Benedicte’s Story
“My dream when I finish at ISSI is to come out as a five-star nurse who can care for sick people and help the population.” Benedicte
Benedicte is a student at the Institut Supérieur en Sciences Infirmières (ISSI), the leading nursing school in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She dreams of becoming a five-star nurse when she finishes her training, and helping the people around her.
Coming from an underprivileged family, Benedicte didn’t have the means to continue her education. But thanks to WONDER’s support, she is now on a steady path to reach her goals. “Before, I had difficulties paying the tuition fees, but the scholarship has helped me make ends meet and has stabilised my family,” she said.
As a student, Benedicte follows various training modules alongside practical experience in the field. She is currently completing a 10-month placement at the Monkole Mother and Child Hospital Centre, lending her newly acquired skills to the paediatrics department.
During her time there, she has taken care of a number of children suffering from sickle cell anemia, a common cause of hospitalisation for children in Kinshasa.
“At Monkole, I took care of a sickle cell child helping him receive treatment for his physical health problems, but I also learned about how the illness affected him in different ways,” she explains. “He had lost his self-esteem because he was ashamed of having a swollen belly and yellow eyes, and was receiving unfair behaviour from his school friends and teachers.”
Thank you so much for the scholarship. It is allowing me to help people professionally, as well as those around me.
The low self-esteem caused by this illness touched Benedicte, who encouraged him to accept himself and rely on his capabilities. In addition, thanks to her training at ISSI, Benedicte was able to talk to the child and his family about possible treatments and the ways in which lifestyle can help sickle cell patients.
“Caring for this child and his family has allowed me to develop many professional skills for my future, and has taught me to never miss the psychological aspect of health situations,” she told WONDER. “It has also given me the knowledge to help those with sickle cell in my family and community.”
Thanks to her scholarship, Benedicte is not only able to follow her dream, but is also becoming a leading figure in her community, able to help the people that surround her.
“Thank you so much for the scholarship. It is allowing me to help people professionally, as well as those around me.”
To further encourage this positive change, WONDER has supported the training of 35 nurses in the past year. This financial support has helped them succeed in their education and allows them to support the growth and development of their community, one patient at a time.
You can help women like Benedicte by becoming a Thrive Fund member. The Thrive Fund is our community of monthly donors, whose generosity funds scholarships for women and girls across the globe.
