Else Christensen – volunteer chiropractor

After spending the last month as a volunteer chiropractor at the Wellness Centre in Jambiani, Zanzibar, it is hard for me to find words to express what a thrilling experience this has been – so many impressions and so many good memories.

Working as a chiropractor for 33 years in my native country Denmark, I did not know what kind of challenges would be waiting for me in a far away location in East Africa by the Indian Ocean. However I found the people of Zanzibar to be very kind and welcoming and it has been a pleasure working with them in the clinic. They come from all over the island and sometimes even from the mainland of Tanzania – some spending hours on the local bus to come for free treatment at the Centre. Some of the cases presented in the clinic were atypical to see in a chiropractic office in my country, for example spastic paralysis and deformities due to malnutrition, but the majority presented with neck, shoulder, low back and leg pain due to strenuous physical work such as planting and harvesting sea-weed and working as fishermen. They are all very grateful for what you can do for them, and although many of the locals have little knowledge of body function they do their best to follow the advice that you give them concerning for example exercises and nutrition.

This last month has been a great experience to me professionally as well as personally and I hope I have been able to give back a little of all that I have received during my stay. I want to thank Pat and Alastair for giving me this opportunity to be part of their volunteer team in Jambiani. You are both doing an amazing job to help the local people – in the clinic as well as at the JTTI.

Lots of love to everybody I have met during my stay.
Else Christensen