AMREF Global Health Do you have a favourite quote? What is it?


“


Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.


– Ernest Hemingway Could you tell us about the work that you do?


I took part in the CIDA funded International Youth Internship Program (IYIP) for six months with the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF), an organization that does health care in African communities. I went to Uganda and played a role in the AMREF Uganda country office based mostly out of the capital, Kampala, but had lots of opportunities to go to the north and east and spend time in the field. I did operational research and provided support to their monitoring and evaluation department through developing tools, going to the field, observing existing projects, and helping guide the research process.


One example of an evaluation we did was of the inaugural e-Learning Midwifery program which let midwives upgrade their skills while continuing their work in health centres. I helped AMREF determine best practices so they could introduce the improved


”


program to an additional eight schools. Having trained midwives is so important in Uganda because of the high rate of maternal deaths. I also trained and coordinated some of our organization’s partners in doing a three-district assessment of maternal health and family planning in Eastern Uganda.


Who/what has been the biggest influence to you and why?


I would have to say that it is my parents. They are both immigrants from Poland, and they both have that spirit of “always keep trying, always stay engaged, always keep looking for new opportunities.” My dad believes that this period of your life is all about writing the story for the rest of your life. Every obstacle, every success, every adventure just makes for a better story later on down the road. When they heard I wanted to do development work half-way around the world they were both very encouraging.


YMCA of Greater Toronto Sustainable Agriculture


What makes you want to get into this type of work? What was the catalyst?


A catalyst happens every day for


me, when I read the news or simply walk down the street and witness the injustice of poverty and inequality. I am outraged by such injustice, but I’m equally impassioned to remedy it. It is human instinct that tells me that things can and must be better, that equality and peace are ideals to strive towards. And there sure is no shortage of stories of hope to back up that instinct!


What advice do you have for young people that feel disengaged?


Start small. Be patient with yourself. Always practice self-love as that is the foundation for everything. Go for a walk and discover your community on foot. What do you see? What is happening?


What is missing? What makes you upset? What intrigues you? Read lots, especially fiction! Let it take you away and then bring you back. Read the news, but don’t let it bog you down. Enjoy music, art, dance, theatre and whatever else that moves you. Make time for personal reflection to


consider how you fit into the world, your values, your ideals, your visions, etc. Find a mentor. They can be a friend, a relative, a peer, or a teacher. Surround yourself with friends and peers that inspire you and are interested in the same things that you are. Pick an issue that interests you. Go out and find people working on that issue. Volunteer with an organization of your choice.


Could you tell us about the work that you do?


Currently I am in a transition period after having finished my undergrad and then doing an internship with the YMCA. I’m trying to decide what to do next, whether to continue traveling, seek out mentorship opportunities, or do more formal schooling.


In


general, my work has been and will continue to be focused on social justice and environmental sustainability.


iAM March 2014 13


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42