Community Outreach Booth

I borrowed the idea of setting up a table in a crowded market area in order to display effective visual aids and extend knowledge to a large group on various topics from other PCVs. All volunteers in the Kaffrine region are invited to host one of these monthly sessions in the Kaffrine market or at a nearby regional market day. We will have a local expert on the topic present during the day to answer questions and share their expertise with the community. This will be a quick and easy way to promote the role of Peace Corps and focus in on certain topics of importance to the entire community. Newer volunteers can build language skills since they will be able to hear and participate in conversations between PCVs, work partners, and community members on focused topics. 

Booth #1: The first of these was held in late March in the nearby Birkiliane marketplace and was hosted by the Kaffrine Malaria Initiative team on the topics of hand washing and bed net care and repair (as part of my public health work). 

Handwashing Discussion at Birkilane Market Community Outreach Booth

Bed Net Care and Repair Discussion at Birkilane Community Outreach Booth

Booth #2: On April 14th, 2013 myself and fellow PCV Rachel Folkerts assisted local government agriculture extensions agents in hosting a community outreach booth on the topics of pesticide use safety practices and touche don alternative pest management techniques as well.

 Future topics we hope to host may include family planning, improved agricultural techniques, and financial literacy (banking, savings, etc). These outreach booth days will give us the chance to access many community members and talk about pertinent topics at the time they are most sensitive (i.e.: improved seed storage techniques right after harvest, added value and food transformation for increased marketability after harvest time like solar fruit drying during mango harvest).