It is such an honor to be working with FARM STEW International this summer for my practicum experience. I wanted to focus this learning opportunity on global nutrition and have the ability to travel abroad. FARM STEW International’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of rural, small farm families throughout the world. The organization launched its work in rural Uganda in 2015 and has since expanded into Sudan and Zimbabwe.

When the practicum began, I was located in the states and spent most of my time working alongside my supervisor, Joy. These four weeks were spent establishing public health teaching curriculum for FARM STEW trainers in Sudan and Zimbabwe, creating baseline and outcome surveys to implement in the field, learning about the organization, and researching nutrition and public health statistics in the involved countries to better understand the community’s needs. Next, I traveled to Zimbabwe where I joined the local FARM STEW team to gain hands on experience. Currently, I am in my third and final week in Zimbabwe. It has been fun working alongside the FARM STEW trainers to conduct lessons in the rural villages. A few of the lessons we conduct include gardening/compost, meals/nutrition, and sanitation. A goal of the organization is not just to educate but demonstrate and apply the lessons. During our lessons we work with the villagers to create wash stations, latrines, rubbish pits, compost piles, and organic gardens to improve their living circumstance for months and years to come.  In addition to being in the rural villages, I also delivered competency trainings with the FARM STEW trainers using the curriculum established during the first few weeks of the practicum.

Overall, this trip has been a very valuable learning experience and has exceeded all my expectations. I am excited to return home to family and finish up the remaining work. As the FARM STEW team in Zimbabwe continues their mission, they will begin utilizing the developed baseline and outcome surveys. I look forwards to analyzing these statistics to see the effect of FARM STEW’s efforts on rural families.

Carly K

Pictures:

Compost lesson in Dorset- 

Gardening class in Sikombingo- 

Sanitation lesson and new WASH stations at Mandindindi Primary School- 

Cooking class and nutrition lesson in Mandindindi-