Birthing supplies in a rural clinic in Analapatsy, Madagascar
These are my travelling thoughts and a little insight into where I was coming from when I started dreaming and developing It Takes One!
-By Anastasia Davidson
When I first started travelling, I never imagined that I would create an NGO. I had many plans of working and volunteering abroad, especially as a future nurse, but I always assumed NGO's were for the "Big Guys." You know, people with lots of experience and money and expertise in the field. But the more I spent time travelling, as a backpacker, WOOFer, and volunteer, the more I realized that the greatest change and impact came from the smallest things and smallest acts of kindness. In fact, I soon found out some of the larger NGO's and volunteer agencies unwittingly caused more harm than good. The locals were frustrated with the aid provided and it at times created rifts between well intentioned people and aid recipients. I knew there could be a better way of doing things and it was as a WOOFer in Honduras that I first started to become aware of the good and bad of foreign aid.
The minute I arrived in Honduras, I think 99% of people in the airport were "do-gooders" like me. Hondurans were given things, told what they needed to do to better their lives, then the agency left, leaving the people disempowered and waiting for the next crew to help them. There was such a power differential between the "saviour" and "saved!" I came home from Honduras wondering how these people thought they were doing a good thing. Very few asked what the people of Honduras wanted, needed, or dreamed about doing. I was lucky to WOOF for the agency Art for Humanity whose primary focus is on empowering women through education and self-sustainability. I learned a lot from working with them in the mountains outside of Tegucigalpa.
I've also spent some time previously with a very inspiring couple, Elena and Guillermo, who were creating programs in South America for Veterinarians without Borders. They have since created their own company The GAAP, and they operate on a very local level that empowers people through education and awareness while giving support based on the needs of the people (not The GAAP). Very inspirational work connecting animals and people within communities and culture.
I then became newly inspired while working in Africa with the NGO Edge of Africa. They, too, work with the people to create programs and initiatives that go beyond the standard "handout" and instead lead to sustainable and empowering outcomes.
So now I wanted to be part of this whole thing too! Because something was still missing.
During my travels I saw many gaps in services and supports when it came to local individuals working and volunteering within their own communities. The big NGO's provided aid and came up with big projects but there was still that one local person that worked hard to help their communities with little or no support. I see the same thing in my own community here on Vancouver Island, Canada and I whole heartedly intend to be local as well as global.
One foreign example of this gap is with a wound care/ostomy nurse in Zimbabwe, Sister Rudo. Most agencies focused on AIDS (also important!) but Sister Rudo's expertise had her travelling all over the country delivering wound care and ostomy services to extremely remote villages. These visits were not paid for due to the extreme poverty of the villages, and were subsidized by her work in the city of Harare along with sporadic donations of supplies. But there was never enough and she only had one volunteer to help her. If you would like to offer her assistance, you can contact her by email at: rmatekedza025@gmail.com or Dr. Tony Harcombe who operates the facilities in Harare at: aharcombe@healthnet.org.zw
And now, long story short, here I am learning a ton starting up this company to give value to those hardworking individuals struggling to help their own people. They are truly the experts that know what is needed and it is with them that I gain wisdom and information to provide the assistance they've identified. These are incredible people!! They care so much and it is truly an honour to both know and learn so much from them!
Here is a little taste of my time in a rural village in Madagascar volunteering at the local clinic. Although life is tough, it is the lively spirit and zest for life and each other that I love so much about these guys!!
The village Doctor in between patients, Analapatsy, Madagascar
This is an inter-village football (soccer) game that was intruded upon often by cows and dung!
The village pharmacist in Madagascar! And the happiest person I have ever met- considering his government has not paid him in 2 years!
The stunning coastline next to the Analapatsy village- truly a spectacular spot!
The medical clinic in Analapatsy, Madagascar
The famous lemurs of Madagascar- I am in love!