This is what I sent in as my final report. Hopefully it will give you a good idea as to what I did in El Salvador. Thanks!

DESCRIPTION OF PEACE CORPS SERVICE
Ginger Ranae Rowlett
EL SALVADOR

Ginger Rowlett was chosen to serve as a Rural Health and Sanitation Volunteer in El Salvador. Upon arrival on February 7, 2007, Ginger began a ten-week pre-service training program which included instruction on sanitation infrastructure construction and participatory and health education techniques. In addition, Ginger received intensive cultural and language training through formal classes and community immersion activities. She lived with a Spanish-speaking host family during training, which provided her with the opportunity to practice her language skills and learn about local culture.

On April 24, 2007 Ginger was sworn-in as a Peace Corps Volunteer and began her two-year service in Potrero de Joco, a small agricultural village with poor crop return and little health education.

Ginger’s major work accomplishments can be divided into three main categories: youth development, health education, and infrastructure construction. Soon after her arrival in Potrero de Joco, Ginger had formal meetings with the ADESCO (local development association) and the Mayor regarding a possible health clinic and land options. After several months of research, bids, and ADESCO training on how to prepare a budget and solicitude, Ginger arranged for the buying of land for the future construction project. The Mayor’s office bought the land in the name of the municipality and donated it to the community. Although a Health Clinic was denied, the ADESCO is in the process of soliciting for a Community Center on the donated lot.

Wanting to assure that the community members knew of illnesses and prevention of those illnesses, Ginger formed a Women’s Health Day held once a month in her home, creating a comfortable environment for the women to ask questions and speak freely about the issues at hand. She made 86 house visits each month to follow up on the talks given, and also to invite the women personally to the health days. A few examples of sessions taught are: cervix cancer, breast cancer, urinary infections, yeast infections, STDs (including HIV/AIDS), diabetes, etc. Ginger was happy to know that after two years of giving health presentations, the nearest health clinic noted an increase in gynecological visits from Potrero de Joco, the majority being young ladies under the age of 25.

After completing a thorough census of her village, Ginger was ready to address the apparent need of a sanitary means to dispose of human waste. She gave talks in General Assemblies on the problems of exposed waste, along with the detailed explanation of how bacteria are transferred by flies, and the dangers of stomach and intestinal infections/diseases. After a month of preparation, the members of the village agreed to the project, and those interested signed up with a compromise to dig their own hole before December. Ginger wrote letters to friends and family in the U.S. to sponsor the project, and with their help, along with the cooperation of the Mayor and the Ministry of Health, 34 latrines were dug and built, providing a dry and more sanitary place to use the restroom. Along with the project, Ginger and the Ministry of Health provided training on proper latrine use and proper latrine maintenance. According to the mid-service census, there were fewer reported cases of diarrhea.

Noting an ongoing need for health preventative education, as well as a need to solicit health campaigns and other projects, Ginger interviewed and selected six members of the community that showed an enthusiasm and true interest in the village’s well being to form a Health Committee. These members were also well respected among the community, making it easier to do house visits. Ginger focused on capacitating the members for the first four months in First Aid, Reproductive Health, CPR for adults and children, and how to give a health presentation. The committee also received training from Intervida and Centa on child and maternal health. The committee was quickly welcomed as health volunteers for the aforementioned organizations, and Ginger oversaw the electoral proceedings of the board of directors. With the health committee, Ginger organized a grass-roots trash campaign to educate families on proper trash disposal, the environmental effects of waste, the respiratory infections caused by smoke, and how trash thrown on the ground calls more flies, mosquitoes, and rats: all vectors of disease. The community reacted well to the house visits, and all participated in the cleaning of the village. The Mayor agreed to send a garbage truck once a month for free; a first step toward a cleaner Potrero de Joco.

Wanting to concentrate more on youth development, Ginger formed a girls’ softball team a couple of months after her arrival. Using softball as an excuse, Ginger was able to give life lessons on leadership, responsibility, teamwork, and self-esteem. Enjoying her work with the youth, Ginger met with the school director and ACE to coordinate a “Como Planear Mi Vida” (A Life Skills workbook provided by Peace Corps) class for the 9th grade. Ginger began teaching the sessions in February of 2008, discussing topics such as how to make goals, self-esteem, how to communicate with others, sex education, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS education, interview skills, how to choose a job that’s right for you, among others. She completed the semester with a Career Exposition for the entire “tercer ciclo” (7th, 8th, and 9th grades) with games, lunch, and prizes. Ginger invited professionals for an afternoon to explain their career paths, and their educational history. This proved to be a very inspirational event for the students to want to pursue their education. Present were the Mayor, a Psychologist, a TACA flight manager, a Secretary, a Shop Owner, and a Producer/Editor/Designer.

The school proved to be an excellent work base, and Ginger decided to put more efforts in the school’s infrastructure problems, as well as how to provide a more exciting environment for the children and youth to want to attend their classes. She worked hard to attain a SPA fund from USAID to re-cover the school’s roof. The roof was extremely damaged, and the school had to close often during rainy season. Thankfully, the Ministry of Education was able to give aid as well, and men from the community donated their labor to re-roof all of the classrooms and kitchen area. In the midst of the roof project, Ginger was busy bringing home two computers for which she had solicited many months before that were donated by local businesses for the school’s use.

Wanting to help a young girl in 9th grade continue her education, Ginger used the WYD Peace Corps Scholarship to ensure that the young lady would have a high school education. When the student didn’t win the scholarship the second year, Ginger initiated a community scholarship fund for young women with funds donated by friends and family in the U.S. The scholarship gives girls with a desire to continue their studies, but without the means, the opportunity to continue their education beyond ninth grade.

Ginger also taught English to six young people interested. The class, which met once a week for two hours, has gone from knowing nothing to being able to have a basic conversation with an English speaker.
After two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in a small rural village in El Salvador, Ginger feels more aware, more courageous, and ready for whatever life presents her. She is extremely grateful for the challenges faced, the goals met, and the failures. The endless list of life lessons learned will undoubtedly serve her well in the future. Not only is Ginger leaving the Peace Corps with new development skills and ideas, but also with a better understanding of human nature, and friendships that will last regardless of frontiers.

My apologies for there being such a loooooonnnngg pause between the blogs. A lot has been going on, so....that's my excuse. :} Ramfis and I just got back from 11 days in Guatemala. It was really fun, and despite it being an incredibly dangerous country, thank God we were safe and enjoyed good company the entire time. We visited Antigua, climbed Volcan Pacuaya, went to Semuc Champey, Rio Dulce, Livingston, Playa Blanca, and Esquipulus. It was packed, but at the same time very relaxing, and I enjoyed getting away from the drama and stress of everyday Salvadoran life.

Well, congratulations to me....I finished Peace Corps!! I finished in March, and went to Tennessee to visit for 2 weeks, and now I'm back in El Salvador again. It's wierd; being a former volunteer. I've had experiences and lessons and trials that no one at home can understand, no matter how much I try to explain. Then, I feel wierd around the present volunteers and PC staff because I'm not "one of them" anymore, technically. Then, I'm living in the capitol as a normal Salvadoran, but I'm clearly not. It's like I'm half foreigner, half native.....in both countries. The plan was to work and see how all of that goes, but I can't really do my job yet because of some asuntos. However, I have been helping out with Ramfis' business, and organizing, planning, etc. I'm just waiting for all to be ready for me to visit busineses and sell. We'll see. But, I'm also open to other options right now. Honestly, I need some money. I can't complain, though...God has been very generous to me, and if the life of a volunteer paid for life, how great that would be, no?!? So, anyway, now I'm just rambling. I am excited, though, about what's to come. I'll be an aunt soon, will get to see all of my old friends and classmates at the 10 yr reunion, I'll dance this summer :), etc etc. I'll be travelling through the States this summer, seeing friends and family that is long overdue!! Then, we'll see what God has in store. Obviously, I have my plans, but since things are apt to change in life, it's better not to tell the whole world just yet. I'll keep you posted.

But, before I close, I'd like to say thank you to all who have supported me in this journey. Thanks for prayers, cards, comments, calls, packages, etc. God has truly blessed my time in El Salvador, as well as made me a stronger person from failures and lifes' struggles. I don't think I really understood pain before coming here, and maybe I still don't. But, life isn't all peaches and cream. It's hard. Most people in the world suffer....and not just because someone's sick, or the occasional boy/girl drama. I'm talking extreme daily suffering. Thank God I haven't known that life, but to have seen a glimpse of it, I can appreciate it and hopefully not take my life, nor luxuries, nor necesities - for granted. Or even better; live a full life, without necesity of luxury. Solo Dios me puede ayudar.