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Using Humor To Teach Female Empowerment

During the weekend between our two weeks of work, the team saw a bit of the surrounding areas.  Twice a day, a subset of the team would return to the hospital to monitor the progress of patients in their recovery and make sure that there were no urgent complications that required attention.

During one of these visits, plastic surgeon Eric Mooney and translator/coordinator Madhu Anand were talking with Nisha's parents about her recovery. Everything was going well, and Madhu and Eric asked if Nisha was going to be allowed outside of the house.  Nisha's mother said no, that her daughters are rarely allowed to leave and Eric, the father of three daughters, jokingly said that he approved.

A good laugh was shared by all, as a father's protectiveness regarding his daughters is one of those universal feelings.  The moment allowed all of us to come together for a little bit, and bridge the gap between doctor and patient, rich and poor.

It also allowed Madhu the chance, with everyone feeling more comfortable, to tell Nisha's mother in all seriousness that education is the key to opportunity for Nisha, and she should be allowed some freedom accordingly.

There is often a significant cultural gap between the aid giver and receiver.  Humor and relaying shared experiences are important tools in bridging this gap and increasing the effectiveness of humanitarian work. 

Apologies for the bad audio in the video, the recovery room is a loud and hectic place.

February 27, 2007 at 07:02 AM |

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