maswela bwanji!

I'm spending this Tuesday morning working from home where the internet is trusty! I have a portable dongle that is more temperamental than Scottish weather so I am taking the initiative to use the WiFi instead. An oppertune moment to update this blog!
Lots has been happening since I last posted in work and out of it. I met with the women from Maula and they were delighted to have an outsider come in and speak with the about HIV. Myself and Peter (Regional HIV Coordinator for Prison Service) did a true/false flash card round on HIV and found their basic knowledge to be quite good, but the more intricate issues they really lacked knowledge. One woman thought ARVs were the equivalent of panadol, and used them for headaches. They asked so many questions about mother to child transmission and what to do about newly infected partners etc. I was happy to be able to give them the true and correct information around each of their queries. They asked for us to come back every Monday and so Myself and Peter went back yesterday to do a session on Risky behaviours and methods of self protection from HIV. Last Monday I couldn't go to Maula, as there were riots on the city centre streets.
The vendors who sell illegally on the streets, as the markets are full, were given 7 days to evacuate from their spots and find a new place to go. Last Monday was the 8th day, and we had presumed correctly that there would be clashes between the desperate vendors and the police force.
It took 5 hours of teargas and army charging to clear the rioters out from city centre and back into their neighbourhoods. I live 2 km out from the place it happened, and myself and Tom were in the garden listening to the shouting, and had to run inside because of the teargas stinging our eyes and burning our throats! We knew we were safe in our compound so it wasnt scary for us, just rather interesting! There has been no more unrest since, and it has been 8 days now, but the army remain patroling the streets to make sure the vendors dont resume trading. The hotspot is the road down to Kachere prison, and it has been very calm since.

In terms of my Kachere work, the peer programme was delayed the week before last as myself and Thom thought it more pressing to deal with the scabies outbreak that was taking over. 15 boys were taken to hospital for suspected STIs but we found out that it was genital scabies. They were in agony with the itching, plus many more boys with scabies on arms and legs. As there is no Medical Officer in Kachere, Thom and myself decided to command the situation. ( other Officers have no interest at all)
We reported it to the DOH and a very competant woman dealt with the situation right the next day! I was amazed! Africa time didn't apply for once!
We had to mass treat all 200 boys with a lotion, and then over the following 4 days, wash every blanket, mattress, and item of clothing in boiling water. An incredibly difficult task to do when the boys have no access to running water, except by burning wood to make fire to boil in a single 50 litre steel pot. Whilst in between using the pot to cook the nsima for the day. However they got it done in time for mass treatment number two the following Monday. Now hopefully the problem is eradicated and will not reoccur. I have asked the prison officers to test any new inmates before they enter the prison for scabies. Which they probably wont do but here's to hoping!!
The peer programme is going well though, and we should get it finished by the time I am due to leave. The officers are being very proactive and translating hand outs into Chichewa etc, and I truely believe this work will be continued by them once I leave which is a very satisfying thing to know.
I had a meeting with Baylor Malawi last Thursday to see how they can feed into my cirriculum, since it is mainly their own one from Botswana that I use. They were very helpful and will provide some sessions towards the end of my stint on how to impart knowledge of HIV from peer to peer for internalised behaviour change. Tom from VT is also going to work with them around organising a day for inmates to go and play soccer in the local stadium and Baylor's Teen Club coordinators will provide workshops in between on HIV prevention, and living positively with HIV.
This week's session I will conduct will concentrate on removing any myths around HIV transmission, and looking into the cultural practices that aid the spread of HIV. I am doing some research with Thom on what misconceptions there are here in Malawi.
On Thursday I will meet the 9 positive boys and we are going to show them how to make a power drink to boost their immune systems made of garlic, lemon, ginger and honey. This will empower them to look after themselves after they leave the prison. There is a miseducation around what nutrition should be provided to the prisoners with HIV. They get rice eggs and cooking oil.. which provides them basically with more of the same nutrients, yet still none of the immune boosting minerals and vitamins that you get from fruit and vegetables. So this session we will effort to educate the boys on the importance of other food groups.

Theatre for a Change in association with Waverley Care provided a training day for the Prisoners Officers and their spouses on Saturday, in which 20 were given a morning of discussions and drama role plays. At the end ten people went for testing of which 1 was positive. That person has yet to disclose to Thom, Tom, Peter or I, but is seeking treatment and post test counselling according to the nurse who did the test.

All in all, keeping very busy and having a great time in my free time too! I made my first trip out of Lilongwe this weekend down to the beautiful Cape Maclear. We had a bunch of 15 people and we had such a wonderful time. island hopping and snorkeling with the beautiful lake fish. Some of the good friends I have made are leaving over the next two weeks, so that is disappointing, but I'm sure more will pop up as i go along! The typical ex-pat lifestyle!

Cheerio for now
Dee :)