Sharing knowledge and learning from others while volunteering internationally is a gift. As a McGill graduate of the BScN program in 1980, I had an opportunity to develop my nursing skills in the Montreal area and later became a teacher in the Vocational Sector in Quebec. I was able to enjoy two sabbatical leaves and I chose to spend some of this time volunteering internationally. Following a lecture at McGill University by Dr. Mohammed Yunus, during which he explained his encouragement of nursing as a career in Dhaka, my husband (Ralph Templeton) and I travelled to Bangladesh to offer our expertise to the Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing. We offered workshops and modeled teaching styles that encouraged independent thinking, care of themselves as nurses and focused on specific nursing skills.
We were welcomed by the college staff and students; it was truly an amazing experience. While in Bangladesh we travelled to see hospitals that offered care to those who seldom have access to care. We saw the effects of the Rana Plaza garment industry building collapse and the role that health care plays in dealing with disaster in a developing country. The focus on recovery and adapting to their new reality with re-training was essential at the CRP rehabilitation hospital.
We also explored the tea plantation region of the country, travelling by train to the north-eastern region of Bangladesh. There were many people travelling on the roof of the train as this was one of the many ways of transport in this country. We visited tea plantations where many people earn $ 1 per day for picking tea leaves that are later processed into tea bags we use in Canada. Even though they earn little, they opened their doors to us and invited us in for a visit. Children were eager learners and when we gave them school supplies as a thank you, they expressed their joy with these gifts.
We learned about the incidence of Tb in these small remote communities, as well as work related injuries and the lack of safety equipment that we are required to use in Canada. We also saw other work areas such as brick kilns, rice harvesting, small scale farming and fishing. This gave us a greater understanding of the challenges of laborers in Bangladesh. We travelled for 24 hours by ferry boats to reach a remote community, one female student from this village attended the College of Nursing. Our role was to listen to the viewpoints of women regarding the role of nursing in Bangladesh. Women were given the opportunity to share their voice and perspectives about nursing. The women we heard expressed that they valued the knowledge that the nursing student shared with their community regarding health, hygiene and health promotion. They hoped their other daughters would be given this opportunity as well.
There is much to learn as an international volunteer. McGill gave us our start in our career path but also recognizing when an opportunity arose to share our knowledge was also key. In addition to Bangladesh, we’ve volunteered in the mountains of the Dominican Republic and most recently in Nepal. So often, just knowing that someone in the world cares about their future is encouraging enough to motivate them to keep on track and find their future. The graduates of the Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing have found employment in rural areas of Bangladesh as well as the larger cities. Graduates share their salaries with their families, upon graduation a new graduate can earn up to $ 1,000 per month, compared to their family’s previous income of $ 30 per month. Nursing education transforms families and communities. Others have found employment around the world, offering their skills and knowledge in the UK and North America.
I would encourage others to take the leap into volunteering if the opportunity presents itself. There is much to learn about ourselves and others in our world through offering your skills to others.
Sincerely,