Katherine Bailey

Katherine Bailey

Program: Bachelor of Science Degree
Major: Biomedical Sciences and Psychology: Brain and Cognition

I’m a third-year student of Biomedical Sciences and Psychology: Brain and Cognition. I have a passion for humanitarian work that began in Kenya, where I was involved in a mission to help build schools.

My efforts to improve access to education would be inconsequential if children were not healthy enough to attend. Unfortunately, many families can only afford to eat grains and the resulting nutritional deficiencies have significantly detrimental effects on productivity and lifestyle. This is aggravated by a lack of education in proper nutrition.

The trip was transformative, and after Kenya I volunteered as the student coordinator of my high-school nutrition program, serving more than 200 students a day. I also delivered a proposal to government policymakers on education in nutrition, and how to implement stigma-free, universally accessible breakfast programs.

This summer, I joined the Kigeszi Healthcare Foundation (KIHEFO) as a medical intern in Kabale District, Uganda. I assisted in health assessments and worked with my supervisor, Dr. Geoffrey Anguyo on a project that would evaluate the effectiveness of a recently implemented nutrition education outreach for families across the region. My work for the summer of 2020 is to lead data collection on the project and integrate the education outreach further within the community.

I will work with Dr. Anguyo to train a research team of local KIHEFO students and staff to sustain this vital project. I also want to offer workshops that will teach students how to apply for research ethics approval, how to design studies, and the implications of conducting research in the community.

While studying at U of G, I have been implementing a program to provide the skills and knowledge for healthy meal prep at a local adolescent drug rehabilitation center – proper education around nutrition will help these young individuals as they work to improve their lives.

I have learned so much since those first days on a humanitarian mission in Kenya. My greatest lesson has been that even a single individual can help make a difference. Thank you for helping students make a difference.