Shortly after I returned from spending my summer
with RGHA in Pampas Grande I began my study abroad experience in Copenhagen,
Denmark. It was such a drastic change to go from working in an area where
quality health care is extremely limited to a welfare state, where all citizens
have access to health care that goes far beyond basic needs. While in Copenhagen, I studied public health from a global perspective, and it has made me reflect even
further on my time in Peru.
RGHA Student Leader Pippa Carey, in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she studied abroad last semester
The
majority of my time in Pampas was spent working in the clinic and on various
projects such as the sunscreen project with children either at the school or
the library. There were also green houses built and a dental project. Although
we have not solidified all of the projects to dedicate our time to each year,
we try to meet the needs of the community. Before going in with rigid ideas of
what is needed we must ask them what it is that they believe will benefit them the
most. As an organization, we must also strive to create sustainable projects
that carry on even when we leave. When serving a community, you don’t want to
have them remain completely dependent on the support of one week’s stay.
Rather, you must help create projects and initiatives that locals can take over
and spearhead for the rest of the year. This creates a beneficial partnership.
Pippa and VCU medical student Niyant Jain observing Dr. Erika Soria Leiva in the dental clinic in Pampas Grande, Peru.
During
my time in Pampas, I also realized how important is for organizations like RGHA
to maintain their relationships with the communities we work in. That means our
interactions with the locals must not be limited to the few weeks each summer
we are physically present in Pampas but must continue all year round through
constant communication and development, even when we are thousands of miles
apart.
The
trip that I went on was the 4th year that RGHA has gone to Peru. It
shows the people in Pampas Grande how dedicated the organization is to serving
their community and builds their trust in the organization. Commitment is
essential if trips like the one to Pampas are to ever succeed. The number of people
visiting the clinic surpassed any previous year. The committed volunteers
return each year to help more who have heard about the good work of the
organization. However, commitment does
not automatically equal success. When something doesn’t go as planned, it means
making the effort to create a change that benefits everyone, and trynig again.
In Pampas, that could mean trying a new system when registering patients at the
clinic or scratching one program entirely for one that may be more useful. It’s
a commitment to trying to get it right.
Commitment and teamwork
also go hand in hand. Everyone on the team has to dedicate themselves to give
their best and be willing to do whatever job comes their way. This means that
no job is too small or insignificant, whether it’s playing with a child while
his mother is being examined by the physician or organizing supplies for the
school projects. I have seen all of these characteristics with the groups I
worked with in Pampas and they inspired me to do the same.
Finally, discovering something to be passionate about is truly a priceless experience, and developing that passion requires commitment, patience and the cultivation of experiences to provide new perspectives on healthcare and service work. All of these things describe my experience with RGHA. My time in Pampas was truly a life changing one that allowed me to see healthcare in a new way and reinforced my future career goals of working in global health. As a new assistant student director of RGHA, I am excited to help plan the upcoming summer trip and continue collaborating with HOMBRE and PAN Peru to serve the Pampas community.
