The sounds of Durban are Amapiano with a mix of traditional Zulu music. The people have been warm and welcoming since arriving in Durban, South Africa, to continue my LEAD training at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). I went with field research staff to Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, for a few fieldwork days. Pietermaritzburg is a city with some rural communities surrounding it. There was so much to take in and see in this very different space in South Africa. For example, teenage Zulu girls wearing traditional clothing and headdresses, the bright red clothing of an initiate into the traditional spiritual system, young men riding horses, the crisp and fresh air, and the beautiful landscape. We had a little adventure finding our home visit that day, but we finally made it to a home visit to interview a caregiver of a service user (patient) who was recently discharged from the hospital for mental health treatment. In the MhINT (Mental Health Integration Programme) study, the experiences of caregivers are vital to supporting individuals with mental health disorders in the community.
I was able to attend a mental health service mapping exercise at a local clinic to understand the care people with mental disorders receive at the clinic level. We spend time asking the nurse who provides this care questions about the processes followed at this local clinic. I also had the opportunity to attend a focus group with community health workers (CHWs), who are a vital link between the local clinic and the larger community.
During my time in South Africa, I have learned from the researchers at the Centre for Rural Health the importance of strengthening systems that provide healthcare. This experience has taught me to be humble, listen more, talk less, and ask questions.