Program location
The city of Gimbie is located 450km west of Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, in the highlands of western Ethiopia's Wollega Province.
Climate/weather
Diverse rainfall and temperature patterns in Ethiopia are largely the result of Ethiopia's location in Africa's tropical zone and the country's varied topography. Altitude-induced climatic conditions form the basis for three environmental zones--cool, temperate, and hot. In the lowlands, it is usually hot and humid year round. The highlands, however, enjoy cooler temperatures. Most rainfall occurs from June through September.
Mailing location
Gimbie Adventist Hospital, P.O. Box 228, Gimbie, Wollega, Ethiopia
Program description
Site Size
This hospital has approximately 70 patient beds of which 60 percent are regularly occupied (about 60-70 percent occupied during the rainy season). The site sees an average of 40 outpatients per day.
Services offered at the site
Languages
Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic state with a great variety of languages spoken in the country. There are 83 languages and 200 dialects. The three main languages are Amharic, Tigrigna, and Oromifa. Amharic is the official language of the government. English is also widely spoken. At this site, the primary language spoken is Oromifa, and 100 percent of staff speak English.
Accommodations
Participants will be housed in a Western-style guesthouse. Those staying in guest houses can arrange for cooking help if they choose. Other amenities at this site include laundry services, house cleaning help, running water, and hot showers.
Transportation to site
Participants are responsible for arranging their own air travel to the international airport in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. From there, the hospital will arrange transportation to the site. The site is located 450 km from the airport, and approximate travel time is 8 hours by hospital car. If the hospital is unable to meet participants at the hospital, it may be necessary for participants to take a bus to Gimbie. If so, the hospital will provide detailed directions as to which bus lines participants will need to take. The bus ride to Gimbie costs $6.00 and takes approximately 10-12 hours. From Gimbie to Addis Ababa it takes about two days.
On occasion, participants have had to spend one night in Addis Ababa depending on their flight schedules. In such cases, the hospital will arrange overnight lodging for participants at the local Seventh-day Adventist church for approximately $11.00/night. Participants will need to take a taxi from the hospital to the church. Volunteers from the church will meet students at the church, settle them in for the night, and ensure that they catch the correct bus the following morning.
Eligibility
This site recruits students and professionals in the following health professions: medicine, nursing, international public health, health administration, health promotion, nutrition/dietetics, physical therapy, laboratory technology, medical records, and other non-health related fields.
Program fee
Program fees include food, lodging, and transport from the arrival airport to the site. Program fees do not include air travel or personal travel while in the country. The following costs are based on a four-week stay and subject to change in conjunction with the site.
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Housing cost: |
$10.00/night |
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Food cost: |
$2.00-$5.00/day |
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Transport to site fee: |
$6.00/ride (bus) |
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Estimated total cost: |
$600.00 |
Country information
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/et.html
Entry requirements
http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html#p
Comments from former student interns
Gimbie is an excellent place to go to see a variety of medical conditions--I think the most common were malaria, TB, hernias, cataracts, goiters, and gastritis. We were able to watch surgeries and deliveries as well. The doctors are really great and there is opportunity to work with the Catholic nuns on community activities. It will not be a safari experience, though there are monkeys and beautiful birds, and it will be rainy season, which means cool temperatures and lots of red mud. August is the best time of the summer to go since rainy season is beginning to subside. The drive to Gimbie is long and rough--about 10-12 hours, and it might be necessary to take the bus. Transportation is thus slightly inconvenient (though they arranged our transportation for us so we were lucky), but the drive there is beautiful--fertile valleys all around and excellent views of the countryside! The hospital staff all speak at least some English, and a majority of the doctors are foreign (from the U.S., Holland, Philippines, etc.) so there is plenty of opportunity to understand what is going on. Most of the doctors were very willing to explain things. The patients rarely speak enough English to communicate. Housing in Gimbie is excellent--all western-style including flushing toilets and a warm shower. Food is alright but a bit sparse. Trustworthy help is easy to negotiate through the hospital administrator since most of the staff have hired help. Sometimes they do visits to neighboring towns either for outpatient services or for Maternity Worldwide.
Be ready for a long, rough ride on the way there--but the ride is scenic and the destination is well worth it. If it is summer (June-Sept) be ready for rain!
There is little opportunity for hands-on learning since Gimbie hospital is large and well-staffed already.
As I reflected over what I had gained from my time in Gimbie, Ethiopia, I wondered what I had really done for them. Tuning the chapel piano, clearing out the medical storage shed, visiting polio patients, showing the children how to juggle, giving away clothes...all these things were constructive, but they seemed so small in light of the tremendous amount of suffering I saw. I wished I could somehow change political and social constructs to make the average life in Ethiopia more fulfilling
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Last Revised: Mon, Jan 08, 2007