Dar & the Pilot, thus far.

Jambo!

The team is all together now, as our remaining teammates have finally arrived. With this, we have been very busy for the past week. We have been working with our MUHAS counterparts, faculty advisors, and staff to revise the study questionnaires. We have also been meeting to figure out the study protocol, procedures for the pilot study, and organizing the logistics for implementation.

Although there is much to be done, it has been a rewarding experience to work with such a diverse group of students and faculty. Since our teams are comprised of people from various professional backgrounds, we have been able to learn a lot from each other. One of the most rewarding experiences is to be able to get to know our student counterparts from MUHAS. As a group, we have worked to identify challenges and solutions. One of the greatest challenges has been how to locate participants for the surveys, since there is no overarching governmental board that maintains official records of its health professionals. We have also had opportunities to review the key professional competencies needed to deliver effective health services throughout Tanzania. Next week, we will begin training and piloting the tracer study in preparation for launching the study.

Dar es Salaam, which translates to ‘haven of peace’, is nestled on the east coast of Tanzania, right on the Indian Ocean. It is the largest city in Tanzania, making it the unofficial capital of the country. The location of the city lends itself to many places for exploration. Our team has been able to discover Dar and its surrounding areas; we have gone to nearby beaches, fish markets, local artists co-ops, to visit health centers in near Kilamanjaro, community trachoma projects in nearby districts, and accidentally run into the President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki. Our experiences have given us a richer understanding in which to contextualize our work. We are looking forward to gaining new experiences as we travel into various districts during the tracer study.