This week’s Fist Bump Friday goes out to VL Rwanda’s COP Eugene Kiti for stepping up to train pump technician trainers in Cote d’Ivoire via Webex. Cote d’Ivoire is embarking on its first large-scale IRS campaign in 2020 and is in the process of training its seasonal workers.
After COVID-19 travel restrictions suspended all international travel in mid-March, VL’s Director of Vector Control Allan Were asked Eugene if he would be able to help. If you know Eugene, you know he didn’t hesitate to answer tical to ensuring the success of the future campaign. Participants included the pump technician trainers, the operations manager, ECO, Log and Procurement Coordinator, IEC/BCC Coordinator, Technical Manager, and Cote d’Ivoire’s COP.
From his home in Rwanda, Eugene led the participants through the training. Stay-at-home orders were already in place in Rwanda. The training participants were located in a conference room at the Cote d’Ivoire project office and maintained social distancing measures. After the training, the trainees replicated the training through practical morning sessions on how to assemble, calibrate and carry the pump as well as how to conduct the triple rinsing of the pumps.
A huge thanks to Eugene Kiti for his contribution to the larger VL team, and congratulations to Cote d’Ivoire for keeping things moving toward a successful IRS campaign.