Post 4: The Research Experience

In the months leading up to this trip, I anticipated the research component of this experience to be the most challenging personal feat for myself to overcome. Not only had I never conducted this type of intensive research, but its inherent ambiguity and elusive nature, made it all the more intimidating to face- at least in the beginning. Although this was the component of the trip I was most anxious to take on, it has not been as difficult as I anticipated. Of course, there have been moments of confusion, insecurity, and discouragement- but each and every time James and I have been able to push through the trying times and get back on the right path.

I think the most unexpectedly difficult moment was on that very first day that James and I arrived at ZGF. We were placed in the “business development unit” (BDU), and were tasked with questionable fundraising activities, and were even suggested to partake in some of the manual labor necessary for product delivery- the products that the BDU were marketing in order to increase ZGF’s financial independence. Needless to say, we were shocked at what we were being asked to do, and certainly experienced some disappointment and mild frustration; however, luckily, it just took a few emails to clear up the obvious miscommunication regarding our purpose for being at ZGF. Following the incident, I would say it has been smooth sailing. We found our specific research topic fairly quickly, and were fortunate enough to conduct an interview within the first week that not only set the tone for the rest of our research experience, but also inspired us to head in the path that we’ve been on now for the past month and a half.

Not to say that there haven’t been any bumps in the road. Certainly, a challenge we have faced has been the sheer number of other organizations that are also conducting similar research as us. However, this was to be expected- to a certain extent- since HIV research continues to be such a hot topic in sub- Saharan Africa.  For example, CIDRZ is currently conducting study on the effectiveness of community based ART delivery in Zambia- we were particularly interested in speaking to them regarding their experiences and challenges they have faced in their research. However, we were in for a rude awakening when we attempted to conduct an interview with researchers involved in the study (a purely qualitative interview, we were not seeking out quantitative data), and were told that we would not receive approval in gaining ANY insight into their research experiences- qualitative or quantitative. This was the result of their findings being so closely guarded, since they are on the verge of publication.

Additionally, we have definitely faced our fair share of dead end contacts- some more disappointing than others. For example, we had a lead to conduct actual fieldwork research in a rural community, Kafue, where the community ART group (CAG) model was actually being carried out. We would have had the opportunity to speak with CAG members, and health facility professionals about their opinions and experiences with the CAG model- this original findings would have been a huge data gold mine for our paper. Unfortunately, there had been a miscommunication and our trip did not end up being facilitated. As disappointing as this was, James and I made up for this lost opportunity by seeking out other interviews with key stakeholders in the issue, and conducting more in- depth literature reviews. And then there was the UNICEF contact that never ended up getting back to us- that was disappointing, to say the least. 

Overall, the research experience has been a positive one. As I write this on the Thursday evening of July 13th, a week before our presentation and just two weeks before our final paper is due, I am certainly feeling the pressure more than I have throughout this entire trip. Not necessarily a negative pressure, just more of a fire lit within me that will drive me to get done what I came here to do. Coming back to Cornell, I will certainly remember the research experience as a valuable opportunity, and I have certainly gained more valuable lessons about flexibility and “making do” in a limited resource research setting than I ever could have in the U.S.