Paper presented at the 14th Annual Conference of the Hawaii International Conference on Education, January 3-6, 2016, Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort in Honolulu, Hawaii. Abstract One way to achieve optimal use of development aid funds is to capitalize on the low-cost human resources through the humanitarian spirit found among students and teacher volunteers in developed nations. Effective programs that employ volunteer teacher trainers, student workers, and health care volunteers can bolster professional development of teacher and student work experience in local communities, thereby meeting part of people's basic needs in developing countries. Such low-cost, cooperative efforts can energize the professional and international work expertise of both the local native people and the visiting volunteers This presentation describes how a volunteer international service program had and is having a positive effect on building a community health service in a rural Cameroon village in West Africa, a project founded and run by the late Phyllis Jansyn. Discussion of how similar programs can be established and maintained. Further, some guidelines for planning volunteer programs, recruiting volunteers, and implementing a volunteer training program are outlined. Finally, ways to assist local government offices, community welfare organizations and local schools to meet their some of the manpower needs through cooperation with foreign education ministries, teacher training institutions, professional education organizations, and in cooperation with individuals in developed countries are proposed.

1. International Development through
Volunteer Work for a Community
Health Project in Cameroon: A Case Study
Hawaii International
Conference on Education
14th
Annual Conference
January 3-6, 2016
Honolulu, Hawaii
David L. Brooks
Associate Professor, English Language Department
Kitasato University, Japan

2. OverviewOverview of the Communityof the Community
Health Project in Rural CameroonHealth Project in Rural Cameroon
Glimpse of rural life in Cameroon
Outline of the Community Health
Project goals
– The work of Phyllis Jansyn
Health and livelihood issues in rural
Cameroon
The workload and satisfactions of
community volunteers

3. Maps of CameroonMaps of Cameroon
Djohong is located
160km from the
provincial capital of
N’Gaoundere and 90km
from Meiganga.

5. Community Health ProjectCommunity Health Project
in Rural Cameroonin Rural Cameroon
Goals of the project:
– Reduce prevalence of
parasitic diseases
– Medical treatment and
health education
– Building spring boxes
to protect water
– Building sanitary
village latrines

6. Health Risks fromHealth Risks from
Parasitic InfectionsParasitic Infections
• Intestinal parasitic infections of humans are
important threats to healthy living in
developing countries.
• The environment and the socio-cultural
habits of the people could be attributable for
the high prevalence of intestinal parasitic
infections in the developing countries.

7. Causes of Death in DjohongCauses of Death in Djohong DistrictDistrict

8. AscariasisAscariasis is a disease caused byis a disease caused by
the parasitic roundworm.the parasitic roundworm.
Infections have no
symptoms in more than 85% of
cases, especially if the number of
worms is small. Symptoms
increase with the number of
worms present and may include
shortness of breath and fever in
the beginning of the disease.
These may be followed by
symptoms of abdominal swelling,
abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Children are most commonly
affected, and in this age group the
infection may also cause poor
weight gain, malnutrition and
learning problems.

9. Incidence of parasitic infectionsIncidence of parasitic infections
• The most prevalent intestinal parasite in this area was
roundworm, Ascaris lumbricoides (51.4%), followed by
hookworm (32.4%), and whipworm, Trichuris trichiura
(10.8%) while the least was Entamoeba histolytica (5.4%),
an anaerobic protozoan .
• Roundworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, was the most prevalent
parasite among the male (52.4%) and female (50%) patients
while hookworm infection was observed more in female
(37.5%).
• More males (14.3%) were infected with Trichuris trichiura
while similar prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica (4.7%)
was observed in both sexes.
• Effective treatment of infected patients and
improved sanitary habits are advocated.

10. Intestinal Parasites dealt withIntestinal Parasites dealt with
in Djohong, Cameroonin Djohong, Cameroon
Parasite
Name
Common
Name
Description and Etiology
Ankylostome
hook worm
The eggs of ankylostoma are found in the stool of infected
persons. When the infected person defecates on the
ground, the eggs develop into larvae, which stay alive for
two weeks to two months in the soil. The larvae penetrate
the skin and infect people who walk barefoot or who work
the soil with bare hands. Ankylostomaise causes coughing,
skin rash, diarrhea, and anemia which is sometimes severe.
Ascaris
round worm
The eggs in the stool of infected persons are ingested by
other from contaminated food and water. Ascardiasis
causes intestinal problems, pneumonia-like symptoms, and
convulsions. Seventy to ninety people in a hundred in
tropical regions are infected, according to Gentilini and
Duffo, (1986). However, the HIH team found much less
incidence.
Anguillulose (similar to
hook worm)
Anguillulose is very much like ankylostome and is
transmitted through the skin. It causes diarrhea or
alternating diarrhea and constipation.

11. Intestinal Parasites dealtIntestinal Parasites dealt
with in Djohongwith in Djohong
Trechocephale
whip worm
It is found in many areas of the world. It does not
cause severe symptoms, but sometimes causes
diarrhea and abdominal pain. It destroys blood cells,
but less so than ankylostome. People are infected by
ingesting the parasite’s eggs with their food.
Oxyure
pin worm
Eggs are passed directly from the anus to the mouth or to
food by unwashed hands. It causes severe itching and
discomfort. In rare cases, the oxyure travel up the vagina
and occlude the fallopian tubes, causing sterility.
Taenia
Saginata
beef tape
worm
It is contracted by eating raw or poorly cooked beef. Then
the infected person defecates on the grass, which the
cattle ten eat and more cattle become infected. It can
cause headache, convulsions, and death.
Schistome
Mansoni
intestinal
schistoso-
miase
The parasite is contracted by standing, sitting or swimming
in contaminated bodies of water. A particular snail is the
intermediate host. The larvae released by the snail
penetrate the human skins. Infected people defecate near
the water and more snails become infected. After some
time, infected persons, who are not treated, will die of
cirrhoses of the lives and intestinal hemorrhage.

12. Intestinal Parasites dealtIntestinal Parasites dealt
with in Djohongwith in Djohong
Amebiasis
amoebic dysentery,
caused primarily by
the amoeba
Entamoeba
histolytica.
It is contracted by drinking water or eating food
contaminated by the feces of infected persons. It
causes diarrhea and in the very young and frail,
dysentery, an inflammation of the intestine
causing diarrhea with blood, which often results in
death. In rare cases, it causes liver abscess.
Giardia
a genus of
anaerobic
flagellated
protozoan parasites
of phylum
Sarcomastigophora
It is transmitted by infected human feces. It
causes abdominal pain, vomiting, and
diarrhea.
Intestinal
Trichomonas
a distinctive flagellate
trophozoite with two
nuclei and an
adhesive disk
Fecal-oral transmission can occur via drinking
water and may be a problem wherever sanitation
is poor. The people that were found with this
parasite complain of abdominal pain and diarrhea.
The intestinal trichomonas organism is somewhat
different from that of vaginal trichomonas.

13. Djohong Project GoalsDjohong Project Goals
Health counseling and
prevention
Reduce infection by
intestinal parasites
Establishing sources of
clean drinking water
Providing infant health care
Sanitary waste disposal
Putting our Efforts into Action..
Volunteers from the USA, Europe, Asia and elsewhere joined
the project as community health workers for a two-week
period, four times a year

14. Research MethodsResearch Methods
and Objectivesand Objectives
 Providing for a source of
clean water was a priority.
– It is vital for subsistence of the
villagers.
 Giving regular health checks,
counseling, and help to fight
common diseases and health
problems
– Parasites are a significant
concern.
 Building sanitary pit latrines
 Reducing incidence of common
parasitic diseases can be achieved

15. Health CounselingHealth Counseling
and Preventionand Prevention
 Mother & Infant healthcare
 Teaching sanitation to villagers
 Treatment of intestinal parasites
 Keeping villager health records
FOR MORE INFO...
Sometimes the unexpected happens. The real rewards are not
overshadowed by any accident because purpose and effort
bring progress – at times, even joy!

16. Improving Health of VillagersImproving Health of Villagers
• Good health is the first
step toward development,
and development is the first
step toward larger and more
global concerns.
• However, basic health and
sanitation concerns are still
not adequate in many parts
of the world, and in
particular, they pose a
challenge for adequate
healthy living standards in
the West African nation of
Cameroon.
•
• Without clean water, safe
disposal of human waste, and
improved hygiene habits of its local
village people, the reduction in the
percentage of people infected with
intestinal parasites will not last
once the project ends.

17. Volunteers’ Daily TasksVolunteers’ Daily Tasks
 Maintaining the camp
 Cooking meals
 Boil water and filling canteens
 Clean up after meals
 Study sessions on local languages,
customs, way of life, research tasks
 Organizing village health records
 Participate in community health
team work to a local village
– etc…

18. Volunteer Work and Travel
Itinerary for Trip to Djohong
Volunteer Work and Travel Itinerary for Trip to Djohong, Cameroon
Friday, Dec.29 Arrive by train in Ngaoundéré,
Cameroon, briefing
Saturday, Dec. 30 Land Cruiser drive to Djohong, visits to locals
Sunday, Dec. 31 Orientation classes for volunteers Monday, Jan. 1 La fête – New Year’s festivities by villagers
Tuesday, Jan. 2 Alim (driver) takes
Stella,photojournalist and Bah-iya
to Bandai village; more classes,
preparation
Wednesday, Jan. 3 Project Team to Gbin Dana village (6-hour trip on rough bush
path)
Thursday, Jan. 4 Do health project work at Gbin
Dana
Friday, Jan. 5 Do health project work at Gbin Dana
Saturday, Jan. 6 Return journey to Djohong ( 6-hour
trip)
Sunday, Jan. 7 Processing health records, organize for return home
Monday, Jan. 8 Depart Djohong by Land Cruiser for
Ngaoundéré
Tuesday, Jan. 9 Leave by train for Yaounde, and then by plane to Douala
Wednesday, Jan. 10 Fly from Douala to Paris Thursday, Jan. 11 Fly from Paris to Tokyo

19. Field Training and AssignmentsField Training and Assignments
for Volunteersfor Volunteers
Walking lectures for field training
Familiarization with duty
assignments
– Examining villagers, keeping health
records, assist lab technician in
examining specimens
– dispensing and collecting health
forms, giving out vitamins, medicines,
and compiling data
 Orientation classes on volunteer
duties, explanation of various village

20. Application of the DjohongApplication of the Djohong
Project ResultsProject Results
-Increased awareness of the
seriousness of intestinal
parasite and preventative
measures
-Showed effectiveness of
community action in
improving villager health
-Mutual understanding is
fostered in overcoming
differences in cultures and
bridging cross-cultural

21. Commitment to Continuing theCommitment to Continuing the
Djohong ProjectDjohong Project
“Nothing can substitute for the
sheer joy and satisfaction one
receives from having
participated in the Djohong
Project.”
We welcome you to the uniquely beautiful
plateau of Djohong, to the land of sociable people

22. Global Community of LearnersGlobal Community of Learners
Generating compassion
and empathy through
advocacy and volunteer
activities

23. Web Community for Global ActionWeb Community for Global Action
Internet Resources for Global Issues,
Education & Research
Advocacy, Activism and Volunteer
Activities

24. ActionAction

25. Thank you forThank you for
attendingattending
International Development through
Volunteer Work for a Community Health
Project in Cameroon: A Case Study
David L. Brooks
Kitasato University,
Sagamihara, Japan
d.brooks@yahoo.com