World AIDS Day

33.2 million people are living with HIV/AIDS and 68% (22.5 million) of PLWA are in sub-Saharan Africa.

Based on facts from 2007, 2.5 million are newly infected and 2.1 million died.

13.1 million women in sub-Saharan Africa have HIV/AIDS, this is 87% of the 15.4 million women living with HIV/AIDS in the world.

In sub-Saharan Africa, 1.7 million are newly infected and 1.6 million died of AIDS.

In Burkina Faso, UNAIDS 2006 reported that “only” 2% of the adult population had HIV/AIDS. This statistic is devious because it only counts the number of people who got tested in Burkina Faso. Since a majority of Burkinabe live rurally and do not have access to a health clinic this 2% is most likely larger. HIV/AIDS is more prevalent in the larger cities of Bobo and Ouaga. The percentage of the population has decreased in the past decade though, in 1997 7.17% of the population to the 2% reported in 2006.

Socio-cultural contributing factors: For women Poverty, their lack of power to make decisions, early marriage, lack of education, and gender discrimination contribute to the larger numbers of women with HIV/AIDS. For men, the expectation of the society of what is masculinity and the socio economic status contribute to HIV/AIDS within the Burkinabe society.

There are many myths in Burkina (similar in other sub-Saharan countries) as to how AIDS is transmitted and only 50% of the population can correctly cite the mode of transmission. 48% think that HIV/AIDS is transmitted by mosquito, which is false. There is another myth that condoms were created by the western world to exterminate the people of Africa. There are countless other “myths” that make it hard for AIDS sensibilazations to be taken seriously in many African countries.

In Burkina Faso there is high political will and a National Council against AIDS (CNLS) which is led by the president of BF.

All Peace Corps volunteers are involved in the fight against AIDS in Burkina; it goes beyond Health volunteers.

As Peace Corps Trainees this year we were asked to create radio vignettes that would play on the radio station here in OHG on Worlds AIDS Day, Dec. 1^st. We were divided into 3 groups, some groups sang songs, played games, or interviewed local organizations about the importance of getting tested. The group I was in did a skit to talk about the myths behind the transmission of HIV/AIDS and how important it is to remain friends with people with AIDS. A major problem is that when people are diagnosed they are shunned from the family and society, this really discourages people from wanting to get tested. We recorded our 15 minute segments the Friday before World AIDS Day and then went out to villages to participate in current PCV AIDS sensibilisations to villagers.

Nov. 28, 2008: Chantel, the leader my AIDS radio group doing amazing work writing out our script in French.

Nov. 28, 2008: Audry and Amanda waiting at the radio station for our turn to go on. You can see the huge blackboard in the background where they have a list of all time slots with radio segments.

Nov. 28, 2008: Chantel, David, Audry (standing), Mel, Gwen, and Amanda practicing our skit, which we adapted from a children’s story about two friends and what happens when one of the boys finds out he has AIDS.

Nov. 28, 2008: David (Pierre in the skit) and Gwen (Ali in the skit) during the recording of our segment of the AIDS day broadcast.

Nov. 28, 2008: Melanie reading her section of the skit.

Nov. 28, 2008: Audry sensibilising the masses as the nurse of our skit. Chantel is all ready as the narrator.

Nov. 28, 2008: Melanie and Karla sing the song the begins and ends our segment of our radio broadcast. Dave listens and enjoys the music.

Nov. 28, 2008: Outside the radio station our group captures a photo (L to R: Dave, Audrey, Aaron (honorary group member), Amanda, Chantel, Gwen, Karla, and Melanie)

For World AIDS Day I actually when to the small village of Youba, it would be the first time they would ever have an event for World AIDS Day, thanks to a current PCV. We were invited to be spectators. We biked for an hour to get to Youba and it was a very bad road but we made it! It was great to watch all of the Burkinabe men, women, and children as they learned about AIDS. Most of the presentation was done in Moore, which was great because that way everyone of the villagers could understand the importance of AIDS.

Dec. 1, 2008: One enterprising lad came around and sold us sticks of what I think was molasses. Colin who is from Vermont felt like he was at home, kinda. Colin and Gwen

Dec. 1, 2008: Youba had a bike race and the winner would get a whole box of condoms. We cheered the winner (pictured) to the finish line.

Dec. 1, 2008: The finish line of the bike race in the village of Youba

Dec. 1, 2008: It is a big selling day for the women of Youba as Jen and Brittany buy some oranges

Dec. 1, 2008: So there was this camel that was close to the health center and all of us were super excited to get our picture taken with the white camel. Camels are a lot more present in the northern Sahelien part of the country. A PCVF said that the last time she saw a camel the guy who owned him was making people pay to get their photo with the camel. This camel did not make me pay, thank goodness.

Dec. 1, 2008: The women of Youba with their children watching the informative session on AIDS in Moore.

Dec. 1, 2008: PCV Christina and her counterpart showing how AIDS can be transmitted: Sex, Needles, Mother to Child, and Breast Milk. Pictures go a long way when it comes to teaching the Burkinabe because a majority of the population is illiterate.

Dec. 1, 2008: This man and women are doing a skit in Moore about AIDS. The crowd loved it.

Dec. 1, 2008: After the event we were given Zum Kum a national drink of Burkinabe. I of course cannot refuse because they are serving it in a calabash, watch the spillage. Zum Kum = Pulverized millet added to water (kum) and then depending on the person sugar and spices (ginger, tamerin) are added. It is hit or miss sometimes.

Dec. 1, 2008: I road back to OHG by myself so I could take some photos. These were taken right outside OHG, it is really beautiful in some areas of the Sahel, mainly near bodies of water where things are green. I thought of the Sound of Music for these 2 photos.

Dec. 1, 2008: People working out in the swamp. I have no idea what they are doing but in a month or two all of this will be dry and desert-like.

Mud Stoves

One of the main environmental issues in Burkina Faso is desertification and deforestation. Due to climate change the Saharan desert continues to increase in size effecting the northern part of Burkina Faso. The Sahalien region continues to expand south, and one way to combat this is through planting trees. The plantation of certain trees are hard in Burkina Faso due to the lack of water and intense sun. Burkina Faso has also experienced an extensive about of deforestation in the past fifty years. Burkina Faso was not blessed with extensive natural resources and has to import a majority of its energry (oil, propane, natural gas). Therefore, families use timber as a source of energy, timber has become scarce in certain areas of Burkina Faso. Timber/wood is very expensive and is normally used inefficiently by the Burkinabe.

Wood is used everyday by Burkinabe women to prepare meals. To heat a casserole dish (pot), a Burkinabe woman will take three rocks and place then in a triangle and then place the pot on top of the three stones. The fire wood is normally placed under the casserole dish in the center of the three rocks. This is very inefficient because you cannot control the temperature of the flames since all three sides are open. A lot of head escapes out of the sides of the three rocks during cooking, which means the women use more and more wood.

Enter Peace Corps volunteers and the know-how to make mud stoves!! PCVs introduce improved stoves (foyer ameliorè) to women groups of Burkina Faso and promote the adoption of appropriate wood-burning technology in Burkinabe villages. Thereby, helping the national problem of desertification; and help decrease the cost of energy (wood) for the Burkinabe. The women also enjoy getting dirty and all of the materials for a mud stove are available in village. Watch as the PCTs make their own mudstoves!!

Mudstoves take two days to make and five days in between the preparation of materials and the actual construction of the stoves.

Nov. 25, 2008: Andre our SED tech instructer shows us how to make the straw into finer/shorter pieces. He then did not allow us to use the manchetee, no fair!!

Nov. 25, 2008: Another group separates manure(cow poop) with their hands and they are enjoying it! L to R: Brittany, Nikki, Kat, and AudryNov. 25, 2008: Karla, Gwen, and Abby breaking up the straw into smaller pieces, this is not fun, we want the manchetee.

Nov. 25, 2008: Adielade taking out her frustration by hammering and chipping away at the big rocks so they are all of a similar size.

Nov. 25, 2008: Aaron and Colin take a break from their hard work to pose like Abercrombie models.

Nov. 25, 2008: Once everything was broken down into smaller pieces we begin the process of making the mud for the mud stoves. The sand is grouped into a pile and water is added. Kat, Sara, and Brittany enjoy getting their feet dirty by stomping in some mud. Women of the village love this part of the process, it was a little harder getting all of us to participate.

Nov. 25, 2008: We continue to stomp stomp in the mud, manure was added and now the small pieces of straw are added. Kirsten, Kat, Chantel, and Aaron say they feel like they are at the spa.

Once all of the 4 ingredients are combined together: sand (building dirt), water, manure and straw; you cover the mixture from the sun so it does not dry and let it sit for 5 days. This allows the mud to get to the proper consistency so it can be used for building.
Nov. 29, 2008: This picture depicts how Burkinabe women normally cook their food i.e. with just three rocks and a marmite (pot). We actually use these bigger rocks as a guide and support for our mud stoves when constructing the stoves. PCV Jen shows Colin

Nov. 29, 2008: Eric and Sara get their hands dirty as they begin to construct their mud stove. See the use of the three big rocks in a triangle.

Nov. 29, 2008: Nikki, Christy, Sara, and Aaron create balls of mud from our mud pile that has been sitting for 5 days; it is all ready to use.

Nov. 29, 2008: Chantel and Ilana begin making out mud stove, 4 mud stoves would be made. See how they use the bigger rocks as construction guides. These big rocks will be enclosed with mud.
Nov. 29, 2008: Eww it is a dirty job but someone has to do it. Amanda and I show off our hands.

Nov. 29, 2008: Annette, Brekke, and Addy with their mud stove. See what it looks like as the mud rises higher.
Nov. 29, 2008: Once you make the mud stove to the proper height you bring the pot back and make sure it will stick in the stove snugly. I am now smoothing down the sides of the mud stove so no cracks are present.
Nov. 29, 2008: Chantel draws some designs on our mud stove. This is also something fun to do with the women of the village.

Nov. 29, 2008: Yummm my hands smells SUPER.

Nov. 29, 2008: Gwen, Armanda, Chantel, Aaron, and Kirsten with our mud stove. It now needs to harden and dry. A door will be cut out and it will be used in a future blog. . . I know you cannot wait!!