Where There Is No Doctor 2011
6. PRACTICE WHAT YOU TEACH.
People are more likely to pay
attention to what you do than what you
say. As a health worker, you want to take
special care in your personal life and
habits, so as to set a good example for
your neighbors.
Before you ask people to make
latrines, be sure your own family
has one.
Also, if you help organize a work
group—for example, to dig a common
garbage hole—be sure you work and
sweat as hard as everyone else.
Good leaders do not
tell people what to do.
They set the example.
PRACTICE WHAT YOU TEACH.
(Or who will listen to you?)
7. WORK FOR THE JOY OF IT.
If you want other people to take part in improving their village and caring for
their health, you must enjoy such activity yourself. If not, who will want to follow
your example?
Try to make community work projects fun. For example, fencing off the public
water hole to keep animals away from where people take water can be hard work.
But if the whole village helps do it as a ‘work festival’—perhaps with refreshments
and music—the job
will be done quickly
and can be fun.
Children will work
hard and enjoy it, if
they can turn work
into play.
You may or may not
be paid for your work. But
never refuse to care, or
care less, for someone who
is poor or cannot pay.
This way you will win your
people’s love and respect.
These are worth far
more than money.
WORK FIRST FOR THE PEOPLE—NOT THE MONEY.
(People are worth more.)
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