International Stream
 |  |  |
My Fieldwork Placement Experience in Africa
By an Audiology Student
It has been a number of months now since we returned from our trip to Africa. My classmate and I, audiology students, as well as our professor, spent two weeks completing a fieldwork placement in Zambia. Why Africa? We could have worked in various other places. The connections that had already been established between the University of Ottawa and certain local Zambian organizations made things easier. As well, we thought Zambia appeared to have especially urgent audiological needs. Why? To begin with, most of the population does not have access to medical care because of poverty and a sheer lack of resources. In addition, a high prevalence of AIDS puts the population at increased risk of developing hearing impairments. We therefore decided to go work there last August.
Through a religious community and a few people involved in community organizations, we were able to work in various locations. We performed hearing assessments on a number of people, both adults and children. Despite the small amount of equipment that we were able to take and that would work in Zambia, we managed, among other things, to identify a number of people who would benefit from using a hearing aid. As we had brought a few hearing aids with us, those people had the chance to obtain one.
Our assistance was minimal given the extent of the problem, but it was nevertheless a step forward. Each action taken is significant; each service rendered counts. Help in any form is greatly appreciated in those less developed countries. It was heart-warming to see people’s smiles, their looks of gratitude. It was not easy to witness such human misery, to observe the extent of the population’s needs. We often felt powerless in the face of that hard reality. Nevertheless, we returned with the certainty and happiness of having been able to make a small difference. In addition to working in our field and gaining field experience, we learned about a new culture. Working in places such as Zambia opens one’s eyes and forces one to see what life is really like for another part of mankind.
Of course, much remains to be done. We plan to return there next year to continue our work. The ultimate goal would be to open a specialized hearing clinic offering ongoing services. Little by little, if a few people get involved, Zambians could have hearing care year-round. That is our goal.
Christine Turgeon
