Mary's thoughts on CDPC outreach and training

Since I started my training with the CDPC on 17^th August, I have learnt many tremendous and important things. I began training with the goal to advance my skills and knowledge in both qualitative and quantitative social science research design methodologies.

During my study I have been under the supervision of Dr Thomas Strong who has been my direct supervisor for the whole period.  I attended personal one-to-one tutorial support twice a week with him. As part of qualitative research design training, I have been able to do extensive literature review from journals articles and books. I have also learned how to use online electronic searches linked to my programmatic tasks which I have been assigned to do with my organisation in Tanzania soon after finishing my fellowship. I have been able to write my proposal for my BA thesis and have submitted it to my University in Tanzania. This is a great achievement. I have also been able to accomplish putting the proposal together for my work place too, which is focused on assessing the mainstreaming of gender and HIV and AIDS in the Right Based Livelihood Program operated by Concern Worldwide in Tanzania.

Presenting at a Concern conference in Cork

During the last week of September, I started attending the weekly introduction to statistics modules offered under the MSc Global Health course at Trinity College. This was aimed at broadening my skills and knowledge in quantitative research methods.

Under Mr Joseph Clowry, we have been carrying out school visits whereby we interacted with the students working towards the BT Young Scientist exhibition in Ireland.  The journey was really amazing; we travelled a long way through extremely beautiful countryside. Together with Joseph and one of my colleagues we started our journey in the evening, spent a night to Joseph’s house where we had a delicious supper.

 Near Joseph's house in County Carlow

The next morning we drove over the Backstairs Mountains and Mt. Leister, arrived Bunclody, Co. Wexford towards Colaiste Lorcain, Co. Kildare. Here we met with Transition year students and their teacher. These students are working on the nutritional/ HIV and AIDS projects. They are studying the use of pro-biotics contained food in order to support nutrition of people living with HIV and AIDS. The pro-biotic is added to dried locally available food to form the nutrition which is appropriate for people living with HIV/AIDS. Pro-biotic is an ingredient which scientifically has been proved to improve immune cell count and alleviate diarrhoea and lower risks of HIV transmission through curbing factors like bacterial.

These students are of tender age (all were less than 15 years of age) but highly focused and enthusiastic to see something emanating from their consorted efforts.

We then proceeded on our journey to another secondary school called St. Mary’s Christian Brothers School in Portlaoise, Co Laois. At this school we met different groups of students doing different research studies for national competition as younger scientists. They are studying the factors that were used in eradicating TB in Ireland fifty years ago, but now beginning to re-emerge. They are also looking at factors that exacerbate TB in sub-Saharan Africa. Another group are looking at water and environmental health sanitation in secondary schools in Zambia. This group is collaborating with students in one of school in Zambia to research on how to control coliforms in water. The third group is looking on the reasons that contribute to a low life expectancy in Africa as compared with Ireland.

My major observation made during the school visits after sharing our experiences from our home countries is the active early involvement of Irish students in developing and implementing their research ideas. This is being hugely supported by their teachers, universities and the Irish Government. Students are being supported to become innovative; they are at times invited to attend various meetings and conferences where scientific presentations are made and this helps them to become knowledgeable and confident from an early age. Through the projects they are doing, the younger people in Ireland are brought up with the concept of helping needy people and thus developing and nurturing a sense of humanity.

Finally, I had an opportunity to attend various seminars and workshops such as the one on Hunger, Livelihood and HIV and AIDS- A Learning and Advocacy Event.

I had the privilege to represent the low resource countries on behalf of Concern in Cork and Dublin where I gave presentations to big audiences. These were Women of Concern’s Ambassadors and Supporters in Cork and the staff of Concern in Dublin. These women are among the major donors of Concern Worldwide who are helping to improve the livelihood of women living in extreme poverty around the world. This event improved on my advocacy skills and strengthened my confidence in presenting to international audiences. This will pave a way to beginning an advocacy work on behalf of the silent voices of Africa.

Presenting at Concern, Dublin

With CDPC associate Fiona Larkan

 in Dublin with CDPC administrator Hayley Coristine