HVO volunteers to the Malawi College of Medicine Program in Physiotherapy in Blantyre provide physical therapy education for undergraduate students enrolled in the BSc Hons Program in Physiotherapy. The first volunteer to the project in 2014 recently reported of her trip:
My fondest teaching memory at the rehab hospital was with a patient named Kingsley. Kingsley is a 22 year old man with a T11 complete spinal cord injury. Day after day, I noticed him come to the gym. He would start with his upper body exercise routine, perform sitting balance exercises and stand in the parallel bars with his leg splints.
In speaking with the student who was treating him, I realized that the therapists and students were not addressing his wheelchair mobility skills. In one week, we taught him how to do a wheelie, navigate curbs and ramps, outdoor terrain and complete a floor transfer. Kingsley was so happy and thankful to have learned these new techniques and felt prepared to get back into the community. The students were so happy to have taught him these skills.”
As the report highlights, work with the students resulted in a better patient outcome. Kingsley has developed the wheelchair skills he needs to succeed in his community.
By working with Kingsley and the HVO volunteer, the Malawian physiotherapy students developed their own essential rehabilitation skills. The knowledge they gained will improve the quality of health services they can offer to all future patients and enable them to share these skills with their colleagues in the future. Learning together, they will transform lives.