Beth in Rwanda

Tea is growing everywhere in Rwanda! We drove up here almost immediately after I arrived in Burundi. I am having some good bonding time with my child survival team. We are learning from a Rwandan team that has been successful in community health work. The people in the photo are the Rwandan driver, Emmanuel (our driver), Emil (our health information specialist), Jean Baptiste (our monitoring and evaluation specialist), Chantal (our program manager), Melene (the Rwandan program manager), and Beatrice (a Rwandan health supervisor). Lake Kivu in the background!


We visited two Care Groups in the field yesterday. First was a group of pastors (community leaders!) that give health messages during their services. For example, they demonstrated how to use oral rehydration therapy and talked about the importance of increased breastfeeding for children with diarrhea. Next we visited a group of women that have been meeting for 5 years for health lessons that they then share with their neighbors. I took a video of them singing about immunizations, but it's taking too long to attach. I'm posting a picture instead. It is so exciting to be here and see the work of public health in action. I'm acclimating...drinking lots of chai, sleeping under a mosquito net (after a mosquito bit me on the eyelid), using Kirundi and French when it comes to mind, and shaking hands with EVERYONE I meet! Health Message for the day: "The breast milk of a poor person is the same as for the rich person." (Melene)


Rwanda is known as "land of a thousand hills." Unfortunately, it is also susceptible to earthquakes. A magnitude 5 earthquake occurred in January and did great damage to a rural hospital that we visited. UNICEF has come in with temporary hospital tents.
I also have to include this adorable picture of a little girl dressed in traditional garb. She did not crack a smile...even when I said "Mwaramutse."