Day 8 (August 2)

Today we went to Yua again for our first meeting with the Yua Development Organization (YUDO). This committee was recently formed by our partners with GAPNET to help us better understand the challenges facing Yua. The committee is represented by two people from each of the major groups of Yua, such as the farmers association, teacher’s group, elders, and women’s group. There were about thirty people in attendance at the meeting. Our advisor and friend, David, translated in Fra-Fra for us as we spoke in turn. Trotta began with the introductions and a beautiful opening metaphor of marriage between Yua and EWB-NAU: “The product of a traditional marriage would be offspring while the product of our union would be an improvement in the quality of life of Yua.” The rest of our presentation touched on the mission and goals of EWB, the history of the Yua project, as well as our particular mission during this visit. Above all this meeting was an opportunity to finally hear from the people of Yua. Trotta began very appropriately by asking a simple question, “If each person here could change one thing for Yua, what would it be?” We were to go around in a circle, giving each person a chance to speak. The first spoke up (in Fra-Fra), “improvement in health!” and then the second continued, “we need quality drinking water.” The third spoke on the need for quality education. This went on and on until everyone present had the chance to speak. The majority of the feedback echoed the first three, except for the students present who all heartily exclaimed, “Light for the school!” After this we explored their responses a bit more in depth: we asked about the most common health problems they suffer in the community as well as how an increased and improved water supply might change their lives. At the end we took a few minutes for questions and comments and then concluded the meeting with some gifts for YUDO (pronounced “you do”). These were NAU t-shirts Trotta had obtained from the marketing department at NAU. We took another few minutes to take photographs and then transitioned into another meeting, this time with the Yua teacher’s group. This gave the teachers an opportunity to talk to us more in depth about the concerns they have for the welfare of children in Yua. Most of the issues come back to the ubiquitous issue of poverty and lack of accessible drinking water. Some children must walk all day for water or work in the fields and at the end of the day have no time to go to school. They also touched on the need for improved facilities including electricity, water, and a library.

We presented the Teacher’s group with, as Trotta said, “a small token of our friendship” in the form of two soccer balls, a pump, pens, small note pads, and calculators. One of the teachers kindly assured us that this “token” was no small gift but instead something very much appreciated. He assured us that the people of Yua are so happy that we have even come to Yua –that this in itself is a gift. After this we all wanted to cry but kept composure enough for yet another group photo.

By the time we left Yua the sun was going down. We had dinner plans at Mama Laadi’s place again so we were a bit late but to no great offence to Mama Laadi as she welcomed us in and served a wonderful dinner with children hanging from her arms. I wish everyone at home could see what a wonderful facility Mama Laadi created with Afrikids. These children are as precious as they come and are well pampered by the staff and by Mama Laadi herself.

--Danielle