The three-week maiden session of the UHAS Summer programme, launched on June 1, has come to a successful end. The programme saw four participants from York University Canada as its first cohort.
At a brief send-off ceremony, UHAS Vice Chancellor Prof. Lydia Aziato urged them to spread the news about the programme and help recruit more participants for the next session. She also commended them for having faith in UHAS and travelling to a foreign land to partake in the programme. “We applaud you for taking a step of faith to be here.”
Giving very candid feedback about their stay, the participants expressed the general sentiment that the programme was not what they had expected, as they were exposed to new things they never knew about before coming to Africa. One said she had a wonderful feeling “seeing so many black people in one place.”
A second participant said, partaking in the programme was her first time travelling alone without her family, but it had been worth it to encounter nature and interact with health workers in the field.
Another also recounted the volunteerism at the orphanage which they visited, and wished she could stay longer to offer her services to the children. “The experience has been wholesome and I really enjoyed the programme.”
The maiden cohort received certificates of participation, and earned academic credits towards their coursework in their parent institution.