I had been working as marketing and communications volunteer with VNHIP for three months when I was asked to accompany Yến (Nam Giang Project Manager) and Hayley (In-country Director) to Nam Giang. I had seen photos from previous trips: the stunning scenery, the ornate meetinghouses, the beautiful smiling children and stately women in traditional dress, so I didn’t need much persuading.
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| The health worker at Pa Ting was an unexpected star presenter. |
This was VNHIP’s third visit to Nam Giang and it was going to be very different. Instead of VNHIP delivering health education to the ethic minority villages, this time the village health workers and village leaders would be delivering the sessions themselves. VNHIP’s Primary Health in Nam Giang Project started in December 2013 with VNHIP delivering hand washing training to seven ethnic minority villages in the remote Central Vietnam province of Nam Giang. The purpose was twofold; to promote the importance of hand washing for the prevention of infectious diseases, and to show the village health workers and village leaders the type of training VNHIP hoped they would one day deliver themselves.
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| A warm welcome awaited VNHIP in Pa Ting |
The Village health workers and village leaders from seven villages came together in April to learn about common infectious diseases, and how to present the information to their villages. (See Austin’s Exciting trip to Nam Giangblog). VNHIP’s original intention was to co-deliver the training, but the village leaders and health workers felt it would be better if they delivered the training in their local dialect. This may not sound like a big deal to you or I, but it meant that each presenter would have to make a formal presentation, their first, to their village.
Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, is common the world over. In the hills of Nam Giang, we are a world away from the nearest Toastmasters in Hanoi. Nerves set in as we set up the equipment, some of our presenters jokingly try to get out of it, others plead with Yến for her to deliver the training instead. This is capacity building in action and Yến firmly but gently reminds each of them that if we are to effect lasting change in their village they need to deliver the training.
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| Villagers leaving the meetinghouse in Pa Sua |
The presenters at our first village, Pa Ting, completely blew us away. Both the village health worker and village leader have studied the resources we provided in advance and even added extra information themselves. Their presentations were professional and enthusiastic, and we were surprised and impressed by their level of commitment. We could have happily gone back to Hoi An after this one village, proud of their accomplishment and thrilled to have our expectations exceeded to such an extent.
Pa Ting was a tough act to follow for the remaining six villages. Most of our other presenters were not as committed, skilled, or enthusiastic, and the blistering heat made it difficult to hold their audience’s attention. I couldn’t help admiring our presenters, as it must have taken a great deal of courage to speak in front of their whole village for the first time.
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| Creative play Nam Giang style, Pa Va |
The infectious diseases training proved that this model of village led training works. VNHIP will be returning to Nam Giang in late June to help the village health workers and village leaders deliver training sessions on nutrition. We will continue to support them by providing additional presentation skills training and will evaluate the program’s success by surveying the villagers to assess information retention and changes in behaviour. With limited access to power and proper sanitation, the information our presenters shared with their villages has the potential to save lives. It was an honour to catch a brief glimpse of their way of life and pleasure to be able to add many new photos to VNHIP’s growing Nam Giang photo library.
By Gillian Eborn
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