#africanimpact

[outofoffice-jenx-blog]

“Might Just Never Come Back...” 05/06/17

This month saw my year anniversary (wut) of the day I first left for Cape Town. This post was ironically captioned “Running away to SA for a month, might just never come back”. Who’d have though a 4 weeks adventure would have landed me the most rewarding opportunity and moved me across the world? So not me. Lesson learned - Take. The. Chance. 

[ecosoul-um]

The African Impact

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[katitrexei]

confess your biggest dream

A few years ago, around 4, I had the feeling that my life didn't have any meaning. I was in a very dark period, so I was looking for something to make my life meaningful again.

After extensive research, inner and outer, I found an organization running in Africa with the mission to create a viable and conservative environment in the respective area. During that period, there was one program that I loved with all my heart. The goal was to create a solid education and health infrastructure in an area named Livingstone.

I enquired to learn more about the volunteer activities of the program, applied, and got accepted. That was perhaps the greatest time of my life.

That was neither a spontaneous nor impulsive decision, so I started preparing to depart. I took the medical exams, talked with the Greek Embassy in SA concerning the necessary papers, and the only thing missing was to inform friends and family. As you can understand, things were hard, and after great pressure, I decided to postpone this journey.

I hope one day to find the strength and the courage and take this step. Talking with people who aspire to such amazing values was an unforgettable experience.

*Anyone interested to learn more, feel free to reach out. I still have some connection there, and who knows? Maybe you can make it*

[janientjie]

@frankwildlife • • • • • • A Gaint Elephant bull and a average sized Warthog sharing a drink. In the dry season spending time at permanent water sources can be very rewarding. A variety of different species will generally gather around and sometimes presenting great and unique photographic opportunities. #krugernationalpark#africanature#africanamazing#africanimpact#african_portraits#wildlife_of_africa#getawaymagazine#amazingshots_africa#africageo#africageophoto#krugerthroughmyeyes#onlyafrica#wu_africa#loves_southafrica#krugermagazine#wildlifephotogtaphic#wildplanetphotomag#natgeoafrica#gamedrive#visualsofafrica#big_cats_nature_photography#visualsofsouthafrica#krugerexplorer#ig_of_southafricans#our_planet_wildlife#WildAboutAfrica https://www.instagram.com/p/CHKO-d-gYuI/?igshid=1ahknwu8fkvw

[caitlynsmagellan2019-blog]

Day #9: The Lab

In the Limuru clinic, not only do they offer surgical and maternal care, but they also have their own phlebotomy station, x-ray facility, and lab.  The lab technician was kind enough to show me the different tests that they are able to perform including full hematocrits, HIV/TB tests, urine and stool sampling, and other various tests.  The picture above is the technician showing me how they determine blood types in the hospital.  It was so interesting to me because I was able to observe her obtaining the blood sample from the patient as well as running the test and seeing the immediate results.  In my high school microbiology class, we actually did the same type of procedure for determining our own blood types, so it was incredible to have some background on what she was doing and seeing it put into practice.

[caitlynsmagellan2019-blog]

Day #3: The Market

I spent my morning in the clinic observing more births and doing other various tasks such as helping to making disinfecting pads for cleaning.  I was also able to help clean the newborns and get them dresses and swaddled while the doctors tended to the mothers.  Around lunch time we left the clinic to go check out the town of Limuru.  Everyday Wednesday and Saturday they have their equivalent of a farmer’s market, but this market stretched nearly the whole length of the town with venders selling everything from fresh produce to bulk grains and beans, clothes, shoes, and handbags.  Interestingly, plastic shopping bags are banned here in Kenya, so everyone does their shopping with reusable woven bags made by women in the community.  Everyone here is so friendly, even if they’ve never met a person before, everyone always says hello in passing on the streets, including to foreigners like myself.  They were so kind to us and so willing to let us ask questions and take pictures of their stands.  I have never seen so much food in one place, nor have I ever experienced anything like the dynamic of this incredible community.

[caitlynsmagellan2019-blog]

Day #2: The Clinic Today was my first day in the clinic and it was a truly incredible experience. The clinic is quite small in comparison to the hospitals in America. They have one hallway for the women’s ward, one hallway for the men’s ward, a maternity wing, a small HIV wing, and a general triage area. I had the opportunity today to observe a Caesarean section in the OR, a natural birth, and a shoulder re-location. Most of the C-sections only receive one epidural and it is not uncommon for the naturals births to occur with no medication at all. The strength that these women have is unbelievable and watching them during labor has been such an eye opening experience. There are so many things that are taken for granted in America that we wouldn’t even think twice about having. But here, these women are able to endure long, unmedicated labor with the support of only one or two nurses in the room and still manage bring the most beautiful babies into this world with nothing short of a smile filled with love for this tiny person. Tomorrow, Lena and I are going to the clinic again and were hoping to go into the town to see the town marketplace and enjoy the local food and culture.

[outofoffice-jenx-blog]

Thank You Sports Project

To back where it all began. Never did I think signing up to a 4 week Sports Development volunteer experience would land me the most amazing opportunity and become my entire life ever since. So so lucky.