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            It’s been a hectic two weeks as the IMA team finished their training in Tshikapa and started with the hang-up in Kitangua. Twenty qualified supervisors learned about the ODK files, GPS settings, and various computer programs that would allow them to gather data from the field. The supervisors play a very important role in this particular campaign as they lead the RECO’s into these eight health zones. They then determine the number of nets that need to be distributed: one net for every two people in a household. The RECO’s are locals from these villages who are trained to properly install the nets and to gather data on the smart phones. There are usually around 12-15 RECO’s working with one supervisor. It seems like many of these locals have never used a smart phone before, so it takes time to train them. I was actually surprised by how quickly they caught on. Soon they were deftly poking at their complex devices. 

 

I teamed up with Dr. Delphin, one of the main supervisors. He speaks decent English and has helped me out with the language barrier; after all, my French is terrible. We drove out of Tshikapa after a full day of packing supplies and organizing which of the 20 supervisors with gear would start first. Crammed into the Landcruiser we headed for Kitangua, the first health district. We arrived after a few hours at an old Catholic Mission built sometime before the 1960s by the Belgians. I was amazed by the size of the place and by the brick architecture. This sudden appearance out of the darkness as the headlights illuminated the main entrance was a little shocking. This was the case because the entire village was dark except for the faint glow of candlelight in some of the shops, and after traveling on these trails for nearly three hours you expect to see the standard local mud and stick huts. The team quickly unloaded gear and materials before heading to the dining room to enjoy a great meal of fufu, pondu, and some local dried fish. Fufu is a staple African food that I came to enjoy during my travels. It’s made up of cassava root and usually ground-up maize mixed up with water. The women pound this mixture for what seems like most of the day until it’s the desired dough-like, starchy consistency.  It’s a heavy food that will keep you full most of the day. Pondu is a dish of pounded cassava leaves that usually accompanies fufu and a meat course, whether it be goat, fish, chicken, or beef. Locals always get a kick when I ask for extra peri-peri, the local hot sauce made from a local variety of chilies. 

The next day I was busy organizing gear and checking the phones to see if they had all of the programs installed and were charged up. The supervisors were issued their allotment of phones and they proceeded to train the RECO’s on how to use them. This kept everyone pretty busy for most of the day until the community outreach event, later in the afternoon. It was an amazing experience to be in this beautiful village with the locals gathered around the center of the market. Everyone had welcoming smiles on their faces and the mood was very uplifting. The PA was set up for speeches and demonstrations and then the music started. I’ve done my fair share of traveling and I must admit I have witnessed many cultural practices. This seemed to be the real deal and authentic, not some watered down tourist show. Just as the group of drummers arrived and started setting up their drums I noticed how they tuned them. Actually, at first I thought someone had caught fire by the close proximity of everyone. Then I realized that they were tensioning their drumheads by heating them up and then cooling them down again. They also had some lard pasted on the head for tone and lubrication. As the drumming and singing started, two masked dancers made their way toward the center. When they started moving, it looked like they were telling some ancient story through their dancing. Perhaps some of this story was being absorbed on some level. I was moved. There was a point of climax at the gathering when one lady took the stage and started dancing Congolese-style. This is usually done from the waist down and involves shaking the bottom. The youngsters got a kick out this and the crowd started surging with energy and excitement. Adults had to hold back the kids and threatened to use a stick if necessary. I really enjoyed this tribal music being performed here in this small village somewhere off the grid in the DRC. 

 

After the performance, there were many speeches by important men in the village including the chief. It’s vital to have the support of these leaders for the net campaign.  You can usually identify the chief or the person in highest command by what time they show up at a gathering. For example, if you are just a citizen or employee you show up on time. However, if you are a chief or a man in a high position you show up later, at which point the most important man shows up last. It can take hours for everyone to arrive, and then the speeches begin. At the end, I was handed the mic unexpectedly and quickly offered the Chiluba greeting for ‘Hello,’ which is ‘Moyo, moyo.’ The crowd got a kick out of this and gave a cheer but I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. Dr. Delphin translated my simple message about the importance of using these nets to prevent malaria. In the end, everyone was on the same page and the hang-up would begin that evening. The wet season has just begun and it’s crucial that this project is completed before the roads turn to muck. No time to waste.
 

The next several days were spent hanging up nets and collecting data in the field.  I spent most of my time inventorying and issuing gear and materials. Since there was no available electricity out in these parts, we used five generators to charge close to 400 phones and batteries, radio equipment, cameras, and computers. Along with these gadgets, the RECO’s were issued hammers, nails, and string for the installation. The nets were stored and issued at the central hospital in Kitangua. This was a community effort using the available motors and bicycles in the vicinity for transport. When I finished my duties, I teamed up with a supervisor and his RECO’s to help install nets. I noticed how eager the kids were to help carry the nets around from house to house. In this fashion the hang-up went smoothly in Kitangua and we finished on schedule. 

 

 

The driving experiences here are brutal. These earth tracks are rough with long stretches of sand and mud, rutted-out, and grown over with thick foliage. A few days were spent traveling up to 12 hours in these conditions and I have whip-lash to prove it. The teams in the field need constant support with more supplies; they are cycling through batteries. So we make the rounds with a positive attitude and a sore back. Traveling a few hundred kilometers doesn’t seem like a long distance until you make the journey.

 

 

 

            These locals push their bikes for many kilometers throughout DRC transporting everything from batteries to grain to cassava and other food items. In many places the bicycle is the only way to travel and in order to get anywhere they must push these monstrosities through deep sand. It’s no wonder they eventually break down and cause a minor traffic jam.

 

             I really enjoy being around the children here. Everywhere I go I usually have a large crowd of them following me, whether I’m at the market or taking a walk through the village. Always smiling and ready to tease a Mdella (white man).