A day's work

Living with a Senegalese family has been the most rewarding experience. Everyday I wake up alongside my older sister, Fatiam, who usually whispers a quick greeting (Asaalaa maleekum) to me before I rush to take a bath. I am usually snuggled up like a ball in my section of the bed, shrouded by the blue mosquito bednet. I begin to hear the voices of my host grandmother Mam Astou, my host brothers, and sisters as they prance around the adjacent room and hallway. By the time I am done with my bath, I am greeted by my older sister once more and handed some pieces of fruit or cafe au lait for breakfast.

Tuesday began in a similar way with the exception of the delicious breakfast I received: pain au chocolat and cafe au lait. After breakfast, I met up with my fellow One World volunteer, Kelauni, and other co-workers who were participating in the polio vaccination campaign. This door-to-door campaign was sponsored by the Red Cross Senegal and local health posts in the region. We went to the Medina-Baye Health Post to meet our co-workers and pick up the liquid polio vaccines. Our aim was to vaccinate children ages zero to five who live in Medina-Baye. It had rained the previous day and some of the sandy streets were slushy, with sizable green puddles of water, animal feces, and garbage. (This is a typical sight in Kaolack and neighboring Medina-Baye. The towns are covered with heaps of garbage here and there). My colleague, Seydou, and I walked door to door in search of homes that did not have a "V5" sign in front of their metal door or wall. During yesterday's campaign, Seydou and I vaccinated 20 children in homes, on the streets, and in small corner stores called 'boutiques.' After administering two drops of polio vaccine to a child, Meme, a Red Cross worker, colored the child's right pinkie fingernail with a permanent marker. As we walked through the streets, we greeted families and children before asking about their vaccination status in Wolof. Seydou mentioned to me that some families refuse to vaccinate their children because they believe that vaccinations can reduce their children's fertility. Although this may seem farfetched, it is important to keep their perceptions in mind because they become important aspects that health campaigns must account for. I value this experience because it allowed me to walk around the town of Medina-Baye and contribute to the polio eradication campaign.