Dentistry, Home Visits, Gardening and Classroom English Engage Volunteer Family in Tanzania

The Lee-Cohen family of Vicwagi (Nova Scotia, Canada) learned how easily they can acclimate and be accepted into a remote African village in two weeks.  In part one of their story, Dr. Jacquie Cohen, a psychologist, described how she worked with mothers and children.  In this account, Jacquie’s husband, dentist Tim Lee, and their teenaged sons Kieran and Declan Lee-Cohen, also share how they each contributed their unique skills on their adventure in service in Ipalamwa, Tanzania. (Second of two parts).

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As mom Jacquie Cohen sought an avenue to international service, flexible work projects for all her family members led her to Global Volunteers’ Tanzania Service Program.  “We wanted to find a volunteer position where we as working professionals could contribute in our very different fields, and give our kids an experience. There are very few options to be able to do that,” she said. “Our kids are old enough that we want them to contribute. In Global Volunteers’ materials, you prepare people well for that,” she continued. “Your flexibility (as an organization), I think, is really wonderful. We felt that on the ground as well.”  

Familiar Work in a Foreign Setting

Chris, who teaches and practices clinical dentistry at the dental school at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, assisted Tanzanian dentist Dr. Musa Nguva, who travels to the Ipalamwa General Clinic each month to care for patients. On some days, the “dynamic dentistry duo” saw 22 or 23 patients, many of whom walk several miles to be treated.

Jacquie offered: “Chris has high standards for dentists, because he teaches dentists, and is called in when dentists mess up.” Yet, the assignment in a rural African clinic was an awakening for him, she said. “And, he spoke so highly of Dr. Musa’s interpersonal and hands-on skills.” It was definitely a daily adventure – learning what conditions they would be treating together, and even how many children and adults would visit the clinic. Some days, they treated 20-22 patients. But, most of all, Chris felt challenged by the sparse equipment in the makeshift dental office.

“He was just like, what do you mean I’m gonna do this without x-rays and without, all these extra steps?” Jacquie reported. “And, you know, he got over that pretty darn quickly. But he found it very meaningful… and exhausting.”

North American Students Serve as Classroom Teachers

Jacquie said as classroom English language tutors, her sons created their own lesson plans for teaching basic English skills to primary school students. A unexpected benefit was that after school, the students and volunteer “teachers” would play soccer together.Global Volunteers’ manager Deborah Josua and primary school assistant Grace Wihale served as they boy’s translators, and helped maintain classroom order.

Chris noted how happy his sons were to spend the days in school.  “They commented on how much they are enjoying that the kids recognize them and are so excited to see them each morning. When they taught the pronoun song, the kids clapped and sang together (in English), and teased each other when girls and boys got matched up together to identify their own pronouns.”

In the middle of the first week, Declan accompanied Chris and Dr. Mussa to speak on dental health to the same primary class. Declan modelled proper teeth brushing, and Chris and Dr. Mussa explained the practice and importance of good oral hygiene. The boys also helped parents and staff plant and distribute Earthbox household gardens to homes in some afternoons in the five villages.  

While Kieran once shared his classroom with his father Chris, and accompanied his mother Jacquie on a home visit, on most days, only the boys worked together. But, one afternoon, their parents also united on a project they both know well:  parenting.  After Chris spent the morning in the clinic and Jacquie conducted home visits, they joined up to counsel members of the Fathers of Goodwill group led by Global Volunteers Psychologist Jordan Msigwa. The couple shared their personal perspectives on working as a team when raising children, and the harms of physical punishment.

“I found it very enjoyable to be able to pause and look around at all the people who were on the compound. So many different reasons why people were there and so many different smiles and faces. It was amazing”. 

Kieran Lee-Cohen in the team journal

Personal Benefits Extend Beyond the Village

“It’s funny,” Jacquie reflected, “my oldest son’s coaches and teachers have told me he seems changed since he came back. They’ve just described him as being a lot more mature.”

“And I think one of the things I’m really proud of, too, is because Declan has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and with the teaching, he said, ‘Mom, I’m pretty sure that there’s some kids who have, ADHD or autism in the class. I’m just worried that they get labeled as troublemakers, and so I’m wondering if we could talk with them about that.’”  Together with Mental Wellness Education Manager Regina Mhagama, Declan and Jacquie planned and presented a lesson on the topic to students and teachers.

“The goal was very modest. Just to destigmatize the condition,” Jacquie explained.  “That’s the piece that I would say is meaningful. You walk away feeling like you did something to give back. And, of course, the perspective that it gives you.”

The easy opportunities to integrate into daily life was meaningful to the family, Jacquie said. For instance, one weekend day, Chris and Declan accompanied Global Volunteers staff Doudi and Itujah on a supply run to the nearest large town of Iringa to service the jeep and purchase groceries. “Just the fact that they could go and be a little bit a part of it,” was meaningful, said Jacquie.  “And when they got back, they were invited into staff quarters to watch football games, and to play football with them. My son just idolizes the staff. It’s how they treated us and included us, and you did not feel like a tourist.”

“You walk away feeling like you did something to give back. And, of course, (you have) the perspective that it gives you.”  

Jacquie Cohen

So, we’re so glad we did it. It’s really wonderful for us that we have this shared, special experience as a family. it’s really brought us closer together as a family, despite the fact that there’s some stresses, you know, associated with it. I’m so proud my kids have had that experience. … Life is short, and things are not necessarily improving.  You know, you can’t wait for the right time.

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