March and April 2012

Pictured: Physiotherapist Dr. Cathy Jansen works with children with disabilities at the Igoda Children's village The following is a description of what has been accomplished by the NGO during the months of March and April 2012. CHILDREN’S VILLAGE At the end of March, Hezron, a 14 year old boy with HIV and cerebral palsy, benefitted from a week-long intensive care visit organized by an Italian organization called Inuka (to rise up) that works with children with disabilities. This visit had been organized since a most recent visit by Physiotherapist Annie Gibbs, who suggested the visit for Hezron could be very useful for his development. The Community Based Rehabilitation Center in the village of Waning’ombe is about 175km from Igoda village, and is run by some very professional Italians, who have been in Tanzania for years now. The week of intensive care included visits by virtually all of the physiotherapists in the entire regions of Mbeya, and Iringa, and from elsewhere as well- 7 doctors in total. This is a profession that is lacking throughout Tanzania, and we are still considering the correct course of action as to how to continue with Hezron’s treatment as he grows older. He is happy at the Igoda Children’s Village- even taking on the role of ‘Assistant Teacher’ during pre-school each day. The suggestion from the professionals at the Inuka center was to have Hezron stay at the Igoda Children’s Village, and continue to be an integral part of the lives of the children there. COMMUNITY OUTREACH Milk Powder Program This month we received some very good news for the Milk Powder Program in the form of funding that should sustain the program for possibly the next two years! Funding from the Goat Races Charity Event started this program off, and then start up funds from UK (Orphans in the Wild) and Canada (African Book Box) kept it going, and now we’ve had several donations come from the US to keep the program going for quite some time to come! The program is the only way to prevent HIV transmission from Mother to Child after the child is born, and it has been very successful in terms of improving overall health of all of its children. The education that has come along with this program has also decreased stigma of HIV for HIV+ Mothers, and has educated vast parts of the community about HIV prevention methods. Home Based Care Dr. Cathy Jansen, from Holland, has visited us again in March and April. She is a physiotherapist that has not only helped with our two physically handicapped children at Igoda Children’s Village, but she also has met with our home based care volunteers to teach them exercises they might be able to share with relatives of people with physical disabilities in the area. This visit, Cathy saw patients in the villages of Mlevelwa and Ludilo, and many families were taught exercises that will get these previously neglected patients off the ground, or physically mobile. The Home Based Care volunteers continue to give services to the families in their communities, and are really spreading the word about health education, and getting people more accustomed to using the health care system. This is perfect timing ahead of the completion of our Hospital project in Mdabulo. If the community is more accustomed to using the health system, it will be all the better for the overall running’s of the Hospital. Health Care Mdabulo Hospital We have a ceiling frame in at the ‘procedural wing’ of the Hospital now! Next will come the veranda, and then when window shutters and doors are complete, electric wiring, and plumbing will go in and with it, sinks, toilets, etc. and then furniture, and donated medical supplies! When this projects is complete, the government has said it will immediately have an opening ceremony for the facility upgrading it to a health center.