EIL Intercultural Learning

Apologies for my delay in this blog! It's all thanks to a dibble of malaria and 5 million lost blogs in one dodgy internet cafe!!

Hi folks, just wanted to give a quick update on how myself and Ciara are getting on in Nigeria, almost a week in. We have just finished orientation with SYTO Nigeria in Ibadan and we have settled in nicely to the pace of life here. So much to see and do and think about - Nigeria is an unbelievably diverse, complex and friendly place. Yesterday we were taken to the mosque by our guide who is a Muslim and we prayed with the congregation, having done the ritual washing before we entered the place of worship.

Prior to my departure I felt that I was very well prepared for working on a HIV and AIDS project, due to support and training given by EIL. 

One of the greatest and most unexpected pleasures that I have derived from my Nigerian experience has been annihilating the misguided myths that people have about the country. At the beginning of June when I told people that I was going to spend two months working on a HIV/AIDS project in Nigeria the reaction was often one of misguided admiration, why would I want to go to such a place? Jokes were made about my alleged saintly nature, concerns were raised about my safety. One rather direct friend said: “God, that sounds horrible”.

Different perspectives

Brona volunteered with EIL in Nepal (2008) and Vietnam (2009). She is now just back from Nigeria where she volunteered for 2 months and she shares with us her experience.

Ibeyemi Fakande, Living Hope Care's Executive Director, administers formula to a newborn baby girl to lower the risk of her becoming infected with HIV. The baby girl's mother is HIV Positive.

Maeve and uniform service who attended a workshop on HIV and use of female condoms.