rachelanna.com

Dear blessed Friends and Family,

I promised you some time ago that I would send my one month report for September so here it is.

Much Love,
Rachel McVey

ps–please, please inform me if you would rather not be on this mailing list. just email me at rachelannamcvey@hotmail.com. I know it isn’t fun to get mail that you don’t read…I hold no grudges.

For all those are enjoying hearing about what I am doing, and those that write me back, I love hearing from you and how you are doing.

So, on with the report!

In the month of September, I

Attended and contributed to the Community Development Committee (CDC) meetings in each of the six communities that I work with in the Old Harbour DA (Old Harbour, Old Harbour Bay, Bartons, Brown’s Hall, Ginger Ridge, and Bellas Gate).

Attended and contributed to youth club meetings, Citizen’s Association meetings, and other related CBO meetings in each of the six communities. In all, I go to about five to six meetings a week, most of them in the evenings and weekends.

Participated in CDC workshops aimed at the facilitation of development in each community. In such workshops, OHDAC listens to what the community voices as their top priority needs.

One example is the community of Ginger Ridge (and surrounding communities), which does not have piped treated water into the houses. Almost everyone gathers their water from the river that runs through the town, or from a storage tank. The community used to have piped water but something went amiss and they have not had water for over/around 20 years. OHDAC will facilitate/help the Ginger Ridge CDC to write up a Project Plan. a Community Development Plan, apply for funding, participate in the implementation, and evaluation of the project of water for Ginger Ridge (and surrounding communities)

Embarked on the process of assisting the Bartons community to look for funding for a computer lab that they would like to build.

Assisting with planning The Old Harbour Development Area Committee’s upcoming Community Expo at Port Esquivel (Windalco). This momentous event and official launching of OHDAC is set for Wednesday, November 5, 2003 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Assisting with planning and designing the OHDAC magazine which is supporting the Community Expo.

Compiled two separate mailing/address lists for Proposed Magazine Sponsors and Proposed Exhibitors for the Expo. Each list has more than 100 organizations, companies, and or agencies.

Planned, implemented, and evaluated a clean-up day that I organized for Saturday, September 20, 2003. I learned many lessons from that experience. A one page description is attached.

Attended a Religious Leaders Workshop where participants explored whether religious leaders had a role to play in community development and if so, what that was.

Discussed with school teachers and principals about the prospect of speaking to students at their school/in their classroom on issues of health and the environment.

Participated in training relating to community development at the regional SDC office in Spanish Town.

Attended the VAC meeting on September 6th with fellow Peace Corps colleagues at the PC office.

Attended the ladies function at the Ambassador’s house with the American Women’s Group.

Also this month, I
–budgeted.
–shopped at the market with housemate.
–washed clothes.
–went to church a few times.
–had fun !

This entry was posted on Friday, October 17th, 2003 at 10/17/2003 at 5:37 pm and is filed under Peace Corps Experience. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.