Why hello again! Today is Wednesday, August 16th, 2023. This was the Ukweli 2023 team’s tenth full day in Sierra Leone.
We finally got Institutional Review Board approval! Before we get ahead of ourselves, we will catch you up on our morning leading up to the exciting news. Our morning kicked off with a dose of anticipation as we geared up to join Edwi Abu’s screening team for a firsthand look at the cervical cancer screening process in various peripheral health units. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed by 7:30 AM, we eagerly awaited the adventure ahead. However, fate had other plans; our hopes were dashed when the driver failed to show up. A disappointing start, for sure, but we are not new to this game. We decided not to let this setback hold us down.
With our plans for the morning unexpectedly freed up, Reeza Chaulagain, Brooke Lee, and Lorraine Rwasoka took the opportunity to tag along with the Fighting Nutrition in Sierra Leone team. Sterling Salmini took the morning to rest. Their team’s goal was to gather ingredients for some delicious muffins. The first stop was Mohammed Jawara’s shop, followed by a quick grocery store visit. The journey then led to their bakery which was a fascinating glimpse into another team’s everyday world. We struck up conversations with the friendly neighbors next door. The neighborhood aunties, kids, and even a baby who wasn’t quite sure about us made us feel very welcome. Kudos to Lorraine for soothing the baby who was terrified of Brooke, a superhero moment for sure.
Reeza made the most of the change in scenery. She teamed up with Abby Schwartz to peel ginger for their muffins. Crossing the road, the team discovered a bench area that doubled as a massive checkers board. As it turns out, checkers is called “draft” in Sierra Leone. Despite our best efforts, the local pros had us beat. The day took an exciting turn as the team reunited with Sterling, who brought fantastic news: the Institutional Review Board had given us the green light. With that hurdle cleared, we dove headfirst into preparations for our interviews tomorrow. Time is of the essence, considering we’re on a tight seven-day schedule to wrap everything up. Recognizing the challenges ahead, we made a strategic decision to bring in the Sickle Cell Education & Diagnostic team’s translator. With three translators in our corner, the four of us can navigate interviews and transcriptions more efficiently. We are ensuring no stones are left unturned before our departure tomorrow morning.
In some final preparation this afternoon, we went over how to use each recording device and firmly solidified our interview questions–pretty good for a single day’s work. As for dinner, we hear Khanjan is cooking up chickpeas again, which we always look forward to because it’s his specialty. On top of everything, we get to pick up our shirts and skirts from the tailors. We can now conduct our interviews in style, haha. While the morning didn’t go as planned, it unfolded into an unexpected journey of small connections and flexibility. As the pieces fell into place, we discovered the true essence of adaptability and teamwork that we’ve grown in navigating Sierra Leone. These lessons are invaluable in our mission to make the most out of every situation.
Until next time, yours truly,
Ukweli 2023