Working on this research project was one of the most rewarding experiences in my college life. At the start, we were all very timid and just trying to understand the scope of the project and where we fit in. By the end, we were improving the CHP trainings and giving direct advice for the project, as well as trying to find gaps in care that we could help fill with our own research and brainstorming that hopefully could turn into its own intervention.
Even though I grew a little tired of hearing the word “mzungu” from little schoolchildren on our walks home from work everyday, I will miss Kenya and the amazing people and staff we had the pleasure of working with. The team was always open to hearing our ideas and rolling with our suggestions for training, while also being very informative about the cultural norms and helping to translate. The open pipeline of mutual learning was increasingly beneficial to both parties and reminded me of how important cross-cultural collaboration is. The CHPs commitment to the project was also surprising and inspiring. They showed up to all three days of training consistently, engaged in discussions and role-plays, and performed their jobs diligently with care for the client. They were always full of laughs, songs, and the most creative ways to appreciate each presenter that showed their gratitude.
It was also such a pleasure to work with my teammates for two months in a new place for all of us. We were all in the same boat when it came to trying to find holes that needed to be filled in our project and in Kenya in general. The hardest part of that was probably the language barrier, but we were able to focus on key words that led us to realize the eligibility requirements were difficult for the CHPs without mSaada, and we created a poster to assist. We also made a connection to a local woman that is trying to sew reusable menstrual pads to give out to young ladies in need, while also running educational health talks about menstruation and hygiene. We were lucky enough to assist in one of the talks and bonded with the young women, and we hope to continue to assist in some capacity when we leave Kenya – which of course would not have been possible without using the skills this project taught us.
