From Hospitals to Homestays: Exploring Healthcare & Culture with SIT Kenya


November 7, 2024

students with locals at an outing event

Dunga Hill Camp, Kisumu, Kenya

students standing in front of health center in Kisumu
Usoma Health Centre, Kisumu, Kenya

Hi! My name is Chloe, and I am studying abroad in Kisumu, Kenya, with the School of International Training. My program is a provider program and I have been learning extensively about global health practices in Kenya; but also in Tanzania and Rwanda! In the program we have learned about the hierarchical structures of Kenya's healthcare system, the differences of public vs private hospitals, the role of Community Health Workers in rural/urban areas, and the specific diseases that are impacting Kenya. 

students taking a hike
exploring throughout our program

This program has a lot of contact learning through tours of different healthcare facilities, guest speakers, research projects, and two trip excursions to Rwanda and Tanzania!

This program is very unique as it places an emphasis on contact-learning and cultural immersion. In fact, I am living with a homestay family who has been teaching me a handful of Kiswahili and Luo. 

students making local food
learning to make local food

My host mother has taken me in with open arms, showing me the ins and outs of local life. I feel like the homestay experience is so unique and very thankful that it has played a huge role in my experience abroad.

Overall, I would say SIT Kenya is a great program to learn about Kenyan culture and the lifestyles of people in the Sub-Saharan region as a whole!

 

Chloe Alce
Fall 2024
SIT - Global Health and Human Rights in Kenya (Kisumu)
Elliott School of International Affairs
International Affairs Major