ANNE

Work:

After a really hectic spell, made even more tiring by getting about in the heat, life is about to get a little quieter for me. Next year’s detailed development plans were handed over to the schools by a member of the Inspectorate at a big meeting yesterday, so there will be fewer meetings now. Schools finish for the summer on Friday but staff and pupils started drifting away weeks ago, although they are all expected to be in place on Friday for the issuing of the report cards. Mofou-sud’s Mothers’ Association is well organised and will present prizes to the girls who have done well. The mums have been donating small amounts of money since the group was formed in November and are already making an impact on the school, although I would like to see the Head teacher making them a bit more welcome. I think he is scared of what might have been unleashed!

Last Saturday, Boudoum held its first meeting of the new village development committee which has been formed to meet the needs of the school. They raised a huge sum of money with many “elites” turning up from the south to give support to their home village. The occasion gave us the opportunity to hand over the tricycle wheelchair to Nafeesa, the young girl paralysed by polio, who has been crawling on her hands and knees to get to the girls’ literacy classes 5 kms from her home. We sent her a message and within minutes she arrived in the borrowed ordinary wheelchair, accompanied by two little brothers. After a brief spell of “training”, she shot off a high speed back to her own village. We just hope she got there safely and wonder if her brothers were able to keep up with her.  (Photo attached).

At Membeng School the new classroom is coming along quickly and is now at roof level (see photo). Windows and doors have been fitted and the blackboard area has been chosen. After a bit of adjustment for the very small head teacher, it should soon be in place.

Practical exams for the senior pupils have been going on at Mokong, half an hour’s drive from here. All the pupils have to get there under their own steam – no molly coddling here. See photo for the cookery exams.

The football tournament, or championship as Godam likes to call it, finished on Monday with Mofou-sud, always the favourites for the boys, taking both the boys’ and girls’ cups. Boudoum girls were robbed. All the action was with them but they could get nothing past the Mofou goalie. In some ways we were lucky not to have rain throughout, although it is so badly needed here.

Culture:

Had my first experience of a Cameroonian Hen Night last week in Maroua. There were two brides: Aicha who will marry Irish volunteer Tom on the 6^th June and Fanta, who says she is getting married in July but nobody seemed convinced that she has identified the man yet! It was a very sober affair attended mainly by good, non-drinking Muslim girls.  When a light shower started, we were forced indoors to share a very smart sitting room with a motor bike. This is absolutely normal here and had nothing to do with the weather. (2 photos)

Village life:

Until last night there had been no rain for almost a month. Apparently if it doesn’t rain properly by June 15^th each year, there is real danger of famine, as crops will not have time to mature before the real dry season begins again. It still seems pretty close for comfort and people have been resorting to traditional rainmakers who apparently do something magical with stones to bring rain. Seems to have worked this time!

Random thoughts/facts:

·         when the temperature drops below 30ºC we will have our Christmas pudding. It is still in the 40s most days.

·         Discovered a great headache cure – a phone call to three of my grandsons.

Hamish

After the rain a month ago, it looked as though the workload was diminishing.  As the drought continued, however, more and more patients were turning up at the hospital as there was no work to be done in the fields.  After the rain last night, folk are busy again re-sowing and have no time to be ill.  Just as well really as the Médecin Chef has announced she will not be returning to Cameroon after her leave next month.  A newly qualified Cameroonian doctor has been recruited and arrives this weekend.  There are also apparently two doctors from the Congo who have said they’d like to come but no definite word on that yet.  There is quite a lot of disquiet amongst the staff who feel they are overworked and underpaid – and I would agree with them.  Certainly, their colleagues working in the state sector have a very relaxed working life and their salary is significantly higher.  The big difference is that our staff are paid regularly; state employees are paid as & when the state feels like it – can be once every six months or more!

Michaeli, the young lad with the ghastly head injury is in Yaoundé and we are hoping he had his surgery yesterday. More news to follow.

Got to try out the new 4x4 drive today.  After last night’s rain, there was a nice patch of mud where the road usually gets closed.  The hospital driver says if you wait for 4 hours after the rain has stopped, it is safe to drive through what looks like a lake, as long as you stick to the centre where the ground is firmer.  Well, we gave it a try and just got through.  It was a bit disconcerting to see a local standing at the roadside applauding us!