Pharmacy Perspectives - Winter/Spring 2015 - (Page 14)

WINTER/SPRING WHERE ARE THEY NOW? BUILDING TOLERANCE THROUGH EDUCATION D The Burundi American International Academy in Bujumbura, Burundi r. Freddy Kaniki graduated from our doctor of pharmacy program in 2010. And he's been busy ever since. His powerful story shows the resilience of the human spirit - from the depths of despair to the birth of a dream and legacy. In one horrendous day, Freddy lost his father and three brothers to civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Different tribes who had lived harmoniously in the Great Lakes Region (DRC, Rwanda and Burundi) for decades were killing each other. "It was so senseless. My family was murdered for who they were, not for anything they did. Dying from intolerance affected me very much and changed the course of my life." Even though he escaped from Africa, emigrated to the U.S. and became an American citizen, Freddy struggled with survivor's guilt. He married, had a family, and enrolled in, and graduated from, our Non-traditional PharmD program. But during those years, he struggled with depression, "There was an emptiness inside me and a voice telling me that escaping the violence and being safe in the US was not sufficient, I needed to do something about it." So, he began questioning what he could do for the people he left behind. "I could run for public office, but that really wasn't my area of expertise. I am a pharmacist, not a politician." In the meantime, he and his family had been supporting kids and orphans in his home country for years. He searched his soul and discussed with his wife what they should do. His eureka moment came when he stumbled upon an article about a school Oprah Winfrey was building in Africa. "That inspired me." He realized that education is the way to rebuild a country and to positively impact the whole region. In addition to creating a strong academic foundation, they are planting the seeds of personal responsibility, respect for others, and recognition that "we are all bound together in ways that are invisible to the eye. The oneness of humanity - so that future generations live a different reality than their predecessors." So, he and his wife took all their savings and bought land in Bujumbura, Burundi and began construction of the Burundi American International Academy. In addition to investing their own money, Freddy obtained a loan from the local bank in Africa to help complete the project and run the school, which opened a few months ago with 130 students. Tuition covers 50-55 percent of costs after expenses. The model is to attract 80 percent of the students from the well to do who then cover scholarships for those who cannot afford to attend. "My purpose is not to put a school there only for those who can afford it, but by attracting the affluent, we'll be able to educate the poor." For Freddy, his dream has become a reality which in turn, "helps fulfill what I have in my heart." PHARMACISTS OATH INFLUENCES ALUMNUS C 14 alvin Beck (class of '64) has been traveling to Central and South America on medical missions helping to alleviate medical problems in struggling countries for the past 19 years. Having worked 50 years in a variety of settings - from large corporations to hospitals - Cal knows the ins and outs of American pharmacies, but CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences providing health care in South and Central America is a totally different world. Some of the clinics and pharmacies are makeshift operations. In fact, one of the pharmacies he volunteered in was a former chicken coop! According to Cal, "After 19 years, I have more than 10,000 photos and too many stories to tell." "The first trip I went on was a whim. A local physician from Pueblo - Dr. Caufield - asked if I wanted to go to Ecuador on a medical mission. I didn't realize that once I went I would be hooked." Since that fateful day nearly 20 years ago, Cal spends his vacations (sometimes three times a year) on missions to Ecuador or Nicaragua. Volunteering his time and expertise, while paying his own way, Cal says he is influenced by the Oath of a Pharmacist. "The oath has meant so much to me. I am happy to serve my fellow man and have met great people on my journey." Even though he doesn't speak much Spanish, he feels a true connection to the locals. "I feel a strong obligation to poor people. We don't understand how fortunate we are in the U.S. There is no safety net in Central and South America." The community he visits in Nicaragua has a local pharmacy with a permanent pharmacist. Cal works on the mobile clinic, staffed by physicians, physical therapists and pharmacists, taking health care to the community via an old school bus. The meds dispensed primarily help with parasites and tropical diseases. Farther south in Ecuador, the same type of conditions exist. "We go down the Amazon basin, treat parasites, then a month later the residents drink the same water and eat the same food and the same thing happens. It's a bit of a vicious cycle. It's great when we get volunteers who can help drill for water and show the people how to keep clean water clean. That has the most long-term effects." In addition to serving the people, Cal also takes students with him from Harding University and Texas Tech and hopes that "someday, someone from CU can go."

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Pharmacy Perspectives - Winter/Spring 2015