Being only able to obtain a medical license for 1 month, the clinical portion of my international placement has yet to begin. During my first month in Zimbabwe, I’ve been learning about certain social determinants of health through work with the Susan Janetti’s Gecko Society. After raising funds and collecting various donated items ranging from computers to carpentry equipment, medical supplies, clothing, and many other, a large metal container is filled and brought from Vancouver to Harare. Once in Zim, Susan goes to different predetermined areas to drop off the donations. One of these is the Center for Total Transformation, where I spent most of the month.
The CTT is a privately funded NGO caring for vulnerable children, most of who are orphans or come from abusive homes. At the center, the children receive 2 meals per day and attend class from 9 to 1pm.
These hours unfortunately cannot be extended, as some have to walk for 4 hours to reach the center. The education received is informal, as the school hasn’t obtained the needed credentials due to lack of funding. The children do however complete the needed 7 subjects and grades which could possibly allow them to pass the required exams on continue to higher education.
The center has a medical clinic, built by the Gecko Society, and a social worker is always present to advocate for the children. Unemployment being an important issue in Zimbabwe, with rates varying between 90-98% depending on the source, the center has also opted to teach children specific skills which would allow them to earn a living. A local artist teaches them to make beautiful cards which are then sold abroad, and the goal of Susan’s current visit was to build a carpentry and sewing workshop. Thanks to 2 Canadian carpenters and 3 Zimbabwean workers, these were built in 20 days and fully equipped with various tools, materials and 9 sewing machines.
I quickly realized the most important thing the center offers to the children is a safe haven for the day, where they can escape their rough reality.
I went with the carpenters to the CTT every morning and taught the children about various health topics. On my first day, I was asked to teach primary students the same day. I quickly thought of a talk on hygiene and nutrition in my mind while walking towards a large gazebo usually used as an assembly area. There, about 200 children were sitting calmly on the concrete floor. They remained attentive throughout the whole 1-hour course despite their limited knowledge in English (and my limited teaching experience), always eager to participate when prompted. These were children who visibly wanted to be in school and learn. During my talk, I met certain determined gazes that I simply won’t forget. I felt them latch to every notion I could teach.
During the following weeks, I taught High School students about reproductive health, women’s health, first aid and basic anatomy. I got to know a few students throughout the weeks and learned about their impressive resiliency through their personal stories.
Through my work at the CTT, I witnessed how poverty affects many children of Zimbabwe, stripping them from safe homes, proper education and even parents as many become ill at a young age and cannot afford to seek medical attention. I saw the effects of malnutrition, often surprised to learn the age of children who looked half their age due to stunting. Because some children didn’t have proper housing, many students were absent during rainy days of this wet season, as they didn’t have dry clothes to wear, or had to help repair their flooded home. We traveled to different villages throughout the month, listening to countless stories of misfortune due to the current economic situation in the country. The common theme is everyone’s speech however is hope. All have remarkable faith in the future. And I can easily say I’ve never seen so many smiles in one month.
