Last Chance

We had a meeting with Lourdes early Wednesday morning to report where we were. I admitted that we hadn’t finished the spray operators training and hadn’t gotten to the team leader training at all. We agreed that, even though we had hoped to start mobilizing today, we would go back again and finish the training.

Mango stayed at the office to finish getting the tablets ready for the team leaders. They still needed the SIM cards activated which ended up involving another long meeting with the cell provider. The plan was that he would get the tablets to Bailundo by 2PM

So now we got a late start out of the building and I just couldn’t wait to get there. We didn’t even know where we would be meeting. Initially we thought we had been able to get the cultural center again, but as we arrived it became clear there was another event happening there.

There were a group of women in beautiful, matching African dresses standing near the generator rehearsing singing. I got to record just a little bit of it before we had to go.

We ended up going to the hospital on which our warehouse is being built. They had a classroom in the back of their property. Of course, it was nothing like a classroom we would typically recognize. It was a dark room that got light only from the six or so wooden shutters that could be opened. There were several dozen desks set up in the room and plastic chairs for the rest. It quickly became quite hot. In spite of that, a few students were wearing down jackets and scarves. I really don’t “get” it.

It was about 11AM before we got started and, of course, before we could start the lessons, Mango needed to do more shifting of groups. A number of people were eliminated from using the phones because it was decided they weren’t getting it.

Mango called people up to stand on a line and soon it became clear these were people he was not going to allow to continue to use the phones.

At one point a fellow, who I think they were calling Alberto, was called. He responded, “Presente!” so loudly and cheerfully that it was clear that he was thrilled to be removed. After talking to several people who had been called out, Mango told Alberto to take his seat again. He looked SO disappointed. Adriano said to Mango in English, “You had better take Alberto out again. He’s complaining too much!” So again, Alberto was moved to the “excused” group.

Poor Albert gets to show that he really does understand.

Mango felt it would be best to have a few of these weaker students retained in case others dropped out so he gave a quick test – start the phones, enter the PIN and start ODK. Poor Alberto was the first one done and was forced, one final time, to take his seat.

At 12:30, Mango told me Mauro was having trouble getting transportation to Bailundo so the tablets would not arrive by 2. They did finally arrive around 3:00 but we were also told that Lourdes would be visiting us with some VIPs – the project director and a representative from our client – the Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI.) We had been asked to get everyone wearing the Project T-Shirts and hats. By this point it was really hot, stuffy and uncomfortable and a few students resisted putting on their T-Shirts. The teachers and trainers got off with just wearing the hats.

Adriano took the phone users outside under a tree to continue to practice and repeat. When Lourdes showed up with her guests and saw all of the students under the tree with their white T-Shirts and phones she literally got goose bumps and felt so proud.

They came into the classroom to introduce themselves and to have a group photo. My stomach was in knots because I knew we would have to stop around 4 to avoid the dark roads leaving me about 30 minutes to do all of the training for the team leaders.  On top of all of the other delays, shortly before 4PM it went from cloudy to a downpour in seconds. All of the phone students came running in from outside. One of them tripped trying to run in and smashed one of the phones. I gave up. There was just no way we were going to be able to do it.

By the time the students went through the routine that I showed them for returning their phones, the rain had stopped and it was time to go even though I hadn’t finished teaching the team leaders.

The ride back to the office was really quiet. I think we were all exhausted. We made it back to the office by around 18:30 and worked for a few more hours. Lourdes and I were completely exhausted. She still managed to make us eggs and sausage which really hit the spot.

My cold was clearly starting to improve at this point and I slept with many fewer coughing interruptions.

Pictures