Katherine Williams |
| Country of Service |
| Republic of Armenia |
| Dates Served |
| 2005 - 2007 |
| Volunteer Position |
| Community Health Volunteer |
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| Description of main volunteer activities: |
I was placed in a government funded boarding school for special needs kids from the city and surrounding county. We taught, fed and clothed students from the ages of 5-15 years. I taught basic health and everyday life skills and lead a weekly English club for all age groups. I facilitated and shared teaching techniques with one faculty member who is now the official counterpart to the volunteer who followed me. I am a sitting member of the foundation board, an umbrella organization that helps to facilitate projects for the improvement of the school from beds to books, to a recent new roof! Please check out our progress at
www.gavarspecialschool.org. |
| How Peace Corps service influenced decision to go into nursing and future plans: |
| While I was a volunteer, I saw a great amount of misinformation be spread regarding health and vast amounts of health illiteracy. I wanted to better serve in a position of trusted knowledge. In Armenia, there are no standards of care and every nurse only has a few skills (all are different depending on which nurse’s college he/she attended) that can be used to improve lives (also all healthcare runs on bribes, but that is another paper). I wanted to be in a better place to better serve them. I wanted to have a skill set that I knew to be the best because I know that, though my kids have nothing, they can still receive the best quality of care that I am capable of. My kids and my experience in Armenia were a large part of what made me want to become a nurse. My future plan is to go back to Armenia for a few weeks after my graduation from the BSN program, and subsequently return every 2 years, ideally with other health care professionals to help these kids. My role in the foundation is to help promote health improvements and educational improvements for the children and staff of Gavar Special School. |
| Impact of RPCV Fellows experience: |
| So far my impact on the RPCV fellows experience is wonderful! My closest friends are from this program, people that understand spending 2 years somewhere else really changes a person; they welcome my stories, just as I invite theirs. I also love my site placement. I am working with a population I do not have a lot of experience with, geriatrics, but I think this is great. I enjoy my conversations with my clients and helping them to better understand their role in their own health care as well as learning with them about what their health conditions entail. I appreciate what they can teach me, as I hope they learn a little something from me as well. |
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