International Day of Education

Today is International Day of Education. Recognized by the United Nations, education is crucial in transforming the future currently entrenched inequalities.

At FAME, one of our core values is “lifelong learning” and we are dedicated to empowering Tanzanian healthcare workers with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to serve their patients well.

Dr. Ken Karanja, FAME’s Clinical Education Coordinator, explains FAME’s commitment to educating its staff: 

“My job as FAME’s Clinical Education Coordinator is to spearhead capacity building of our medical staff. We believe, and it has been our experience, that capacity-building interventions not only enhance knowledge but also build the confidence of our staff to handle difficult cases. FAME works in a rural setting, and our education is tailored to match our priorities and the context in which we work. Building capacity involves not only training the staff, but also mobilizing knowledge and support to promote the achievement of quality patient-centered care.”

Medical training takes place once a week with additional sessions set aside to review difficult cases and learn from them. Together with the doctor in charge, Dr. Karanja ensures that the medical staff is up to date with new developments in the medical field. FAME sponsors its staff to attend medical conferences around the country and beyond, who then come back and share what they learned. FAME has provided doctors with iPads equipped with different apps to enable them to research medical conditions quickly while on the job. 

FAME medical volunteers have been an instrumental part in building the capacity of and educating the FAME staff. Once at FAME, volunteers work directly with FAME staff to provide a rich and collaborative learning experience. Due to COVID-19, the volunteers that are not able to travel to Karatu teach over Zoom. This has allowed learning to continue throughout the pandemic. 

Since its inception, FAME has been growing and sustaining a medical facility that is an integral and vital part of our local community, through the continuous education and capacity building of our staff. Education and capacity building remains key strategic priority. 

Pictured: Volunteer Nurse Brad Snyder assists FAME’s Dr. Adam Likiliwike in a recent training session