One of the things that first attracted me to the Global Health Corps was its partner model in which each fellow is placed with a partner fellow serving in the same organization, creating a fellowship team composed of one international fellow and one in-country fellow. As an American going to work in Malawi, I initially (and perhaps somewhat selfishly) thought that I would be the one getting the most out of this partnership. My co-fellow, Rodrick, was invaluable in terms of helping me learn Chichewa, navigate the mini-bus system, master the ins and outs of office etiquette and, on one occasion, recognize when my hemline was just a little too high by Malawian standards. Moreover, his knowledge of the Malawian healthcare system, his experience working in a clinic setting, and his boundless energy were crucial in helping me understand the intricacies of my work environment and keeping me energized and focused when I felt overwhelmed by the pressures of living and working in a foreign country. For those first three to four months of the fellowship, I truly felt like my co-fellow was getting the raw end of the deal.
That all changed in November when organizational politics and resource constraints had us questioning our long-term impact and our ability to achieve what we had set out in our work plan. In the face of this adversity, I found myself re-energized, determined to make what impact I could and resolved to get as much out of the fellowship experience as possible. Rodrick, on the other hand, seemed deflated, overwhelmed by the challenges we were facing. As his energy and focus started to waver, our roles began to reverse. Now, I was the one providing the motivation and ensuring that we stayed on track with our various projects. Finally, I felt like I was holding up my end of the partnership.
As GHC Fellows, we are all given access to a formal accompaniment program provided by Still Harbor, designed to provide us with emotional, spiritual, and mentor support during our fellowship. For me, though, the partner model itself is an integral part of that accompaniment program. When the going gets rough, either at work or at home, our co-fellows are there– night or day – to lift us up, keep us on track, and help us fight another day for global health equity.