You will go to work, here is some information and thoughts that we want to share with you:
BEFORE LEAVING :
Notify the receiving association of your arrival time and flight number. If you are traveling by taxi or by train, choose a departure time as you arrive before night at your destination (in West Africa it is dark at 18:30).
Make sure before you leave (Air France, specialized hospitals like Salpetriere in Paris, vaccination centers, Institut Pasteur …) that you have received the necessary vaccinations.
Also make sure you have a passport and visa in order ….
HEALTH
TAKE YOUR OWN INFORMATION FROM COMPETENT PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY DURING THE VISIT TO YOUR DOCTOR FOR THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF ABILITY TO WORK ON A SITE.
As you know, a number of precautions must be taken with regard to health in a country in Africa, Asia or Latin America.
We recommend that you inform yourself for example at the Salpetriere hospital in Paris, in the vaccination centers …
Ask a doctor if the area you are traveling to requires you to take an antimalarial.
Take-away medicine kit: basically, you have to provide:
necessary to disinfect and heal: wounds become infected quickly in tropical countries, always protect them from a dressing
Adhesive bandages (against bulbs that need to be treated quickly, provide gloves!)
products against digestive disorders, anti diarrhea
– vitamins C
– aspirin or something else against fever
– repellents and ointment against itching (mosquitoes …)
– wet wipes
We draw your attention to the risk of disease transmission (eg viral hepatitis, AIDS, …) due to the multiple use of syringes and blood transfusions. If necessary (before surgery), you can ask for an autotransfusion preceded by a blood sample.
Water: avoid as much water as possible (risks of amebiasis and typhoid), including apparently pure spring water. If possible, wash the raw vegetables and fruits with the correct water. It is recommended not to consume ice cream or skewered offal (faith, heart, kidneys) that may be infected.
Also think, in some areas, that by walking in the water, barefoot, one can catch schistosomiasis. Do not bathe anywhere (polio …), do not immerse your head.
Sun: hat and essential sunglasses – do not discover too much.
Vaccines: some are legally required. It depends on each country for example yellow fever in Burkina. You have to find out in a specialized hospital. In any case, the following vaccines are recommended: tetanus, typhoid, paratyphoid, polio.
Insects, Snakes, Scorpions & Co.: There are in almost all areas where you will go a number of nasty critters that you have to know how to protect themselves. You must be wary of grass and bushes, rocks and rocks that are lifted (wear gloves and do not sit anywhere).
For this reason, we recommend you to wear solid and climbing shoes which have the advantage of protecting you also from the blows due to the work on the building site. You have to protect your legs by something thick enough. As for scorpions (especially in North Africa but also in other dry areas), do not forget that they have an unfortunate tendency to spend the night in shoes (shake your shoes in the morning!).
On the other hand, if the site is isolated, you can check with the person in charge that precautions are taken with regard to suitable anti-poisonous serums if necessary and that the evacuation to a health center is planned.
Finally, you can check here with a doctor the absence of allergy to insect bites or other, and see with him the useful protections to provide.
Handling tools: you are not professionals. Remember to keep a reasonable distance from other volunteers on the job site where you will be working. Especially when handling picks, ensure good spacing to avoid accidents. Keep yourself away from earthmoving machinery.