I haven't written a blog post in over a year... for a mixture of reasons including lack of time, respecting the confidentiality of our work and my colleagues, and many other factors. For some reason, however, I've decided to share a snapshot of my day this 'winter' Thursday (cooler temps, around 25c, bad air pollution - read more here).
I rise at 6.30am and spend some time journaling/reflecting before treating myself to a hot shower and wash my hair. I am picked up by the work 'shuttle' car at 7.30am. We stop enroute to collect 3 more passengers and reach the office by 8.20am. Our kind office helper brings me breakfast (roti, omelette and vegetable/lentil curry) with a cup of tea. I usually have breakfast at home but ran out of time today.
I have a short meeting with my national counterpart to prepare for the day and set priorities; as it's the year-end and we must finish all our activities and spend all our allocated funds, prepare next year's workplans and get ready for a review meeting with a donor next week. I'm leaving for a regional conference in Bali in a few days' time and will be in the UK for Christmas, so time is tight to achieve all my deadlines.
Our Swedish partners are in-country for a workshop and some field visits; they come to the office at 09.30 and we have a productive 90 minute meeting. They are well-known to our staff so we make time for hugs and news-sharing. Afterwards, we follow up on a few action points and I need to finalise some paperwork for my trip, making sure the organisation's travel policy is followed to the letter.
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| with midwives at a recent workshop |
Around 12.30 we journey through the smog and traffic to the government office where we have a team supporting the national midwifery programme. A task-force with representatives from many organisations - including a women's network - is finalising a new framework to safeguard midwives and nurses against workplace abuse and harassment. I've been part of the process for several months and it's exciting to be near the finish-line. I work on an annex to the standard operating procedure (SOP), summarising workplace rights; many healthcare workers, especially females, are unaware of them.
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| With students at a midwifery college |
In the conference room, a workshop for medical statisticians is drawing to a close. Data and evidence is vital to understand the impact of midwives and the challenges they face. Using this data, we can advocate for more midwives, and for the enabling environment they need to provide high quality care. I am asked to close the workshop with a motivational speech. I tell them how important their work is to saving lives, and that I use the data they collect every day. Later I reflect on the irony of the dyslexic student who failed her maths O level three times being asked to lecture an ensemble of statisticians!
We share a late lunch with the team, reflecting on the week past and the various events facilitated or attended. Yesterday was the closing event of a large 6-year project with diplomats and ministers. Tuesday was building the capacity of midwife teachers in quality assurance. Monday we prepared for a major audit on the horizon, and Sunday each team took ownership of their activities and budget for a new project.
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| Yesterday with colleagues |
On with my day. At 3.30pm, an online meeting with health economists. Can they help us with a new idea? I finished the table of workplace rights for nurses and midwives - I'm more knowledgeable now about Bangladesh Labour Laws! A driver is due at 4.30pm but no car is available. I try in vain to book an Uber - eventually I call the office and they divert the shuttle car to collect me. This delays everyone's return home for the weekend and the journey takes 1 1/2 hours - people are frustrated so I introduce them to a game - pick cities with consecutive letters of the Alphabet - and soon we're in good spirits again with laughs all round. Surely Oregon is a city? How about England? Our driver is unexpectedly brilliant at geography.
I reach home after 6pm and quickly finish a presentation over a cup of tea before a 2-hour session with some Masters Students. They listen attentively, we have rich conversation and knowledge exchange. I remember why I love teaching. I send some messages to family in the UK and start the blog.
At 10pm my husband returns from dinner with friends and we catch up over cups of tea and sandwiches of homemade seeded sourdough bread and cheese. I prepare a pineapple - it's delicious. We talk about family, news from friends, choir, and the plans for this weekend: spiritual refreshment, meals shared with friends, board games, exercise, some new sourdough creations and a Christmas carol service with traditional turkey dinner. No doubt I'll be working - and packing - at times, but we'll try to create some space for rest and for each other.
Wishing you all a very happy weekend.
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| Looking forward to some swims |
