On June 12, 2020, the Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery in East Africa (AKU-SONAM EA) made it possible for prospective students to get a feel of the School without stepping onto the campus. This was achieved through a Virtual Open Day which AKU-SONAM hosted “as a creative way to reach students to ensure they improve their level of education and professional development" as shared by the School's Academic Head in Kenya, Isabel Kambo.
The Open Day ran for two and a half hours from 11 am and invited participants from Kenya and Uganda who were curious about the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Midwifery programmes as well as the Master of Science in Advanced Practice Nursing. In her opening remarks to the more than one hundred and thirty participants, AKU-SONAM's Dean, Dr Eunice Ndirangu reinforced the World Health Organization's call to “educate more than 5.9 million nurses to advance the push towards Universal Health Coverage." Dr Ndirangu also recognized the contribution nurses and midwives have made and continue to make in te fight against COVID-19 by clapping for all frontline workers before the sessions began.
Current students and alumni share their experiences
Virtual Open days during these challenging times allow potential students and faculty to interact while giving alumni and current students a chance to share their perspectives on the institution. Lillian Emojong, the current Acting Vice Chairperson of AKU-SONAM's student council represented current students and shared her experience. Lillian, a Kenyan nurse working at the Kenyatta National Hospital shared that “The most important thing is how supportive SONAM's faculty and staff are." She added that the support she appreciated the most involved the faculty advisors, who are instructors assigned to students to help them navigate school-based challenges. “During my first meeting with my faculty advisor, I received tips on how to work and study at the same time; and this had been stressing me. She helped me learn how to balance work, life and school and made it easy for me to feel like a normal student."
Jotham Ireri, an incharge nurse and chairperson of SONAM's Alumni Association in Kenya commended the School's effort in reuniting alumni, observing that “so many good things have come from the alumni associations, especially the chance to network and discover new opportunities among nurses and midwives."
For more information regarding applications
The chat section was full of important questions from participants who asked about scholarships, SONAM's response to COVID-19, how learning will be taking place and other related issues, which were all answered by faculty and staff in attendance. If you have any questions about the programmes offered by SONAM, feel free to send an email to regoff.ke.sonam@aku.edu
Since 2001, AKU-SONAM has equipped more than 2,600 nurses and midwives with the skills and knowledge to provide competent and evidence-based care to patients across the region. The School wishes to thank all participants and intends to continue its mission of offering high-quality education to nurses and midwives for the benefit of patients all over East Africa.