From Jurugo Roberts: When Volunteering Saves Lives

Giving back to the community is the only way a WMF scholar can ever pay back this golden opportunity. Ever since I was awarded this scholarship, I made sure that one month in a year is dedicated to giving back to the community. Once again, WMF has given me the opportunity to save life and to learn new challenges in the field of medicine.

During the December school break, I was able to go back home to South Sudan and join my strained

Jurugo (middle) with fellow medical volunteers in South Sudan

fellow medics there. It’s the same hospital I went to in 2009 but thanks God, things seem to be improving. Two permanent doctors and enough clinicians?? That made me smile. The hospital is now training midwives and registered nurses.

While there we carried out what a general practitioner does and with the help of the two doctors, I helped and learnt a lot.

One Wednesday morning, we were ready to operate. An emergency came.  A pregnant woman with a case of fetal distress. That is an easy case to handle if all the requirements are at hand. We started well on the mother. As we were about to get the baby, Electricity went off. The generator  got spoiled, a mechanical condition. Every one inside was normal apart from me. I was surprised and scared of what will come next.  They consoled me that, that was a normal happening there.

I wasn’t the one operating or assisting though that day but I was confused. Good enough there were hand torches; some nurses had to help in flashing onto the cut wound. I collected my phone and started playing R.Kelly’s song, I BELIEVE. I had to believe in God almighty.  A bouncing baby boy was removed. Thanks God he cried, and everything seemed normal.

As the doctor was suturing back, the generator got back well. I was happy and I played again R. Kelly’s song, Sing of a Victory. I was happy and everyone was happy. I promised to follow that mother  and her baby up and I did so. After a week at home, I checked on that family. I gave that kid the name Hope victory. They appreciated that.

Operating without electricity

Volunteering in third world country isn’t easy at all. You see strange things. The only thing we could do was to do our best and with God, Lives were saved.

While volunteering, we heard of the outbreak of yellow fever in Northern Uganda. South Sudan is its immediate neighbor. So I induced the Medical director to organize a one day work shop with all health personnel in the county, to teach all health personnel ways of stopping spread incase that disease reached there. Thanks God it never. Had it to reach, we were to be found ready for all challenges. That’s another victory.

The third victory happened on the 15^th of January 2011. All wells scholars in Eastern Africa were able to meet a WMF representative. That was Jordyn.  We came to know each other as scholars. We were able to exchange contacts. Most importantly, we were able to meet part of the people who labored to make sure that we are in school. Jordyn, thank you for meeting us.

Thanks WMF for this opportunity of helping me to help my own people.