Emma Wohlgemuth |
| Country of Service |
| Madagascar |
| Dates Served |
| 2004 - 2006 |
| Volunteer Position |
| Community Health Educator |
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| Description of main volunteer activities: |
| My main job with the Peace Corps involved working at the health clinic in my village. I helped by weighing babies and talking to mothers about proper nutrition, participating in prenatal consultations, and giving cooking demonstrations and presentations on various health topics. Outside of the clinic I held several trainings in which I taught health animators to teach others about clean water, proper nutrition, and AIDS prevention. I then worked with these animators to organize a series of health presentations in the surrounding communities and to organize events aimed at increasing awareness about AIDS, including two festivals, an AIDS display, and several community-wide AIDS testing days. I am also involved with an ongoing children’s book project. While I was in Madagascar I wrote and co-illustrated children’s books with health messages. 5,000 books have now been published and are being sent back to Madagascar to be distributed to schools for use as health textbooks. |
| How Peace Corps service influenced decision to go into nursing and future plans: |
| PC service directly related to my decision to go into nursing. I spent a lot of time working with the midwife in my village by doing prenatal consultations, teaching about nutrition for pregnant women and healthy families, and helping with deliveries in the clinic. I enjoyed working with women and helping to give them the care that they needed and deserved. Because of these experiences I hope to become a midwife and use my skills both in the US and abroad to provide well-women care in low-income communities. |
| Impact of RPCV Fellows experience: |
| As a new member of the RPCV Fellows program, I hope to make connections with other RPCVs, participate in community service projects, and develop my nursing skills. I look forward to experience I will gain through. |
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