Angela Quashigah is a Global Health Fellow working with Access Health Africa and World Altering Medicine, based in Lilongwe, Malawi. Angela's fellowship started in July of 2018.
I am a U.S. citizen, born and raised in a suburb outside of Philadelphia, PA. I am the first member of my family to complete a higher education and the first to travel outside of the Eastern U.S. I completed my undergraduate studies at Central Washington University (Ellensburg, WA) and my Master’s degree in Sustainable Development at the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL).
I have now lived and worked in rural Malawian villages for the past 3 years, starting out as a Peace Corps volunteer near Liwonde National Park, and continuing on as the founder of a nonprofit community-based organization near Malingunde called the Mustard Seed. Prior to coming to Malawi, I served aboard a hospital ship called Mercy Ships along the coast of West Africa for a year.
I am proud to be the first Global Health Fellow in the WAM/AHA partnership, and I am looking forward to working with both organizations and their local partners to accomplish common goals for the improvement of health in Malawi. My goal in this position is to combine my academic background with my local experience to contribute to the missions of reducing preventable deaths/suffering while increasing access to health services, education, and resources at the community level.
I am currently helping to organize the upcoming surgical trip in August, during which a team of doctors from the U.S. will come to Malawi to perform necessary surgeries for 40-60 patients in 1 week, while training local surgeons on the procedures. There will also be a Basic Life Saving Skills/CPR training for local clinicians and community health workers. The visiting team will be working at both Kabudula Community Hospital and Dzaleka Refugee Camp. Throughout my time with WAM/AHA, I will also be assisting with monthly distribution of essential medicines to community hospitals which would otherwise lack these supplies. I also plan to support and enhance the ongoing scholarship program, as well as continuing to link needy patients with necessary funding for their surgeries through a Watsi partnership.