Optimistic Voices
Vital voices in the fields of global health, global child welfare reform and family separation, and those intent on conducting ethical missions in low resource communities and developing nations. Join our hosts as they engage in conversations with diverse guests from across the globe, sharing optimistic views, experiences, and suggestions for better and best practices as they discuss these difficult topics.
Optimistic Voices
From War to Medicine: The Resilience and Brilliance of Dr. Aruna Stevens - A Child's View Episode
What happens when tragedy and opportunity collide in the life of a child? Dr. Aruna Stevens' story answers this question with breathtaking resilience and hope. Born just before Sierra Leone's devastating civil war, Aruna's childhood was shattered when his father was killed and his extended family of twenty separated. He experienced homelessness, hunger, and the daily struggle for survival in a community where healthcare was virtually non-existent—where people routinely died from treatable conditions simply because there were no doctors available.
The turning point came when the Child Rescue Centre welcomed young Aruna, providing stability and education for the first time in his life. Despite studying by candlelight and walking long distances to school, he persevered. This foundation eventually led him to graduate from Sierra Leone's only medical college and serve as chief medical director at Mercy Hospital for five years. Now pursuing a PhD in tropical medicine and infectious diseases at Tulane University, Dr. Stevens explains how his difficult past fuels his passion for creating sustainable healthcare solutions in his homeland.
Throughout our conversation, Dr. Stevens shares the motivation he finds in his two-year-old son, Godfrey, who remains in Sierra Leone while he completes his studies. His ultimate goal transcends personal achievement—he envisions transforming Mercy Hospital into a self-sufficient institution and establishing research teams to address neglected tropical diseases. "Begin every journey with an end in mind," he advises our listeners, emphasizing that true fulfillment comes from focusing on the broader impact of your work. Join us for this powerful reminder that how a child's journey ends isn't determined by how it begins, but by the decisions, support, and determination they find along the way. Listen now and discover how you might become part of someone else's journey toward hope.
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Welcome to Optimistic Voices, A Child's View, where we share incredible stories of resilience and hope through the eyes of children.
Speaker 2:I'm Elena Childress and this is my co-host, dr Laura Horvath.
Speaker 1:Each episode features a special guest who will take us on a journey, one filled with adversity, compassion and hope. Today's story is especially inspiring because it is about a talented young boy who took what was given to him, worked hard to succeed and devoted himself to give back to his community. Let's welcome today's guest, dr Aruna Stevens. Dr Stevens, thank you for joining us.
Speaker 3:Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:I can't wait to hear your story. Dr Stevens, Before we dive in, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 3:I am a physician from Sierra Leone currently pursuing a PhD in tropical medicine and infectious disease at Tulane University, After several years working at the chief medical director at Massey Hospital following my graduation from the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, the only medical college in Sierra Leone, and I plan to return to Sierra Leone to continue to work for healthcare leadership and medical care in Sierra Leone after my graduation.
Speaker 1:Thank you for sharing that, Dr Stevens. I want to take you back now, though, to a time of struggle in your life. Tell us a little bit about your childhood and the difficulties that you and your family faced in Sierra Leone about your childhood and the difficulties that you and your family faced in Sierra Leone.
Speaker 3:I was born in Sierra Leone just two to three years before this, at the start of the 11-year civil rebel war. I was not born in a rich family, but things were relatively good with us, as we have our home, enough to eat and very much lived happily as a family. Unfortunately, the tragedy of the River was started, disrupting everything we enjoyed as a nation society, community and a family. Once our large, extended family of over 20 people became separated after the demise of our father, and each mother had to struggle to care for our own children, life became extremely hard. As a child, I experienced separation from my family and I ended up in the street for a period of time, and I know firsthand what it means to live without family, charity and food. Education seemed impossible and survival was a daily battle.
Speaker 3:Growing up, I witnessed my mother's resilience. For many of us, going to school seemed like an unreachable dream, so Vava was focused on each day and I grew in a community where healthcare was almost non-existent. When people fall sick, they often die because there was no health, hospital, healthcare workers or a doctor nearby to help them. My turning point came when I was welcomed into the Child Rescue Centre. For the first time I had stability, support and opportunities beyond what I've ever dreamt of Before. I had to study by candlelight, walk a long distance to attend school and often worried if education would continue. But the CRFC gave me hope. With this hope I am here today.
Speaker 2:That sounds so difficult.
Speaker 3:At first it was extremely painful. Losing my father in war and them separated from my extended family, left me feeling abandoned and alone. My mother did her best. The struggles were overwhelming and I often wonder why my life had to be so hard.
Speaker 1:It's hard to imagine going through something like that, dr Stephens, you were able to build an incredible life for yourself, despite the difficulties you experienced. We want to hear about that miracle, about how it happened, who were the people or organizations that stepped in, and what did they do to help.
Speaker 3:The Child Rescue Centre was the first to step in. They gave me food, shelter, education when I had none. They became my new family when mine was torn apart. My teachers encouraged me and my mentors guided me. The Child Rescue Centre was a programme that had a background with the United Methodist Church and helped the children worldwide. These three teams of organizations collaborated not Dr Arnaz Stevens alone, but many other children who were on the streets of Sierra Leone and other places and many others who were with families that were torn apart. They helped us and shaped our life into what we are today.
Speaker 2:Can you tell us how you came to Tulane for advanced studies?
Speaker 3:life into what we are today. Can you tell us how you came to Tulane for advanced studies After working at Mercy Hospital, saving lives for over five years? I was motivated that the skills that I've had from medical school were not enough to have a global impact. I had the urge to do more to save and to serve my people on Sierra Leone, and Sierra Leone is one of the countries that faced many tropical diseases, neglected tropical diseases within the country, and we have little resource capacity to facilitate and investigate some of these diseases. So this brought my interest to apply for a scholarship at Tulane University. This scholarship came in, it was very competitive and I applied first to the master's program and I immediately got moved into the PhD program because of my vast experience and my recommendations from the organizations that I've worked for the Child Rescue Center, the Massey Hospital, the United Methodist Church, surrey Leonard Conference and the Ministry of Health, surrey Leonard.
Speaker 3:Staying in the US, especially in the cities big cities like New Orleans is very expensive in the cities big cities like New Orleans is very expensive One. I get small, starting from the work I do for Massey Hospital, and paying for my rent is exorbitant. All the work, all the money that I saved over the years cannot serve me to live in New Orleans, but through the countless efforts of HCW, happy Children Worldwide and their donors, I am able to have a place that provides me all what I need to focus on my cause and I have not struggled to pay my rent, and this has been very amazing, and I'm very thankful to all the donors that have donated to my studies.
Speaker 1:Aruna, can you talk about how your child in particular inspires you, because I know you're there at some distance. What does your love for him inspire? Your work now?
Speaker 3:One thing that really keeps my heart at home is my beloved son, Godfrey Daines. He just turned two years old last week and he is the motivation for me because with all I have here, with all the facilities, with all the resources that are available at the school that I go, I think I would have done more better if I had more opportunities. Like at this availability state, I am working very hard and try to be very resilient so that my child will get opportunities that he will reach goals that I am unable to achieve. So he gives me spirit to work hard because I want to make life better for him in future.
Speaker 2:I think that is so brave and your life is so inspiring. You have managed to find so many ways to build your life, overcome all the difficulties and so many people have reached out to help.
Speaker 1:Let's take a moment to celebrate the people who made a difference here the CRC, your teachers, donors who supported your education, the UMC and Sierra Leone, your teachers donors who supported your education, the UMC in Sierra Leone, your family and, of course, the inspiration of making a better life for your son.
Speaker 2:So tell us about what happens now, what happens after you finish your education at Tulane?
Speaker 3:This is a great question and I really like it. So I was only trained to be a physician to provide for the sick and care only for a single patient at a time, and I think I can do with my training actually and I can do more better. I can not only provide care for a sick person, but I will look at how this disease came about and how I can further research the disease and how we can find solutions and also cater for vaccines or treatment modalities that could help in the prevention of this disease. So upon graduation, I am hoping to get a research team not only to work as a medical doctor but focus as a researcher and continue to do to explore medical sciences, the amazing things that we have not understood and we have to do, and to explore and see how we can offer solutions to diverse health problems across nations that have health disparities.
Speaker 1:I have to agree with Elena Dr Stevens. You are a miracle.
Speaker 2:What are your goals for Mercy UMC Hospital upon your return? What do you wish for your own child?
Speaker 3:Well, mercy Hospital, primarily, is working as a hospital for both. But we have more we can do. We are not only providing outreach services, but there's more we can do. My goals for Mercy Hospital will be transforming Mercy Hospital to be more resilient and more independent and to see how we can change the business, make it as a business organization Not really for making profit, but in the end we cannot totally rely on our donors so for everything or for every single item or for every support, the master of speech can be self-reliant and it can be self-sufficient to cater for eight people and in the population that he cares for.
Speaker 3:That is my primary goal and for my child, I, as I mentioned earlier, I want the best and I want him. I do not want him to struggle as well as other kids within the community that he lives with, so he has all the support that he needs and he can become whatsoever dream he wants. I do not want my child to be a doctor because I'm a doctor, but if he so desires to become a doctor, then as a parent, I am willing to provide a lovely family, the atmosphere that he needs, the companionship and mentorship that he needs to be called to retain his full potential while he grows.
Speaker 1:That sounds amazing. Before we wrap up, what is one note of optimism, Dr Stevens, that you would like to share or you would like our listeners to take away from your story?
Speaker 3:Thank you, dr Horvath, for the question. In life you have to be very optimistic. I was very optimistic. In all my adversities and adversaries I had hope. And even though I had hope, you should begin every journey of your life with an end in mind. So I started my journey of my medical career with an end in mind. I started my journey of my medical career with an early mind. So when I had the early mind, then I developed a passion for what I do, because no career pathway, no pathway of work, is easy. Everyone is difficult, there are hurdles along the way, but if you have the early mind and you have your set goals and motivation, you fortunately may achieve this future. And do not only think about yourself, but think of the general good, how impactful your journey is and how you can change life in the future.
Speaker 2:My note of optimism from Dr Stephen's story is that it reminds me that how a child's journey ends isn't based on how it starts, but it's based on all the decisions along the way, the people along the way who decide to help, and the determination to always make the best of what opportunities you are offered.
Speaker 1:We hope today's story has inspired you to look around and see how you can be part of someone else's journey, whether it's through kindness, volunteering or simply listening. Small actions make a big difference.
Speaker 2:Thank you, dr Stevens, for sharing this incredible story and thank you, listeners, for joining us today on Optimistic Voices A Child's View.
Speaker 3:Thank you, alina and Dr Horvath, for having me here today to share my stories with our amazing listener. I'm very happy to share with them and I hope my story motivates them. Thank you very much.
Speaker 1:If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to subscribe, share it with friends and leave a review. Together, we can bring more stories of hope to life.
Speaker 2:Until next time, remember there's always hope and every voice matters. Bye for now.
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