I recently discovered that the definition of  desertification has nothing to do with ensuring that I get ice creme after dinner. OK. I already knew that. But I’d almost abandoned all hope of stopping the desertification of Sub-Sahelian little Pô. One word. Bamboo! Yes, Dan, bamboo is finally here.

My very dear aunt and uncle have been great supporters of my PC work, in every conceivable way -- financially, emotionally . . . every possible way. And they recently commented that it was nice to know that I was enjoying my service, and not counting the days until I’d return to the States. Hmmm. Well, that’s almost correct.

The PC isn’t the army. We’re not forced to remain here. But with that said, I do have days when I’m counting the days until I can return . . .  it's 376 and less than 18 hours! More often, however, I’m counting the few remaining days that are flying-by until I must leave this country. I love it here . . . wherever here is . . . either in Africa, or West Africa, or Burkina Faso, or Pô.

Actually, I don’t think it’s Burkina that has me so enchanted, though I’ve found the Burkinabe to be universally kind and tolerant. Rather, I think it’s my little village of Pô. And this man, Yaya, my homologue. Yaya knows exactly how to handle me. When it comes to my brain-storming about community development, Yaya's not afraid to ask, Kathy, have you lost your mind?! And he is supremely patient with my French. I'd be lost and miserable without Yaya, despite the miracle that is the village of little Pô. Pô, the parallel universe of Burkina Faso or possibly all of Africa . . . the twilight zone where everything that should happen in this culture happens opposite of the norm. And am I ever lucky that it does.

Laundry is women’s work in Burkina Faso. Operating a mill is men’s work, though it’s the women who walk for miles with whole grains and corn in giant tubs on their head. But not in Pô. Here we have what I term Laundry Alley. It’s a little dirt lane with no less than four laundry services, all owned and fully staffed by men. Whoa! And our mill? Run by women for women. Here's our newest mill, which can be mounted to a bicycle for portability and for easy of use. Parallel universe, I tell you. In a country where the chief complaint of most PCVs is the difficulty in changing the culture, I must wonder, why endeavor to change the culture? Just work within it. Easy for me to say. I live in Pô.

In Burkina all things happen at a snail’s pace. A simple meeting can take weeks to arrange. But not in Pô. Here, if you’re gone for a few days or dare to blink, something has changed . . . a business come or gone, fields created from nothing, a chicken farm is built, the creating of a two-day classes on climate change. True. Climate change education . . . at the mayor’s office, right here in little Pô. How is it that Burkina Faso is next-to-last in the U.N.’s rating of 3rd world countries, yet Pô is so extraordinary? I’ve decided to begin taking some small measure of credit . . . though Pô will continue to be fine long after I’m gone. Here’s what I’m doing, and this is only note-worthy because it’s taken me 11 and ½ months at site to see any accomplishment(s) directly attributable to me . . . and to the generosity of my friends and family.

The chicken coop, which is so far beyond your concept of a chicken coop that it’s really a chicken farm. A real farm, with living accommodations. We’re still waiting on financing for high-volume egg-producers and a wealth of other necessary equipment (like a way to get water to the farm); but the project will eventually be a huge success, providing training to the young people of Pô and providing additional protein (eggs) to many residents throughout the entire Province.

But my current favorite and pet project? The bamboo project is finally underway. This was my primary personal objective for Pô, and it’s finally begun. Just three little bamboo stands, but more plants have been ordered. Why bamboo? Because it’s the fastest-growing plant in the world and, when dried, its stalks have the same burning properties as traditional hardwood trees. Think BTUs. So Pô can stop the desertification and deforestation and use bamboo for its cooking fires. Additionally, the bamboo stalks can be used to replace the traditional wood used for construction; and villagers can use smaller bamboo stalks for furniture (in lieu of the traditional wood presently utilized). Bamboo also makes effective wind-breaks, can be used as a living fence (keeping rapacious hens at bay), and prevents erosion in this wind-blown, deforested land that is constantly under threat of desertification.

We will soon have completed two internet spots, one at the high school and one at the mayor’s office (in the revamped library), which will offer computer classes covering topics from general usage (how to use a mouse) to word processing and research on the internet. Note that the computer classes will be taught by my students. Worked myself right out of a job.

Soon we'll be bringing nutritious soy products to Pô, including classes in tofu production and cheese making. Protein is the name of the game.

Then there’s the tiny little things hardly worth mentioning, though I will:

• My Club de Commerce teaching business skills to students; 
• Polio and meningitis vaccination campaigns;
• Soap making, hand-make paper, crafts, tie-dye, and cooking classes;
• English classes;
• Classes on the importance of crop rotation and irrigation techniques;
• Tree planting and grafting mango and gardening instructions, including competitions;
• Placing trash barrels throughout Pô;
• Mural for World AIDS day with a pledge by the residents of Pô to live healthy lifestyles at the Maison de Jeune (Youth Center);
• The Mural for International Women’s Day with a world map and advertising board at the Maison de Femme (Women’s Center).  Obviously, Pô is big on murals . . . and I'm just the gal to paint 'em.