07/01/2022
So proud of one of our Children of Conservation students from Uganda. She recently got accepted to Kennesaw State and is now applying for scholarships to allow her to get a degree in Psychology. Here's her scholarship essay about the difficulties she faced coming to the US with respect to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and what she's learning through those challenges. Thanks to Dr. Clayton Frenzel and the BodEvolve team for offering scholarships to deserving students and for their volunteer work in developing countries.
https://mycompletetransformation.com/about/surgical-mission-work/
Jaleelah's Essay: BodEvolve Scholarship Essay
My name is Jaleelah Bachou (aka Kimenke Mwanyinaze - Sister of the Chimpanzees). I’m an international student who was born and raised in Entebbe, Uganda. I’m fluent in English, Luganda and “chimpanzee.” When I was 5 years old, my mum was hand-selected by Jane Goodall to run the Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Baby chimpanzees orphaned by the bushmeat trade were taken to Ngamba close to death. Mum would bring them home to receive 24-7 care and we’d all pitch in to nurse them back to health. I learned early on the importance of nutrition for babies.
My father died when I was six years old and my mum didn’t have money for a caregiver, so I spent a lot of time in my teens volunteering at the Chimpanzee Sanctuary. In preparing meals for the chimps, I learned a lot about diet and nutrition from my hairy cousins.
Chimpanzees share over 97% of the same DNA as humans and they are physically very similar to us (except that they are much stronger and leaner). They are primarily vegetarians (with the exception of the protein packed insects they eat like ants and termites). They eat a wide variety of fruits, nuts, and vegetables to maintain a balanced and healthy diet. They eat slowly, get a lot of exercise climbing trees, playing and running. They also go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep. One of the most common staples in a chimpanzee’s diet is jackfruit (a common food for humans in Uganda that seems to be starting to gain popularity in the US because of its nutritional value). Chimps are also very knowledgeable about holistic medicine. You can watch a chimpanzee that is not feeling well or has an upset stomach and they will always go to a specific tree in the forest and chew on that trees leaves. The medicine men in Uganda would often watch chimps for this type of behavior and make teas and soups out of things they have seen the chimps eat for different ailments. Chimpanzees also eat certain plants that act as probiotics, soil that is enriched with malaria fighting minerals, elm bark which fights infection, cordia flowers (which reduce the risk of tuberculosis) and figs which aids in natural de-worming.
Even growing up poor like I did, as a human in Uganda, it was easy to eat healthy like a chimpanzee. The healthiest foods are the cheapest. Vegetables and grains grown by local farmers was always a big part of our daily diet. We eat what’s in season, so we also don’t have a problem getting a healthy variety of foods. Meat based dishes and processed foods are more expensive and are only eaten on special occasions.
When I came to the U.S. 6 months ago – I was shocked and delighted to see that all of the “luxury foods” like soda, pizza, hamburgers and French fries weren’t only readily accessible but were cheap. My diet changed immediately. I was happily eating hamburgers, fries, chips, oreos and macaroni and cheese all the time. I also started feeling sluggish and gaining weight. I didn’t realize the connection. “Calories” and “healthy diets” are not terms we use in Uganda. Over the past 2 months, I’ve started learning about healthy eating and the importance of exercising regularly. I’ve stopped drinking sugar filled sodas and eating high calorie meals. I’ve been going back to the diet of my chimpanzee cousins and focusing on more vegetables, nuts and fruits with smaller amounts of fish, chicken and shrimp (although I do allow myself the occasional sweet). I’m starting to see the extra weight I’ve gained come off but, more importantly, I’m feeling less sluggish and more energetic. I actually WANT to go for a run in the evenings – and find that the exercise helps me burn off some of the stresses of being in a new country and learning a completely foreign culture. By finding my “inner chimp” and living a healthier lifestyle, I’ve become healthier, happier and ready to face the challenges of a new culture and a new education.
My degree here in America is Psychology. I never thought about happiness being associated with a “healthy” lifestyle, but I am seeing it now. Uganda is among the top six African countries in rates of depressive disorders with over 5% of Ugandan women being affected (WHO, 2017). I am excited to have learned the connections between a healthy lifestyle and happiness/motivation. With my degree and my continued learning about lifestyle choices that affect mood, I hope to help Ugandan women and girls overcome the societal norms that have led them to feel powerless. Through my work and career, I want to help them gain confidence in their right to have a respected voice and their ability to drive change – starting with a healthier lifestyle for them and their families.
Dr. Frenzel is involved with a small group of surgeons, nurses, scrub techs, general helpers and translators that travel to various third world countries to do surgical mission work. Some of their trips are sponsored by MMI, Medical Ministries International, and sometimes the group just goes on thei...
