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Name
Professor
English
17 September 2018
I am a young adult that is originally from Ethiopia. I have always been interested in
working with people and improving their lives but one story caught my attention . I came across
a very devastating story of a sixteen year old girl that lost her life during labor because she
couldn’t find the appropriate care at the moment. This poor girl bled out to death in front of her
own mother. Her baby did not survive either, so two way lives were lost. I couldn’t stop thinking
about this unfortunate family, so I spoke to two of my friends about it.
One rainy Sunday night, Michael, Miky and I had developed a plan. Our plan was
providing quality access of care for pregnant women in the rural areas of Ethiopia. We started by
discussing the plan with our own parents. Then we reached out to Ethiopian department of health
and gave them our proposal. It took them two weeks to get back to us but their feedback was
very encouraging. They department of health gave us a grant, so we packed our bags and flew to
Gambela, a Southern region of Ethiopia. Then, we wasted no time and headed to a local clinic
that pregnant women would come to get service.
Visiting the clinic was a very heartbreaking moment for my friends and me. I burst into
tears as I watched the young, helpless pregnant women that suffered from pain in the depressing
waiting room. The walls of the room were worn out, there was blood everywhere, and family
members of a patient would scream and worry. Being in this setting gave us an insight and
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motivation to strive more, so we developed a well-organized clinic with specialized doctors and
nurses.
We first began by working at the clinic itself and building it from scratch. Our mission
came with some challenges. The main challenge we faced was using our money wisely in order
to build the clinic in a cost effective manner. Our pocket was hurting. We spent enormous
amount of money on building it. Also, the purchased equipment which was imported from Dubai
costed us a lot of money. Putting the place together took some dedication, time and money but it
was worth it at the end.
I didn’t want to miss out on every role of our mission, so I strived to contribute on
building the clinic physically. Sweat socked my white shirt as I attempted to carry one load of
cement filled bucket. My hands were shaking and I felt my fingers giving up on me as they
turned grey. I am not as muscular as Miky and Mike, so I was struggling. “Rhody, don’t hurt
yourself. We got it,” said Miky. But I refused because my ambition was greater than my physical
ability. Even with all the sweats and tiredness, I was as happy as a young girl playing with her
doll because I knew that all of this hard work was going to save at least one life if not many.
In a month, we managed to finish up the clinic with it being all furnished and ready to
provide service. We had provided care for up to fifty women the day we officially opened the
clinic. I was quite amazed because I did not expect that many people to come in. This made me
realize that many women were desperate to get a formal care in a well-organized organization.
The patients were in tears because they were highly satisfied with the quality of care that we had
provided.
Luckily, the doctors and nurses were very cooperative and soulful people. They worked
effortlessly and effectively to make the women’s health and condition better. Not only were the
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patients treated with the right amount of care but they were treated with love. They shared their
stories openly and the doctors were nice enough to guide them through some personal life hustles
as well. I personally adored working with these people and the work environment seemed like a
day at an amusement park where you get excited to get on the rides at.
One Thursday afternoon, around 3 P.M, a pregnant woman walked in with blood all over
her baby blue dress and I believe her water broke couple hours ago. Her name was Segen. A
malnutritioned, pregnant young lady with a very critical health condition. She had come in with
an infection and a weakened immune system. I could see her spine peeking out and her
cheekbone popping out from a distance. She looked like a white paper, all pale and thin. I
couldn’t imagine how hard life must be for her. I couldn’t bare putting my life in her shoes I just
COULD NOT. “Let’s get a doctor and nurses at this unit right now,” shouted Mike. Doctors and
nurses came running for the rescue. All of the team along with me rushed into the operation
room. Blood started to rush through my brain and I can feel my body oscillate as I ran into the
room. Never in my short life had I ever seen a person being cut open right in front of my eyes so
I was in shook. I started to breath very heavily hoping I would not pass out and be another
burden. But luckily I defeated my nervousness and stood tall.
“ Can you pass me the oxygen string, the clamps and dissectors,” said one of the doctors.
“ I need five nurses and an anesthetics team right now,” shouted the doctor.
“ She is losing a lot of blood, we need to stop the bleeding”
“ Doctor, do you need a hand?” said the nurse.
“Yes, can you hold the baby once I cut the umbilical cord”
Finally, I hear aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh and I felt my heart pumping slowly. My heart
felt at ease and so did all of my team when they found out it was a “healthy” baby. “
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Congratulations everyone, nice work,” said the doctor with a pleased and satisfied voice. One of
the nurses wrapped his tiny body up with a cloth and wiped all of the blood from his innocent
face. He was the most cutest little newborn I had ever seen.
Many thought she wouldn’t make it through one night but this tough fighter made it
through several days and nights. The physicians team along with me and my friends had
managed to executive her surgery successfully, and she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Feker.
Feker was born with some health complications due to his mother’s condition when she was
pregnant. Luckily, his infections were not as acute and severe, so he managed to survive. He got
his strength from his mother. He carried his courage in the pupil of his eyes. His grip spoke his
power.
Segen along with her baby boy showed remarkable changes on a daily basis. Segen’s infection
was treated with antibiotics and her nutrition became well balanced. She started having rounder
cheeks and her back was less boney. She was a true fighter and her recovery had made my soul
smile. Segen had started to look more and more radiant and healthy. Her skin started to glow like
the sun as the doctors worked very hard to improve her health in every way possible. My friends
and I also helped her with emotional and moral support. She has no one to look after her and take
care of her so we acted like a mother, a care giver and a friend.
I personally learnt a lot from Segen and she helped me see what it is like to be a strong
woman: a woman with super powers. She was a sick, pregnant woman that survived all eight
months on her own, and this to me was an eye opening event.
Then after showing promising improvements and changes, Segen and Feker were told
that they can sign out and go home with zero payment and fees. “ I am going to miss every one
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of you,” said Segen. But I knew we were going to miss her more. I hated to watch her leave
because she wasn’t only a patient at this point: she was like a family to our team.
Segen, drowning in her own emotions, came up to me and said,” May God pay you with
all his blessings and gifts because I can’t thank you guys enough for the things you did for me
and my community.” As soon as she said that, I felt like wind was blowing through my whole
body and minor electric shocks teasing my brain like a feather. I felt internal happiness and I
didn’t want to let that feeling go. Not only did we change Segen’s and other women’s lives but
also changed our own and that was not even part of the plan. That moment when Segen spoke to
me still lives within me and it makes me smile every morning. That same moment, I watched
Segen kiss her baby in a motherly way I could ever imagine. Miky, Mike and I walked away in
tears in our eyes.
Our mission was something that involved hard work, considerate amount of money and
passion. Our mission was changing a life. And we knew that wasn’t easy but all three had the
passion and drive within us. Our ambition of making least one person healthy and happy was
very strong. We looked and felt like lions chasing their meal in a savanna. There were times
where we felt like quitting because things weren’t in our favor but we stuck through. It is safe to
say that we did more than it was anticipated and came out very successful and proud because we
changed, not only one, not only two but hundred fifty pregnant women’s lives.
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