InZone’s Medical Students Lead the Way in Kakuma’s Coronavirus ResistanceKakuma, Kenya

As the Coronavirus pandemic spreads fear and uncertainty around the world, students of InZone’s Basic Medical course have been leading the way in trying to keep their communities safe in Kakuma. Having spent 2019 working with their online tutors in Geneva to complete their studies, eight refugee learners graduated from the three-semester course in early 2020. Having gained valuable medical knowledge and skills throughout their course, they have begun to put what they have learned in class into practice in the camp.

Realizing early on in the pandemic that they could play a pivotal role in keeping their friends and families safe in the camp, they decided to come together with their University of Geneva tutors to see what could be accomplished. Bringing their medical knowledge and grounding in connected and collaborative learning together, they created informational videos to share among the communities over social media networks. These short videos (in English, French, Arabic, and Swahili) use what the students learned about pandemics, hygiene, diagnostics, and community health care and offer advice on how to keep safe through hand-washing, social distancing, and other measures.

Empowering themselves in the face of many difficulties, the medical students have inspired others in the camp to start their own videos and awareness campaigns, going as far as creating a catchy pop-song about keeping safe. InZone has been so inspired by their initiative and created a student-wide information forum to share updates, health care information, and discuss how all students can keep safe.

With the threat of a Coronavirus outbreak still looming heavily, and the need for more qualified and capable health care professionals to serve Kakuma, InZone’s Basic Medical students are taking their studies and knowledge to the next level. With the help of their tutors in Geneva, they are preparing to start interning with the International Rescue Committee to put their knowledge to use in Kakuma’s hospitals and learn valuable new skills.

As we prepare to start a new academic year in this uncertain time, we realize now more than ever that our role does not stop outside of the classroom. Despite the almost insurmountable difficulties that our students face, we are buoyed by their courage and determination to take what they have learned with us and make a positive impact on the lives of so many in Kakuma. We are very privileged to do the work we do and look forward to building the programme further in 2020.

To read other stories from the 2019 CLCC Yearbook, click here.