Session 5

Session five went by in a blur! As usual, this session was filled with a diverse group of college students, eager to make a difference in their own way. Session five advocates jumped right in by hosting a clinic on their second day in Haiti. Each advocate brought his or her own leadership skills to the clinic, resulting in yet another very successful and efficient day. These photos capture some of these inspiring moments. This is a photo (top left) of Kevin Lombardi, Caroline Mountain, and Dr. Tony talking to a patient in one of the clinic exam ro

oms.

This session, advocates took the initiative to organize the follow-ups from the clinic. Many patients are given medications to take and sometimes need clarification about how and when to take these meds. YSI stresses the importance of answering any questions and checking on the progress of each patient throughout the process.

This photo (bottom left) was taken in the compound. Advocates from both Community Development (better know as “Com Dev”) and Public Health students work together to create a plan for the rest of the week.

In this photo (below), one of our veteran advocates, Amanda Womeldorf, takes the blood pressure (BP) of one of our patients. Advocates are commonly called upon by locals to perform BP checks. Due to the fact that high BP is a prominent issue Léogâne, advocates are trained to explain the causes of high BP and the steps a person can take to lower it.

In an effort to learn about alternative medicine, advocates made the journey to meet a medicine man, the healer and spiritual leader of a community. Each advocate prepares questions and takes notes during the presentation. The purpose of this interaction is to build understanding of the cultural differences in medicine. This allows YSI to be culturally sensitive and incorporate Haitian medicine into clinics.

Throughout session five, there was a strong focus on reflection and group bonding. We did a lot of activities at the end of each day to help build understanding of privilege, poverty, and how YSI can make a lasting impact.

A big thank you to Elise Arsenault and Regan Miller for taking such incredible pictures throughout the trip!