Christine volunteered with us in July/August of 2022 and traveled to the small town of Yala (north-west of Kisumu). During her time Chrstine was able to provide high quality health care and share her skills, knowledge and empower Kenyan health staff.
Christine has always enjoyed traveling within Australia but had never traveled overseas before. It was a privilege for us to host her on her first international trip and we were thrilled by her confidence in World Youth International in providing such a structured program that Christine “felt supported all through the preparation process” to then travel to Yala.
When asked what appealed most about traveling on a GAP Program Christine said, “A similar question was asked frequently by the nurses and Midwives at Yala public hospital, “why did you choose to work here?
I responded that I am fortunate to work in Australia and to experience such wonderful healthcare, and I have also been very fortunate in my career with our State and Federal governments education incentive allowances that have enabled me to continue with my career choices. So I explained that now was a good time to give back to a community, and support community developments.”
What were some key highlights of your trip? And, what was your most memorable experience?
“I enjoyed the challenges of working in an environment that was different to my work life experiences in Australia. There were many challenges of working as a midwife and living in a culturally linguistically diverse community, but for me this was a highlight and such a memorable experience. Also at the end of my time at Yala I went to the Masai Mari, [it was] absolutely amazing, [and had an] abundance of wildlife.”
What would you say to other nurses, midwives or healthcare professionals who are thinking of applying for a GAP Program?
“Absolutely go for it, and take a friend or colleague with you. You will return home so much more rewarded from the experiences, The GAP program is a safe and organised way to work and travel and become part of the community.”
If you’re also passionate about traveling and utilising your skills to give back to our global community, we’d love for you to join us on our next GAP or Nurses in Action Program! To register and find out more please visit: https://worldyouth.org.au/volunteer
