Written by Cedric Odendo, HHFL Nursing college student

My name is Cedric and I am a 3-year Nursing student at Presbyterian University in Nairobi. I just finished my 1st semester at the beginning of December and am proud to have secured a one-month internship at Kikuyu Hospital as part of my school curriculum.

Many people have been asking me why I decided to choose a career in Nursing. Some tell me that it is not a career for men, but I believe that it is career for anyone who cares about helping others in need. It is a respected career in Kenya with high demand and good pay. At first, I did not consider becoming a nurse but Mama Hanne and Alexandra helped guide me in this direction and I’m so glad they did.

When I arrived at Kikuyu Hospital to start my internship, I was so scared to be with patients in the ward. The other thing that made me nervous was to do last offices. But with more practice, I am getting used to it and am really enjoying hospital work. The biggest challenge that I face now is mostly with the patients who do not want a student to give them injections because we are not considered to be ‘qualified’. There are also some patients who sometimes don’t take their oral drugs because the drugs are bitter. I have to stay there for a long time to make sure that they have swallowed the oral drug.

My course load is very scientific and challenging. Microbiology is giving me headache because of those hard scientific words. I also take Pharmacology, Environmental Health Science and Anatomy. I have to admit that Physiology is my best subject because I enjoy learning about the human structures and how they function together. I also learn Psychology and Communication, which is very important.

Presbyterian University is one of the best institutions in Kenya for Nursing. The teachers take their work very seriously and the students are there to learn. I will work very hard to achieve my best over the next three years because I don’t want to let myself, my HHFL siblings who look up to me or my donors down. One thing that I want to show through example is that hard work, dedication and focus can take you far.

Thanks for believing in me.

Yours lovingly Cedric