INTRODUCTION:
Kenya, a UN member country occupying a strategic position on the shores of the Indian Ocean in Eastern Africa, is popularly referred to as Land of Many Contrasts; owing to her beautiful diversity of physical features, climatic regions and cultural peoples. Despite all these however, Kenya is still a developing third world country. And like many other countries incomes are inequitably distributed and a vast majority of the people especially those in the northern arid regions live way below the international poverty line. They cannot afford basic human needs like adequate food (at-least one meal every day), clean drinking water, clothing and shelter. Furthermore, visits around the countryside and some parts of the cities, point out to lack basic provisions like health care and sanitation and that many are prone to suffering the poverty oriented diseases like malnutrition, kwashiorkor, stunting, cholera and fistula.
There are obviously many social development requirements there but the ones that touch our heart the most revolve around the woman and girl-child; because most people in Kenya live in traditional culture and the voice of the women is suppressed. Her issues are demeaned and her needs neglected. Yet women and girls constitute more than 50% of the population; we can only neglect their needs at society's peril. Research shows that when women are empowered, families get better; and families are the founding block of a better society, of a better economy.
TEH STRUGGLE
There are over 1 million women worldwide in impoverished and war-ridden countries that are currently living with this heart breaking, but treatable condition referred to as obstetric fistula. With no medical help these women suffer unnecessary pain, loss, shame and are rejected by their husbands, families and communities. In Kenya alone, 3,000 new cases of Fistula are identified every year. Maternal mortality rate remains high at 488 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. While this is below the Sub Saharan average of 510 per 100,000, Kenya experiences very slow progression in maternal health. It is estimated every day 20 women die due to birth related cases and, 2 obstetric fistula cases occur per 1,000 births (UNFPA 2014).
From this data it is evident that the struggle to combat obstetric fistula in Kenya can never be won without substantial intervention.
THE CHALLENGE
The 90-minute corrective surgery has a success rate of around 90 % for uncomplicated cases but the lack of experienced surgical teams moving around in remote areas, as well as the lack of adequate funding, has unfortunately resulted in thousands of unattended cases.
About African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF HEALTH AFRICA)
African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF Health Africa), the largest African led international organization provides training and health services in over 30 countries in Africa now delivers preventative, community-based health care with a focus on women and children.
AMREF Health Africa has been at the forefront of creating awareness about fistula and treating women affected by fistula since 1992. The organization repairs 2,000 cases annually in East Africa. And this program aims at strengthening the capacities of health systems to provide essential specialized health care services in the region.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
The Rotary Club of Nairobi Industrial Area (7226) proposes to create and promote a fundraising platform through the Rotary Global Grant to sustainably treat the current cases of women with fistula. This will give back their dignity, enabling them to lead a productive life and raise better and healthier families. The current proposal is to organize two medical camps at designated areas around the coastal region at Makindu and Mombasa targeting 50 women in each site.
The second objective is to raise awareness of the condition so as to prevent or at the least minimize new cases.
The project will also create a database with a waiting list for future operations.
YOUR SUPPORT
While the problem might afflict many women, our immediate goal will be to:
1. Raise US$ 63,900 through the Rotary Global grant.
2. Help treat a minimum of 100 women with fistula condition within in 2017/2018
3. Lay a foundation for a sustainable programme for years to come.
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