A Day in the Life of FreMo

It seems that every day starts with cleaning. Here, the student midwife is mopping the floors. After this, on a typical day, she will collect the bins, empty them, and then wash them before putting them back. Usually someone has buckets of water, mops, brushes and brooms. On a Friday, you are better off keeping clear or you will also get cleaned!

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About 3 times per week, Rose will come and do the washing. When I first arrived it was all done by hand. She double gloves to do this, and uses an awful lot of bleach. Behind the tin wall you can see is the next door mechanics workshop. It seemed that every time Rose attended, he would light his fire. She was only feet from it and often enveloped in the toxic cloud. She is now about 6 months pregnant.

Here is Rose learning to use the gift from me to FreMo. I'm happy to report that she is using it well, and making the most of the labour saving device. She still removes the blood from the linen by hand, but this makes life much better.... and we have cleaner linen.

This is Penninah performing some weekend cleaning. This is where most of the outdoor cleaning occurs as in the corner is the drain. Water is liberally applied and then swept into the drain.

In the same area, you might also find the steam sterilizer. Very similar to a pressure cooker, it holds enough instruments for at least a week! It sits on a jico which is charcoal fed. 

And of course there are mumma's, some puppa's and lots of babies. These are some of the babies that I met during my time at FreMo.

Here we are on an outreach visit. The mumma is in the background. But Maureen is the senior child and as cheeky as anything.She is two and a half years old, said she was five and in grade one, wants to come and live with me. So CUTE!!!

Again on outreach in a close by village. This is housing as people know it. The kids are always happy to pose for a photo. And yes, purple is my favorite colour. Below, another little one I found out and about. She was weary of me as I'm rather white compared to what she is used to.

Every Wednesday there is training of some sort. Here, the whole team goes through neonatal resuscitation techniques. This is FreMo's Mandatory Education, even the night time security gets involved.

And here, Moffat is posing as the patient while the rest of us try to work out how to arrange the seats of the car. Just in case of emergency and we need to do it quickly! I'm pleased to report that everything fits, including an escort.

Esther and Penninah showing of their QScan pregnancy calculators. Thanks QScan!

Zac, Penninah and Michelle enjoying a little sunshine one winters day.

Zac is one of the lab technicians, here he is pretending to do some work!!

Fremo is a family friendly environment and Frank usually spends some time each weekend 'visiting' with his dad. Here Frank is receiving some homework to keep him occupied.

Patients come in all shapes and sizes, and I couldn't help taking a shot of this young boy who had come in to see the doctor. I just love the onsie!!

ok yes it's a motorbike in the courtyard. A young man on his way to work had a bit of a dingle and came off the worse for wear. He spent some time with us before going home, but couldn't take his bike. It came inside for security sake until he collected it the next day. Needless to say, Magdalene didn't ride in anywhere!!!

Babies, babies and more babies. They come for immunization any day of the week including Sundays!

You just never know who will show up at FreMo. Here, Moffat talks to a group of counselling students from the USA.

And here I am with the other volunteers that arrived recently. They were on short trips organised via a different organisation. Rachel is a practice nurse from the UK and Catherine and Agnes are medical students, also from the UK.

So I will admit that there were a few days when I didn't pick up my sewing, but the quilt is coming along nicely, with a little bit of 'help' from my friends. It certainly was good to be able to fill the quiet moments.

Here's Steve, giving it a go!

And Penninah. This is the spot that you would usually find me if there was nothing to do. Sitting in the courtyard, sometimes with a cuppa, watching the world go by, sewing, chatting, waiting for a mumma. Nice spot really!