Hola todos! Me llamo Kayla. Soy
un voluntario de Fundación Amos este verano. The previous two sentences serve as the introduction that I have
possessed for the past three weeks here in Nicaragua; what an amazing three
weeks that it has been!
The first three weeks have served as the
practicum portion of our time here (“our” refers to Abrania Marrero, Jennifer
Babjak, and I). They have been filled
with learning all the fundamental knowledge that every public health worker
should to successfully work in the field; there has also been information that
specifically helps individuals that are from a more advantaged country or more privileged
background work with disadvantaged people in a manner that allows for the
empowerment of both groups and not a continuation of the trend of
paternalism. The practicum has also
included a week of application of the newly learned knowledge in the rural
community of San Jose de la Mula, Matiguas, Matagalpa, Nicaragua; the experience
was one that has cemented the importance of understanding the context of a
community’s culture when implementing public health interventions. On a
personal level, it also served as a sign of reassurance that public health is
the area of science/ health in which I can invest time into and receive a
feeling of fulfillment. It is also clear to me that the field can be both academically
stimulating and emotionally rewarding because of the fact that research and collecting
data requires monitoring and evaluation, which requires social connection and
emotional investment ( if done correctly).
The weeks of the practicum have also included many
fun moments that have most definitely allowed me to really fall in love with
Nicaragua and its amazingly resilient people. I have had the pleasure to see some
of the lush, tropical landscape that makes up Nicaragua. The first two weekends
we were able to travel to both Leon and Granada, which capitals during
Nicaragua’s colonial period. The second weekend also featured a trip to the beach
at Laguna de Apoyo.
As the remaining six weeks of my
time here in Nicaragua begin, I am excited to jump into my internship with
women’s empowerment; It is my hope that I am able to help make a difference in
the maternal and child health of La Danta (the community we will work in)
during the time period while also being empowered myself.
Hasta la
proxima vez,
Kayla Nicole
Somerville
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