STOMPING out Malaria in Rwanda: Why you should care and What you can do
By Claire Brosnihan
You’ve heard about malaria. You know it’s a problem in Rwanda. But maybe you’re convinced malaria isn’t a problem at your site. Maybe you don’t know much about it. Or maybe you want to help combat malaria in Rwanda, but you’re not sure where to start. Luckily, that’s what the STOMP Rwanda Team is here for!
Malaria is a problem in every single district, and Rwanda is currently working towards eliminating the disease from the country. Malaria is a very costly, yet preventable disease. Malaria is an ideal issue for Peace Corps Volunteers to work on because there’s a lot of room for cross-sector collaboration, and there are very real, very effective steps that we as volunteers can take to reduce the toll of malaria in Rwanda. (Encourage proper net usage and care! Promote early testing and treatment!). It is possible to eliminate malaria from Africa in our lifetime. As a PCV in Rwanda, you have the opportunity to be part of the solution to one of the world's biggest international public health challenges.
Sometimes it can be a little intimidating. Maybe you don’t know the right vocabulary, or don’t have the time to create malaria lesson plans. We get that. That’s why STOMP Rwanda is working on making it easier than ever to plan and implement anti-malaria activities. Every Super Region now has a team of volunteers ready to provide you with ongoing training and a malaria kit filled with resources to help all PCVs put on successful events. We have translated a lot of the vocabulary into Kinyarwanda, and we have access to a ton of lessons that make putting on a malaria event a snap. You can work with your Regional Malaria Volunteers to plan events and get support; if we’re available we can even come to your site to help you with your activity.
So what can you do?
After you’ve completed your malaria activity, call or email your Regional Malaria Volunteers to let them know how it went, and make sure to include the activity in your VRF so we can get a better idea of malaria prevention efforts in Rwanda. Happy STOMPing!
And check out the Stomp Rwanda Facebook page to receive updates and support in your malaria work.
Your STOMP Rwanda Team,
Jacqui Stewart Bah, Beth Braaksma, Claire Brosnihan, Dan Kieselstein, Bob Viglietta, Joey Anchondo, Tamika Honeysucker, Christina Titus, Judi Stalter, Sarah Oldsen, Betsy Dewey, Alex Whitcomb, Lauren Wright, Miranda Hyslop-Garza, Dametreea Carr, Justin McDonald, Cait Hughes
Malaria is a problem in every single district, and Rwanda is currently working towards eliminating the disease from the country. Malaria is a very costly, yet preventable disease. Malaria is an ideal issue for Peace Corps Volunteers to work on because there’s a lot of room for cross-sector collaboration, and there are very real, very effective steps that we as volunteers can take to reduce the toll of malaria in Rwanda. (Encourage proper net usage and care! Promote early testing and treatment!). It is possible to eliminate malaria from Africa in our lifetime. As a PCV in Rwanda, you have the opportunity to be part of the solution to one of the world's biggest international public health challenges.
Sometimes it can be a little intimidating. Maybe you don’t know the right vocabulary, or don’t have the time to create malaria lesson plans. We get that. That’s why STOMP Rwanda is working on making it easier than ever to plan and implement anti-malaria activities. Every Super Region now has a team of volunteers ready to provide you with ongoing training and a malaria kit filled with resources to help all PCVs put on successful events. We have translated a lot of the vocabulary into Kinyarwanda, and we have access to a ton of lessons that make putting on a malaria event a snap. You can work with your Regional Malaria Volunteers to plan events and get support; if we’re available we can even come to your site to help you with your activity.
So what can you do?
- Host a Malaria Day, Carnival or Parade at your school or in your community. Work together with other people in your region to put it on at every site in your region; there’s strength in numbers!
- Add malaria lessons to your GLOW/BE Camp
- Get bed nets for your community using grant funding or working with the STOMP Rwanda Team
- Incorporate a malaria lesson into your classes
- Conduct a community survey about malaria
- Paint an anti-malaria mural at your school or in your community
- Conduct a training session at your health center or with community health workers
- Host a net care and repair day at the market; encourage youth to volunteer
- Ask the officials in your sector to allot 5 minutes during your umuganda meeting for a short malaria prevention lesson
- Host a soccer or volleyball tournament and incorporate malaria lessons into the halftime show
- Put together a theater/music/art showcase asking youth to make art or sketches about malaria
- Talk to your local radio station about the feasibility of doing an anti-malaria radio program, or even just a short spot or two a month reminding people to use and care for their nets.
- Take pictures of people using nets and display them in a public place; make a village wide photo contest
- Implement the Night Watch Curriculum at your school to help kids learn that by protecting themselves from malaria and sleeping under their net, they are also protecting their dreams
After you’ve completed your malaria activity, call or email your Regional Malaria Volunteers to let them know how it went, and make sure to include the activity in your VRF so we can get a better idea of malaria prevention efforts in Rwanda. Happy STOMPing!
And check out the Stomp Rwanda Facebook page to receive updates and support in your malaria work.
Your STOMP Rwanda Team,
Jacqui Stewart Bah, Beth Braaksma, Claire Brosnihan, Dan Kieselstein, Bob Viglietta, Joey Anchondo, Tamika Honeysucker, Christina Titus, Judi Stalter, Sarah Oldsen, Betsy Dewey, Alex Whitcomb, Lauren Wright, Miranda Hyslop-Garza, Dametreea Carr, Justin McDonald, Cait Hughes