June Guest Post (Education): Rodnika Carter

Name: Rodnika Carter

Age: 23

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Primary Job: Professora! (High School Teacher)

Site: Mocuba, Zambézia

Secondary Projects: REDES, Community Library, English Theater, Virtuous Leaders (an original project I designed!!)

1. Where did you go to school/study? Short background leading up to Peace Corps!

I attended the University of Iowa. I studied Pre-Law and African American Studies. A little background, I studied abroad twice during undergrad, in Ghana and South Africa. My time abroad really sparked my interest in international aid work. I became confident that I could do something long term like PC and that I already knew what to expect..but boyyyyy was I in for a surprise!

2. Why did you want to join PC?

I wanted to become a Peace Corps Volunteer right now because there will be no other time in my life to do it. If I stayed in the states I would’ve went to law school, started my career, and basically worked till retirement. But right now, my life is mine and I choose Peace Corps. Besides running away from responsibility and law school specifically, my previous study abroad experiences had really sparked an interest in international travel and international aid work; ultimately I felt that Peace Corps was the perfect opportunity for me to explore those more.

3. Describe your site/house/living situation.

My site, Mocuba, is far from the “typical” Peace Corps site. I live in a district of more than 200,000 people. Mocuba, being the largest city in the district, is home to 60 - 70,000 people. It  is known for all types of business, specifically rocks and precious stones. I don’t have any problems communicating. Everyone speaks Portuguese, and I can easily find someone to speak English with me every day. My site is a melting pot of cultures. There are large Indian, Bangladeshi, and Nigerian populations.  There are also a number of people from other English speaking African countries. I don’t have to leave my site for anything. There is a variety of stores, restaurants, and even entertainment options. If I do wish to travel I am lucky that Mocuba is situated on the one main road that runs through the entire country. It is extremely easy for me to travel to the next city or province over.

I have a single standing concrete house, with an indoor bath (no running water because you can’t win them all). Electricity is very consistent in my town therefore I was able to buy a modem and now have internet access. My life at home is quite strange. I have to set buckets outside to collect rain water while I use my laptop to binge watch Game of Thrones.

As much as I love my site I have to admit there are some cons. #1 Mocuba, like any other city in the world, it’s difficult to know everyone, to do everything and to fully “integrate”. So you just get your own group of friends and create your own experience. I view this in some ways as a con because Peace Corps loves to emphasize integration. And it honestly is a very important factor in terms of the respect that volunteers receive in their communities. #2 Mocuba has a huge water shortage. The river is drying out, many wells have long dried out and everyone just prays for rain that rarely comes. #3 The HEAT!! #4 Thieves. #5 Gossip! There is a question that gets tossed around often, who loves gossip more, Mozambicans or Americans? The jury is still out!

Overall, I consider myself very lucky! I am a proud resident of Mocuba, Zambézia.

4. What is your favorite PC activity?

My favorite PC activity is preparing food and eating with Mozambicans, Americans or both. Before coming to PC I didn’t cook much so I’ve learned a lot about cooking during this process.  I think it’s a great opportunity to talk to Mozambicans about life and their perspective on different things; also great for sharing ideas or just venting amongst volunteers. I feel like some of the best convos I’ve had in Moz have been at the dinner table. Overall it’s just a fulfilling activity, obviously physically but intellectually and emotionally as well.

5. What is one thing you want Americans to know about Mozambique?

So the reality is Mozambique is literally one of the poorest countries in the world, with conditions that some Americans can’t even begin to imagine. And as PCVs we live and work in this environment for 27 months. I always joke that after my PC service I will be superwoman! (lol. But seriously though.) After 27 months of living and working in Moz and overcoming so much I honestly feel like I could handle almost anything when I get back to the states. Now think about Mozambicans…they have no breaks, no time limits, no safe haven, no Chicago or New York to escape to. This is their life and struggle day in and day out. With grace they endure unspeakable amounts of pain and hardship. Yet they still manage to laugh a little, dance a little, and give a little of the little that they have. If I think I’m superwoman then I know that Mozambicans are indestructible. There is so much to learn and admire about Mozambicans (truthfully Africans in general) and that is the one thing Americans should know!

6. What parts of service have you found most challenging? &
7. What parts have you found most rewarding?

I’ve combined questions 6 & 7 because when I really thought about it the answer was the same: Isolation. It’s the most difficult thing to feel alone and be alone most of the time. But also the strength and confidence you gain along with insight about yourself is invaluable. In the states we have so many distractions: friends, restaurants, movies, electronics, you name it. PC service, especially in Moz, forces you to live a minimalist lifestyle. I quickly realized the only things I had in abundance were silence, time and myself; my triumphs and defeats, strengths and weaknesses, my past, present, and future. In the beginning it’s a lot for a person to face head on. Combined with the stresses and challenges of PC service, I repeat it is A LOT. But now that I’ve gone through it I wouldn’t change it for the world. Talking with RPCVs many say the most important thing you will gain from your service are not the skills you’ll learn but how much you’ll grow as a person. I see this now more than ever. I’m not entirely sure I would’ve grown in the ways or to the magnitude that I’ve grown if I had stayed in the states. I needed this, every uncomfortable, lonely minute.

8. Do you have a student/friend highlight?

My student highlight is Natalia. Natalia is a 10th grader at my school and also a member of my REDES group. (a girls empowerment group) This is the second year Natalia has participated in REDES. Last year she attended the 2-day workshop with other girls in our province to learn more about topics like HIV/AIDS, puberty, staying in school, healthy relationships and choices. This year Natalia is an obvious leader in our group. She always participates in discussions and activities and even led the girls in song and dance as they greeted the president during a visit to our town a few months ago. Her confidence and involvement has increased significantly. Knowing this my last year she is pressing me to train her as a facilitator to continue the group next year. I couldn’t be happier to honor her request. I’m not trying to take all the credit because I feel that her development is just an inevitable part of growing up, but I at least hope her participation in REDES had some part to play.

9. Lastly, FOOD! What’s your favorite or go to meal in Moz?

My favorite Mozambican dish and oddly comfort food is xima and caril. Xima a cheap, heavy starch that is part of many meals in Moz. Caril is meat or fish cooked in a tomato based sauce with onions, peppers, and garlic. You can eat this dish with a spoon but I recommend you eat with your hands, it just taste better! Grab some xima, roll it in your hands for a second, lather it sauce, grab a piece of meat and pop it in your mouth. It’s a pretty heavy meal so you might need a nap afterwards. But is it really comfort food if you don’t need a nap afterwards?

May Guest Post (Health): Aja Weston

Name: Aja Weston
Age: 27
Hometown: Romeo, Michigan
Primary Job: Health Volunteer- manage HIV cases at the clinic, community garden program coordinator (wow that makes me sound cool), busy work at the hospital like weighing babies, packaging medication, etc.
Site: Mavudzi Ponte, Chiúta, Tete

Secondary Projects: REDES (girls empowerment group), Grassroot Soccer, DOT (diversity advocacy work for volunteers/staff), English Theater                                                   

1.     Where did you go to school/study? Short background leading up to Peace Corps!
University of Michigan, my major was Sociology and minor in Women’s Studies: Gender & Health. I worked in animal welfare the years leading up to Peace Corps- SPCA, Humane Society.

2.     Why did you want to join PC?
I’ve always been all about helping others. But I also joined for the adventure and knowing that moving to rural Moz wasn’t gonna be easy. To get to know a new culture, master another language, and just do something totally different with my life that a lot of people don’t get the opportunity to do.

3.     Describe your site/house/living situation.
I live in a block cement house that feels like a dungon. Tin roof, outdoor latrine and shower area, no running water. I have electricity, but my neighbor’s don’t so there’s always at least two random phones charging at my house at any given time. Surrounded by children from all angles. No yard, no fence, no privacy.

4.     What is your favorite PC activity?
Grassroot Soccer!

5.     What is one thing you want Americans to know about Moz?
You all aren’t even half as generous or hospitable as the people here! Work on it, Americans!

6.     What parts of service have you found most challenging?
Trying to convince people at my site that Peace Corps is much different from all the other NGO’s that have came into the community. Foreign NGO’s would do things for the community like come in deciding what project they need, build structures, give money, give food, etc. Peace Corps focuses on building human capacity, and working side by side with community members to elaborate a project important to them. The former makes Mozambique dependent on foreign countries. In my experience, some communities won’t take initiative in developing their community because they know INGO’s will do it for them. Because it’s always been that way. Trying to tell people that PC doesn’t do it that way has been tough. It makes any project go very slow.

7.     What parts have you found most rewarding?

Feeling like I am truly a part of the community and that I belong here. Having a goofy and close relationship with so many mães. Walking around and knowing everybody (because my town is so small). Some children grew up never calling me azungu, and only know me as Aja.

8.     Do you have a student/friend highlight?

Sure! This guy- Elisirio. Peace Corps assigned him to be my counterpart, and ever since then, we’ve been bromie’s. One of the most genuine people I know, and one of the few people at site that I really trust and open up to about my struggles in service and life in general. And! I am always impressed by his dedication to the projects and programs we run together. I’m doubly happy that he has gotten more confident in his professional life since we’ve begun working together. Good friend, good counterpart. Would recommend, 10/10. I love Jesus, Amen.

9.     Lastly, FOOD! What’s your favorite or go to meal in Moz?

I don’t think I’ve ever cooked a good tasting meal for myself in Mozambique (or anywhere). Therefore, my go to meal is thawed beans from my freezer I made in bulk two weeks ago, with some rice and avocados. OR! Cheesy popcorn.

OR WHEN I’M OUT: ¼ chicken w/ xima and couve OR ¼ chicken w/ fries and salad. I enjoy both.

April Guest Post (Health): Abby Peeters

Name: Abby Peeters
Age: 24
Hometown: Eldridge, Iowa
Primary Job: Community Health Outreach
Site: Chitima, Tete
Secondary Projects: Grassroots Soccer, English Theater, Malaria Task Force  

1. Where did you go to school/study? Short background leading up to Peace Corps!

I graduated from the University of Iowa in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, a Bachelor’s in Studio Art, and a certificate in American Indian and Native Studies. During my time in school I was activity involved with our Native American Student Association and Ceramic Society, and worked in a variety of positions with aging adults, aging adults with Alzheimers and Dementia, and differently abled individuals. Prior to joining Peace Corps, I volunteered with an organization working in Haiti (ServeHAITI) for around 5 years and completed my Social Work practicum in their rural medical clinic. I really enjoyed my time spent there with them, but I felt like I was reaching a point in both my professional and personal life where I had given them all I could. It was time to push myself and grow in a field that I’m passionate about, and when a friend who works for Peace Corps encouraged me to apply for an upcoming deadline, it felt like the right thing to do! Less than two months after that conversation, I had declined a prior offer to teach high school English in Mississippi with Teach For America, and had accepted an offer to serve in Mozambique. 

2. Why did you want to join PC? 

Like you’ll hear from many other Peace Corps or Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, joining Peace Corps was something I had always thought about but never seriously considered. In many ways, it seemed beyond my reach or unattainable. I had first started considering it sometime around junior high, and I think the idea continued to grow and grow until it became larger than life—some big dream I would always have. As I continued on with my studies and travels, I realized that Peace Corps was very much attainable. 

3. Describe your site/house/living situation.

I live in a little yellow cement house in what’s known as a dependência—a unit in a common yard shared with other homes. In my situation, my house sits nestled between the homes of my landlady and her kids plus two other rental units. The compound is surrounded by a cement wall and situated tightly in the middle of our neighborhood…so tightly that I can take about 5-10 steps in any direction, both inside and outside of our yard, and arrive at a neighbor’s house. Inside our yard, which in Portuguese is called a quintal, we share a laundry space, a common cement patio, and an outdoor bathroom. I am the first health volunteer in Chitima, so I moved into a totally empty house (seriously, think three empty blue rooms, 12 blank walls) with about $120 USD to fill it up with all the things I needed—pots, pans, water storage, shelves, seating, the list could go on. While we’re all lucky to have fairly reliable electricity, our water situation is a little different. There’s no running water in any of our homes, and as of about a year ago water access to most of the pumps and spigots in our neighborhood was cut off by the government; now, water for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing, you name it, is either carted from the river about 0.5km away or collected during rainstorms and stored in large barrels or jerrycans. No running water also means that the shower is really just 4 cement walls (no ceiling) with a drain in the floor where we take bucket baths, and the toilet uses a dump flush system. For those not familiar, a “dump flush” is a toilet bowl cemented over a pit latrine using the force/gravity from buckets of water poured in to flush away waste. However, because I have electricity, that means I get to have luxuries like a fan and an electric stovetop. These may sound small, but they are total game changers. Having a fan is about the only thing that keeps me sane during Tete summers when daily temperatures soar to above 105ºF and don’t drop below 80º until 10pm. The stovetop keeps me sane in different ways, providing me with the distraction of cooking when days are slow or with a fast meal when I’m tired and hungry. There’s nothing worse than trying to light a charcoal fire for cooking when you’re hangry and want to eat ASAP.

4. What is your favorite PC activity?

I’ve really enjoyed running a program called GRS, or Grassroot Soccer. It’s based out of a separate organization in South Africa that partners with Peace Corps to deliver targeted messages about HIV to youths and adolescents through soccer. A counterpart and I attended a GRS training in September and have since had 4 different groups of kids participate in the 12-session HIV program and a shorter program focused on malaria. We meet twice a week to play small games and do soccer-based activities that encourage healthy decision making and promote key messages on HIV transmission and prevention. We started with a small group of 5 students, but the program was so popular that we’ve had kids request and form groups themselves! It’s been a lot of fun to watch everyone get so excited about GRS and see how much they learn over a short period of time.

5. What is one thing you want Americans to know about Moz?

Mozambique is an incredibly beautiful and geographically diverse country. It’s also a lot more “developed” than most people expect. Not everyone is living in mud houses down dirt roads with no electricity…there are actually a lot of big cities and tall buildings, mid-sized towns with paved roads and established markets, and cellphones everywhere you look. We have beaches, mountains, dry sandy expanses, and tropical green areas, and each region has its own language, customs and norms, and food. Come visit! You’ll be hard-pressed to find a place as welcoming and hospitable as Mozambique.

6. What parts of service have you found most challenging?

It can be really hard to constantly feel like you have to “prove” yourself, especially as a woman. My greatest challenges have come from feeling like an outsider or feeling as though my opinions are not as valued because of who I am. These predispositions from colleagues or community members often don’t present themselves in big moments or gestures, but in micro-aggressions and off-handed actions. Orations that start with “é assim../it’s like this…” that assume you don’t understand the situation. A man or person with more authority who interrupts you in the middle of a sentence, never giving you the chance to complete your thought. People who constantly call you “azungo/foreigner or white person” without ever bothering to try and remember your name. Not being asked to participate in meetings or events because it’s assumed that you’re incapable or uninterested. However, while this has been difficult and honestly exhausting, it is still humbling; I maintain a certain level of privilege through out it all, knowing that I will soon be returning to the United States where some of this will be alleviated…for a lot of people, this kind of treatment is a constant reality.

7. What parts have you found most rewarding?

I’m surrounded by really phenomenal people: community members, coworkers, Peace Corps Volunteers. They’re constantly showing me what it means to work hard, find beauty in the every-day, and make the most out of life. I wake up almost every morning excited about all the potential the day has to offer, and I find myself constantly inspired. I don’t think I’ve passed a single day here in Mozambique where I haven’t been totally amazed by something I’ve seen or experienced— be it a person, an event, a landscape, you name it. How incredible is that?

8. Do you have a student/friend highlight?

This is Cândida Candido. She was my host-mom during Phase 2 of training and is now my landlady and life’s inspiration. Although born in Chitima, she spent most of her childhood years in nearby Songo while her dad worked in construction with the crews building the Cahora Bassa Dam (his is an impressive story in itself). She married young and moved to Zimbabwe to find work while the civil war was raging in Mozambique. When she returned to Chitima nearly 8 years later, she separated from her husband—she says she realized her own worth and was not going to waste her time nor energy on a man who couldn’t and wouldn’t support her. She went back to her childhood home as a single woman, worked hard and saved her money, bought a neighboring parcel of land, and built an amazing compound to house not only herself and her own children, but the orphaned children of both her older and younger siblings. I can’t say enough about this woman. Though technically my landlady, Cândida is my rock here in Chitima. She’s everyone’s cool mom. Before meeting her for the first time, I was told that she is “gorda e força” in other words, “big (fat) and strong”…I now understand that comment was in reference to both her physical stature and the content of her character. Confident, kind and hilarious, Cândida is one of the best people I’ve ever met. My days would not be the same if they didn’t include conversation and laughs with Cândida over a cup of tea, a shared meal, or a cold beer.

9. Lastly, FOOD! What’s your favorite or go to meal in Moz?

A friend of mine in Chitima owns a little restaurant called Centro Social. Over the years, it’s become a sort of second home for PCVs in the area and our designated meeting point when anyone comes to town. Their Prato de Bife (plate of beef) rocks my world— think beef cutlets in some type of sauce or curry served with a pile of rice, some hot greasy fries, and a cabbage/tomato/onion side salad. And all for about $2 USD (unless you want a beer with your meal, and let’s be honest I always do, which makes it about $3 USD). I really enjoy cooking and cook a lot at home, but I eat at Centro more than I’d like to admit…probably once a week. It was even on the list of “must-do” activities when my family visited Mozambique.

10. Post Peace Corps?

My service is sadly coming to a close in July, so I have some pretty big travel plans for my post COS adventure home. I’ll be meeting up with a slew of newly-dubbed RPCVs and a few friends from the States as I pinball from Maputo to South Africa, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia and maybe a few other stops along the way. I’m not planning on setting foot on U.S. soil until early September, when I will most likely stay in Iowa for a few months before continuing on to a public health-esque position in Haiti

Dia da Mulher Mocambicana: 7 de Abril

Mozambican Women's Day: April 7th!

Tomorrow is a very important day in Mozambique! It's a day where women are CELEBRATED. Recognized... seen... and appreciated. The day is marked by the death of the young Josina Machel. Machel was largely involved with FRELIMO and the liberation efforts of Mozambicans. She promoted women's participation in the process and fought for the human rights of all Mozambicans while also fighting for women's rights. She was diagnosed with liver cancer, sought treatment for a short period of time, but later came back to Mozambique to continue her efforts. She later died at the very young age of 25. You can read more about Josina Machel here.

This week in my English classes I asked students to write about why it's important to celebrate women here in Mozambique. I got a majority of responses focused on Josina Machel and her role in the independence of Mozambique and her marriage to Samora Machel. I also received a lot of responses about the parties their families were throwing and all of the food and refrescos people were going to have this weekend. But the students who really took their time and were thoughtful about this assignment provided answers that really hit me in the heart. I asked "what is the significance of Mozambican Women's Day" and "why is Mozambican Women's Day important for both men and women". Here are a few answers that I loved (translated):

"The concept of gender is just a concept" - Sergio

"We commemorate the Day of the Woman because it's not a favor (easy) to be a woman" - Luisa

"Celebrating women is important for all nations because discrimination still exists between men and women" - Raimundo

"We celebrate the value of our history and the fight for Mozambican women to affirm their identity and their rights" - Silencio

"We celebrate to remember the importance of women's rights in Mozambique" - Edgar

"This Mozambican holiday is important because it is important for our children to hug and love our mothers" - Eulanda

"Mozambican Women's Day is very important for all women. This was the day that our heroine Josina Machel lost her life and it also serves to remind us to be kind and to love all women."
- Eunice

"7 de Abril is a day that women can be happy and because of that all people can be happy." - Celma

"Women are fighters, women are couragous, women persistent in our dreams, women are the beautiful flower of the world." - Julieta

"This day is important because when my sister has to return home late at night she is afraid she will be injured." - Joni

If that last one doesn't just break your god damn heart I'm not sure what would... Reading these responses made me fall in love with my students all over again. I am so proud of them - boys and girls alike for being so strong in an often harsh world (same goes for my Denver North kids - miss you). Growing up is HARD... I'm reminded of that daily. But what I witness even more frequently is that growing up a girl can mean a loss of childhood. Here in Manje young girls spend their mornings doing chores, caring for siblings, fetching water... then they help prepare lunch before heading off to school. After school they have maybe an hour before they are expected home (if they aren't expected immediately to help prepare dinner and assuming they don't have to spend that hour walking home). When they get home they help with more chores and watch their siblings again. There is very little time to run around and play or hang out with friends (compared with the amount of time American teenagers get to run around free as birds). The second thing I've noticed is the girls who aren't daughters to the relatives they live with wind up doing even more work. The Cinderella complex Mozambique has going on really really gets to me. Oftentimes girls go to live with aunts and uncles in order to attend a high school because many rural towns only offer grades one through eight (or less). By living with their extended family they are expected to work to "earn their keep". Those girls quite seriously work all day long when they are not in school and essentially become the family maid. I could go on and on about the challenges women face: from lack of sufficient healthcare, to missing school because of menstruation, to gender-based and domestic violence, the list is endless. However, I do want this post to have an overall positive message, which is ultimately that WOMEN ARE BRILLIANT, RESILIENT, AND BRAVE. Before I highlight some of the wonderful Mozambican women I am lucky enough to call friends and family I want to provide some resources for you all to check out.

Water Themed:
Women Still Carry Most of the World's Water
Millions of Women Take a Long Walk with a 40 Pound Water Can
Gender and Water

Gender-Based Violence Themed:
Violence Against Women in Africa
Comprehensive Gender-Based Violence Resources and Information


Now, the fun part! All the fun-loving girls, teens, and mamas I've come to love!!!

Cremilda and Marina: These two were my very first introduction to strong independent Mozambican women. I don't think I would have made it through training without their love and support during all the ups and downs. Their patience while I was learning Portuguese, their acceptance of my love of napping, and their pushing me to spend time with friends to de-stress made me love my first few months in Mozambique despite them being some of the most challenging. Cremilda was constantly making me soups when I was sick, bought peanut butter because she knew it was my favorite, and would make me special portions of chicken because she knew I didn't love the fish. She was thoughtful and understanding and that made a world of difference when I was struggling to find my place. She called me her daughter from day one and still does. She constantly reminds me that I am forever a part of their family and for that I will always be so incredibly grateful.

Ludovina, Simplicia, Izaida, and Leonilde: My second stay with a host family proved challenging at first, becoming familiar with a whole new set of people was hard. But again, they welcomed me with open arms and treat me as family. I am constantly referred to as "tia" (aunt) or "mana" (sister) and they look out for me when I need help with anything. Leo is one of my students which sometimes can feel weird because I have a huge soft spot for her but in the classroom I'm still "Professora Alechandra". This family spoils me with foods from their farm and are always stopping by to give me baby time with Elias and Lofa. After watching them all come together while Elias was sick I have a newfound respect and admiration for what it means to be a family in Mozambique. Some of the strongest women I know are a part of my host family here in Manje and their presence in my life and in my service makes me happy and grateful.

Catarina: My first Mozambican friend! She is a co-worker at the school with me and quickly took me on as her responsibility. She always makes sure I know where to be and when, how to dress, and the general plan. I love her company and it's been so nice to have someone who checks in on me from time to time and stops by just to chat! She also has the best kids in the world and I love them too.

Pascoa, Gercia, and Nivalda: My neighbors and inherited family. The husband of Pascoa is my boss and the 'vice principal' at the school. They have a long standing history with Peace Corps volunteers and as such sort of asserted themselves as Ro and I's friends and family from the beginning. There are so many times I miss the culture of privacy we have in the U.S. but other times I really appreciate getting to watch these two young girls grow up. Pascoa likes to check in if I don't come around their house often enough and depending on the day it's appreciated. I prefer my visits to their house because it usually involves buying bolos (mini donut type things) and allows my introvert self to slip home when I've hit my socializing max. However, one thing I love and appreciate about Pascoa is how hard she works for her family. She has taken in a whole host of kids that are not her own and makes sure they are getting an education and does her best to raise them to be "good" kids. She pays for the education of her own son in Maputo (an expensive place to live and study) and her nephew at the ADPP here in Manje. She also takes on her sister from time to time and frequently has 7+ kids living with her. She spends her days making bolos, peanuts, and popsicles to sell in the market all to get by and help out her family. She may from time to time be overly concerned with my business but she has a good heart and she is the epitome of working for all that she has (and all that she gives). Side note: I didn't do them any justice by lumping them in at the end but I love her nieces, Joana and Narcisa, they are two of my favorite young girls in the neighborhood and they work so so hard!

Aidinha: I've already written about Aida but she deserves more than one shout-out. She started out as my biggest growing pain in the classroom, quickly became my favorite student, then morphed into a kind of little sister, now also has crossed into friend territory, and also helps me out so much with favors and taking care of Luma while I'm gone. She loves using my phone to take selfies, we've found ourselves in the weird realm of having awkward conversations about sex and relationships, and she's tried a lot of "American" (really just non Mozambican) foods that she hates. I definitely didn't plan to find a best friend in a 15 year old but I'm sure glad I did.

Carme: Another full of life teenager with a knack for sass that reminds me too much of myself.

Marta: My sitemate, Miryam's, BFF who is so incredibly full of life - I just can't get enough!

Some other women I don't know the names of but appreciate! First, my favorite bolo vendor from Malawi who always speaks English with me and is too kind. Second, a strong Mozambican mama on public transportation with her kiddo. To me, this woman is the face of all Mozambican women, with her family on her back she takes on the world one day at a time!

Lastly, who would I be if I didn't throw some sort of "political" statement in at the end, right? I think it's important we always take a moment on these days of women's empowerment to remember that men MUST be a part of the conversation too. We need more dudes to get involved, support the badass women in their life, and recognize that we are forces to be reckoned with. Too many of my students will watch a man in their life emotionally or physically abuse a woman, I have seen with my very own eyes too many of my male students emotionally or physically abuse my female students, and too many kind and loving young men could grow up and harden becoming harsh and cold because society teaches them to be. When we talk about empowering women to be strong and brave and to embrace their intelligence and competence we must also teach young boys what it means to protect their soft kind hearts, to respect women, and to listen when we speak.

A little inspiration from Nayyirah Waheed:

Elias' Story

In Mozambique, and around the world, April is a month dedicated to raising awareness about malaria. As Peace Corps volunteers we participate by giving lessons to our students about the causes and outcomes of malaria, as well as, repeatedly discussing preventative measures. Here in Moz we are lucky enough to have a competition – we participate in activities to “raise awareness” and “educate the masses” and the winning province gets an extra vacation day. (Tete has won twice in a row now) I’m proud of our accomplishments here in Tete, not because of how many volunteers changed their profile picture or updated their status with important statistics about the current state of things, but because we have also found creative ways to make malaria awareness and education an everyday part of service… for Ed volunteers as well! As it should be! In training, we touched lightly on the subjects of HIV/AIDS and malaria… but living in my small community I see the impacts of these diseases every day. Thanks to a handy infographic posted by another volunteer (go check out @woahinsecto on Instagram) I can share with you that “malaria is the number one killer in Mozambique, accounting for 29% of all yearly deaths” and that “mosquitos are the deadliest creature on Earth, responsible for 830,000 deaths per year”. Malaria is a parasitic infection that is both preventable and treatable! However, inequality in access to health care makes it a deadly disease in many African countries.

As part of Malaria Awareness Month, I want to share with you the story of Elias, my two-year-old host brother. I think sharing statistics and the background story of malaria is GREAT. But I also feel it is important to humanize the issue by showing you the smiles of those who have been afflicted. Back in January, babe Elias caught malaria for the 5th time... he started getting very sick rather quickly and after nearly a week, the Centro de Saúde in my town, felt they didn’t have the resources to help. They were encouraged to try the Hospital Provincial in Tete City, the provincial capital, to seek a wider access to medicine. Unfortunately, the city also didn't have the correct medication for his treatment. By this point, Elias had developed an infection in his stomach that had spread to other parts of his body, causing him to be unable to walk or move much at all. As a last resort with no other options, my host mãe, Ludovina, and one of my cousins, Simplicia, went to stay in Malawi for what wound up being 6 weeks! My host mãe and cousin are both domésticas, meaning they don't have formal jobs but maintain family farms to bring in food for everyone (their families are very large and combined the whole family is HUGE). My mãe used all the money the family had to help save Elias and still has a pretty hefty bill to pay in Malawi. My host family and I were all very scared for at least two months - when it seemed likely that he may not get better. Thankfully Elias is doing well and is slowly becoming healthy again! However, they are still making regular visits to Malawi to pick up more medicine to continue combating symptoms that have arisen from other secondary health issues.

This is all to say, malaria kills! A simple, preventable, treatable disease can spiral out of control when people and communities don't have the necessary resources to adequately address the issue. The second “take away” is that every damn day is Women's Day and this Saturday April 7^th is Mozambican Women’s Day... but again… EVERY. DAMN. DAY!

Every woman pictured, and many others who are not, stepped up while my mãe and cousin were away in order to keep the households running and to take care of all the crianças (children). In Mozambique, Women's Day takes on a whole new meaning for me, recognizing that young girls, teenagers, and young women alike all contribute to the success of a family and society. A neighbor commented yesterday, "eh it's just another day, too much to do here at home to celebrate”. The women of Mozambique are so busy they don’t even stop to celebrate the day! (Thankfully 7 de Abril seems to hold some more weight and there are ceremonies in the morning – but I assure you everyone will get back to their regular routines as soon as they can)

While Elias’ story feels “extreme” I promise that it’s not. Babies and young children catch malaria easily and often. I have many neighbors who have children that have gotten sick more than once since I have been in here in Mozambique (that’s more than once in a year and a half!). My Vice Principal's daughter is currently home sick with malaria. Nearly everyone I know in Manje has had malaria at least once. Last malaria awareness month (we participated in October) when I polled my students on how many had they themselves caught malaria – more than 50% raised their hands. When I then asked how many KNEW someone who had had malaria – a whole 100% of them raised their hands. That’s in the ballpark of 300 teenagers who personally know another person who has experienced malaria. This disease is a common and accepted part of life here in Manje, in Tete, in Mozambique, and in southeastern Africa. Many volunteers spend their time raising awareness about malaria: participating in net distributions, reading to young kids about malaria, teaching teenagers how to make repellent, creating plays to share at school events about malaria, writing catchy songs to spread amongst the kids. According to the CDC, “malaria is considered a disease of poverty. Efforts that aim to create healthier, more productive lives for people living in poor malaria-endemic areas also help fight malaria”. If you want to find a way to get involved, please take a moment and browse the links below (after host family photos of course)!

Happy, healthy, goofy Elias

The "back-up" team! Izaida (17), baby Lofa (5mos), & Leonilde (14)

Celebrating International Women's Day 2018 & Elias' recovery!

Ludovina & Elias stopped by for a visit to show off his birthday present outfit!

Leo asked me to take this picture of her and to print it out (it's not incredibly common for families without the means for a nicer quality phone to have pictures of themselves - even though Mozamicans love photoshoots!)

Elias selfie! Farthest left is my oldest host brother Dano & the two in the middle are neighbors!

Organizations that raise money for insecticide-treated bed nets:
CDC Foundation
Malaria No More
Nothing But Nets

Other Resources:
The Fight Against Malaria Article
Roll Back Malaria
Roll Back Malaria Mozambique Information 2010
USAID Malaria

Sadly, the website for the President’s Malaria Initiative no longer exists… Let’s all take a moment of silence for that.

*PCVs feel free to use these "how to guides" with your youth groups!
Mata Malaria Google Drive
How to Guide Natural Repellent
How to Guide Casca Candles

Repellent Ingredients

Students Prepping a Tincture Mix

Luisa with the "after" and me with the "before" - tinctures

Aida adding cloves to the rubbing alcohol

Me adding rosemary to the mixture

What the tincture looks like after two weeks

The soaked herbs ready to be boiled!

The first finished product! The natural repellent costs about 500MT per liter to make (mostly due to the cost of alcohol in the pharmacy) - but a liter can go a long way!

Halloween 2017 - Tabard is the repellent PC gives us

Cleiton trying to light the lemon peel candle

Up close view of lighting the oil/peel candle

As you can see it takes a few tries to get the hang of it!


Some throwback Elias photos from October 2016!