Training and Water

I planned an Izinduna and Field Assistants training workshop for Mpilonhle last week. There was a great turnout, with about 40 people. We did training on what Mpilonhle is about, health education and community mobilization. I even went back to my Peace Corps roots and used PACA tool, where I had them draw maps of their community, pointing out all the important places. It will be there job to hand out flyers for our community outreach events. Everyone was super excited to receive certificates and Crocs in the end.

In village news, we have nearly reached a water crisis. The water use to go off during the day and come back on for a few hours each night. Now the water has been completely off since Sunday and on Sunday it was only on for about 45 minutes at a mere drip. We haven’t really had water for a week now. I have been creative with my water use, cutting down to only absolute necessity, no washing clothes, no making tea, bathing only when absolutely necessary. I had the children go around the village to fetch me water in return for candy however, now there is not even any water to fetch. Yesterday I saw kids getting water out of the swamp, but I draw the line at bathing or washing with swamp water. I am going to leave the village for the weekend and perhaps do a couple of rain dances.