RFFA September news letter down load here:

rffa-news-letter-september-2008

Anne Glenn from RFFA one of the volunteers has sent this article with some photos.

When Rotarians decide something must be done, powerful forces for good spread in the world.  Facilitated and mobilized by Rotarians for Fighting AIDS, Inc., Rotary Clubs from Dunwoody, Marietta Metro, Smyrna, York and Lebanon, PA, and Nairobi North joined Districts 6900 and 7390 and partnered The Rotary Foundation, HopeWorldwide, Heart of Africa, PEPFAR, and The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation to create and fund one of the largest international teams of medical, dental and optical professionals ever assembled.  Their purpose was simply to help some of Africa’s poorest children.  Rotary’s Medical Mission to Nairobi, Kenya, brought together 72 volunteers from 11 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, India, Japan, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom and the United States) for two weeks.    Approximately two-thirds of these volunteers were Rotarians.

Arriving in Kenya on September 20^th and 21^st, the international team……………continued below:

anne-glenn-mission-to-kenya-story

Keep reading Sally Platt’s accounts of the work being done by these Rotarians and their helpers:

http://sallyskenyablog.blogspot.com/

IT IS INSPIRATIONAL!

Children of Mathare.

Photo courtesy of Michael Norwood.

Fay Layton is from the Rotary Club of Orange Calare in New South Wales.

Hi everyone,

Well it has been a busy couple of days since we spoke. I went along to the
US Embassy reception and caught up with the 8 other Australians on this
mission (as I mentioned Alexandra and myself are the only ones staying at
HEART so we don’t see anyone except our team during the day),I learnt from
them that the large team are seeing over 500 children a day and have to
turn a lot away when it’s time to pack up for the night.

In Mathare (my team) we saw 36 children for treatment (56 extractions)
yesterday (and it was a short day!). Our children have already been
screened (over 1,000) so the dentists can get on with the job of
extractions. We usually work until 4.00 – 4.30pm………………

Read more here:

fays-news-kenya

Message from Charmaine White 25 September 2008

Hi all,

It does not get any easier. The poverty is unbelievable.

I saw 26 patients to-day, day three and did 13 extractions. My first permanent today as well. Getting good with the elevator as well.

The kids are so lovely but undernourished. It is great to see how much their parents care for them.

My most extractions in one sitting so far is 3.  The interpreters are really good UNI students who have volunteered their time for days. The two dentists that I work with are good, a Japanese man 70 years old Koji and Wayne a Canadian He is very calm and a great mentor.

I was very tired and overwhelmed tonight, so having an early night . We have to be up at 6.00am on bus at 7.00 and 8.00 arrival at Makuru where 800,000 people live in squalid conditions. My power point was everything and more..I will have lots to tell when I get home .

No illness  for me, I am being very good with my drugs. And water. The sewerage smell when it heats up at the end of the day, stays with you until a shower at the end of the day.It is hard but all the Rotarians are lovely and I am so glad I came. My highlight today was a little boy I treated with an extract yesterday He walked to see me especially to say thank you, I  feel so much better, and shook my hand.  I was so tired all I could do was smile.  He spoke in swahili and the interpreter had to explain.

Keep reading Sally’s blog below Sally is on her third day in Nairobi and her descriptions are required reading.

Well done Sally and team.

Sally Platt

Sally Platt one of the movers and shakers that made this mission happen is now in Nairobi.

Follow Sally and her work on the Mission to Kenya on her blog:

Sally’s Kenya Blog

Charmaine White Rotary Club of Parkwood, Gold Coast, Queensland is on her way to Kenya.

Charmaine White (above) with Allen Richards President of Parkwood Rotary

Charmaine has left for Kenya for a two week stint to the Mathare Slums of Nairobi, Kenya as part of an Rotary International Medical mission. There are doctors, optometrists, nurses and dentists in the team which includes 8 Australian Rotarians and 70 volunteers from other parts of the World.

Over 400,000 people live in Mathare, with only 10 toilet blocks for the entire population. There is no electricity and no sewerage. Poor hygiene, nutrition and the cramped conditions are major causes of the spread of diseases such as AIDS. In fact, Africa will have 25 million orphans by 2010.

Mathare has 70% unemployment and the area is rife with violence and gangs.

36% of children die of malaria in their first year.

1.5 million orphans in Kenya at present., Every 10 minutes three people die of AIDS in Kenya.

There are schools, some of them have standing room only. School children receive one meal each day (at the end of the school day in an effort to keep them there for the whole day). For most children this will be their only meal. Many children do not attend school as they have to look after their younger siblings. Many of the orphans in the area do not eat every day.

International aid teams, such as the one Charmaine is joining, alleviate immediate health issues and try to educate for the future. Charmaine told us that these people have simple needs – food, shelter and life!

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT: Eric Krystall, Rotary District HIV/Aids officer

+ 254 20 3003346, + 254 733 621597 (mobile), ekrystall”at”africaonline.co.ke

Sandra Prufer, Media Relations Europe/Africa,

+ 1 847 866-3208; Sandra.Prufer”at”rotary.org

Rotary volunteers lead international medical team to Kenya

Multi-specialty initiative provides preventive care to children in Nairobi slums still recovering from post-election violence

NAIROBI, Kenya (Sept. 18, 2008 ) — About 70 volunteers from a dozen countries will arrive in Kenya this month to provide preventive health care services to thousands of children in the poorest neighborhoods of Nairobi, a city still recovering from the post-election violence of December and January.

The international team includes health care professionals and non-medical volunteers from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, India, Japan, Nigeria, Peru, South Africa, Tanzania, United Kingdom and the United States. They include physicians, dentists, dental assistants, paramedics, registered nurses, optometrists and opticians. About two thirds of the volunteers are members of Rotary clubs.

Read more here:

kenya-medical-mission-news-release-africa