Hannah Thompson – itinerant midwife
This blog was originally published by MSF International on 7th May 2019 and can be read in its original format here. I'm reposting it here to keep this blog complete. I’m roused as usual by the criers with megaphones giving advice on cholera prevention. It’s only 5am, but I can’t really complain when we’re the ones... Continue Reading →
This blog was originally written and posted on the 25th July 2018. I am reposting it here today for the sake of keeping this blog complete. On my second day in Bukavu my colleague suggested a swim in the lake. This heaving border town curls around the southern tip of Lake Kivu, an expanse of... Continue Reading →
You may recall that my last post was a slightly dazed jumble of happiness and trepidation- I'd landed my dream job with my favourite charity, who had turned around and told me that I am needed in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Well, it's been several months since then and I have been busy. No,... Continue Reading →
Shitting myself, but thankfully not literally this time.
It's been a long time since my last blog post. This is mostly because I honestly didn't have anything to write about during the second cohort. I often discussed the blog with the rest of the team, and we tried to come up with ideas, but nothing really stuck. It seems ridiculous that it's possible... Continue Reading →
This will have to be several blogs rolled into one. I’ve been having major communications issues due to a broken phone that’s proving surprisingly difficult to repair. The problem is the electricity here- while I’m very grateful it exists for at least 90% of the time, the power surges absolutely destroy the batteries in phones... Continue Reading →
To set the scene, as they say, I'm sat writing this outside my little house, surrounded by children and chickens. We've just had a heavy and rather unexpected shower of rain, which sent every woman (including me) running to rescue her washing- it all felt rather British. Now the world is at rest, sleeping off... Continue Reading →
Three weeks have passed since our trip to Ouaga to meet the volunteers. One week of training, one week of planning, and one week of mild panic about how much there is to do. I am happy to say I couldn’t ask for a better team (and that is genuine joy, not because they may... Continue Reading →
Warning: total clickbait
Genuine question: how do you make suncream soak in when you're among the top 10 sweatiest things in West Africa? Answers on a postcard. We've been back in Loumbila for a week now, getting to know the place and trying to work out what we're meant to be doing. I'll see if the internet will... Continue Reading →
Having a midwife crisis 