Bellevue, WA teenagers count 50,000 pills for the Imani Project!

A church youth group in Bellevue, Washington held a service project for the Imani Project to help prepare supplies for the Imani Project's upcoming trip to Kenya to conduct medical clinics in remote villages. 30 teens and 10 adults from the Cougar Mountain Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints assembled in the church's gym. 

Some counted ibuprofen and acetaminophen tablets and put 30 tablets in a bag.  Others cut zinc tablets in half and put 10 halves in a bag.

The pills are included in Health Kits that are distributed to Kenyans in rural villages who attend classes taught by the Imani Project and who come to clinics for medical treatment.

All together, the group counted the following:

Ibuprofen            32,790
Acetaminophen 325mg   4,500
Acetaminophen 500mg  10,140
Zinc                  2,825
Total                50,255
Wow!  That was a good night's work!  Thank you!

North Bend, WA volunteers help prepare for September Medical Clinics

Volunteers cutting zinc tablets

On April 26, members of the North Bend Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints gathered to count band-aids and pills for the Imani Project. 30 members of the congregation, located in North Bend, Washington, spent over 70 hours working on supplies for our September, 2014 trip to Kenya.  Adults and teens from seventeen families joined us for 1-3 hours on a Friday evening.  It was a great opportunity to socialize and count, count, count and bag, bag, bag!

In their 70 hours, the volunteers:

• Counted and bagged 29,600 band-aids of various sizes
• Cut 4205 zinc pills in half
• Counted and bagged 8410 zinc halves

In September, the Imani Project is travelling to remote villages near the coastal city of Malindi, Kenya to conduct medical clinics,  On that trip, they will distribute 800 health kits to families who attend health classes and clinics.

Well done! Thank you!  The North Bend Ward congregation has planned another service project for the Imani Project in North Bend on May 30 at 7:00 PM at the North Bend LDS church building.  Everyone is welcome to join the effort!

Counting and bagging band-aids

Counting and bagging band-aids

Zinc time!  Cutting, counting and bagging

Party Day and Farewells

September 23, 2012

After the last day of work, we always have a party with all of the volunteers.  This gives us a chance to thank the Kenyan volunteers and recognize their effort, spend fun time together, and say farewell.

 The party wasn't until 2:00, so we had a leisurely morning.  A few local villagers showed up to be seen for pains, coughs, wounds, and other issues.  Ever since we held the clinic in Sabaki, we have had a slow stream of people coming in the morning and evening.  With only a few days remaining and a good supply of toys left, we try to give the children a treat in addition to seeing to their medical needs.  It was punch ball day at the Sabaki Clinic today.

Punch balls were given to all child patients today

Diane and I had intended to go for a walk to the river, but we never quite made it.  While Marlene went to Malindi to pick up the pastries for the party and to change some dollars into shillings to give to the volunteers as a thank you, the rest of us worked on preparations at the hotel.  We sorted the last of the supplies, separating items to leave at the regional hospital and supplies for the wound care kits we gave to each of the volunteers. We emptied bins that we raffled off to lucky Kenyan volunteers and set aside a basket of health care kits for everyone. We also set out and organized prizes from America for the volunteers - clothing, jewelry, cosmetics and odds and ends that we were leaving behind. 

A basket of health care kits for the volunteers

At 2:00, the volunteers arrived and assembled under the gazebo.  After a welcome from Rodgers as our host, everyone was given the chance to speak to the group.  There were many heartfelt expressions of gratitude and camaraderie, with good wishes given between the Americans and Kenyans.

The speaking part of the program culminated in a speech by Francis in which he thanked the American volunteers and organization for their care and support of the people in the villages.  "Imani" means faith in Swahili, and Francis said that faith in each other is a guiding principle of the Imani Project in Kenya.  He has faith that together we can create opportunities for improving the conditions of his people.  He then praised the Kenyan volunteers for working without asking to be paid.  That teaching and caring for their neighbors was not a job, but an act of love from the heart, and he was proud to have so many people willing to give their time to lift up those who need help.

Francis praises the volunteers for giving their time to help others

Then each volunteer was given a wound care kit so that they had supplies to help treat people in their villages with burns or cuts.  Many of the volunteers have become unofficial health care workers in their communities, and their neighbors come to them for help.  Names were drawn to give away the empty bins, which are highly valued since plastic storage bins are not available in Kenya.  Refreshments of cake and pop were served while people came one-by-one to choose prizes from the clothing and jewelry.  Henry took charge of the iPod and Boombox speaker to select music for the festivities.

 

The volunteers get their wound care kits

The party ended with a group photo of all of the volunteers together.

Imani Project volunteers, 2012

After the Kenyans all departed, the Americans made a final trek to Hippo Camp on the river.  No hippos were out, but we had a beautiful sunset to end the day. 

Sunset over the Sabaki River

 

Training Day

September 11, 2012

Today was Training Day, the day when the Kenyan Imani Project volunteers come to the hotel to be instructed on the activities of the next two weeks.  Because the bins of supplies didn't fly with us yesterday, we had to delay the start.  Without the supplies, we couldn't organize the medical supplies or prepare for assembling the health kits.  We were forced to enjoy a leisurely morning (against our wills, of course). 

All the bins arrived about noon, so our fears of not getting the hard-prepared supplies were relieved.  We had an hour to unpack a few things before the volunteers arrived.

We have about twenty Kenyan volunteers. Many that we worked with last year have returned, but there are many new ones, too.  It was good to see Henry, Jackson, Pheny, Helen, Constance, Jonathan, and the others again.

 

The Kenyan volunteers are assembled

Marlene greets everyone, with Fondo translating

 

Rodgers and later Francis gave their welcome statements, and all volunteers introduced themselves.  Marlene described the schedule of clinics and gave an overview of who would have what responsibility.  Francis went through all of the medications that had been purchased and explained their use and dosage. 

Francis, Marlene, and Fondo review the medications

 

I gave my contribution by photographing and videotaping throughout.  We took a break for an excellent meal cooked by Elvina.

 

Elvina serves the lunch

 

After eating, Cindy went through the TB training, Earline reviewed the diarrhea and ORS training, and Diane described all of the materials in the health kits that we brought.  (We decided that "health kit" made a better name than "first aid" kit, since the kit also contains the ORS spoon and two condoms.)

 

Cindy demonstrates how to wash hands to prevent spreading TB

 

Earline describes how to use the ORS spoon

Diane shows off a health kit drawstring bag

We then split everyone into two assembly lines and filled the cloth bags with the health kit supplies.  Because we were delaying in starting the training, we were fighting sundown to get them completed.   We almost made it, falling short by 30-40 before we shut down the assembly. What a great time saver it has been to have the volunteers assemble the bags!

Happy workers on assembly line 2

Handing off a bag on assembly line 1

Over 700 health kits are assembled!

Imani Project: Cast of Characters

As we talk about our time in Kenya, you may be curious to know who exactly we are talking about!  Here are some pictures of all the people involved in the Imani Project's September trip to Kenya, starting with the Americans:

Back row: Anya Snyder (Dr. Earhart's daughter), Cindy Harnly (Health educator and former paramedic), Earline Anderson (Marlene's sister and co-founder of the Imani Project), Diane Garding (RN from Washington), Phil Garding (Imani Project's trip documenter and web specialist), Front row: Marlene Anderson (Founder of the Imani Project), and Amy Earhart (Doctor).

 Rodger and his family run the Sabaki River Delta Hotel, and are a huge help to us:

 

Back row: Mtawali, Rodgers Karabu, Grace, Agnes with Mawa, Front row: Elvina, Margaret with Earline - named after Earline Anderson, Jane, and Kasichana - Rodger's wife.

Below are pictures of many of the volunteers in Kenya:

 

 



Francis




Fondo




Jonathan




Jackson




Henry




Jane



Mr. Baya



Helen




Constance

Phenny

There are several Kenyan volunteers not pictured here, so thanks also to Mwamberi Raymond, Sarah, and Priscilla.  None of our efforts to educate the Kenyan villagers and stop the spreading of HIV/AIDS would be possible without these people!