Aliens...

6/19/13

            I’m going to start off by saying that the first 15 minutes of sitting through a primary school class is nearly impossible. In a rural Ugandan school, you are basically an alien in the back of the classroom. You look out of place, dress strange, and come from a distant place. I couldn’t count how many hesitant laughs and funny stares I got today, but I somehow loved every single one of them. Especially when I noticed that it takes one funny moment to ease the tensions and break the unfamiliarity.

            Visiting the Kabimbiri Primary School was one of the most thorough looks at the typical day of a Ugandan student so far. I spent the entire morning with a P5 class (our equivalent of the 5^th grade)…and yes, I was able to blend into the back wall of the classroom as time went on. I was especially excited, as one of the subjects taught today was science – the subject we had been hearing that health education fell under. The teacher began the lesson by introducing the “hot” topic of heat energy! As time went on, I was very surprised to hear that germs were mentioned with the lesson. The teacher discussed the importance of ironing clothes in order to kill germs and remain healthy.

            After the lesson, I was lucky enough to ask questions to the students of the P7 class as well as the head mistress. Most of my questions focused on the frequency and content of health related lessons. We found out that the last lecture on health took place in October of 2012. We were skeptical to say the least after finding this out. However, the students described how their health knowledge is often gained outside of the classroom during their general assemblies. Additionally, the students later described how their health education – or “sanitation” as it is often called – is applied three days per week when they spend time as a school to clean their facilities. This application of knowledge is also practiced through the school’s use of a borehole for clean water, as well as the posting of multiple signs throughout school grounds that have tid-bits about malaria on them. It was amazing to see the extent to which a school of ~200 students practices what they preach with health.

            We still have one concern: hand-washing within the community. Again, this was the one topic that was never mentioned in the schools. We observed that none of the students washed their hands before eating their porridge during the break time. We were curious as to why a school that puts emphasis on cleaning the bathroom does not also put emphasis on preventing fecal to oral transmittance of pathogens. Upon discussion, we found a potential justification. Culturally, many students do not eat anything besides porridge before finally eating dinner at the end of the day. Our host father, James Galabuzi, described how many of these children will even fight over a mango on the side of the road because of the hunger they feel during the day. I feel that this adds to the challenge of encouraging hand-washing in these rural communities. Hunger and thirst will kill you sooner than disease will. When hungry, these kids worry about the very present feeling of hunger, as opposed to the possible future feeling of illness.