Teaching in Kenya, Oct 30- Nov 11, 2019
Anyone that knows me knows that I love to teach, I love to empower humans through education about their pelvises and I love to travel! When these things can happen in unison I’m the first to volunteer. I am over the moon to be headed to Nairobi, Kenya with my colleagues Kathy Golic, DPT and Sherine Aubert, DPT! We will be teaching an intermediary pelvic floor physical therapy course to a group of 30 Kenyan physiotherapists!
We are volunteering 2 weeks of our time to bring pelvic health education (curriculum provided by Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehab Institute) to Nairobi. We are lucky to be teaming up with the Jackson Clinics Foundation, an organization that brings advanced physical therapy curriculums to Africa. As far as I know this is the first pelvic health physical therapy curriculum taught anywhere in Africa!
The women in attendance have already completed Level 1 where they focused on the basics of pelvic floor PT and the treatment of disorders related to the urinary system. They addressed topics like urinary incontinence, frequency, and urgency. From the emails I’ve received from these ladies they have been in the clinic, implementing their new knowledge to treat these conditions and are hungry for lots more info! Kathy, Sherine, and I will be teaching units on colorectal conditions, pregnancy, and post-partum physical therapy care. I’m excited to teach, but I have to admit I’m more excited to learn from these ladies. I can’t wait to learn more about what women’s health and the health care system looks like in Kenya and to hear their perspectives on how this content and treatment approach fits within their current system.
My favorite part about The Jackson Clinics Foundation is that it’s created with sustainability and empowerment in mind- meaning that within about 4 years of this curriculum being on the ground in Nairobi Kenyans will be teaching this content to other Kenyans. This aspect felt most important to me as I decided to work with the Jackson Clinics. I humbly recognize my privilege as a white woman having the means to take 2 weeks off of work to travel to Africa and teach and it felt imperative that this information continue to be accessible even in our absence. My personal and professional mission has been on the forefront as I gear up for this trip and I’m excited to play a role in educating and empowering women across the globe about the pelvic floor and our bodies! So many conditions can be treated with pelvic floor PT and it brings me great joy to know teaching this group of 30 women is just the very beginning workings of a growing web of pelvic health support and education!
Make sure to follow me and Herman & Wallace on Instagram to get live updates on how the course is going!
If you feel called to donate to this mission please donate at: teachandtreat.org