From my report about the community meeting

PACA Community Meeting Report
(PACA=Participatory Analysis for Community Action)

Description
On 28 January 2009, Health/EE APCD [visited my village] to create a health community action plan using participatory analysis and to conduct a CCBI (Community content based instruction) training for local teachers. Participants included a local Red Cross (Croix Rouge de Senegal) representative, teachers from the local primary school, and members of the village. During the meeting, hygiene and sanitations issues were cited as a major root cause of health problems identified by the attendees, which involved issues with both water and land sanitation. The building of latrines in every family compound was designated as the highest priority long-term goals for the community, followed by the covering of wells, and educational programs addressing greater hygiene and sanitation issues.

Total Participants: 48 Male: 32 Female: 16

Activities
Health Problem Identification:
Each attendee was given a sheet of paper on which to write their identified community health problem. Cards were then collected, shown to everyone, and classified into different groups depending on the problem. The group of problems was ranked, based on the number of attendees identifying the problem. The final rankings were:
Garbage: 4
Health post/Lack of infrastructure: 3
Safe water: 1
Hygiene: 4
Poverty: 2
Rain: 1
General health issues: 4
Mental health: 1
Latrines: 2
Dental care: 2
Mosquitoes: 4
Anemia: 1
Reproductive Health: 1
Diseases: 1
Nutrition: 1
(It should be noted, several participants, especially women walked into the meeting after the sheets of paper were collected and being sorted and their opinions were thus not included in the count, unfortunately)

Health Action Plan Creation:
Based on the needs of the community, the priority and action plan for the next five years will have a focus on hygiene and sanitation. The group overall identified the source of many of the village’s problems as being related to hygiene, in the form of water, sanitation, and trash. The village ultimately would like to open a health hut within the village, but it was discussed that the realization of a health hut can occur, basic sanitation and hygiene issues must be addressed. It was noted that in order for the village to properly develop, every family compound (and the primary school) must have a latrine. It was also discussed that many diseases could be avoided with education. Education in the form of causeries and classes at school will enforce ideas and lessons conveyed. Teaching kids get at school should then be consolidated at home (Ex: hand-washing).

To ameliorate problems with community hygiene and sanitation, the following plan was drawn up:
1) Building of latrines so every family compound and the school has a functional latrine and provide education to children on how to properly use latrines and handwashing.
2) Covering of wells to prevent debris, microbes, and other things from falling in. Also, wide-scale education on proper water storage.
3) Community-wide cleanup, whether through the implementation of village-wide set/setil days and/or other clean up programs.
4) Massive education programs at both the school and community levels regarding nutrition, Malaria, reproductive health, dental health, etc.

Topics of causeries and school education programs will include mosquito/malaria prevention, neem lotion making, dental health, nutrition, and reproductive health. Balanced diets, vegetable/fruit processing, and moringa growth and processing will be addressed in order to improve the diets and nutrition of the village. The importance of community action and collaboration with the PCV was addressed, noting that everyone should have a role. Members of the community should show interest in what PCV is doing, then get involved since for the benefit of the whole group.

Secondary work suggested include tree planting, windbreaks, and other environmental activities.


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The meeting went pretty well, despite some of my initial concerns and while it wasn't as in-depth as it was originally scheduled to be (ie we didn't write out a super specific action plan), it was still good. It pointed out some concerns that I had regarding needs in the village plus others that I hadn't thought about in awhile. It succeeded in focusing some of my future work while also totally overwhelming me, making me feel like a good PCV and a terrible super-slacky PCV at the same time. My village was totally receptive and appreciative, so onward and upward village work!