Where's the seat?: The Healthy Model Village

THE HEALTHY MODEL VILLAGE

Only 1 week back from Madagascar, stuck in the library studying for my Step 3 board exam.  The smooth, fresh clean water hit the back of my throat quenching my thirst immediately.  It's my second bottle of water for the day and it's still morning.  I rush to the bathroom as my full bladder has finally become uncomfortable.  I enter the well modeled beautifully toiled restroom on the third floor of our hospital.  As I opened the private stall and glanced over at he abundance of toilet paper and the porcelain white toilet with a seat, yes a toilet seat.  I remember in Kenya I always wondered, where is the toilet seat?! The same question puzzled my mind in Madagascar when I wasn't exercising my quads squatting and praying I wouldn't leave the bathroom with the telling sign of wetness in the perfect embarrassing position, to let everyone know when you unsuccessfully used the bathroom.  I wondered all the time why there were no toilet seats in Madagascar.   Usually when i ask that question it's met with laughter with no real answer.  Maybe because that's such a "First world question".  The toilet seat is the least of the problem, especially in rural areas of Madagascar where its common practice to "OD", open defecation, a term I learnt from PCVs, I guess that was their way of making it discrete.  Sorry! Were you eating while reading this? I Promise it gets less graphic, I think!  Who cares where the toilet seat is, I should be puzzled about much more important things. Please forgive me, I digress!

I left the bathroom and sat back down at my desk in the library reminiscing on our travel and tour of the "Healthy Model Village" in Fontsimavo, a small remote community, a few hours from Tamatave, a main city, that was our home base in Madagascar.  The healthy model village, a project designed to help facilitate clean water, well-built latrines and primarily education to rural areas in an effort to reduce diarrheal diseases.

We traveled by SUVs and a "open back" truck filled with luggage to Fontsimavo.  Rolling deep of course, 4 real doctors, me (I'm a doctor in the making really!) 2 pediatric nurses, Ginny, CRMF Director and amazing organizer of our trip, Brother Edwin, Andy, Ginny's sister, 10 peace core volunteers and who am I forgetting? of course! Darwin, CRMF trustee and avid french speaker and multi-purpose team member.  "Darwin, we need electricity!" was a common statement he heard and a need he always fulfilled to help us get our ultrasound working so we could evaluate our OBGYN patients.

I can't talk about our trip to the healthy model village without talking about the travel.  We traverse long winding, bumpy roads, mostly made of potholes with very little road, and get this crossed a river using rafts to transport the SUVs to get to the healthy model village.

 The bridge, yes bridge we crossed, don't miss those planks, or else!

 We get to the River

 Brave "water walkers", shall remain un-named

Video: Car crossing the river on raft, so creative, and a multi man operation.

 Mission accomplished!

We cross and walk up a short hill, some were driven while others walked about 2 miles.  I was one of the walkers, I wanted to test out my new waterproof hiking shoes.   At the end of our journey we walked right into a welcome party organized by the team at Fontsimavo. We are given gifts and enjoy a beautiful dance performed in our honor. 

 Wearing our "Lambda Hoaney"(spelling?)

The beautiful wraps all with different special messages for us.
(Bro. Edwin, Ginny Dr. Wiltse, Ally, Kris, Andy, Dr. Huxley, Darwin, Ruina (sp), Me, Dr. Alexander, Dr. C aka Dr. Egner)

Sitting upfront to enjoy the demonstrations through skit, dances and song of all people have learned about hand washing, sanitation and the importance of well built latrines that don't leave human waste open to causing infectious disease. 

At the Fontsimavo Village

Latrine demonstration.

Ginny receiving Chickens as a thank you!

Dr. C and I in our wraps

Trying to blend in like a Malagasy 

Latrine built by digging a very deep underground area, covered by concrete, and water buckets available to flush the toilet. This type of toilet requires squatting, which is ideal positioning for increasing abdominal pressure and ... you get the point... :)

Brother Edwin congratulating the people of two villages who have together installed over 300 latrines in their villages.  Open defecation was previously a major issue in causing a plethora of diarrheal diseases. 

After a long day, Sister Christine prays as we sit down for dinner at the Nunnery where we will spend the next 2 days administering medical care. 

The next time you drink a refreshing bottle of water and then run to use the porcelain toilet, think of how blessed we are.  If you would like to learn more about Caring Response Madagascar Foundation, visit http://www.caringresponse.org/ or look them up on facebook.

Thank you for reading, Veluma (Goodbye in Malagasy)!

Next blog - our medical work in the clinics.

Peace & Love!

Sash :)

p.s. My waterproof shoes weren't high enough...hehehe

Hehehe.... Don't worry he made it!