2 weeks now

It is hard to believe it has been 2 weeks since we left- as of tomorrow that is.  As always, the time is so packed full of experience and people that it seems impossible that we haven't been here for a month.

We are settled in Ekwendeni and enjoying the company of our good friend Flemmings Nkhandwe as well as three doctors from Washington State who are doing a needs assessment to see if they can help with child mental health.  They are so energetic and enthusiastic about trying to help schools, hospitals, the College and others with training for mental health issues.

Yesterday was the farewell party for Flemmings Nkhandwe who is leaving his job as Principal )Dean in US terms)of the College of Health Sciences here after 17 years.  He has provided amazing leadership in that time and transformed the tiny nursing and midwifery college offering certificates for about 10 students a year to the College of Health Sciences with over 200 students in certificate and diploma programs.  This fall they will start their program for Clinical Officers who function very much like doctors here.

The shortage of health care professionals is huge and the College has dreams of offering a Bachelors degree in the health science field as soon as they can upgrade their infrastructure and curriculum.  In the past 5 years they have moved their campus, built dormitories, classrooms, a library with internet service (where I am sitting right now) a food service and they have plans to do even more in the next 5 years.   They need to build housing for 90 more students and 5 or more teachers in addition to increasing the education level of teachers.

Our project is helping them assess where they are on the strategic plan that ends in 2014 so both the board and the incoming Principal will have this information.

Here is a photo from last nights celebration with Flemmings giving his speech.  Rather than taking stretch breaks during the proceedings, we took dancing breaks.  We need more of that in the US!!