Job description

Hello! As the countdown to departure becomes smaller, I have been becoming more and more excited. I just contacted SATO travel and booked my tickets to Philadelphia for Sept. 26th. All of the volunteers heading to Uganda meet up in Phily for Staging where we get to meet our fellow volunteers and get lots of paperwork and shots J. I am stoked that Staging is in Phily, perhaps I can finally try a Phily Cheese Steak! In preparation for leaving, I am trying to figure out how to pack and how to say goodbye. My parents are throwing me a bon voyage party which is cool, but nerve-wracking. I have never been good at saying goodbye. However, I am calmed by the fact that I know that this is what God is calling me to do, and I am very excited to be going.

So many people have been asking me what I will be doing for 2 years in Africa, and as much as I like to respond with “spreading happiness, peace and love” there is a more accurate job description. This is what the Peace Corps has sent me about my assignment:

Program: Community Wellbeing/Positive Living Program/PEPFAR

Job Title: Community Health/PEPFAR Volunteer

Dates of Service: 12/07/06-12/06/08

Staging Dates (in Philadelphia): 9/26/06-9/28/06

Pre-Service Training (in Uganda): 9/29/06-12/07/06

My Primary Duties: Uganda’s Ministry of Health, NGOs, Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) are asking for Volunteers to help them with applying what they have learned about improving living conditions for poor families in rural areas. They are asking for assistance in several key areas:

Train trainers from government and community-based organizations (CBOs) so that they can improve their skills to plan and implement participatory educational programs for health workers in their communities. Requests emphasize new accurate information and improved methods of teaching nutrition, preventative health care, behavior modification, management of HIV/AIDS, basic sanitation, and reproductive health education, life skills for in-and-out-of school youth and working with orphans and vulnerable children.

Work with administrators to improve their organizational management skills by developing systems for planning, funding, designing, managing, and evaluating community health projects.

Work with communities to identify their resources and develop and manage appropriate community activities.

While in Uganda, I will also have the opportunity of starting or joining secondary projects. So basically, I still don’t know exactly what I will be doing, but as soon as I find out, I will let you all know. All I know is that this opportunity is an amazing blessing and I will be excited to do whatever it is they need me to do. I know that it will be very challenging, but also very rewarding. I am depending on your letters and comments to get me through the hard times. So you should leave lots of comments on this blog, and write many letters. I will try to write back as often as I can. Internet is not always guaranteed. I know, 2 years without AIM, facebook and Xanga, what will I do…haha.

Well, that’s all for now, until next time!

Love,
Sarah