Philippines here I come!

Stephanie Duff Start Date: Aug 12, 2016 - End Date: May 11, 2017
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Volunteer Trip
  • Dumaguete, Central Visayas, Philippines

My Travel Story

by: Stephanie Duff Start Date: Aug 12, 2016 - End Date: May 11, 2017
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Volunteer Trip
In March 2017, I will be travelling to Iloilo, Philippines for a month alongside my two classmates (and besties) to complete my midwifery elective placement with the company, Work the World.

Whilst there, I will be working in a hospital alongside other midwives providing the world class care we are taught here in Scotland to mothers and their families before, during and after having their babies. In the Philippines, they are less fortunate than the UK with the NHS and many of their hospitals are underfunded and lack rescourses making childbirth even more difficult for Filipino women. Despite this, the midwives in the Philippines are very quick to spot complications and work well with what they have and I will learn so much from them! I will also be going into out-of-reach areas and providing communitry care for women in tribes. With the little free time I will have on this jampacked placement, I will be taking the time to visit children in local orphanages where I will take over clothes, toys and goodies for them.

I am extremely passionate about this placement. The amount of experience and knowledge that I could gain from this adventure is endless and will be invaluable in my midwifery career! Not only will I have hands-on experience providing midwifery care in settings that will compeletely push me out of my comfort zone, I will be able to experience it in a different country with different cultures and values - something that I am very interested in! Did you know? Women are not allowed access to pain relief in labour and labour in near silence most of the time in the Philippines.

However, as this all comes at a cost and will be mostly self funded, I am asking all of you lovely, generous people of the internet to help me achieve this. Any donations would be extremely appreciated, no matter how big or small!

The money raised will go towards the placement cost which includes accommodation and food while I am there (£1390) excluding any flights or spending money. As well as any kind donations you may give, along with my busy studies I will be doing fundraising events such as raffles, sponsered runs etc in the near future to prove that this will be well worth your money! Keep an eye out!

Thank you for any donations! It is much appreciated!
  • Dumaguete, Central Visayas, Philippines

Updates

4
  • Gift To The Babies!

    Gift to the babies!
    Jess' gran and her friend, out of the kindness of their hearts, knitted us a bunch of clothes and hats for us to take to the babies in the Philippines! How gorgeous are they?! Pair of absolute stars!
  • How Midwifery Care Is In The Philippines

    So we got updated on how things are out in the Philippines in regards to their midwifery care. Women receive no pain relief and labour in silence. There is no privacy during labour, no partners allowed with them and women will give birth in a crammed ward - no private rooms to give birth in like over here! The woman who spoke to us told us she observed a midwife caring for a 16 year old who was labouring and she spent the whole 6 hours in labour telling her how stupid she was getting pregnant! She told us midwives out there aren't taught compassion, they're taught the medical side of things and doctors do all the deliveries! This is going to be a huge eye opener!