Heart to Heart

The ICHA Blog

We go with open minds by Lyza Hiltner on August 14, 2009 | 3 comments

My background is in conflict resolution so it is natural for me to be a good listener and want to hear all sides of every story.  Before I started volunteering with ICHA, however, health was a new medium to me.  Just before I discovered ICHA, I spent half a year traveling in South America.  Upon my return home, I made the decision to begin a career in health care, as I discovered health affects everyone. Though I have been active with other development organizations in the past, this is the first time I will be part of a team promoting health education, with our first project being in Ghana.  I am excited about this role, as health is a universal concern, that has no business being kept secret.

As our departure date nears, the wider the doors open for our outreach to Ghana.  Every other day, I meet someone who knows someone who either grew up in Ghana, traveled to Ghana, or is part of the international CV community who relates to ICHA's mission.  It's amazing how connected people are once you start talking to one another.  It's very encouraging and it is allowing me to steamroll from one task to the next! 

That being said, we still have loose ends and are looking for contacts in Ghana, particularly Elmina and Cape Coast.  As a member of the community outreach team, we are particularly concerned about our cultural sensitivity and how the community will perceive us.  Thus, we are trying to gain as much insight from San Francisco as we possibly can before we arrive in Elmina.  In order to do so, we are seeking out individuals and organizations with experience on similar projects.  This experience does not necessarily mean experience in Africa or in cardiovascular health; we want to learn from people who have gone into a community that is generally unaware of the message that will eventually be shared and has met and confronted the challenges that this brings.  It's hard not to want to plan everything ahead of time, as we are going to a place that is entirely foreign, but the one thing that I have been told repeatedly from experienced outreach workers is to go with an open mind and to listen.  This first trip is going to be a serious learning experience, from which we will gage what exactly our role should be in the future.  We are going to listen to the people of Elmina, to hear their stories and to find out what is important to them.

It's an exciting time to go to Ghana, as it has been popping up all over the news, especially since President Obama's visit last month. Ghana is being depicted as a representative of Africa's democratic potential and seems to be at a tipping point of economic development.  For me, one of the most exciting things about traveling to a developing country is being able to actually feel the buzz of development around you.

I am thrilled to be part of such an exciting organization, alongside a passionate team of people, as we get our feet wet in Elmina together!