Health Kits

 

 

One of our efforts in Kenya is to teach basic health principles around diarrheal disease, tuberculosis and first aid.  With the help of MANY volunteers and donations in the US, we brought materials to assemble 750 health kits. At each village where we have a clinic, we teach a class on the principles of basic first aid, how to prevent the transmission of tuberculosis, how to make drinking water safe, and how to treat diarrhea (usually caused by drinking contaminated water).  Diarrhea and dehydration due to diarrhea are the number 1 cause of death in children under the age of 5 in Africa. 1 in 3 people in Africa have TB, and TB is the leading cause of death of people with AIDS in Africa. 

Each kit contains:  30 assorted sizes of Band-Aids, antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone cream, Ibuprofen, tweezers, cotton swabs, a syringe (without a needle, useful for measuring fluids and squirting water to wash wounds), alcohol swabs, a splinter remover, soap, a washcloth, condoms, and a first aid booklet (kindly translated into Swahili by a volunteer at Microsoft).  In addition, the kit contains an Oral Rehydration Spoon (used to measure sugar and salt to create a Gatorade-type of solution to prevent dehydration), two courses of zinc tablets, and a booklet in Swahili teaching how to treat diarrheal disease and instructions on how to use the spoon (also translated by a volunteer at Microsoft).  The entire kit then fits into a handmade drawstring bag, kindly sewn by volunteers.

 

Amy teaches a health kit class at Karimboni with Rodgers translating

Cindy teaching how to wash hands at Karimboni with Phenny translating

 

Women listening to the class at Kadzifitseni

Anya distributing bags at the end of her class

 

 

 

Villagers at Khadzifitseni show their health kit bags

 

But they don't make very good headbands

 
THANK YOU to everyone in the US who donated supplies, helped count pills, squeeze ointment tubes, and sew drawstring bags to make this project possible!