Birthkits for Haiti

In my final year of High school my Global Scholars peers and I created birthkits to send to the Women in Haiti. After learning about a recent disaster in Haiti we decided to chose this project. With the knowledge that after a disaster there tends to be a spike in birth rates in Haiti and the scarcity in which medical care is available we became passionate in doing our part. Hours upon hours were spent  in the library and classrooms working on them along with our own individual Capstones.

It is significant to me because it shows the hard work and collaboration my peers and I went through to try and help out those in an unfortunate situations. It was something attainable something we could do that would actually make a difference. I learned a lot from the research done surrounding the topic of birthrates and infant mortality in Haiti. I also learned that there was a time and place for attaching feelings to situations and that sometimes we can let ourselves connect with an issue but other times we must see them with a neutral point of view.

I found myself enjoying collaborating with others on work because of the ease in which ideas were bounced off of one another. As well as sharing a satisfying feeling of accomplishment when finished with a project with others. This experience taught me that yes, having a hero complex and believing you can change everything for the better is slightly impractical but, doing even just a little to help is still significant.

About Me

My name is Fatuma Kadir and I was born in Malindi, Kenya. I am a Freshman in the International Affairs Scholars Program, majoring in Biology on a Pre-Medical track. I would describe myself as a passionate and comedic person. I enjoy reading and writing poetry, but have not reached the point of reading my own aloud.

In high school, I was a member of Global Scholars, a program that allowed me to expand my knowledge about other countries. It gave me a chance to consider ways that I could help make a difference, and to look deeper into issues that did not necessarily impact me. Being surrounded by my peers with diverse background has exposed me to multiple views and perspectives. Within the program I was able to work with these peers to create birth kits for the women in Haiti. My experiences in this program influenced my choice in joining the International Affairs Scholars Program. Participating in this program enables me to create a dialogue with others who have an interest in international affairs and learn from them and develop into a more internationally conscious person.

As a career I hope to go into the medical field. My background as an immigrant with family living in third world countries who have little to no medical access has impacted my choice. There have been circumstances where family members of mine have died from ailments that could have been easily treated if proper aid was provided. I believe everyone has the right to proper medical aid no matter where they are located and would like to help make this a reality for many.

My interest both in international affairs and the medical field has steered me towards one day hoping to join Doctors Without Borders. In addition, I hope to work with government officials in different countries to help make sure medical assistance is being given to as many people as possible.

As a student at Ohio State I hope to surround myself with people that can challenge and better me. As well as include myself in events and clubs that encompass diversity and/or are actively making a difference whether big or small. I hope to learn from every experience I am presented with and reach my goal of making my mother proud to have sought a better life for her children.

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

G.O.A.L.S.

[ “G.O.A.L.S.” is a place where students write about how their planned, current, and future activities may fit into the Honors & Scholars G.O.A.L.S.: Global Awareness, Original Inquiry, Academic Enrichment, Leadership Development, and Service Engagement. For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.

Global Awareness: Students cultivate and develop their appreciation for diversity and each individual’s unique differences. For example, consider course work, study abroad, involvement in cultural organizations or activities, etc .
Original Inquiry: Honors & Scholars students understand the research process by engaging in experiences ranging from in-class scholarly endeavors to creative inquiry projects to independent experiences with top researchers across campus and in the global community. For example, consider research, creative productions or performances, advanced course work, etc.
Academic Enrichment: Honors & Scholars students pursue academic excellence through rigorous curricular experiences beyond the university norm both in and out of the classroom.
Leadership Development: Honors & Scholars students develop leadership skills that can be demonstrated in the classroom, in the community, in their co-curricular activities, and in their future roles in society.
Service Engagement: Honors & Scholars students commit to service to the community.]

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.   For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

Artifacts

[Artifacts are the items you consider to be representative of your academic interests and achievements. For each entry, include both an artifact and a detailed annotation.  An annotation is a reflective description of the artifact that attempts to communicate its significance.  For more information, go to: http://honors-scholars.osu.edu/e-portfolio. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]