We were incredibly lucky to be working with the team during some crucial moments of their work. These were moments that had been in the works for months, finally coming to fruition. During our stay, the team was constantly looking to the next visit to the field, always another big day on the horizon. This, of course, meant that their focus had to be set in the short term.
With everyone’s attention on these big moments, we found it easy to lose sight of some of the work that, while no less important, was less pressing. It quickly became clear that this was an opportunity for us fill in. Much of our time became focused on preparing for the future. We did some of the groundwork for future phases of studies, building tools that will hopefully be integral to their work, but which will not be used for quite a while. We were able to work on the app that will be used by Community Health Promoters, guides to be used during training, and automated data analysis processes to reduce repetitive tasks.
At the beginning of our involvement with this project, it was easy to be discouraged by the concept of working on such distant tasks, especially once we saw all the more urgent work that the team had. The weeks passed in a flash, and we came to understand how important it was that this groundwork exists before the moment comes when the team needs it. The urgent work is not always the same as the important work. Having the capacity to work on both urgent and important work simultaneously is difficult for such a busy team, so we were thrilled to be able to offer that support.
“We came to understand how important it was that this groundwork exists before the moment comes when the team needs it. The urgent work is not always the same as the important work.”
In retrospect, this is a lesson we were warned about before even arriving in Kenya. In our preparations, we discussed all the small parts of research that can seem small or unimportant in the moment, but that build up and are really crucial in the long run. Despite the preparation, that was something that really couldn’t set in before seeing it firsthand. Now, it’s a lesson I will carry with me throughout my future work.
I’m sure there were a myriad of similar lessons that truly had the opportunity to sink in through our experience, whether that be our work or life in Kenya more broadly. Some of them might be less immediately obvious as we reflect on our time here, but I’m sure they’ll make themselves known with time. I’m excited to see how my time in Kisumu will impact my work and life in the future. We had a great time, met some wonderful people, and hope we get the opportunity to go back soon!
