This time last year I volunteered for a medical mission trip to Malawi with Villages in Partnership, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to medical treatment and quality of life for those in need abroad. Over the span of the 10 days that I spent there, we created 4 clinics that served 5,000 patients.
Upon arrival there was a rumor about the government clinics running out of malaria medicine. On the second day of clinic work myself, 2 Malawi medics, and a nurse practitioner were able to help suffering patients with the appropriate treatment. At one point we ran out of malaria test strips so we had to treat empirically for the symptoms until they brought new ones from another clinic.
Spending 10 days in an unfamiliar country that is vastly different from what you are accustomed can be difficult, but I’ve learned a lot from the people of Malawi, and they’ve appreciated the work we did for them. From living in their environment with tough conditions, to eating their food, and going to their churches, it makes me so incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to go and volunteer to help them.
Learn more about my experiences here.