Impressions

I have posted video and photos from our 5 days in Mali, as part of the Malaria No More mission, yet it is difficult to convey the impressions, emotions and learnings that are swirling around inside of me this evening. So, I'll share a few phrases and stories:

• Handing a mosquito net to a Mali woman and her child was so powerful. Her 1 year old boy had just received a Polio, Measles, Deworming, Vitamin A treatment and now she had a treated net. These things will keep her son from becoming one of the 20% of infants who will die in the first five years of their lives. She says Merci and held her son as they walked 2 miles back to their village.
• Sitting in a clinic as 30 local health volunteers showed us how they are conducting training with railroad staff, police and workers on how to use a condom to prevent HIV spreading. Their comfort with talking about sexual topics was striking.
• The smile on the President of Mali as he launched the Malaria Health Campaign that would reach 95% of families in his country.
• The voice of the "Village Talker", a Mali town crier, as she calmed the 150 women on line that they would get their Nets, even though it was getting dark. She travels to villages, as the traditional source of news, supporting the campaign.
• The conversation that I had as a Jew with Islamic religious leaders about the connection between our faiths and the need to link modern health issues to scripture.
• Teaching our guide how to edit his first movie, in the lobby of our hotel, on my Macbook.
  
• Watching 60 Global Agencies cooperate on an effort, with low ego and remarkable coordination.
• Viewing the impact of the internet on a whole range of changing perspectives here in Africa (more about that in a few days)

Thanks for listening. We would love to get your emails while we are here.. just send a note to emasie@masie.com