Roger has spent ten days in Turkana County in Northern Kenya doing an evaluation of the PRDA (Presbyterian Relief and Development Agency) Midwifery Training School. The school has been training midwives in Leer, South Sudan for a number of years.
In 2014, following the outbreak of fighting, PRDA decided to relocate the school to northern Kenya as the original site was at the centre of the areas of conflict. Roger had visited the school in 2012, so was asked to do a follow up evaluation this year. It is remarkable to hear the story of how the 20 students were all flown and re-located to Kenya to continue their studies. The tutors have done a remarkable job of helping the students, who were traumatised by their experiences and still hearing news of the deaths of relatives and friends. They have been helped through their studies in a wonderfully holistic way. After visiting the school in Lokichoggio and the students on practical assignment in Kakuma, Roger was very encouraged by the visit. The feedback from the hospitals where the students have been doing their practical assignments in particular shows how committed Christian tutors can make such a difference in terms of the quality of the students at the end of the course. The 20 girls have been transformed during their 3 years of study from shy school girls to confident and capable midwives with a real calling to help save the lives of mothers and children through their acquired learning and skills.
