Motivation

Transportation/MMC promotion!

February has been a hectic month. Between scheduling appointments, doing MMC education in schools, booking clients, performing MMC at different clinics, and setting up camps to perform MMC within local communities, the stress can really pile up. Fortunately my team and the people we serve provide me motivation each day. I’m so impressed with how hard our team works, how willing they are to work long hours in order to get the job done, and how appreciative our clients are to receive MMC services. 

A few weeks ago the Department of Health (DOH) organized a 3 day MMC Camp in a rural community in order to bring MMC services to boys that don’t have easy access to a clinic. The DOH asked CMMB to assist at the camp to circumcise as many boys as possible. The camp was a great success. We worked non-stop for 3 days in order to circumcise the

Patiently waiting

130 boys that showed up for MMC. We had to work extra late one night in order to circumcise every client who showed up that day. Our team was more than willing to stay late even with the hour drive home ahead of us. The last client of the night was a boy who went to school and also worked on his father’s farm. He waited all day to be circumcised, missed a day of school, and was unable to take care of his father’s cattle. When we asked him why he chose to wait until 7:00 p.m. to be circumcised instead of just coming back the next day, he said he didn’t want to go home without being able to show his father that he is now a man.

Mother registering her son for MMC

Our team normally works during the week, but we’ve also started working on weekends in order to reach more boys who aren’t available during school days. This past weekend we set up a Saturday camp to circumcise boys from a nearby school. We used the local tribal court and converted it into a surgical room with HIV counseling and testing in the tent outside. Every client that shows up for MMC must sign a consent form before we circumcise them, and if they are less than 16 years old they must have a parent or guardian sign their consent. Most clients are between 16 and 49, but on that day one client showed up who was only 13 years old. The week prior to this camp, CMMB went to the nearby high school to do MMC education and hand out consent forms for boys under 16. Unfortunately, this boy was from a local primary school and didn’t know about the necessary parental consent. We had to turn him away because he was too young. About an hour later the boy showed up with his mother so she could sign his consent form. After registering her son and signing the consent form, I had a chance to sit and talk with the mother while she waited for her son to be circumcised. She’s a 62 year old mother of 16 children, and her 13 year old son is the second youngest. Her son wanted to be circumcised because his father died of AIDS. She said she is current taking classes to learn how to read and write, and she was very proud to be able to sign her son’s consent form.

This job is definitely hectic, hardly every runs smoothly, and can be pretty stressful, but each day I find new motivation to continue working to ensure this project is a success. It’s pretty great to have a job that’s so rewarding.

Ingwe Municipality Youth Event

MMC activities have picked up quickly since this year started, and we are doing a lot of promotion and education in order to keep the ball rolling! The Ingwe Municipality held a youth event one weekend and CMMB decided this was the perfect opportunity to promote the importance of MMC and share the services that CMMB provides. We asked one of our employees, Baba Mncwabe, to speak at the event because he is well known and respected in the community. I went along with Baba Mncwabe to represent the company, help educate, and of course take pictures.

Sitting on stage at the Youth Event

The youth event had a great turn out. Lots of young men and women showed up and listened to the different messages on how to stay healthy, make good decision, and be successful in life. Finally it was Baba Mncwabe's turn to speak. He gave a brief speech on what is medical male circumcision (MMC), why it is important, and the services CMMB provides. MMC is an important aspect of HIV prevention, and we try to stress this message to women and men. Although MMC only directly pertains to men, women should also know why MMC is important. Our MMC project is called "Impilo Ekhaya", meaning health at home, and the name is meant to emphasize the prevention of HIV in men can affect an entire family.

Baba Mncwabe giving his speak on MMC

Between speakers there was also a lot of entertainment. There were poets, dancers, and musicians that all celebrated the Zulu culture. The last 2 performers were especially entertaining. They danced and sang while wearing traditional Zulu clothing. I always love going to these community events because they ALWAYS have a good message, good food, and plenty of entertainment.

This boy performed onstage while his dad sang and played guitar!