Hello! I am really excited (and slightly terrified!) about going to work in Ethiopia from the 27th July 2013. I will be working with the VSO via the RCOG Fellowship Scheme.

 

I have wanted to volunteer like this for so long and cannot believe that the time is finally here!! I will be working there for 6 months with the option to extend if all is going well...!

 

Where will I be?

I will be working in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of Gondar Hospital, in Northern Ethiopia which serves a population of 3 million people!

 

What will I be doing?

I will be teaching doctors and midwives and helping to develop the Obs and Gynae Department and Midwifery Masters Program of Gondar University. I will be strengthening the system of the Obs and Gynae Department for improved patient care. I will be supporting the development of in service training.

 

Please help – if any of you has any experience of working in Developing Countries I would love to hear from you.

Also if anyone is willing to be an “On-line helpline” if I have any medical questions – please also let me know!! 

 

Why am I going?

Ethiopian Stats....

676 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births (2011).
(11.39 per 100,000 maternities in the UK)

25,000 women die in childbirth every year (UNFPA).
(Approx 87 in UK)

500,000 women suffer long term disabilities due to complications during pregnancy, delivery of postpartum period (UNFPA). 

300,000 babies die annually. (2009 demographic and health survey)

The Ethiopian Government has been working to improve the situation but the "Maternal Mortality is still unacceptably high" (HSDP III)

 

Please Donate!!

I am not doing a specific "thing - i.e. run with pants on head / sit in beans / shave head" as all the preparation and training I'm doing for this plus what I'll be doing when I get there is a massive challenge in itself...

 

Where the money goes.

VSO ask if every volunteer can raise £1500. The money does not fund me directly but goes into the VSO 'pot' that they distribute according to areas of greatest need. This is the best way for them to receive contributions as it allows them to direct it into any of the programmes that they co-ordinate rather than just to a specific project.

I will receive only a “local wage” while I am there (approx £100/month) which will allow me to live like an average person over there. (I don’t think this will stretch to allowing Ribena but hopefully they may have an alternative or Jacob will have to fill his luggage with squash when he comes to visit!!)

 

Thank you soooooo much if you can donate.

 

Fiona

 

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