Ten students from Swansea University will visit The Gambia on a 4 week international health and development placement this summer. This new scheme has been developed by the Swansea-Gambia Link which is part of the broader Wales for Africa Health Links Network.
Students selected from the Schools of Medicine, Human and Health Sciences, Arts and Humanities and Media Studies along with their tutors at Swansea will travel to The Gambia and see first-hand the work carried out in hospitals and health centres. The students will also have the opportunity to visit villages and homes in the area. They will work together with students from Gambia University and Medical School to look at the immediate and broader factors that result in ill health.
Lucy Hammond (pictured above) is one of three students studying Politics and International Relations at Swansea who will participate in the placement scheme. She said: “Helping others has always been a huge passion for me. I chose to apply for the Gambia study abroad programme because I wanted to broaden my mind about cultures different from my own, and experience what everyday life is like for those with a very different standard of living. I felt applying for the scheme would give me the chance to make a difference to people’s lives whilst accomplishing a personal achievement and enhancing my CV at the same time.”
“As part of the placement, we will be looking at a case study in a hospital setting but there will also be visits to health centres, villages and local homes. The scheme will give me the opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary team, alongside students from the Gambia and other departments at Swansea University.”
I am currently studying for an MA in International Communication and whilst postgraduate study helps to enhance career prospects, nothing compares to first-hand experience. In the increasingly competitive job market and difficult times, I felt the study abroad programme would help me stand out from the thousands of other graduates when looking for full time work.”
We will be leaving for The Gambia on 23 July and I’m personally very excited about what awaits. I hope to develop greater self-understanding, knowledge of personal and cultural values, and generally put my life here in the UK into perspective.
“Although the environment will be challenging and unfamiliar, this is far outweighed by the fantastic opportunity to help others and the skills I hope to develop.”
For more information about Swansea University’s eight academic Schools, visit: http://www.swan.ac.uk/schools/
