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Community
Health Education
We encourage and support the community health endeavours and requirements
of individuals and communities through a range of educational strategies.
August 2007
An Account of a Marungi Workshop in Baucau (Joan Westblade LCM)
Our choice of dates for the long-awaited workshops with Inge Lempp proved providential. Had we chosen later dates the political unrest would have prevented any workshop taking place at all. We travelled to Baucau in two vehicles on Sunday August 5 allowing time for our drivers to return to Dili before dark.
There were ten participants including me: Sister Filomena da Costa, Maria de Almeida, Maria dos Santos, António de Padua, Luis Pereira, Damião Liu, Lucinda Soares, Octaviana Maria da Silva and Julia Martins Taek. Our teachers were Mariquita Fatima da Costa, Rita Domingas da Silva, Teresa Matos and Ilda Marques.
We stayed with the Canossian Sisters in Baucau, but there was little sleep on Sunday night because of noisy guests arriving for Ordinations on Monday.
Monday August 6
Our first day began at 8.00am with welcome and orientation. We dressed up in the aprons and headscarves provided; it was then sleeves up and down to work. From the word “go” it was obvious that everyone was involved, interested and very keen to learn. They were busy taking notes, copying recipes and exchanging ideas on the variety of plants, herbs and weeds useful for the treatment and prevention of many ailments in Timor-Leste. We learnt to make Soybean powder and two versions of GGG (Marungi powder). For the first version we used the Soybean powder we had made. In the second one we used powdered milk. This second recipe has the advantage of longer life without refrigeration although the first recipe will keep for over a month in ordinary storage.
This first day was labour intensive but everyone worked happily and that night we enjoyed the fruits of our labour at our evening meal. There was a positive response at our evaluation session that night.
Monday night was disturbed by much noise, stone-throwing, banging of light posts and the burning of tyres. The dogs joined in the racket, barking and setting up pitiful howls.
Tuesday August 7
Lack of sleep did nothing to deter the enthusiasm of the group. While they prepared the Ginger and Turmeric to make the powder there was much discussion and exchanging of ideas about natural medicines. About 2 p.m. there was more burning of tyres near us. When police arrived some of the offenders hid in the gardens around us. In spite of the distractions and helicopters overhead the Workshop continued and that night we enjoyed our own Ginger Tea at the evening meal.
On Tuesday night the disruption “program” was to burn the Hotel Baucau next to the Canossian Convent where we were. We were told to remain dressed, take passports and valuables with us and move to ground floor level. This was in case the gas tank at the Hotel blew up. We stayed “ready” until after 1a.m. but then went upstairs and tried to sleep but it was too noisy. That night the offices of Caritas and Catholic Relief Services were burnt down.
Wednesday August 8
Father Orlandos, one of the newly ordained priests, said his first Mass at the Canossian Convent as it was too dangerous for him to travel to his home village of Dare. Fretilin had organised a rally and we were warned not to go outside as the GNR (Portuguese police) had threatened to shoot trouble makers. We carried on with the Workshop which was modified to cope with the unstable situation. Our good friend Manuel Viegas rang and told us to get out of Baucau. He gave me the names and telephone numbers of Philippe (a helicopter pilot) and Caroline from the UN. The others in our group were kept busy making ointments from Frangipani Bark and Aloe Vera but I was more distracted making telephone calls. In the afternoon we made Pumpkin Cake. There was a blackout but the oven was heated by putting it on the stove. I am amazed at how these people adapt to the situations happening around them. Although it was not as boisterous that night we remained fully dressed in anticipation of anything that might happen.
Thursday August 9
In our area the situation seemed quieter but I was anxious to make contact with our drivers or anyone who could offer safe transport to Dili. All this time I was in contact with Sister Josephine in Sydney who offered practical solutions but because of the political situation nothing was possible. I made contact with Caroline from the UN who offered a lift on the back of a UN truck. Everyone was pulled out of the Workshop to hurry and pack bags and wait at the end of the street (near the burning tyres). Only one car turned up offering two seats to Dili so I sent the two youngest knowing they would be safe.
Our rescue is another story to be told. amazing thing is the Workshop was completed including an examination on Friday. We “ate” the exam as our afternoon snack and it was delicious.
Maria de Almeida and I did not do the exam as we were busy making plans to get into the UN compound. On Thursday afternoon a UN convoy was attacked and one of the cars was burnt. The situation had the potential to deteriorate quickly so we all agreed to move to the UN compound on Friday afternoon there being no transport whatever.
All in all, the Marungi Workshop was a harrowing success.
Marungi (Moringa oleifera) (Note various spellings)
To improve health and nutrition among the people of Timor-Leste, particularly the children, Mary MacKillop East Timor is co-operating with individuals and groups to develop a greater understanding of the value of the marungi tree as a food supplement.
The leaves, pods and bark of the tree are rich sources of nutrition. The leaves of the Marungi tree contain:
7 times the Vitamin C of Oranges
4 times the Vitamin A of Carrots
4 times the Calcium of Milk
3 times the Potassium of Bananas
2 times the Protein of Yogurt
Workshops are being undertaken to develop a powder using the leaves of the Marungi tree and other locally grown vegetables.
The dried leaves are made into a powder and mixed with sugar, iodised salt, soya bean powder, peanuts & other products to produce a formula known as GGG. This powder is sprinkled over rice or other food to make a highly nutritious food supplement.
These Workshops will follow the TRAIN THE TRAINER model so that team members and health workers will become more familiar with the use and benefits of the Marungi powder. They will then be equipped to implement the project, conduct their own workshops and to assess its benefits.
www.treesforlife.org.au/moringa
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Community
Health Resources |
In association with East Timorese religious sisters Mary MacKillop East Timor is producing and developing Tetun Community Health books and resources
for the basic instruction and information of the East Timorese people
and their communities.
Health Books and Charts completed to 2007
Isin-di’ak ba Ema Hotu-hotu
Good Health for Everyone
Amanda Twohig (Tetun translation by Maria Simõa Tilman)
Manual ba Treinu Nain Isin Di’ak Nian iha Vila ho Aldeia Sira iha Timor Lorosa’e
A Train the Trainer Manual for Village Healthcare Workers in East Timor
Grootjans, Fisher and McAuliffe, University of Sydney Faculty of Health Sciences
Trans. Filomena M. das Dores Oliveira
Livru ho Ilas kona ba Saúde
Health Charts and Booklet
Sister Joan Westblade (Tetun translations by Luisa Marques)
Artwork used with permission: Sister Noemi Kamezaki MD
An example of the charts, this one reinforcing hygiene.
2007
Moris ho Saúde
Another booklet and set of charts is being produced.
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