“What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.” – Aristotle. That’s often the missing piece we look for in life. I went on a medical relief trip with Rahbar Trust (rahbartrust.org) to The Gambia and spent 10 days in a world I was never familiar with. A world most of us aren’t, but one that is the reality of many. Day 1: I didn’t know what to expect, but as soon as I began to traverse the streets of Banjul, I was hit with the undeniable beauty of the country’s landscapes and the warmth of its people. The sun bathed the surroundings in a golden glow, highlighting the richness of the land’s natural resources. Though bustling with activity, the streets displayed the realities of life in the area; modest buildings with weathered exteriors lined the roads, standing as symbols of resilience and strength against the challenges faced by Gambians on a daily basis. 

The moments of reality crept in when our team visited a public hospital.

There are 3 of them in the entire country.

I wasn’t aware of the severity right at where all our lives start: maternity wards. As I entered the room, the air was chilled, evoking a sense of isolation and vulnerability. I remember the look on a Gambian woman’s face as she held her baby in distress as if she was feeling lost in an almost empty facility with barely any workers for support. This profound encounter served as a poignant reminder of the purpose of Rahbar Trust’s trip. It was a moment of clarity, where the significance of our mission resonated deeply within me, igniting a fervent determination to contribute all that I could. 

It wasn’t long until our team unraveled the stark reality faced by women in developing countries, particularly at a young age. One unforgettable day, we set up a medical site near a village in the city of Basse, and I was assigned the responsibility of attending to a 15-year-old girl. Through the translator, I learned that this young woman had attempted to terminate her pregnancy. This information hit me like a tidal wave of emotions- shock, sadness, and an overwhelming sense of empathy collided within me. Yet, how could I be surprised when these women were left with little resources and support?

In that pivotal moment, our team’s intervention in helping this young woman felt like a step in the right direction, but it also served as an important reminder of the immense challenges ahead for this country. 

Simply by staring at the uncleanliness of the water in the country, our team could see right through the Gambians. We saw the struggle. Therefore, we immediately got to work. Rahbar Trust began 3 water projects in the Gambia; 2 in Basse and 1 in Banjul. These projects were created to deliver consistent, clean water to Gambians. These projects extended to the installation of three solar and electric-powered water filtration pumps in the country. These people need support from other people who are willing to persist in their well-being. Despite our efforts, we knew there was so much more that needed to be done to uplift these communities and provide them with the opportunities and resources they rightfully deserved. 

Knowing this, our team began handing out toys and menstrual products to the children and women, respectively. I wasn’t prepared for what was going to happen once I took out a bundle of pencils from our bag of supplies. Hundreds of Gambian kids came smiling, swarming my way, from behind me, in front of me, to the left of me, to the right of me. As a kid, pencils wouldn’t have entertained me at all. I couldn’t put my finger on why these kids were so excited. However, I realized that I wasn’t thinking from the perspective of someone who didn’t grow up with things as simple as pencils.

When I got back from the trip, I was allowed to recognize the privilege we have. I shadowed a gynecologist and witnessed the comprehensive maternity care given in this country involving organized clinical prepartum and postpartum protocols, an appropriate amount of staff, and diverse positions including doulas, doctors, nurses, midwives, etc.  When we get out of our American bubble of a privileged life with everything we need and more, we realize the discrepancies when it comes to socio-cultural factors like poverty, cultural acceptance of adolescent sex, child marriage, and psychological perspectives that create general health problems. This trip has shown that we, as young women, should count our blessings each and every day. 

As we have more prerogative, we gain more responsibility. Every day of my 10-day trip, I felt like I was fulfilling an obligation I had in this world, and taking my empowerment and implementing it in others. Traveling to developing countries is one of the most important things one can do for themselves- more importantly, their soul. I was grateful to be given this opportunity by Rahbar Trust to be able to explore this idea in The Gambia. Despite the circumstances these women and children constantly face, I never failed to see them smiling and welcoming the team on the streets of The Smiling Coast of Africa.