You have been referred to this blog by somebody I know and love, or you are one of those people. I invite you to come on a journey with me through Africa.
First, let me introduce myself: My name is Jana. When I was young I dreamed of becoming a doctor, for all the clichéd reasons: to make a difference... And now I get to live my dream.
In the final year of my B. Medicine/ B. Surgery Degree I've chosen to work for two months overseas in the third world- Starting in The Republic of Tanzania and ending in the townships (slums) of Cape Town, South Africa. In Tanzania I will be working with the African healthcare teams in obstetrics and ENT/pediatrics in the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital of Zanzibar. This literally translates to 'one coconut hospital', rumour has it that this is about the extent of their resources, just 'one coconut'. Then in Cape Town I will be working with an NGO called SHAWCO. They have provided free mobile medical clinics for decades to the poorest of adults and children in Cape Town. SHAWCO runs mostly on donation from medics and medical students, whom most also work for free for the organisation.
We will be taking medical supplies through an organisation called MSAP (Medical Student's Aid Project). These things can make a big difference to people's lives and without donation the hospital and the clinics could not afford them.
I figure that no donation, no thought, no action is too small to help. That's what gives me the impetus to go to Africa. It seems like such a big place with so many health problems and few resources, but "In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love." It's at least a beginning
My Deepest Thanks,
Jana
