In our Ariwa health center in Bidi Bidi, staff have a problem – bats. They live in the ceilings. And, they’re not very cleanly roommates.
“Since there are so many bats,” said Florence, who works at the health center, “they create a problem for the ceiling, and it collapses. One time, it almost collapsed on a mother giving birth. It does a lot of harm to us.”
On Day 17, we helped repair the ceiling at the health center. But it was clear that a longer term fix was necessary. So for the next two days we’re confronting this challenge, two doable steps at a time. And first, we’re sealing up the ceiling.
Lomoro – our trusty repairman from Day 17 – bravely volunteered to clear the existing bats out of the roof. Then, we installed mesh on the inside and outside of the clinic, covering up any holes the bats could sneak through. With everything sealed up, bats won’t be able to get back in.
During this process, we also realized something else. While bats are dangerous inside a health clinic, they can also be incredibly useful – they eat mosquitoes. Lots of them. So the team realized that while they were posing a threat for patients, they could be used as a partner in fighting malaria, too.
So tomorrow, we’re making peace with the bats. We’re finding ways we can give them a more comfortable and helpful home – outside the clinic’s walls.
