Vivien: We started the Twin-Bakhaw project in September 2020, so it was challenging because it was done during the time of the pandemic. There was always the regulation of no mass gatherings. This led us to do clustering during our trainings since only small groups were allowed for gathering. Usually, we do one-on-one talks with women just to share information about SRHR. Because of the pandemic, we can only have a limited number of participants. We must conduct the training multiple times and have to triple our efforts just to reach the number of participants that we need to engage.
Nemelito: [One challenge was] poor mobile network connectivity in the area. It was a big challenge to relay information and not being able to communicate properly through calls, SMS, or data. People are usually hanging their phones on the trees to get a signal. (Note: It is usual in remote areas, or in islands with poor mobile phone signal, to go to the highest point just to get signal/connection such as climbing a tree or a rooftop or putting their mobile phone on top of a tree.) So what I did was ask people where the nearest place in the village was with a phone signal and I would coordinate with the person closest to the place with the signal. Sometimes I send a letter to the community public transportation driver, a van that goes to the village once daily.
Ana Liza: This community has no electricity. Every time we have a training, we need a generator, and these generators are noisy. It disturbs both the participants’ and speakers’ focus. Mobile phone signals are also very weak. You can only get a signal near the seashore.
Nemelito: Participants were always late and not on time during training or workshops. If the training starts at 8 a.m., most of the participants arrive an hour and a half or two hours later…but we cannot blame them because the women still come from far-flung areas…they walk barefoot for 2 km just to attend the training.