Maria Lima Fernandes is a Global Health Scholar and Bachelor of Arts student pursuing a Joint Honours degree in International Development Studies and Political Science, as well as a Minor in Gender, Sexuality, Feminist and Social Justice Studies. Through the support of the Frances Aboud & Charles Larson Global Health Fund, and under the guidance of Professor Grace Marquis, Maria used qualitative methods to develop, collect and analyse data on dietary and sexual/reproductive health beliefs and practices of adolescents in rural Kenya.
“The project I had the opportunity to work on is part of an initiative called REACTS-IN: Realizing Gender Equality, Attitudinal Change and Transformative Systems in Nutrition, which brings together governmental, civil society and academic institutions, namely McGill University, World Vision, the Government of Canada, Nutrition International, and HarvestPlus.
My participation focused on Kenya’s Elgeyo-Marakwet County, where my primary role was to conduct focus group discussions (FGDs) with teens between the ages of 15 and 19 across secondary schools in the County. In preparation for my field work, I researched adolescent nutrition and sexual & reproductive health (SRH) in rural Kenya, developed the FGD questions and guide, and met with partners in Canada and Kenya alike.
Alongside my research partner, Camila Franco Suárez, I spent one month in Elgeyo-Marakwet County not only conducting the FGDs, but also engaging with local populations and stakeholders, attending meetings and trainings, and visiting spaces relevant to the research topic, such as the Iten County Referral Hospital. These experiences allowed me to better understand how societal norms shape beliefs and practices around nutrition, sexuality, and reproduction, as well as contextualise the challenges and strengths that teens experience when it comes to their dietary and sexual & reproductive health.
It is hard to choose one moment that embodies my experience in Elgeyo-Marakwet, but if I had to pick one, it would be participating in a Care Group meeting with the Morop women from Keiyo South Sub-County. Care Groups are a community-based behaviour change strategy, which tend to focus on health education. During my visit to the Morop community, I got to hear from the local women about their own experiences, concerns, challenges, and suggestions for improving their community’s wellbeing. Despite spending hours talking about malnutrition, gender inequality and violence, misinformation regarding SRH, challenges to accessing healthcare, and struggles with keeping crops alive, the women decided to end the meeting by performing a song accompanied by lots of dance and laughter. This encounter showed me the importance of resilience, community and mutual aid - it perfectly illustrated exactly what global health needs.
This was my first opportunity to conduct field work, let alone abroad! I learned a great deal about qualitative research methods, built problem-solving skills, experienced intercultural communication through immersion, and expanded my knowledge on governmental and civil society initiatives. I extend my deepest gratitude to McGill Global Health Programs, the Frances Aboud & Charles Larson Global Health Fund, the REACTS-IN Team, my supervisors, research partner, and the Elgeyo-Marakwet community.”
Learn more about the McGill Global Health Scholars Undergraduate Program.
