The Countdown Begins!

I depart in a few days for Sierra Leone, West Africa and boy I could not be more excited.  In preparation, I have been given A LOT of advice on what to expect and how to stay safe and healthy. Lucky for me I grew up in the Sierra Leonean Community in Houston, surrounded by the beautiful clothing and artifacts displayed in my house and those of my “aunties”. My parents have told me stories of their adventures in Sierra Leone, where they served in the Peace Corps and met and got married. Growing up, all I ever dreamed of was traveling overseas to explore this amazing country I have heard so much about.

                Now that my dream is becoming a reality, I could not be more excited.  My journey could not have been possible without the support of the non-profit The Family Empowerment Services, all the generous donations from my friends and family, and the will of God.  While in Sierra Leone I will be near a town called Bo, capital of the Southern Province.  While in this region, I plan to work with women in the community to explain the importance of a balanced diet and create guideline. There, the typical diet consists mainly of Carbohydrates. I have worked with one of my Nutrition Professors at UT to identify locally grown and affordable substitutes that can be consumed to help people include more protein and healthy fats in their diet. But the education doesn’t stop there.  I will also be assisting in administering blood glucose testing and cholesterol testing. The region I am going to is experiencing a growing epidemic of type II diabetes in the population and I hope with assistance of my professors and host country supervisors we can reverse this trend.