Healthcare Workshop in Malawi
Natalie travelled to Malawi in 2018 and took part in The Womens Partnership Challenge, Here she tells us what it was like running her workshops with the ladies in business…
‘Watching Natalie’s lifesaving family first aid workshop was incredible. The ladies were so pleased to have a proper resus baby to practice on too!’
Natalie’s experience lay in healthcare and this was her focus for the skill sharing workshops…
Participating in the first Orbis Women’s Challenge in May 2018 to Malawi was a huge privilege, and one of the most eye-opening, rewarding and life changing experiences I have had.
There was an amazing healthcare focussed team of Nurses on the expedition. Hannah, Rachel and I had briefly spoken beforehand about the kit we were taking out, things to consider and what we were able to offer as a collective.
As an entreprenurse and Health and Social Care Visionary, I was focused on cultural sensitivity, language and connecting with this amazing community. I was aware that my world view and life experiences were very different to the entrepreneurs. This made me nervous but excited to connect with these women.
Natalie and her workshop leaders brought over rests dolls to be left in Malawi for future training.
How we planned our session…to ensure it was useful and relevant.
We were looking forward to the training sessions. The fact that we were relative strangers to each other made it both exciting and nerve-racking. We had so many questions, unknowns and a hint of self-doubt crept in for all of us. Combine that with an audience need that we were unsure of, and three wide eyed Nurses sat at the front of the group and began our preamble about who we were, and what we did.
The nerves quickly subsided with the smiles, colourful and vibrant fabrics, generous and kind personalities, warmth and positive energy in that room. The women were interested, eager to learn and participated well in the session.
We had decided to ask the women what they wanted to know about and aimed to answer any questions that they may have for us. This made us quite nervous as we had no idea what topics would arise. Through the conversation of that session, the reality of the lived experience for the community and especially the women and children became clearer for me. There was a huge medical and social need which I still cannot quite comprehend.
Natalie brought out some hand knitted baby clothes- much needed in the colder season in Malawi.
Sourcing donations that were really useful and targeted to the many challenges facing the healthcare system
Our session had the bonus of our extra healthcare team members. Due to some generous donations and some ebay perseverance, we were able to source some resuscitation manikins for training on choking and basic life support. Needless to say, that these stole the show. I was shocked to discover that Malawi did not have any training manikins, and felt it vital to supply as many as we were able. After the sessions they were sent to the hospital alongside some other resources, to enable training for the staff at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe and beyond.
This was a special day for me, one I will never forget and one that taught me so much. Just being there, demonstrating our belief and support for these incredible women would have been enough for them. The need for support is abundant. Their willingness to learn and engage is powerful. The attitude and hope held was remarkable.
The women ended the day by singing to us and as I write I can hear the song. I have joyful tears in my eyes and warmth inside my core. The raw emotion, joy, and connection that I felt with this song, with these women, with everyone in that room warms my heart every time I think of it. Thank you, Malawi, the warm heart of Africa.
“If you believe and I believe then Malawi will be saved”
