Height board? You mean death trap?

This week was an under-five week in Nsanja catchment area. For those who don’t know, during under-five week each month we visit all the villages in the clinic’s catchment in order to weigh, immunize, and measure height for children under five. We record their weight and immunization records in cards that the mother keeps, and two different record books for the clinic. It’s a lot of paperwork for just a minute or two with each kid.

Needless to say, these weeks are always crazy for us at the clinic. We are always tired and dirty at the end of the day, but it’s a fulfilling week. But forget about our feelings, we traumatize these children. Every. Single. Month. These poor kids have to come and get put in a hanging scale, stand on a height board, and then given shots!! And last but not least, sometimes they see a ghost (me).

It sounds cruel, but we can’t help but laugh. These kids burst into tears at the sight of a hanging scale, in which they simply hang comfortably while someone reads their weight. The height board I understand more, because they have to stand up straight while a scary white woman pushes a board towards their head. For all the kids know, they’re about to get squashed by a ghost. They all lose it. Everyone thinks it’s such a funny show, watching their kids be traumatized by the height boards. Honestly, it is hilarious.

Some kids get scared just by looking at me. And some moms, just to make their kids more scared, will tell them that I’m going to take their kids. It’s a cruel joke. These poor children believe that I’m just going to scoop them up and take them home! Which I wouldn’t, but sometimes I play along just to make the moms laugh. Does that make me evil?

Over 16 months in, and I may finally be learning to laugh with people when they’re laughing at me.

On a more serious note, these moms dedicate an entire day every month to walk to wherever their nearest under-5 is. They come, wait hours to get their kids taken care of and immunized. They put up with being publicly shamed if they miss a month. Whether or not they get their children vaccinated is never a question, the question is just if they do it on time. I’m surrounded by some badass ladies.