I'm afraid to say that last night we ate the cockrel! Thankfully, we didn't have to prepare him as there is a Danish couple here who have a farm back in Denmark and are familiar with dealing with such things. So we cracked open a few glasses of red wine and had quite a feast between the five of us. Actually, there was hardly any meat on him but the taste was good. Just as well, because the choice for lunch today was orange or brown lentils and a bread roll – I chose orange. Such excitement over calorie intake is more than most people can stand. I think if I could stomach the injera, this would also be an option and probably a bit more filling as well.
I have been looking at various studies on the funding options for maternity services. The evidence is not great and basically seems to suggest that the more money you give people, the more they will participate in the preventive health services. Well, I think that most people could have worked that one out for themselves. The problem we face is trying to ensure that whatever the charity does is sustainable. So throwing money at health workers to encourage them to provide good maternity care in the health centres and the hospitals, or at women to encourage them to attend their antenatal appointments, is really not going to be something that can go on forever. However, in essence, this is what happens over many developing countries. NGOs have money to spend and they need to meet the targets set by world leaders. So when the Millennium Development Goals state that there needs to be a 75% reduction in maternal mortality, it’s little wonder that all efforts go towards making this happen. So what happens after 2015 when the target date is reached? Perhaps some new targets........
Today, as well as being without internet, the electricity went off, followed by a huge downpour of rain. Now the garden has had a good watering, we should be well on the way to getting some food growth. Mind you, the gardener, who seems to dig barefoot, asked Jeremy to look at his clearly fungal infected feet today. As luck would have it, the previous residents of the house left some anti-fungal cream behind and so he is now applying this – assuming that he has access to water to clean his feet first.
Wow - a 75% reduction in maternal mortality is quite a challenge! It sounds like you're both settling into the swing of things there in Gimbie I'm wondering whether the enforced diet is starting to pay off yet or whether the beans produce bloating instead!!!?? I'm imagining that in the fullness of time your self sufficiency will stretch to 'preparing' the next unfortunate cockrel that wakes you up ;0) if indeed this is the case you can come and stay here this time next year and sort out the ridiculous mooing on heat cows in 'our' field who are keeping me awake!!!! Xxx
ReplyDeleteThe enforced diet is certainly paying off, although we are now beginning to notice an increase in hunger and so assume we have burth off all residue avaliable calories. Mind you, we're not THAT thin.
ReplyDeleteNew problem with keeping chickens is that there are thousands of ants in the cage each morning eating their leftover food.
Cows?? I can see a nice beef casserole coming your way.