The Ebola Virus Outbreak

Ebola Virus Outbreak & Being a Peace Corp Volunteer (in Training).

Written on 8/18/2014

Being abroad with limited internet access means I am the last to know most things, but because of Peace Corps multiple ways of communication, we were all notified of the cautionary evacuation of volunteers in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia due to the Ebola Virus outbreak in those countries.

Once my email updated I learned about the details that caused Peace Corp to decide to evacuate the countries. No Peace Corps Volunteers or Trainees had gotten sick, but many knew people in their community who were sick and some knew host country nationals who had passed away from the virus. The Peace Corp wanted to evacuate their volunteers to make sure everyone in country was kept safe and healthy.

Just a few days before hearing about this, we had done an exercise about teaching students reading comprehension in English using a passage about the Ebola virus. We learned how it spread through all bodily fluids and its symptoms included an excess of bodily fluids (i.e. Diarrhea). Because of limited resources, many countries do not have receptacles for bathroom needs (such as latrines) or ways to easily wash their hands (access to clean water).

My grandmother heard about the news and emailed my mother, who sent me a message on Facebook to notify me. For most news issues, I would've been the last to know, but luckily because of Peace Corps notification system, I was already prepared for my moms worried words. My mom wasn't overwhelmingly worried, but it did spark a conversation I wasn't expecting.

I told my mother that the things that can help prevent or contain the Ebola Virus (such as access to clean water for hand washing and receptacles for bodily fluids such as latrines) are things that even in Madagascar, I use everyday. But in some countries, due to limited resources, many people do not have access to both or one of those essential prevention techniques. My mother remarked on how amazing it is that these little things that we use without even thinking about it protect us everyday. Just another example of something millions of people take for granted every day.

And that conversation reminded me of why I felt it was important to volunteer abroad. Its true many people in America need assistance. But its also true that our country has more resources than many countries all over the world. This was just one basic example. Later that week, we were told about a volunteer in Madagascar who helped a community by working with them to create and receive grants for a latrine building project. It doesn't seem like a life altering project, but makes a small difference towards a happy, healthier community, country, and world.