Sustainability

(Written by Kaeli) 

One thing Kendra, Anne and I wanted to make sure, was that this GROW trip to Zimbabwe was sustainable and not just "voluntourism". We didn’t want to come and build something that would be obsolete once we were gone, or to so we have focused our time and efforts here on education.

Today we gave three presentations. The first was to the hospital patients and staff about chronic low back pain. We covered posture, core engagement, exercise progressions, rescue stretches to relieve pain, sleeping positioning, and lifting body mechanics. This was a fun presentation to give, especially when we asked for volunteers from the audience. There was lots of giggling when we taught pelvic control!

The second presentation was for the village healthcare workers from around the area regarding motor development and signs a child may have a developmental disorder. We emphasized teaching parents the possible causes of these disorders and that they are not to blame. We gave them a chart that they can keep for reference and Brighton told them that they could bring the children straight to him instead of going to a doctor instead, which received a round of applause. Anywhere got to share about his support group, and it wa very well received. After our meeting the village healthcare workers met amongst themselves and designed a plan for how they want to move forward with the disabled community. First they asked for more educational workshops, second they wanted to see if we could support them with bicycles for some of the workers who have to travel 10s of kilometers by foot to visit children's homes. They also wanted to raise awareness about disabilities and the support group to help reduce stigma. It seemed to me as though our meeting had started a snowball effect and a fantastic discussion. This is something for Friends of Chidamoyo or GROW to consider raising money for. It would be about $70 per bike. More to come as we assess the need.

The third presentation was the motor development info, but modified for the potentially less-educated pregnant mothers. We spoke to 56 mothers who live on the hospital campus waiting to give birth (they do this to make their birth safer, as many of them live a day away). We had a positive discussion with these women as well about the causes of developmental disorders, the importance of early medical treatment, and the ways they can support each other and reduce stigma in their communities.

A tiring day of public speaking, but we were encouraged by the enthusiasm of our audiences, and the knowledge that our work was the most sustainable it could be.