I have been fortunate to spend a month working with WAAF as a volunteer from December 2023 to January 2024. As I have a permanent job back in Australia I was somewhat restricted with my dates, and being here throughout the festive season and for only a month was not ideal. But I think we made the most of it!
This was not my first trip to Africa but it was my first time in Ghana, and my first time on the continent in a non-tourist capacity! My colleagues were so kind and helpful throughout my stay. They picked me up from the airport and showed me the best places to shop. They took me to food stalls that I would have otherwise avoided that supplied the most wonderful local food! They even helped me to negotiate the crazy traffic! I was taken on day trips to the mountains to sample palm wine (it was good, but for me won’t replace a nice Riesling!) and to the beach. I was fortunate that my project involved some “business travel” and allowed me to travel to Cape Coast and Elmina, two very interesting places to visit.
My main task at WAAF was to conduct an evaluation of a project (NFMIII) which was implemented to scale up HIV care in certain districts of Ghana by increasing community engagement and addressing human rights barriers. This was a very broad-ranging project so I set about looking for key aspects to analyse and determined that a qualitative, interview based methodology would be appropriate. Conducting these interviews was not without its challenges (namely of accent and language!) but it was very rewarding. I’m grateful to the field officers for setting up so many interviews at such a difficult time of year! They gave me the opportunity to meet the field based volunteers as well as the ultimate beneficiaries of the project – MSMs. I was so impressed by their passion and commitment for disseminating education which led to many health improvements. It was clear the project has been a great success, despite being somewhat overshadowed by the proposed LGBT bill.
As I make the finishing touches to my evaluation and contemplate my imminent departure, I realise that although I’m looking forward to seeing my friends and once again enjoying Australian wine and coffee, I will miss being part of an organisation comprised of such kind and genuine people who are deeply committed to improving the lives of their fellow beings. But I sincerely hope I will be able to continue to help WAAF a little once I am back in Australia – watch this space!
Thank you to everyone at WAAF for helping to make this an unforgettable experience!
-Tricia Croxen
Public Health Professional
Adelaide, Australia