UPEI Nursing Student Secures Internship in Kenya
The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada recently announced that UPEI was successful in its proposal to take part in the Canada Corps University Partnership Program. This program is financed by the Canadian International Development Agency, and "is a way for Canadians to work together to promote good governance and institution-building in developing countries."
Working in partnership with the Mikinduri Children of Hope Foundation (Cornwall, PEI) and the Tigania Widows Support Group (Mikinduri, Kenya), Shannon Burke, a third-year nursing student, will spend the upcoming summer in Mikinduri, Kenya. She will be assisting Sister Elizabeth Kilemba in the local medical dispensary, and helping to facilitate the opening of the much-needed Maternity Ward clinic. Shannon will be working closely with expectant mothers and other women in the village, providing educational sessions on good health practices. Shannon has recently completed a maternity rotation as part of the UPEI Nursing program and will be able to draw on her experiences with prenatal care, labour and delivery, and postnatal care. She is very much looking forward to this opportunity. "This is a very unexpected but exciting opportunity. I'm sure it will be a life-changing experience and am confident that I will gain a great appreciation for all of the modern conveniences available in Canada. I look forward to sharing my experiences when I return."
Ted Grant, President of the Mikinduri Children of Hope Foundation, is delighted by the announcement. "This project will be a great support to the people in Mikinduri, who struggle daily with shortages of good food and clean water. The Mikinduri Children of Hope Foundation's many supporters on PEI can take great satisfaction from knowing their efforts truly are making a difference in this village."
The University has made a strong commitment to internationalization, and the Canada Corps Partnership Program allows UPEI to reach out to another part of the world and benefit from Shannon's internship. UPEI looks forward to sharing Shannon's experiences with the university community, as well as with the Island community at large, upon her return to Prince Edward Island.
Kim Critchely, Dean of Nursing and Shannon's supervisor for this project, is also excited by this project. "This is an excellent opportunity for Shannon. Such international experiences are wonderful as they prepare nursing students to provide culturally competent care - care that reflects the unique understanding of the values of diverse populations and individuals."
This year marks the pilot phase of the Canada Corps University Partnership Program and is designed to "foster a new generation of Canadians committed to applying our country's values and expertise to help build a safer, more prosperous and more democratic world."
