Student SPHere 2008-09

This week I had some very good news! A picture I took a few years ago was displayed as the photo of the week for the Association of Schools of Public Health’s weekly electronic newsletter. This picture was described by my major chair as “beautiful and heartbreaking� and I think that it is exactly that.

I took the picture in Ghana, West Africa while I was on an experiential learning experience with http://www.reachthechildren.org/about/Reach the Children Foundation (a non profit organization based in Utah).
I was intrigued by this little girl carrying a baby not because it is an uncommon sight but more because the little girl was actually the mother of the 9 month old baby. As it turned out, the baby was the result of an indiscretion by a relative when the girl was only 11 years old. Being in a society that frowns on abortion, the girl invariably had to have the baby. After talking with this seemingly mature little girl, I couldn’t help but want a picture—a picture that has stayed in my consciousness for years after I took it. This little girl is the reason I am pursuing a maternal and child health degree with a focus on global reproductive health. I believe that situations like this can be avoided and I hope that I can contribute to making that happen as a public health professional and beyond.
After having this picture in the http://fridayletter.asph.org/press.cfm?FL_Index=1537">Friday letter, I have had many great reviews and the thing that excites me the most about it is that this picture has generated conversation. I think that getting people to think about real global health issues is great and if this picture has the potential to do that, then why not post it on my blog?
I know there are others out there like me that care about global reproductive health issues and I am hoping that this post will be a forum to get people thinking about Maternal and Child Health. And yes, even if you are a male reading this, this goes for you too. My maternal and child health classes are dominated by women such as myself and I am longing for the day when more men will be interested in so called “women’s issues� as passionately as we are. That being said… please start this conversation with your friends. “What can we do to address reproductive health issues such as this one while remaining culturally sensitive… ?�