Since the last bulletin update I have sent the money to Daniel to have the joinery made for the Dispensary. I have learned today that all the chairs, benches and desk have been made and he is now waiting on the examination couch. I have also learned from Daniel as to why he does not want the Dispensary registered with the Government. I assumed that because it was ‘community’ owned and not open to the ‘general public’ as a Government requirement. However this is not the case. Daniel does not want the Dispensary registered with the Government due to the fact that if the Government is involved there is a likelihood from past experiences the project will collapse. I see this since being dependant on a Government water source this has happened with the Water Project in Kanthi. The water between the source and Mutomo has collapsed……being so since September, 2014, therefore there is no water to flow from Mutomo to Kanthi.
Daniel has purchased water when he was building the Dispensary and so it has meant additional funds were required. Therefore in order to complete the Dispensary Daniel used some of the money I forwarded for the Nursery school teacher’s wage….two months worth! It is so frustrating dealing with their Government. I sent another email on 23rd January, 2015 to Hon. Rachael Nyamai MP requesting dates when the water might be connected, when the first classroom of the Primary school will be started and requesting photos she had promised. The email has been met with silence.
Daniel advised me in a telephone conversation that he is to hold a Fund Raising event on 8th March, 2015. This is where the people of Kanthi village enlist the help of their children, relatives and friends who work in the city to donate towards their cause. They hope to try to build a Primary classroom so the Nursery school children who finished in 2014 do not have to walk ‘that terrible trek’ and can move into for a Primary school in their village. If we opened a Nursery school then the Government promised to have the first classroom opened in December, 2014, however ‘not a sod of soil has been turned’. They have new children enrolled in the Nursery school for 2015. I sent money for the teacher’s salary for six months, however this has been reduced to four months due to the purchase of the water.
I asked Daniel about employing a clinician in the Dispensary…..he is trying to source one. I have put a telephone call through to the Nairobi Hospital where the Mercy nuns work. The Mercy Order’s head office in Melbourne gave me the name of Sister Anne Itotia who works in the Nairobi hospital but she was not available today so I shall call back tomorrow during Administration working hours. Hopefully Sister might guide me as to how to source a clinician or even better still, send a missionary nun to assist. Daniel said they will charge a small consultation fee to a patient and this money will go towards the clinician’s wage….if they can get the water connected and grow more crops then they can fully finance a clinician’s salary.
A wonderful group of workers have foregone their Kris Kindle work tradition of giving presents and donated their money towards the purchase of medical supplies for the Dispensary. I never cease to be amazed at the generosity of people who have supported these projects over a period of three years….as Daniel would say ‘God bless you all richly’. He is to source out what medical supplies are needed and advise accordingly. We are both determined that this will be a viable project devoid of any Government interference.
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Cheers,
HELEN