SRT

Sub-Regional Training 2015

The dates on the calendar were marked and the countdown had begun. The dates 8th-14th June 2015. The venue Southern Palms Beach Resort (SPBR from now on) located on the sandy beaches of Diani, Kenya.

For someone who had just finished a grueling 3rd year harassed by Pharmacology this was the perfect way to unwind, and a perfect learning holiday to convince the parents to go for ☺. The fee was reasonable for 5 days and 4 nights of interacting with medical students from across Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Rwanda, Egypt and Nigeria).

Seeing as various attendees had various tastes, transport was an individual decision. For those travelers close to the city centre and on a tight budget, our journey began at 2100hrs on 7th June 2015 where we would travel in the comfortable buses of Tahmeed Ltd. If you had detachment issues from your smart device, fear not as the bus had USB slots for you to charge them. Free Wireless Network was also included for one to save your valuable bundles (though bundles did come in handy when the Wi-Fi decided to mood swing on us). For those who wanted to travel in style and comfort they jetted down to the Coast and for the lovers of road trips they drove down; while the adventurous ones went by train.

We arrived the next day at around 0900 hours and are free till the evening opening ceremony to get acquainted with our new home and roommates for the week.

OPENING CEREMONY:

After the day’s explorations, we donned our finest dinner wear and attended the opening ceremony on a full stomach, courtesy of the SPBR buffet. The trainings and trainers and the faceless Organizing Committee that sent me emails prior to the SRT finally were known courtesy of a brief video and the usual Kenyan politician tradition of “Saying something small” introduction. We were also indulged in the history of how the SRT came from a dream to a reality and the breakdown of IFMSA.

After all was said and done, ground rules told, we broke into meetings according to our various trainings (Notification emails had earlier been sent to a number of us on which training we would be attending) and were free to either turn down for the night or turn up into the wee hours of the morning.

LET THE GAMES (SORRY SRT) BEGIN:

Tuesday morning was here with us and we were down to business; participants broke into their designated trainings which included:

Universal Health Care (UHC) and Post 2015 Agenda
Training New Trainers (TNT)
IPAS
Capacity building

NB: The order is biased on the authors grading of training intensity from most intensive to least intensive.

After an intensive day in UHC training, we were to wrap up the evening in Traditional/African night… Unfortunately, there was a power black-out so the social program was put on hold till KPLC felt sufficiently philanthropic to bestow the power back to us, which eventually happened later on that night and we danced till the early the next morning (read about 0100hrs since hotel guests complained about the noise).

But if you are still in doubt over the all you can eat and drink menu… Here’s proof that even birthday celebrations were part of the package☺. (Earlier that Tuesday night)

Wednesday morning, I groggily returned to my early morning session of UHC while my capacity building roommates had the pleasure of sleeping in till late in the morning as their trainings started later. As the knowledge and skills continued being imparted on us during the day, the light at the end of the tunnel continued shining all through the afternoon session courtesy of the all I can pizza, burgers and sandwiches waiting for me at the pizza bar after such an intense day. They say a picture is worth a thousand words…

Later on that night there was a treasure hunt; and various participants participated in the battle of brass vs. brawn. Though with its share of discrepancies the treasure hunt as successfully and the winning team crowned and awarded their prize of a bottle of wine.

THE GAMES COME TO AN END:

Thursday, the final day of training. The time to say those difficult good byes.; all the respective trainings came to an end and photos taken on the beach with fellow participants, now turned friends. Then it was evening and what better way to wrap up the SRT, but with a White T-shirt party:

CONCLUSION:

The bar has been set very high for the 2016 SRT. However, inasmuch as the SRT 2015 was a success, a number of participants I spoke to did share that there is still room for improvement from the maiden SRT varying from logistics to trainings. All in all, majority do agree that despite the ups and downs encountered they will most definitely attend SRT 2016.

From my end, it was a memorable experience and I can’t wait for the next SRT.

Signing off…