Whew!!!
What a year I had 😁
2019 was great year to me fam!
I am so grateful to God for this amazing year.
Who would have thought it would begin on a sad note and end on such a huge note .
Definitely not me😃🙈
First of all , I would like to say a big thank you to PerryTots for featuring me on this incredible series 31 Voices 31 Days . I am so delighted to be back and share my experiences with you all.
The year began on a low note for me as I recorded my first mortality in my career as the primary physician.
I was very sad for this patient because he was a child who had measles complicated by malnutrition and pneumonia who presented very late .This is something that could have been easily prevented by immunization and nutritional education to the care providers.
This made me work harder to create more awareness and implement health campaigns and advocacy programs in the community to prevent this type of needles deaths especially in children and other vulnerable population.
I believe so much in the concept of community empowerment and ownership that this is the only way we can contribute towards its sustainability.
This resulted in me being featured in the Guardian newspaper for my work in The Neo Child Initiative and was even nominated for some humanitarian awards .This was so unexpected because I believed that there were other changemakers who deserved it more but I guess that was not all what was in store for me.😁
Fast forward to the scariest email I received in March where I was informed I was shortlisted for the most competitive interview for Chevening Scholarship to study at Masters Level in United Kingdom.
I was so anxious because this was to be my first interview ever in my life but as God will have it. It went smoothly with me relating my work in the non profit sector The Neo Child Initiative by demonstrating my passion , authenticity, leadership and networking skills.
What happened next was like a whirlwind, I had to prepare for travels ,quit my job and find a replacement for my position in the non profit.
All this was not easy but with God I succeeded.
Now , I am currently studying Masters degree in Tropical Medicine and International Health at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where I had some bumps along the road with new environment , people ,culture academics and even my mental health but I have now learnt to adjust to my new life by spending quality time with my peers and family reading more , resting when I can and of course volunteering. 💪
I am really excited about my course because it is in line with my passion for health advocacy and preventive medicine and I am beginning to expand my way of thinking and mindset so that when I come back to Nigeria I can contribute more meaningfully towards the health sector and general development of Nigeria.
Moving forward, I am really excited for this new phase in my life and pray 2020 will be full of lessons to be learned,new experiences to acquire ,opportunities to inspire and be inspired and lots of happy moments to be shared with friends and family.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a God filled New Year!!!! May we all have a better Nigeria and do our bit to make it a reality .
You can connect with me via
IG – @cassieakinde
Twitter -@AkindeCassandra
Season Greetings from Perry’s Tots.🎄
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