Finally the lines of communications have opened up again with Rachael and I have enclosed her emailed reply to my questions as follows:
Dear all,
Thanks for the communication. I would like to start by thanking Hellen and all those who care to help the people of Kanthi in Kitui south constituency in Mutomo. I was at Kanthi last Sunday the 7the of March with Daniel and others. We are doing our best as community members to supplement the efforts of Hellen. Daniel will also attest to this.
I want to confirm that we are indeed collaborating with Kanthi community in both the hospital and the school. The school land was purchased by Gov of Kenya, because there was no public utility land around Kanthi. CDF will support construction of classrooms, not just the mentioned one (1). Hellen I was unable to tell you the date for the commencement and preferred to wait till the funds are availed. We have all along involved Daniel and the community in seeking their patience on this matter. What I can assure you is that the as soon as we receive the funds for the year 14/15 we will start on construction works. It takes two months to complete a classroom. Our Gov has been very slow in releasing development funds so I request that you bear with us.
This is the best strategy to engage the Gov in health:
It’s important to note that the hospital can exist in isolation. Once the hospital is fully constructed, we will have it registered by the county and the national Gov. This will be done after an inspection by the health officials. This is easy and small payments for registration are required. I will facilitate registration at the national level. Quality control is done by the Gov.
Once a facility is registered, the free Gov commodities commonly referred to as international programme commodities will be availed. Vaccines and other commodities which are provided for free will be provided if the facility proofs to have qualified staff and proper storage eg proper open shelves and cooling facilities as it may apply. Refilling will be done on production of evidence of use by the health facility signed by the district medical officer. To me the best at the moment is to finalize and equip the health facility. As soon as that’s done we will support Daniel step by step.
Finally the health facility is free to collaborate with any other institution locally or/internationally.
Warm regards.
Rachael
One thing I have learned in dealing with the Government of Kenya is patience…….I hope that the 2014/2015 budget monies will flow through soon…..2014 is over and the first quarter of 2015 is almost over….lets hope the funds will flow through before July, 2015 and therefore we may have a classroom for when this ‘second’ intake of Nursery school children are ready to transgress into a Primary school in 2016.
I spoke with Daniel this evening and he said that the Dispensary is great. He has had advice from a doctor as to the internal needs of the Dispensary in order to gain registration by the Government of Kenya. They need a nurse’s quarters, one room, together with toilets for patients and workers. Daniel wants to build a fence around the property also. He has had workers in accessing the works needed. He kept telling me that he was trying to manage with the money they raised from their fundraising event and would send all the information, scanned receipts in due course.
I so admire his tenacity. Daniel told me that he has filled the ‘big’ tanks with the ‘little’ water that has come through the pipeline and that they have now been able to plant a tomato crops and are watering them from the tank water. He is hoping for rains ‘soon’, he said they should be coming. They SO WANT TO BE SELF SUFFICIENT, I truly admire them. I did send a request to a Kenyan Christian organisation called CHAK requesting assistance with facilitating the Dispensary, to date I have not had a reply. I tried to ring CHAK tonight by the exchange said the lines are congested and try again very late at night. I guess all we can do is wait now for the remaining building works to be completed, a nurse employed and then we can apply for registration to have the centre UP AND RUNNING!
Should you wish to read past bulletin updates please visit the website www.walkforwater.com.au/news
Cheers,
HELEN
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