alex goodell

What I’m doing in Burundi

10.13.09

Thanks to all those who subscribed!

I know this may seem a little strange to finally have a good idea of what I’m doing in Kigutu, Burundi, oh a day and a half before I go, but I think I’ve explained it a few times to others and now have an adequate understanding myself enough to write it down.

First, I’d like to work on making an interesting slideshow with a compelling voice-over. The voice-over, actually, would be best if not planned and recorded. I just purchased a D70s from my friend and am planning on doing a significant amount of photography for Village Health Works, hopefully for their website. I’d actually like to create some sort of photostream on the site so that volunteers and staff can upload photos and keep supports/donors involved. This was all inspired by NYTimes’ 1 in 8 million slideshows, and an amazing slideshow below filmed by Partners in Health.

Second, I’m working with a VHW staff member, Honore, to map VHW’s catchement area with a GPS device. Because the small clinic (~2 physicians) serves a population of over 60,000 people, the PIH Community Health Worker model is essential in reaching out. This is also key because of Burundi’s poor transportation system, where some will walk half a day or more to reach the clinic. VHW hires community health workers (CHWs,  currently 60) to reach out into our patient population, administering medication and checking up on patients. Obviously, 60 community health workers cannot cover a region of 60,000 people, and Honore and I will be mapping the areas that they currently cover and looking into CHW expansion.

Third, and surely not least, I’m going to serve as a FrontlineSMS:Medic implementer at Village Health Works. FrontlineSMS:Medic is a software program developed to allow nurses and medical staff to communicate with CHW via SMS, or text messages. We’ll be distributing phones to the CHWs and teaching them how to text, and teaching the software to the medical staff at the clinic. It’s a really great setup for these settings. Imagine patient X, let’s call him Bill, doesn’t show up to his check-in. Perhaps he forgot. Perhaps he didn’t have the money for transport. Worse, maybe he was too sick to walk to the clinic. Instead of waiting until Bill finds the strength, money, or help to make it to the clinic (a half a day’s walk away), a nurse can text a local CHW, and the CHW can go to Bill’s house, check on him, and reply via text. A multiple-day, costly, and life-threatening experience has been averted for a $0.05 text message.

The thing is, we need phones. FACE AIDS is launching a campaign this year to collect these “HopePhones,” and Students for Global Health at U of O are participating. Please donate your used phone when you start to see ads and collection boxes around campus.