As our final week in Kisumu comes to a close, I find myself in awe of everything we’ve accomplished—and just trying to soak in the beauty of this place before we leave. I know I’ll miss watching the sunset over Lake Victoria from our apartment, walking home from the office, and spending time with the amazing SRT team.
Looking back, each week here felt like we hadn’t done much—but in reality, we’ve achieved quite a lot. Our first week was especially busy as we worked closely with Dr. Huchko and the team to finalize training materials for Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to provide HPV screening to eligible women. During weeks two and three, we attended the first round of trainings for both the control and intervention arms and saw how our preparation came to life. These trainings were often long days, but they quickly became a highlight of my SRT experience. Not only did they allow us to see the behind-the-scenes work, but they also allowed us to explore more rural areas of Kenya. One of my favorite aspects was experiencing the culture through the food served at lunch.
CHP training site and lunch
We also accompanied the research assistants (RAs) to health facilities to observe and support the CHPs. After the initial training sessions, we noticed some CHPs struggled with data collection tools and counseling clients. In response, we proposed incorporating role-plays into the training agenda. This past week, we got to observe how the addition of role-plays impacted CHP performance. According to the RAs, in just the first few days of mentorship, CHPs were already making fewer mistakes than we had seen at earlier sites. Helping to implement these role-plays—even if my role was just observing and keeping time—was a standout moment for me.
Coming to Kenya, I wanted to better understand how global health research works, and I’m grateful to have been a part of this study. One of my biggest takeaways is the importance of flexibility. This applies to almost every part of the project. For example, setting up screening and registration areas at each clinic required us to adapt on the spot. Identifying private spaces for women to self-collect samples for HPV testing was often a challenge. In one facility, we used a small storage room connected to an office; in another, due to a lack of space, the same room had to be used for both registration and screening. Every facility looked different, but we always made it work. Since arriving in Kisumu, we’ve helped facilitate screening for around 575 women across six clinics.
CHPs registering a client
Seeing how perceptive and engaged the CHPs were during training has been incredibly encouraging. I’ve come to appreciate that while working with community members can sometimes be challenging, these participants were eager and attentive. Though much of the conversation during the CHP trainings took place in Luo or Swahili, we were able to understand more during the provider trainings, where participants were more comfortable speaking in English. The providers raised thoughtful questions about the study—some of which I hadn’t even considered. Hearing their perspectives has taught me how life experiences shape how people engage with research and the world. More than anything, it reinforced how critical it is to include stakeholders in the design and ongoing refinement of studies.
An RA teaching CHPs about counseling women to complete HPV screening
I’m sad that I won’t be able to attend the remaining trainings or spend more time with the research team, especially on our long car rides to the facilities in Siaya. As we wrap up our final days, I will cherish the bonds we’ve formed and the beauty of the country around us. No two days here looked the same—and I can honestly say that SRT has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.