Good advice.
Our organisation, AJD, aims to encourage initiatives to improve the socio-economic situation for the vulnerable and oppressed whilst respecting environmental concerns.
We have used many pieces of advice from your publications. As a result, we are seeing many changes. In some villages, men who were once hostile to the idea of eating vegetables now enjoy them. Thriving vegetable gardens can be seen today in this village. Malnutrition due to many years of war and armed conflict is reducing. Farming of small livestock such as guinea pigs, rabbits, poultry and pigs has also improved nutrition as well as household finances.
Robbery, arson and violence have brought poverty to many rural women. Encouraging micro-enterprise and small businesses has been very important. One hundred and fifty groups have received training and support.
The third area for which we thank you is your help with those who suffer sexual violence and HIV infection. The Bible studies, together with people’s testimonies in Footsteps, are an enormous help to us.
Please accept our deepest thanks. Group members in Mabula and Kalehe are sending you half the proceeds from the sale of their first rooster to thank you for your publications!
Seth Claude Bashiga, AJD (Action, Jeunesse et Développement) Bukavu, South-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo E-mail: actionjd97@yahoo.fr
Supporting children with epilepsy
In our area of Cameroon about 1,200 cases of epilepsy have been reported. Most of these cases are children below 15 years of age. Our surveys show that many die from drowning, serious burns or suffocation as a consequence of epileptic seizures.
Parents or guardians do not know what a seizure is. Children with epilepsy cannot attend school due to prejudice. Local people believe various myths about epilepsy. People with epilepsy are often regarded as mad. Children with epilepsy are often neglected, mal-nourished and dirty. This situation is made worse by a lack of medical care. There is only one neurologist, based in Bamenda, for our whole province with a population of about 3 million people.
Our organisation, Global Welfare Association, is working to teach under-standing of epilepsy and in providing basic First Aid training for epileptic seizures. Can any readers help us with further ideas to help these children and in managing epilepsy?
Jamils Richard Achunji Anguaseh, Global Welfare Association, PO Box 5, Teze, Cameroon E-mail: glowa_cameroon@yahoo.co.uk
Useful pesticide
Here’s a useful and simple recipe for a pesticide using neem leaves which works on most of the insects in our region, including grasshoppers and beetles.
- Take a 20 litre container. Fill with fresh neem leaves. Pour in water until the leaves are covered and leave to soak for 4–6 days.
- Strain off the liquid through a cloth into a clean container. Add 50 ml of kerosene and 50ml of liquid soap (grated soap pre-soaked in water is fine).
- Spray onto plants, including the underside of leaves, whenever insects are evident. If you have no sprayer or the nozzle blocks frequently, dip a bunch of leaves or bundle of grass into the bucket and shake over the plants.
- Make sure you wash yourself well afterwards.
In return, can anyone help with ideas for a substance which can be sprayed onto trees to prevent camels, donkeys, goats, and cattle from eating them?
Dawn Goebbels, BP 55, Abeche, Chad.
EDITOR Natural pesticides are poisonous. Wear plastic bags over the hands and wash skin and clothing after use. Wait a week before eating treated vegetables.
Pig fleas
Some time ago a Footsteps reader asked for help in dealing with ‘pig fleas’. These are known by many different names including chigoe flea, jigger or pique. In humans, these fleas are commonly found in the feet. They burrow in without causing any pain and can then grow to the size of a pea or small bean. They look like a white patch with a black dot – which is the opening through which the flea breathes. Eggs are also passed out through this opening. Eventually the flea dies. With one bite there may be few problems. However, sometimes people may have many bites causing great pain, itching and infection.
Vaseline and oils can block the breathing holes, forcing the fleas to leave. Alternatively, a needle sterilised in a flame can be used to carefully pull out the flea. The wound should then be disinfected and covered until healed. It is, however, really important to pull out the whole flea or serious infection may result.
Wearing shoes, however simple, is the most effective prevention. Animals should not be allowed inside homes with dirt floors. Areas where animals gather can also be treated with recommended pesticides.
Dr Earle Goodman, PO Box 166, Turbeville, SC 29162, USA
Improving AIDS awareness
Inter-Actions is an NGO networking over 50 associations working in agriculture, fish farming and rural development.
In the rural areas, old people are often threatened and accused of causing the death of a younger person. We know that this person has died as a result of AIDS. However, in rural areas here, people have little or no access to the media. This means that most people still live in ignorance of the threat of AIDS. We carried out a survey this year with school children and found that over 60% did not believe that AIDS exists.
Our NGO has trained 30 animators who are members of our different associations. These animators carry out awareness-raising activities. However, in such a large area 30 people are not enough. They also find a certain resistance amongst young people when it comes to accepting that AIDS is real.
We are working to set up Anti-AIDS Clubs in the secondary schools and higher education establishments here, targeting nearly 70,000 students. We hope to encourage them to take responsibility for the fight against HIV and AIDS. This could help young people to change their behaviour. We hope to train 200 peer educators to run these clubs and would appreciate contact with other organisations for advice, experience, support and partnership.
Valentin Vangi Ndngi, Inter-Actions, BP 122 Tshela, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Drug abuse
The best way to tackle a problem is to recognise that it exists and talk about it openly. It is estimated that 200 million people round the world use illegal drugs.
The effects of drug abuse go far beyond the welfare of the individuals concerned. They tear apart our societies, causing crime, spreading disease like HIV and AIDS and killing our young people and our future.
Over 100 countries have announced that HIV is spreading among drug users, especially in Asia, Latin America, Europe and North America. Many drug users also have sexual partners, who may be mothers trying to protect their children from HIV infection. In many places sex-work and drug-use go together.
So we must try to fight the use of drugs. Young people in particular must be targeted and educated. We must also make it easier to obtain treatment for drug abuse. This can improve the quality of life for those with a history of drug abuse, and it enables us to pass on messages about prevention and care. Thirdly, there should be effective strategies for bringing drug users into a preventive programme, which can protect them, their partners and their families from HIV.
Our negative attitudes and rejection of people with drug problems make people even more vulnerable to HIV. It also makes it harder to reach them. So, let us talk about drugs and not allow it to become a taboo subject like AIDS. Let us all play our part.
Erasthon Bengehya, CECL (Centre d’encadrement des captifs libérés), BP 384, Cyangugu, Rwanda.
Local language resources
Tearfund believes that enabling people to access practical and useful information in their own language empowers them to make positive and lasting change in their communities. The PILLARS guides are books designed for community groups and are easy to translate into different languages. They look at issues about health, agriculture, small businesses and community mobilisation. The guides aim to build the capacity of small groups to manage change and to improve their lives.
The design and layout of the books encourages participatory discussion. One literate member of the group can act as the facilitator, sharing the information in the book and leading discussion using the questions given. The facilitator can encourage the group to build on their own knowledge and ideas, helping them adapt and apply the new information.
PILLARS guides can be adapted to the local context, and translated into local languages. They are now available in some 30 different languages including Hindi, Yoruba, Portuguese, Thai and Mooré. For further information on the languages available see www.tilz.info/resources/pillars