Chandra Brody Our People, Their Stories

By being open to visiting a place I knew nothing about and immersing myself in a new culture, I found that Rwanda was one of the most beautiful, clean and friendly countries I’ve ever experienced. Thanks to the beauty of the land and kindness of the people, I am more rounded in my career as a nurse and more grounded in my daily life.

My nursing journey began?in Dallas, Texas which offered a wealth of experiences realizing disparities in healthcare. Early on in my career I realized the importance of good healthcare and that we have many healthcare concerns here in the United States. At that time in my career, I couldn’t imagine what the health care concerns would be like in a developing country. When the opportunity presented to train and educate in Rwanda, I was very interested and excited for the opportunity.??????

The Operation?Giving Back program, which provides global humanitarian volunteer responses to the medically underserved, offered me the chance to travel to Rwanda to bring necessary medical supplies and assist with their nursing education and training. Although it was my first mission trip, traveling and experiencing other cultures has always been a passion of mine. Through my extensive travels, I have realized that we are all so much more alike than we are different.??I believe to better understand people, it is crucial to be open to learning from other cultures different from our own.????

Volunteering in a developing country presented an opportunity to not only give but to also receive and learn. I have found so?many people in the U.S. have a mental picture of what Africa is like. More often than not the picture created is not very flattering, but the minute?I arrived in Kigali, Rwanda in January of 2023, I was impressed with the cleanliness of the city, beautiful landscaping, delicious food and, most importantly, the kindness of every Rwandan that I met.??

While volunteering in Rwanda, a typical day began by being picked up between 7:30 and 8 AM by a driver that was provided by King Faisal Hospital. We would check in with hospital staff and determine what our daily schedule would be—EGD’s, ERCP’s, colonoscopies in the Theater operating room in Rwanda. We would break for lunch and continue with more patient care in the afternoon. The driver would pick us up around 4:30 or 5 PM and bring us back to the hotel.??

The healthcare system in Rwanda is incredibly well-organized. Rwanda has one of the best health care systems in Africa. The poorest citizens receive free healthcare coverage while the wealthiest citizens pay $8 per year. The majority of the costs for healthcare coverage are covered by the government and international donors. While healthcare coverage is not an issue, Rwanda has an access issue for patients living in rural areas.?Nevertheless, we have the same rural access issues here in the U.S. The major challenge that Rwanda faces is the educating and training of healthcare workers including specialists and subspecialists, and this is where Operation Giving Back comes into play.??

The physicians and other healthcare workers were extremely knowledgeable, and the patients were grateful and patient. Healthcare staff and patients alike were mindful of each other’s time, and nothing is taken for granted. Conserving of medical supplies, time and materials is a common practice for all.??

After returning from Rwanda, I continue to keep in contact with many of the people I met on my trip. When my plane landed?in the United States, I received multiple text messages making sure I returned safely. While my mission trip to Rwanda taught me to embrace new medical experiences, one does not need to travel across the world to get to know people and cultures different than their own. The United States is a melting pot. One just needs to ask a coworker, patient or even a stranger about their ethnicity, culture?or?food. We can all learn so much from one another and we all have the ability to create a more inclusive and accepting culture.????

I sincerely hope I was able to have a?positive?impact with all the doctors, nurses and patients I had the pleasure to have met in Rwanda.??They certainly had a positive, long-lasting impact on me.