DEVS 4th-year student Hanna Chidwick has received an OceanPath fellowship for 2017-2018 to organize “Dinner Wellness Workshops” for older people in Moshi, Tanzania and increase equitable access to health services information. Historically, the burden of disease in Tanzania – specifically communicable diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS – has been the focus of primary care. Now the community faces a new and different challenge – a steady increase in non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, especially among people over 50.
“Dinner Wellness Workshops” will bring together people affected by non-communicable diseases to learn about prevention, treatment and available care. Taking place over a meal, the workshops will share culturally respectful health service information co-designed with community members, NGOs and local district health officers. “I am passionate about this project and the potential to partner with the community to create new supports for this vulnerable population,” explains Chidwick. “My mentors at Queen’s and ongoing support from the Coady International Institute and the Pathy Family Foundation will make it possible for me to facilitate increased access to high quality healthcare for older people in Moshi..”
The OceanPath Fellowship, which is offered by the Coady Institute in partnership with Queen’s University, provides community-focused experiential learning opportunities for graduating students to become active and effective change-makers, bringing new ideas and working closely with communities to foster sustainable and positive social change in Canada and around the world.