Next stop Mbale: I'm going to Uganda with Taith
I've been selected as one of six USW student nurses for a Taith-funded nursing exchange to Mbale, Uganda, in January.
· 2 min read
I'm incredibly proud to share that I've been selected as one of just six student nurses from the University of South Wales for a Taith-funded nursing exchange to Mbale, Uganda. We fly out in January.
How it came about
Taith is the Welsh Government's international learning exchange programme. It funds students to study, work and volunteer abroad. USW's exchange is run in partnership with PONT, a charity from Rhondda Cynon Taf that has spent many years supporting community health in Mbale.
The process involved an application, a shortlist and then an interview. With only six places, getting shortlisted already felt like a win. Preparing for the interview made me think hard about why I chose nursing. Part of the answer was curiosity: about how care looks in different places, and about learning from people whose experience is very different from mine.
What we'll be doing
Over two weeks we'll visit hospitals, a government health centre and a local nursing school. We'll also take part in a knowledge exchange with Ugandan nursing students. I'm particularly looking forward to:
- Broadening my clinical perspective. I want to see how high-quality care is delivered in a very different cultural and resource setting.
- Learning from local professionals. I want to listen to nurses in Mbale and learn as much as I share.
- Bringing it home. I'll share what I learn with my cohort and use it in my own practice here in Wales.
Preparing properly
Reading research on international placements has convinced me that preparation and reflection matter as much as the trip itself. That includes the emotional preparation. Alongside vaccinations, visas and flights, I'm planning to keep a structured reflective journal before, during and after the exchange. I'll share what I can here, respecting the privacy and dignity of every patient and community we meet.
A huge thank you to the University of South Wales, USW Global, PONT and Taith for making this possible, and to the brilliant group I'll be travelling with.