October was one year since I moved to Zambia for my 6 month project placement. I can’t believe how quick that year has gone. I was missing Zambia and even though I have been on a few holidays this year, I couldn’t believe I was still living in England. I thought I would have been back in Africa on another project by now. So it was nice to be able to go back in October this year, even if for only 10 days.

I was asked to go back to Zambia as they were finalising the project I had been involved in and they wanted me to present my findings. I was very happy they had asked me to go back and I couldn’t wait. It was all very last minute but I got there and was so happy to be back. The meeting was only for two days but I stayed on a little longer so that I could meet up with friends and eat all the Zambian food I had missed. Funnily everyone kept saying, oh you will lose weight in Africa with there being less options of food, not in Zambia!! As soon as I got there I went straight to my favourite place, Hungry Lion, which is like KFC, but if I dare say, better!! Throughout the days I had my favourite pizza, chicken shawarma, favourite crisps and chocolate, my favourite cereal bars and even my favourite drink there. So definitely came back a few pounds heavier!

The meetings were very interesting, hearing from all different participants of the project and seeing how much had improved since the beginning. It was clear there is still a lot of improvements needed and I hope that I can be a part of that in the future, when other projects are introduced. During my presentation, I spoke about positive improvements that I had seen but most importantly the areas that still needed improvement and how this could be supported. Not all of my points were taken positively and some ignored but overall there were some good discussions that came out of it. When working in developing countries like Zambia, the relationships that you build are so important. It takes time to gain peoples trust and for them to understand you are there to work with them and support them in improving their healthcare system. At times constructive criticism can be taken negatively, so it can take time for things to change, but with patience and time, it can happen.

There were some very positive outcomes from the meetings, including the appreciation of the project in general and specific points made about my input that stayed with them. This made me feel really happy and quite emotional, as at times during my 6 months, I wasn’t sure whether I was actually going to make a difference. I have learnt a lot form my time in Zambia, personally and professionally and I hope that I can go forward with this knowledge and expertise to continue to make a difference.

Whilst at the meetings I was also asked to be interviewed and filmed for Kings Global Health Partnership in relation to the project. I felt like I was really being heard and people did actually care about what I had seen and my opinions on moving forward. What a great end to a great project.