We all missed Ruth , she was a wonderful young woman and very intelligent young midwife as well . Thank you so much Ruth.

February, 2024 – closing report

A farewell party was thrown for me at Fatou’s clinic and I have now landed safely back in Europe. The four months have flown by. I was able to learn and experience a lot and become part of the family in Kunkujang Keitaya, for which I am very grateful.

I was able to learn a lot in the delivery room, prenatal care and all other settings in the clinic. Of course, I gained a wealth of knowledge during my midwifery training in Germany. In The Gambia, I got to know a “different” healthcare system. Procedures and standards are difficult to compare, because the conditions, working methods and available resources are not comparable either. During birthgivings, when placing flexible tubes, when refilling ultrasound gel… the winner here is the one who is creative and flexible. An experienced midwife has knowledge of neonatology and gynecology. A doctor is very knowledgeable in the various specialist areas. So I was able to learn a lot of exciting things.

At the same time, I hope to have left a few traces. Through small teachings, classes, with women, but also with schoolgirls and by attaching disinfectant holders. In my opinion, learning with and from each other, the exchange and discussions are the biggest and most important effect of volunteering.

I also had the chance to become part of a large and incredibly warm community. As I practically lived next door to the clinic, I automatically spent a lot of time with all the local people alongside my work. These are quite a few: the clinic staff; all the children of the Darra next door and the associated staff. Also the teachers; women who clean and are called “best friends” by Fatou; the “security”, some of whom became my best friends. And not to forget Fatou’s large and wonderful family. I will never forget the time and many people.

My dear thank goes to Gesundheit und Bildung Gambia e.V./ Health and Education Gambia Association for making my volunteering possible and being with me through the time.

October 2023:
For the next 4 months I will live and work here, experience enrichment and exchange, gain more experience, share knowledge. I am working with Hadi, a nurse and midwife, who is training me warmly and open-mindedly and who likes to learn crafts from me as well. I am looking forward and am excited about what the next time will bring.

November 2023:
I have been at Fatou’s clinic for a month now and would like to share with you an excerpt from my private newsletter in which I briefly report on the nurses at the clinic. If you are interessed in the ful story, pls contact my the NGO for which I am working, Gesundheit und Bildung Gambia e.V. in Germany.

Nurses and nursing students – There are usually 4 nurses working a morning shift from 8 am to 2 pm (practically 9 am to 3 pm). I have become very fond of these 4 women. I buy breakfast with them, we prepare it together and eat together, if work permits. Sometimes we eat breakfast no earlier than 12 o’clock. They answer all my questions, tell me about their marriages, families and pregnancies – they’re not much older than me. Awa has taken me to visit her family, cooked with me and would love to show me the whole country. When I sleep late in the mornings because of night-time births, someone comes to check on me to make sure everything is okay. There is a great deal of care and attentiveness between people. And not just because I’m a guest and a Tubab (white person).

There are always between 4 and 10 nursing students on a service, who have little obstetric knowledge. I have started to prepare small teachings for the students. Topics such as: Newborn care, antenatal care and women’s health. They are very interested and have been listening intently so far.

translated with the help of http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)