw a party for the community as a celebration of our 2 years together.

The Maestra was a great help to me in planning it, and told me everything I needed to buy to make arroz con pollo for the entire village.  I bought the requisite 30 lbs of chicken necessary and helped the women prepare it the night before.

The plan was to eat food, play games with the kids, and then have a raffle for all the stuff I wanted to give away.  When I went to the tienda to buy the eggs for the salad, at the last minute the guys said they wanted to play palo encebado.  This game requires three tall trees that have a bag of goodies at the top.   I told them if we go get the palos, I’d pay for all the goodies.  Next thing I know, we are in the jungle with the chainsaw cutting down the palos.

I wanted the kids to eat first.  They all got arroz con pollo, potato salad, a balloon, candy and a piece of cake.  Then the rest of the village came to get their portion.  Next, came the races:  running, sack race, lime & spoon, and wheelbarrow.  Each winner got a little bottle of paint.  Everyone then rushed to the palos – one for the boys, girls, and adults.  Climbing on each others backs, falling, getting muddy, getting my head stepped on, we got all three prizes down.  I was having the time of my life.  Finally came the raffle.  I gave 2 tickets to the women who helped me cook as a way of saying thanks. 

The party was great.  I could tell everyone had a great time, and wanted to participate knowing that it was my going away party.  I’m super thankful to everyone who showed up and participated.  I also love the kids – they are so easy to please and have so much fun in the simplest ways. 

After the despedida, I went back to my house and cleaned up the rest of my stuff to leave it clean for Amber.  I then went to Misa’s house and gave away some of my stuff to his family.  I told them that I am so thankful for the friendship we have created, and that I hope I have enriched their lives as much as they have mine.  He got to talking and said, “Moises, this is like a story.  You started it, we are all part of it…and it continues.”  He wasn’t talking about projects, but about our friendship.

I sat back on my hammock for the last time in my house, listened to the sound of the jungle for the last time and went to sleep.

Sex Ed

October 2012

Amber and I planned on giving 2 sexual education charlas in my last week in site. 

One of the greatest strengths about Peace Corps is the Volunteer made manuals.  Pueblo Sano, Vida Sana (Healthy Village, Health Life) is a composition of sex ed and gender seminars.  We planned 2 days of charlas on:  STDs, HIV/AIDS, how to use a condom, the risks of teenage pregnancy, lightly touched family planning and contraceptives.  The maestros told us that they would like us to talk about sexually transmitted diseases to their third graders and up.  This may sound way too young by North American standards, but it is necessary here where girls get pregnant as early as 13 years old.

We started out by explaining what STDs are and showed the kids pictures of various STDs I downloaded from the CDC.  They learned what the definition of STD is and how one contracts them.  We then went into talking about HIV/AIDS.  The manual has a creative activity to explain what HIV/AIDS is.

The main character is the Cuerpo Sano, who was played by the maestro.  Kids formed a circle around them, presenting the healthy body’s defense system.  Other kids were given cards as various diseases.  The healthy body first gets attacked by a cold, and the defense system is able to battle against the cold.  But then the body gets infected with HIV.  The body then gets attacked by other common diseases, and the HIV character pulls away the defense system.  Eventually, after the defense system is weakened to just one student, the HIV turns into AIDS.  We then taught the kids the various forms of contracting HIV. 

We ended by telling them that they can prevent STD and HIV/AIDS. 

·      Practice abstinency

·      If you are sexually active, be with only one partner at a time

·      Use a condom

To elaborate the last point, we demonstrated how to use a condom on a platano!  Yes, it was funny and awesome.

The 2^nd day was about teenage pregnancy.  We started off with a game called A Mi Me Gusta…where the kids got in a circle.  One person started by saying their name and acted out an activity they liked to do.  For example, “..me llamo Moises, y a mi me gusta…jugar futból (insert action).”  The person next to you, then introduces you, does your action, introduces themselves, does their action, so on and so forth.  I wrote down all the things the kids liked to do:  play soccer, play dolls, fly kites, etc.  We then asked them, “If you had kids when you were 15, would you be able to do these activities?”

This led us into talking about how once you have kids, you have more responsibilities, and you lose the time to do the things you love to do.

USAID Grant Accepted

September 2012

The $1,700.00 to initiate the composting latrine project has been approved.  Amber has the money in her bank account and construction will start soon.

Atilio is in Metetí working construction and Misa is 10 hours up river building boats.  As soon as they get back, the families can get their wood ready for construction.

Make Art, Not Trash

September 2012

As part of a broader focus on sanitation, it is important to address the solid waste management problem that many communities in Panamá face (and the world!!!).  Alto Playón is a rural community with no option for solid waste management other than burning it, or throwing it in the river.

In order to take a stab it at this problem, ANAM (Ministry of Environment) has started a recycled art project, teaching communities to make jewelry out of soda cans and handbags out of plastic bags.  I invited PCV Lauren Lynch to give our nascent artisan group a workshop on how to make recycled art.

Lauren first started out by giving an educational talk about why it was important to take responsibility for our trash, the damage it can cause to the environment, and to our health.  She talked about separating plastics, papers, and cans, and composting organics.  And by separating the plastics and cans you can make…recycled art!

The seminar also reflected the initiative taken by Aurelina, the Presidenta of Alto Playón’s artisan group Imbizu.  I sent her to a 4-day artisan seminar in San Felix, and she came back energized as ever to build the group.  Amber has also hit the ground running with the group, which will be great for the rest of her service.  

Composting Latrine Program

August 2012

When I finally let myself step into the realm of getting outside support for the project, I recognized more creative freedom with the project.  I realized that since we are now funding the project, I can build the project with even more chance for success.  I introduced some more rules:

·      Families who chose to participate in the Program must follow all the rules made before.

·      Families who have complied with the rules are then on a waiting list for a latrine

·      Only materials for 5 latrines can be purchased at a time.

·      A Pre-Construction Assessment must be completed by the families to show that they have their materials contribution ready before we buy materials for them.  The Assessment must be signed by the family, a community leader, and the PCV at the time.  The PCV must be able to take a photo of all the materials ready in order to “prove” that the family is ready.

·      Once all 5 families have completed their Pre-Construction Assessments, materials are purchased.  The 5 families will then help each other carry materials and build their latrines.

·      A Post-Construction Assessment must be completed as a way of monitoring and evaluating the latrine use.  The PCV must be able to take a photo of the built latrine.

·      Once the 5 latrines are built, the next 5 families on the waiting list are called up.

I am extremely happy with the way this is being designed.  The rules ensure that families who want a latrine are willing to make a commitment to the project, and will value the latrine once it comes.  The project only progresses as each group of families progress.  This will create a small, but perceptible sense of social urgency.  Families will feel the need to finish their latrines so the project can progress.  Since all families are being evaluated in the same way, they will want to receive good results.  When you see your neighbor with that fancy new latrine, you will want to join the Program as well.  Finally and most importantly, families are earning these latrines through their commitment and participation. 

I spoke with my APCD about allowing Amber to apply for the SPA Funds using my exact same proposal, just with her name on it.  This means that as soon as Amber was done with her first 3 months of service, she would have the funds ready to build.  Thankfully my APCD was, quote, “above board” with Amber moving forward with the proposal. 

Recognize that this Program completely relies on funding brought in from Peace Corps.  That is okay.  If we can execute this well, perhaps PAN will want to work with us in the future.  But we have to start, and I won’t let my community wait on the chance that PAN will every come through. 

I plan to help Amber and the future PCVs that work in Alto Playón to solicit the next rounds of latrines.  I am personally invested in seeing this program become a success.

The POOPet Show

July 2012

I have had the storyboard for a puppet show to teach kids about environmental health and sanitation, along with materials to make puppets sitting under my bed for a long time now.  The show acts out the disease vectors associated with

My close friend Kayla came to visit my site and we were planning on doing some HIV/AIDS and sexual education charlas in the school.  Kayla, Amber, and I were in my hut when Kayla said, “Hey Moiz, whatever happened to your puppet show idea?”  And then Amber chimed in and said – “Puppet show?!  I’m a theater major!”  The stars aligned and we got to work and making puppets.

We had the following characters:

·      Poop (me)

·      Boy (me)

·      Girl (Kalya)

·      Girl carrying water (Amber)

·      Señorita Salud (Amber)

·      Mosquitos (maestros)

The story started off by me eating some food and then going in to the jungle and pooping in the open.  I then come out as the poop character (to the delight of all the kids) and call the mosquitoes to come touch me.  The mosquitoes come touch me and then fly around the room touching the kids and taping little poop pieces on them.  They also touch a plate of food on their way out.

The next story line was Kayla washing my dirty underwear in the river (more delight for the kids).  She suddenly has to poop and makes a raucous doing so.  I, as poop, appear again and start swimming in the river.  Amber comes and scoops the poopy water in the bucket and takes it home.

I appear again as the boy and start to eat the poop-infected food and drink the poop infected water.  I rush off and get diarreah.  Kayla then asks, “Why is my friend Moises so sick?  What happened?”  And out comes….Señorita Salud!  Señorita Salud explains that Moises get sick because of the mosquitoes that infected his food, and drank infected water.

She then gives three solutions:

·      Use a composting latrine!  And explains how to use it.  The mosquitoes come and try to attack the poop, but the poop dies in the latrine and they go away.

·      Chlorinate your water!  30 drops per 5 gallon bucket!

·      WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP BEFORE EATING & PREPPING FOOD, AND AFTER GOING TO THE BATHROOM.

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The POOPett Show was great and easily a highlight of my service.  I also know that it increased the respect the maestros had for me with wanting to educate the kids in a creative way.  Thanks to Kayla and Amber for making it happen!

Alto Playon's Future PCV

July – August 2012

Being a first-time Volunteer not only in my site, but 1 of 2 in the entire Comarca Emberá-Wounaan, Cemaco, I knew that a Follow-Up Volunteer was going to be necessary for my site after 8 months of being there.  In fact, knowing that I would need a follow up gave me the latitude to work with PAN.  I didn’t feel the need to rush things, and knew that I could build the fundamentals that the next Volunteer could pick up on.

I’d like to introduce Amber Naylor.  She is a Group 71 Volunteer who is assigned to Alto Playón from July 2012-2014.  Amber is from Nebraska, a theater major, and is a total corn-husker fan.

I’m excited for Amber’s service in my site.  Why?  Because she’s a girl.  The women in the community saw how I cultivated a relationship with the men, hanging out with them, going hunting and fishing.  To my credit, the women also wanted a friend they could be close with, and requested Peace Corps for a female Volunteer.

Amber is going to be able to open up to the women in my community in a way that I never could.  Water and sanitation practice begins with women, and I know that Amber will be able to connect with them.  Building solid relationships with the women will allow Amber to talk about the touchy subjects like – “So, where do you poop?”

Furthermore, I know that I have laid a solid foundation in my community for a composting latrine project.  Amber is going to be able to pick up on that.  I have also been working with the women on starting a women’s artisan group.  Amber started working with them right away.  She took 7 women to Lajas Blancas for an artisan seminar, and upon returning they were fundraising for the group.  I’m also excited for Amber and other Group 71 Volunteers because there are more of them in the Comarca Emberá Wounaan Cemaco and Sambu.  This is a huge resource, and one that I never had.  Comarcas are small places, and nothing is better than sharing best practices.  The success of Peace Corps in the Comarca Ngabe-Bugle can be attributed to the collaborative nature of Volunteers there. 

I want to officially welcome Amber to the community.  I wish her a wonderful service and would love to help her in any way that I can.  

Teaching English Seminar

June 2012

Peace Corps Panamá has just started a new program called the Teaching English program.  The idea is to place Volunteers in schools to train Panamanian teachers how to teach English effectively.  As tourism grows in Panamá, it is vital for the population to learn English in order to take advantage of the opportunities that come with the tourism industry.  Furthermore, the public education system in Panamá is extremely weak, and this program will be a great asset to them.

I invited Maureen Walker to come to Alto Playón to do give a 3-day seminar to our teachers.  We wanted to start a manual for TE volunteers to be able to give seminars in neighboring communities.  The seminar was based on Total Physical Response, a more dynamic and effective teaching method that invokes multiple senses of the students.  For example, when teaching animal names, draw the animals, do the sound, and write it on the board.  We also gave the teachers some basic English grammar, because without that it is just the blind leading the blind!

Maureen and I then facilitated sessions with the teachers for the students, allowing them to apply what they just learned.  The kids of course, had a blast. 

I want to thank Maureen for all her hard work in making the seminar a success.  The teachers asked her to come back and continue to give them trainings.  And now when I walk to the river, the kids can tell me I have a “yellow” bucket. 

Finally, as a first-time Volunteer not only in a site, but in the Comarca Emberá-Wounaan, Cemaco, I can tell you – it’s tough.  Mostly because you have absolutely no reference point from the office or other Volunteers.  Therefore, I can appreciate the struggles and difficulties that Group 67 Volunteers are having as first-time Volunteers for an entire program! 

Hey, nobody said it would be easy.

The Next Phase of the Composting Latrine Project

June 2012

Walking Down the Tough Road

I told myself that I wanted to work with agencies to receive funding for the composting latrine project.  With wide eyes open, I knew that this would be a long, frustrating, bureaucratic process, that if achieved would be a huge success.  It would be a 100% locally managed and funded project, opening the door for the community to work with PAN and the Peace Corps.

I told myself that I would give it 6 months to see whether or not PAN would come through.  After a series of meetings, phone calls from by my Health Committee President, visiting the office in Panamá City, I finally broke down.  They weren’t moving on this.  I could tell from the way they talked to me about the project, and the fact that they keep saying “1 more month” every month. 

I knew that working with PAN could fail, risking whether or not I could start the implementation phase of the project during my service.  But I also knew that throughout the process of soliciting PAN, the community’s investment in the project would increase, and it had. 

They are ready for this project because they worked for it.  They walked down the tough road of soliciting the government, which takes courage and commitment.  Unfortunately, the PAN wasn’t there to meet them at the end of that road.  It was time to take another road.

Another Road, Still Tough

USAID offers Small Project Assistance Grants to Peace Corps Volunteers on specific areas.  In Panamá, they offer SPA Grants to projects related to bio-diversity, which composting latrines fit into.

I had talked to my APCD about everything that I was doing with PAN, and the possibility of soliciting funds late into my service.  I was given the impression that I would be able to solicit funds in June.  I spent all night writing the best document I could ever produce and submitted it to the SPA Committee. 

Although valuing highly the merits of the work that Alto Playón and I had been doing, the committee rejected the proposal on account of not having enough time left in my service to complete the project. 

I was frustrated and angry.  Two days before I spoke with office leadership about submitting my project and they told me to go ahead.  Six months earlier my APCD told me I could submit a late proposal.  What the F*CK?

I’m not the type of person to take my anger out on others.  I knew the rules and I was thought maybe an exception could be made for me.  WHY didn’t I just get the funds back in January, and just waited to use them till now?!?!  HOW was it that I actually believed working with PAN would come through?!?  WHY did I choose the hard road?  WHY was this happening…?

This series of events sparked eventual low points I would hit in my service.  I couldn’t help but feel foolish, unaccomplished, too idealistic, and worst of all – I felt that I had held out on my community.  I had a very tough time coming to grips with all of this.  I broke down a few times in my hut. 

I looked around at other G66 Volunteers who were finishing their projects, leaving built infrastructure for their communities.  Volunteers who would be able to celebrate a tangible success that I wouldn’t be able to taste in my service.  I felt as if I didn’t live up to my full potential – and it was hard to face that.  

Running Water at the School: Part 3 - A Job Well Done

May 2012

The day to build the rainwater catchment finally came.  After 6 months of discussions, deciding on Option I, wood floating away, voting a new President, and deciding on Option II – they were ready. 

I was asked to host a new trainee who had only been in country for 2 weeks, and figured that this would be great experience for him. 

Like anything else, 10% of the people do 90% of the work.  The padres are obligated to show up to meetings and work days or else they will get fined.  Therefore, they do come to work, but usually want to leave by noon.  To build this catchment system well, it takes at least 2 days.  Furthermore, they aren’t all experienced construction worker, which makes the job that much more difficult. 

At first it was just Misael and I trying to motivate the guys to help to no avail.  Thankfully my other close friend, Atilio the Health Committee President, was there.  I shot him a look and asked him a question, he could tell I needed his help, and he was in.  From then on the build went down hill.  Atilio who is a fantastic mason was directing people left and right.  By the end of the first day we had installed the PVC pipe and had the form ready for the concrete base.  The next day, without Atilio’s help, we were able to pour the entire form.

After the form was hardened, it still took about 3 weeks for the padres to install the rest of the system.  The best part was that they finished it without my assistance. 

Here’s the take away: 

·      A health project that was 100% locally funded, managed, and implemented by the community. 

·      I facilitated a process, rather than implementing a project.

·      I was able to leverage my relationships with key community members to allow them to lead the project.

·      If I had brought in the funds, it would have been MY project.  Misael, Atilio, and the maestro would never have stepped up the way they did to accomplish the work.

·      POTABLE, RUNNING WATER for 49 school children and 15 women who cook at the kitchen.

Is the system perfect?  No. 

Could it be bigger?  Yes. 

But when the community makes the decision that the system isn’t good enough and the tank needs to be bigger, they now have the capacity to do improve that themselves.

Running Water at the School: Part 2 - Option 2

April 2012

Verano passed and the new school year was under way.

At the March Padres meeting, the question about the wood came up for the rainwater system.  The teacher had given wood to one of the padres, and he went and cut it.  Although he cut the wood, he left it on the riverbank and didn’t bring it to the community.  The river then unexpectedly grew and the current took the wood away!  Great.

Thankfully, the president of the Padres this year is Misael, my awesome host brother who means the world to me.  He was convinced of Option II and told the maestro that’s how to move forward.  I was so stoked by his motivation and desire to make this happen, and knew that my personal relationship was a factor in his decision. 

I missed the next padres meeting, but I heard that Misael announced to the PDF what we were doing, and that the maestro had the funds for it since it was the beginning of the school year.  When I came back, they told me that a work day was scheduled in May.

Saweet.

Running Water at the School: Part 1 - Let it Rain!

December 2011

In order from most important to least important, for a rainwater catchment system you need:  rain!, a large roof, and tanks & tubes.  Luckily, the school in Alto Playón has ALL of them!

I approached the maestro about building a rainwater catchment system for the women who cook in the school kitchen.  Not that the school wasn’t using the rainwater, just that it could be an improved and more robust.  Currently, they have 3 55 gallon tanks that sit on the ground uncovered.  This means that women have to walk to the tanks and scoop out the water – allowing for cross contamination and a waste of time.

The system I was describing would provide potable, running water for the kids to drink, hand wash, and for cooking and dishwashing.  It would also obviate the onerous task of women carrying having to carry 40 lbs. of water from the river, and introduce them to the concept of having this in their home.  Improved water & sanitation starts with women.

My approach was the same one as I had taken with the composting latrines.  Provide technical assistance by giving design, cost, and maintenance options to the maestro and the Padres de Familia (PTA).  I gave them three options, from most robust to least in terms of cost ($) and work (W):

         I.     A cement platform and cement tank  ($$$, WWW)

       II.     A cement platform and buy a 250 gallon plastic tank ($$, WW)

     III.     A wooden platform, connecting the current 3 plastic tanks ($, W)

I told them that Option I was by far the best because you can’t beat a cement tank.  Option II was a compromise, a good cement base with a plastic tank.  You see plastic tanks all over Panamá and the Darién, but my only problem is algae can grow in them, and they can get deformed.  Option III was the Chevy, but at least it would provide running water.  Of course…they chose the easier one! 

They also decided that this would be something that they want to do next year, but they would get started on cutting wood.