Report from AIDS prevention work with TCE - and a new film about Namibia

Katya from Russia was in Namibia as a DI in TCE, with the Passion for People movement. Here you can read about her experiences and see her film about the people and the beautiful country she will never forget....

3 months  report from Katya Terukova, November Team 2006 – from TCE Namibia

Now it is August. And it should be time for me to write that half of my period here is over. Well, not exactly. As you may remember there were a lot circumstances that postponed our departure from CICD. But now I can for sure say the waiting was worth it. I still remember the last morning in CICD, the long driving from Winestead down to London, waiting for the flight in the airport, last call home from England, 10 hours long flight… That all seems to have been so long ago but on the other hand I can remember it as if it was yesterday.

And I will for sure never forget the first glance of Namibia from the airplane when we were landing. Totally flat with some mountains. Unbelievable! Is it reality or am I dreaming? This was splendid but that time I had no idea what expects me in future and there were so much more unexpected!

Now it seems to me I’m getting more and more used to hiking in the overloaded (5 passangers +  1 driver) taxis, palm trees and donkeys everywhere, cocks singing in the middle of the night informing that the next hour has passed, cold shower, always smiling people asking “How are you?” or “Mwalalapo. Nawa” (local language - Oshivambo).

I’m getting used to things that are now a routine for me. Another routine is my job. But that I can not call routine actually because I find myself very comfortable with my responsibilities in the project.

I still remember the time when I was still in Russia reading about TCE in one of CICD newsletters and thinking: “That is great!” I still think so.

So now I’ll tell a little bit about my job here. It would be not so easy to make it short as this job is now my life! I’m a DI in Division 1 in Namibia. My responsibilities are Passion for People movement and everything what has to do with it. So far I’m visiting support groups, counseling them on support group and IGP managing, organizing different meetings and events, and writing reports. The last one (reports) is the basis of TCE. Whatever you do, you need to report to the office of the Division - that is why my laptop is now my best friend.

What I can say about TCE. It is amazing! The program that I wanted to join from the very beginning is worth it. We have in our division 192 Field Officers – they are the core of the TCE movement as they are the ones who are going from door to door, deep in the bush, informing, mobilizing and supporting people. They are also the ones who need to be informed, mobilized and supported by us the local Special Forces and DI’s (we are 3 here in Division 1: me, Kana and Patrick from DRH school in Denmark).

So we make presentations for our Field Officers during meetings, mobilizing them to implement actions in their Field (villages) and supporting them during their Field Visits. The last one is a great experience that reminds me of GAIA. Sometimes you have to walk 3 hours to reach some villages and then you are going from door to door (from one household to another) informing people, mobilizing them to go for testing and just having a nice chat of course in Oshivambo. They are all very hospitable and very often we can get some Oshikundu – traditional Namibian drink from millet or Oshifima – traditional porridge.

There are actually a lot of things that I can write about my job but let me postpone that and write a little bit about Namibia and Namibians.

Namibia is fascinating! I’ve already traveled a lot as I’m going for Field visits and Support Group visits almost every day. We also went to Ruacana waterfalls on one of the weekends. It is close to DAPP (100 km) on the border with Angola. The nature here is for sure very different from the nature in my country, in Europe. It is very new for me so I keep my eyes opened trying not to miss anything.

Namibians. It would be very difficult to define who they are. They have 7 tribes and only that makes them all so different. The most interesting ones are Himbas and Hereros. We are very lucky here in our place because we can meet them sometimes. The people we are working with are also very different. Some of them are really devoted to what they are doing. Unfortunately there are some for whom TCE is just another job. These ones are my focus! I’m always trying to motivate them as much as possible, usually reminding them that the rate of HIV prevalence amongst the pregnant women in our area is 27 %. That reminding usually helps, makes them think and take action.

I’m also always reminding them that they should be proud of being a part of TCE as they work for the future of their country Namibia – oshilongo Namibia! That is also a good reason for them to work harder.

So to finish my report I would like just to say that here it is really not so bad. After the independence the Namibian nation achieved a lot and I’m sure that in the nearest future there will be more and more developments here. The only problem is the pandemic - AIDS. But there is hope - you can meet even in the deep deep bush people with good knowledge about basic facts on HIV/AIDS that was given by our Field Officers. As I’m always saying: There is a cure from AIDS – that is the knowledge and this knowledge can help to cure the nation!

So I wish you all the best in CICD. Keep on going. Never give up! Africa is waiting for you!

All the best wishes from Namibia!

Katya, CICD November team 2006

Click below to watch BEAUTIFUL NAMIBIA:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3295929833651898268&pr=goog-sl