One of the most rewarding experiences in life is being able to
give back to others while doing what you love to do. Dr. Patel recently was
able to combine his love for dentistry, giving back, and travel into a
volunteer trip to Africa in August. Dr. Patel and his family traveled to Tswalu
Kalhari in Southern Africa and Livingstone Town in Zambia.
On his trip, Dr. Patel began by
volunteering at the Tswalu Dental Clinic which is a part of the Tswalu
Foundation created by Johnathan Oppenheim. The foundation’s mission is to
develop a platform where visitors can get involved in the community and contribute
in various ways. Dental professionals can volunteer to treat patients and
educated them on oral health. Actively involved in this foundation, Dr. Patel
with the help of Carey Barrs of Benco Dental Supplies, donated over 150
toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss. He also helped treat many patients and
donated much needed dental supplies and equipment to the community. Dr. Patel
and his family also visited the local school in Tswalu where they donated
school supplies to the children and teachers. It was truly an amazing
experience for Dr. Patel and the residents were extremely welcoming and exited
to meet him and his family.
Dr. Patel also had the
opportunity to visit Zambia where he traveled to the Nakatindi village and
community school located outside of Livingstone town. With an estimated
population of 3000 people and average household income of $80 per month,
Sanctuary Retreats (a philanthropy project) works to help these communities
improve their general well-being. This includes the areas of infrastructure,
skill development, education, future welfare, and most importantly health and
dental care. The Nakatindi village has 500 children of which 2/3 are orphaned.
Seventy-five percent of residents are affected by HIV. Dr. Patel and his family
are strong supporters of this cause and financially donated to help improve the
village and its community school. There are several community projects that are
working to improve the village including a feeding program to provide lunch to
the children, a vegetable garden, and future hopes to build a medical clinic to
provide healthcare.
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Reflecting on his trip and the
memories and experiences he has received, Dr. Patel says, “Visiting this
village was an extremely profound experience. It was a mix of sorrow and
happiness. The happiness came from seeing the smiles and enthusiasm and
excitement of all of the children within the community. They were so joyful and
content, even though they have so little and even with the alarming conditions
that they live in. The sorrow comes from knowing that they are not only
orphaned, and barely get one meal a day, but also that many of them are
affected by HIV and that don't have access to healthcare or medicines that
could improve their health. I’m so grateful to have had such an experience for
myself and for my family to be able to see how many others live on the other
side of the world. It definitely reinforced the appreciation and gratitude for
all that we are so fortunate to have. Seeing the world, the entire volunteer
experience, and being able to give back to others is a truly rewarding
experience”.
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With plans to return to these
villages, Dr. Patel will continue to pursue his passions of dentistry and
giving back by supporting these causes both now and in the future. He cannot
place a value on this trip and knows his experiences and memories will always
be priceless. Dr. Patel has traveled internationally as a volunteer dentist to
Nicaragua, Brazil, Peru, and now Africa and hopes to continue to educate and
treat children and adults in underprivileged communities.
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