Savannah Fifth Avenue!!

Karanambu is located in middle of 

the Savannah.  We are very remote. There are no stores of any kind! It is difficult for people to buy things they want and need for their family

So when the Chairman of the Karnambu Lodge suggested that we open a store for our staff, the old "retailer" in me just smiled! With the assistance of Angela we covered all the stores in Georgetown.

We shopped til we dropped!!!

In the meantime, Yonnette started turning to old office into the Staff Store. Everything had to be moved out and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned again!

 Two weeks later the truck arrived with all the goods and we began to set up our shop!  

 Opening day was so Exciting!

Everyone was shopping!

  We were soooo busy!

 The store has become a place to relax 

and catchup with friends

 Once a retailer, always a retailer!

Our Christmas merchandise will be on the shelves for next week!  

Making Farine!

You may remember a year or so ago when the girls here at Karanambu asked me if I wanted to learn how to make Cassava Bread!! 

http://theadventuresofandreasalvador.blogspot.com.br/2011/04/making-cassava-bread.html

This morning, Benita and Auntie Doris came and asked me if I wanted to learn how to make Farine!!! 

Farine is a staple food made from cassava.

“YES YES OF COURSE!” 

They warned me that making Farine is a lot of hard work! 

 But I had NO idea how hard!

Fortunately Vanessia had already peeled and grated the Cassava. Auntie Doris told me to take the cow fat on the cloth and wipe the hot stove top, then she handed me a paddle and she handed me a bowl of the grated Cassava to put in the middle of the stove top.  She instructed me to stir continuously so the cassava would not burn.

I asked her how long we would stir the grated Cassava."WHOLE DAY!---"WHOLE DAY???" --- "WHOLE DAY!"  As she handed me another bowl of grated cassava to add to the stove top

It is very hard work, but it is also a time to talk 

and catch up with each other.  

You laugh and talk and STIR!!!

Benita's kids all came to watch. I think they were making guesses as to how long

 I would last!!

FINALLY!!!  Vanessia stepped in to give me a break!!

But Auntie Doris didn't stop, she kept going!  

When I asked her how she able to keep going, she just laughed and said, "But this is not my first time!"

 It is a HOT HOT fire underneath that stove top!

 And you have to keep the grated cassava moving 

or it will burn!

ALMOST FINISHED

In the almost three years that we have been here, 

I can honestly say that each day 

is a learning experience.  

And I LOVE IT!

RAM Guyana

What a month it has been!!  The Remote Area Medical Team, RAM Guyana www.ramguyana.org were in the North Rupununi for 10 days.  Diane is a Director on the Board of RAM Guyana. They made Karanambu their home base. 

They came by vehicle,

they came by plane and did as much medicine as they could in 10 days!

Dr. Jim, an Emergency Room Surgeon, has been to Guyana numerous times in his role as
 a RAM physician.

 Nurse Kathy, a surgical nurse specializing in double transplants, was welcomed and loved by everyone.

EMT Paul has been all over the world
 providing assistance in the midst of 
natural disasters.  
This trip was a joy in comparison.

The group was led by Patrick de Groot,(left)

Chairman of RAM Guyana

 
Dentist Atkinson Daniels of Annai, joined the team

Grover also joined the team to reassure the kids

They traveled by boat to some villages

They walked in on foot to others

They camped by the river

They bathed in the creek

And saw over 1000 patients

Katoka Village

Kwaimatta Village came to the RAM clinic

 at Karanambu

YAKARINTA VILLAGE

And nothing stopped them

REWA Village

KATOKA VILLAGE

In the midst of all of this we had a medical emergency at Karanambu.  The medical team was at Yakarinta when we received a radio call that Tedroy, the 8 year old son of Beverly & Valentine both on Karanambu staff, had fallen at school in Yupakari and received a broken arm and it was serious. The bone was exposed. We could not reach the RAM team.  So we got on Skype on our computer and put a call in to Nurse Marcian Gravesande and Terrence Trappnell the RAM pilot.   Marcy guided us through all the precautionary steps.  In the meantime the Healthcare worker in Yupakari was able to stop the bleeding and bandage the arm.  

Tedroy was brought back to Karanambu and the following morning at 7:30 a.m. the RAM plane landed at Karanambu with Nurse Gravesande aboard to take Tedroy into Georgetown for emergency surgery.

Tedroy waiting for surgery at 

St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Georgetown, Guyana

Four hours later one bone was plated, 

the other wired

 One week later, Tedroy flew home to Karanambu

The cast will come off at the end of November.  The pin will come out at the end of December and all will be well.  He has full use of arm and his fingers!!

Without RAM Guyana, 

life would have been very different for 

8 year old Tedroy Mandook.

THANK YOU RAM GUYANA! 

THANK NURSE GRAVESANDE!

This is My Karanambu...

 I was born here…this is not my Village,

 but this is my Karanambu.

I have worked here for 34 years...

this is my Karanambu.

I have been working here since 1956.

This is my Karanambu too.

I am still small, I watch my Mom 

preparing for the guests to come.

This is my Karanambu too.

I learned our birds so that 

I could share them with our guests.

This is my Karanambu.

The Giant Anteaters are wild, but I introduce them to our guests.

This is my Karanambu too.

 From the time I was small I helped my Mommy with the laundry.

This is my Karanambu too.

 I was born here too...

And this is my Karanambu!

Since the early 1930s, Karanambu has been so much to so many.  

All of us here want to make it

your Karanambu too!