Project — Nursing Institute

July 26, 2013 — Aru, Aru Nursing College, Project

Serving 2.5 million people, the Aru District had no higher-level training for nurses. Aware of this need, local medical authorities asked Ande, Bishop of Aru, if his health team could create a nursing university and in 2010, the new Institute started. The first nurses will qualify in August 2013.

Doctors and nurses from the Aru coordination, as well as government department health district staff, teach in the university and train the students during their placements. The new graduates will work in dozens of centres and hospitals across the district and help respond to the immense health needs, including the very high maternal and young child mortality.

Since its foundation, the institute has started training 140 students in 7 different course options – including hospital nursing, midwifery, child health, community health, nutrition and anaesthetics. Students come from all over the region, from more than ten different ethnic groups as well as different religious beliefs.

Semiliki Trust regularly gives money to support the running of the Institute. We have supported construction of two lecture room blocks, as well as the day to day running of the institute.

In March 2012, Nigel facilitated the Institute staff in in-depth curriculum development of the health subjects that are taught. The purpose of the discussions was to ensure the quality of the nurses being trained, and in particular that they would gain the nursing, clinical and community health skills they will need in the future when they work in isolated villages.

In June 2013, we purchased £880 worth of French medical books for the Institute.

By giving regularly to Semiliki Trust, your money will support the ongoing costs of nurse training; both classroom teaching and practical placements in many health centres & hospitals in Aru district. We hope to continue to raise further lump sums to buy more books, training materials and to finance further building projects.

If you would like to run your own fundraising event for the Institute, or sponsor a student ($400 a year), please get in touch.