World Youth International

As Registered Nurse Rosie sat at the airport waiting to board her flight home from Kenya, she couldn’t help but reflect on her journey. From delivering healthcare in Odede, travelling Zanzibar to Tanzania through the Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti finishing in Nairobi, the Nurses in Action program was nothing short of transformative for Rosie.

Read on as Rosie shares her experiences:

A Journey of Transformation

"I came with an open mind, and a goal to make a difference. I think what has happened is the Odede community and my experience has made a huge difference to me. Their strength, resilience, smiles, happiness, laughter, friendliness, stoicism, and welcoming spirit is contagious wherever you go. Even with the children waving and yelling ‘Amosi’ and wanting to give you a ‘hi-five’ whenever and wherever you go even while going running in the morning. It’s beautiful and I miss it."

Unforgettable Moments

"I had several highlights, although I have one that stands out from all the rest. I had the opportunity to deliver a beautiful healthy baby boy at Mama Ann’s… this is something that I will never forget. I had tears running down my face when I congratulated the mum and put her baby boy on her chest, witnessing this was a bittersweet moment. Not being a midwife but being able to support this amazing lady through labour and bring new life into the world is a moment I will treasure forever. I was (and still am) in awe of her strength during this."

“Another highlight of the program was the community placements and Health Camps. Educating and empowering the community on all sorts of health issues had a massive impact on me. I felt I was making that small difference to not one but a community of people. These had a huge impact on my experience and time in Kenya. Being welcomed into their homes with cups of tea while we helped them with their aches, pains and health concerns while checking their vital signs, chatting with them, giving them some analgesia, and doing what we could with what we had whether it even meant referring them onto a facility for further tests or treatment, they are always so grateful and appreciative of the smallest of gestures - and would thank you profusely.”

Challenges and Growth

“The experience has influenced me as a nurse and person. There were some elements of the program where my compassion, empathy, and beliefs, were stretched and I had to overcome some challenges in seeing poverty firsthand. Families unable to afford for their loved ones to have oxygen while they are in hospital. A lack of resources and trying to understand a very different health system. I knew this prior to going on the program but witnessing this firsthand, I had feelings that I had failed as a nurse and who I am, and I felt like I wasn’t helping enough and that I was not making a difference. My extremely supportive Team Leader gently reminded me that the fact that I was there and every time I put my scrubs on, I am making a difference."

"These challenges have only enabled me to be more resilient and more appreciative of what we have in Australia not only professionally, but in day-to-day life as well. It has also empowered me to return to Kenya and continue to support, educate, and make what seems to me only a small difference, but to them it’s much more.”

Bonds and Memories

“There aren’t enough words to describe how much I loved my time in Kenya, the food the culture, the community spirit, the laughter and the incredible memories and impact it has had on me. It was life changing and I hope I can inspire others to do the same. I can’t wait to go back.”

Thank you, Rosie, for everything you did to provide care and education to communities living in poverty while on your program, but also for your continuous dedication to nursing in Australia.

To learn more about Nurses In Action, click here.