In my last blog, I explained you
Doctor without Borders (Medicines Sans Frontieres) from historical perspective
and their fundamental idea, policy and activity. So this time, I would like to
introduce the voice of this organization’s staffs.
So I will talk about Ms. Matsumoto
Akiko who has participated in their activity many times. Her position is a
nurse or field research coordinator in this organization. Each time the end of
the work, she fills out a questionnaire. So I translate it from Japanese into English
and show the part of it to you.
Sending state: Nigeria
l Why did you
participate in the project that dispatches you to foreign countries?
Because, after I had joined
various projects of other organizations for a few years, I thought that I want
to participate in a program that treat malnourished children and an emergency
aid project.
l What kind of work did
you do? What kind of experience is useful in the activity?
I had experienced various
works for about 8 years in Japan. For example, treatment in an emergency
hospital, going into action by a doctor car, nursing of internal medicine,
surgery, neurosurgery, relaxation care, pediatrics, orthopedics department,
gynecologist, cardiovascular internal medicine and so on. And I acquired MPH
(Master of Public Health) in foreign country.
In 1995, a great
earthquake occurred in Hanshin and Awaji area. At that time, I was a victim,
but I was also position to do emergency aid. I learned that we can help people
even if we cannot use water, gas, electricity and the newest medical
instruments and we, human have a great power. I make use of this experience to
life and activity in foreign countries.
l What kind of project
did you participate in this time? What kind of duties did you do?
In this dispatch, my
role was starting on research project and handing it over to next staffs. I
connected malnutrition to other disease and research a way to prevent people
from malnutrition by using a nourishing food to cure (RVTF) and a small amount
of nutrient powder (MNP).
l Please tell me home
environment at the actual location.
We had air-conditioners
installed in each room, because temperature in Nigeria was beyond 50 degree
during the day. I had to live with 14 staffs, so there were many opinions about
a meal. It was difficult for us to fit opinion like some wanted to eat only
vegetable, but others wanted to eat meats every day. We divided into teams and
cooked, so meals were rich in variety. It was fun.
l What are you doing
after this project?
I stay in France to
acquire franchise, because if I can speak franchise, I can help more people in
various areas.
l Good things, Bad
things
Good: I could meet
good company.
Bad: Children dead of
diseases that should be able to recover.
l Please give some
advice to people who want to join this activity in the future.
If you want to do it,
you should try! I think you should judge whether you can continue or not after
you do and feel it actually. You cannot know without doing. I think you will be
able to discover who you are.
I
could understand how people can join MFS from this, and I really respect her. She
even studies Franchise now because she wants to help more people. I want to
something to support their work!
it is interesting form of the blog... it seems like an article on the internet news corner. i feel something is missing... something...
ReplyDeleteyour blog is interesting for me because im also interseted in their practices since i read a book about them in my high school days. as she said in her interview, i felt aquring language skills is useful to realize the harsh realities in various countries, because there could be many feelings and opinions which we can describe with only our each native language. what i should do now is learnig many languages in GS life!
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