Intern Journals - Western Heads East - A University of Western Ontario Community Response to the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa

Intern Journals

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Mwanza Mamas
Oyugis Mamas

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London, Ontario - click to view/hide

Nairobi, Kenya - click to view/hide

Mwanza, Tanzania - click to view/hide

Kigali, Rwanda - click to view/hide

Current Interns

Oyugis/Kenya Interns
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Mwanza/Tanzania Interns
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Past Interns

Fall 2008 (Sabrina & Melissa)

Sabrina Mullan is a Health Geography student who will be assisting the Tukwamuane women's group in examining the food safety practices and improving the processes which will result in a higher quality probiotic yogurt product.
Read Sabrina's blog

Melissa Raffoul will be completing her 4th year Biology thesis by examining the environmental, economic and health issues within the Mwanza community.
Read Melissa's blog

Summer 2008 (Jessica, Osama & Jaimie)

Jessica Kelly and Osama Siddiqui are both IVEY students who will be assisting the Tukwamuane women's group in developing a sustainable business plan.
Read Jessica's blog || Read Osama's blog

Jaimie Hemsworth is a former intern who is returning to Mwanza to continue examining the benefits of probiotic yogurt consumption for her MSc of Food and Nutritional Sciences.
Read Jaimie's blog

Jan. - Apr. 2008 (Stephanie & Tara)

Read Stephanie Irvine's Blog
Read Tara Koyama's Blog

Aug. - Dec. 2007 (Meaghan, Ruben & Alison)

Meaghan Horgan, Ruben Hummelen and Alison Chen (left to right)
Read Meaghan's Blog | Read Ruben's Blog | Read Alison's Blog

summer 2007 - (Jackie, Melissa, Corinne & Kim)

Jackie Strecker, Melissa Whaling, Corinne Coulter, Kim Hodgson (left to right)

WHE is currently undertaking its largest group of internships to date. Four strong women from various backgrounds at Western are taking part in this program for the summer 2007 placement.

General foci include: continuing to look into the health benefits of probiotics, engaging the community in up-scaling of the project and creating dynamic multimedia segments highlighting the hard work of the primary participants of the program.

See Jackie's Photos

Oct. 2006 - early 2007(Sam & Rob)

Sam Burton

Rob Stewart

In October 2006, Rob Stewart and Samantha Burton headed to Mwanza for an internship reaching until early 2007. Both third-year FIMS students, the two are currently working on communications within the program, while continuing analyzing sustainability and facilitating further project development. Read Sam and Rob's Journal

May 2006 - (Jamie & Ellena)

Jamie Hemsworth

Ellena Andoniou

Grace Flesher

In May 2006, two more interns headed to Mwanza, Tanzania for the third installment of WHE internship program. Ellena Andoniou, a masters geography student, and Jaimie Hemsworth, a third-year health and nutrition student from Brescia University College both remained in Mwanza over the summer. They primarily worked on nutritional studies and, along with Grace Flesher (a King's University College student), a sustainability report.

WHE former intern honoured as a Brescia University College Alumnae Trailblazer
Jaimie Hemsworth '09, who was the first Brescia student to win a Morgan Medal from the Dietitians of Canada. - Read the complete story in the Western News...

Jun. 2005 - Apr. 2006 (Dallas & Jonathan)

In June, Brian Healy and Cynthia Medeiros returned from their stay in Mwanza, Tanzania. Two new student interns, Dallas Curow, a fourth- year FIMS student, and Jonathan Birinyi, a third-year medical science student, both from Western, arrived in Mwanza in June to take over the Western Heads East project.
Read Dallas & Jonathan's Journal

Dallas Curow
June - August 2005

Jonathan Birinyi
June - November 2005
January - April 2006

Jan. 2005 - Jun. 2005 (Cynthia & Brian)

Western Health Sciences student Cynthia Medeiros and Brian Healy (Science '03) were the pioneer interns introduced a probiotic-based yogurt program, founded partly on the work of Brescia University College nutrition professor Sharateh Hekmat, with hopes of improving the health and economic status of the women of Mwanza, Tanzania.
Read Cynthia & Brian's Journal

Cynthia Medeiros

Brian Healy

Western Heads East is The University of Western Ontario
Community Response to the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa