The 1st Group of Cameroonians Trained as "1st Responders" Ever! And Lessons Learned So Far

April 6th, 2015 - Mutengene, Cameroon

It's Monday again and there is so much work to do on class days and leading up to them that time flies. Paul, my coinstructor, and I have had to seize every opportunity at exploration or downtime. Paul came to Cameroon two weeks early with Drs. Welty to teach hospital based trauma care to nurses further north in the country. I think one month of teaching is going to take Paul to his limit of cultural immersion so he opted for one less beach day and no time at the pub with some of the local guys today. Paul has also been diligently attending to class details so the presentation of information is first class. Thanks Paul!

Class number one went amazing. Better than I'd prayed for. We had 16 students and just enough time to cram a week worth of live-saving first aid and EMS concepts into their heads. As expected, the hands-on portion of class is where they learned the most. Lectures have to be done also in order to illustrate why you need to be able to breathe or why it's important to stop bleeding. Just describing the most basic physics of what happens to a person in a car that crashes is a revelation. We interject public safety announcements about wearing seat belts (not common to do here), helmets and crossing the street safely. I was so impressed with their intuition and experiences though. I was told today that many of the CBC drivers who live in the towns can't read or write much. Some of them don't understand Paul or I much at all so I don't know how much they assimilated but their practical skills seemed to demonstrate capability. English is the official language of the region I'm in but it's so different sounding that communication is hindered. Some of the students speak pidgin English that is as much of another language as Portuguese. No way I'm picking it up. "Asha" means sorry, I've learned that one I guess. We had four actual nurses in class one which we've assigned to be future trainers and one driver named Denis. His picture is above. Smart guy. 35 years old, married with 4 kids and works so much like everyone here. He tried his teaching skills out today with a presentation and a skills station after just learning this stuff Wednesday and Thursday!

We had a grand opening ceremony for our class arranged by the CBC. Heads of government departments and CBC executives and the Cameroonian press came to welcome us. We had a Pastor who opened and closed with prayer and a choir director who sang the national anthem and the CBC mission statement which was written as a song. They take it very seriously when someone offers to come here and help out. Several locals told me they saw me on the Station One news today talking about the class we're teaching! I wonder if anyone could've understood my American English? The guy interviewed me while holding a Sony Handicam so I'm sure it wasn't HiDef or anything.

We graduated a beaming class of 16 and sent them away with tarp-roll first responder kits, Diplomas customized with calligraphy done locally, a Cameroonian flag bracelet made by my daughter Sailor, a color changing McCall Fire Department pencil and a lot of pride and smiles. They are overflowing with joy at being able to help their people. Again, thanks for everyone's support, lives will truly be impacted. They have all expressed much gratitude for the financial support sent by all of those in the States who participated in the fund raising.

Paul and I go running on the farm road behind the compound



Mother and kids at bath time. She wasn't sure about my picture taking but gave me permission

The kids here are beautiful, underpriveledged and extremely hard working. Adoption is difficult even for Cameroonians although their are many kids orphaned due to HIV/Aids. Adoption out of country is almost unheard of. Kids almost always remain with extended family to keep them all together.

bananas and plantains are staples

Papaya or "popo" is eaten daily along with Mango, both are the best you've ever eat

typical "farm". small plots cleared in the forest

We ran by her house and she yelled "don't crash!" Then she decided to show us how it's done since she was running to town anyways. She ran a mile in her flip flops.

Running club

 

 

Most vehicles have some kind of handpained slogan on the front or back. This was a great one for Easter.

Cameroon lessons learned-

"The airway is not just where the airplane is flying or landing." -Manjong Denis

 Put a huge clump of elephant grass in the road in case of emergency

Don’t put your computer under AC unit unless it’s a waterproof computer

 Don’t hold cell phones near an open car window, it will get snatched (I was instructed before it happened)

Never put your coffee cup under a weaver bird tree, you don’t know there is poop or a dead chick in it until the coffee is gone.

 Don't cross your legs, it’s a sign of superiority and mockery

 

Thank people for saying good morning, good afternoon, good evening

 Eat chop (food) with your right fingers, drink with left

Only eat pepe on your jama jama and yams if you want to melt your face

You will always sweat-you just will

 Don’t wash your hands in a bucket of water before dinner!

 f you see a Cameroonian in water, they're drowning

 If you want to wash your car, drive into a river

Never touch a Fon (village chief), puff into your cupped hand repeatedly while you bow

 Every lane is a carpool lane, even driving into oncoming traffic

3 men on a motorcycle is average, 5 is bettah 

 There is a huge market for motorcycle helmets here because there are only 4 in the country

 You dance in church, whenever you want

 If you can't tithe cash, bring bananas or oil or a goat

 All church services become an auction at some point

 When people and children yell "white!" or "white man!" at you, they aren't generally being rude, they're excited to say hello or get a wave

Just step off to the side of the road or grass to pee, anywhere, guys and gals, really, just go anywhere

 Calvin Klein makes underwear for the U.S., they're bathing suits here. Even white ones (See "Cameroonians drowning" listed above)

 “Fresh Beer” is warm beer. “Cold Beer” is cold beer, but don’t worry, they don’t have it

 



fufu is the corn flour ball. Jama jama is the green boiled pumpkin leaf with ground squash seed. And everyone loves a good fish head.

Elvis (Left) and Donatus assembling their tarp 1st aid kit

Dr. Henry Ndasi from Limbe. Orthopedic surgeon