Help Run Ambulance, Upgrade Clinic and Save Lives!

The road works are nearly finished. Esther hopes that it will be completed in the next 2 months. Due to the road works however the entrance to the clinic has been damaged. We are raising to funds to get this repaired and improved with stairs and a slope for wheelchair/stretcher access and a bay for the Ambulance. Once this has been completed the exterior of the clinic will then be painted as it has got very dirty from all the dust form the roadworks.

There is already increased volume of public and private transport using the road and this is having a positive effect on the number of patients visiting the clinic. We expect that this will further increase when the reconstruction work is completed.

The Ambulance is being used regularly. There is a logbook to register its use. There is now a driver available out of hours and thus during the night. It is mainly being used by the midwifery department. All the nurses and midwives have been trained by a doctor in emergency medicine so that they can accompany the patients. The nurses are very excited about this new role and the challenges it brings. Other clinics in the neighbourhood have been informed about the ambulance and a collaboration has been set up enabling them to also use it and thus benefitting more patients in the community with this life saving/live changing service. Currently 2 clinics have used the ambulance. JMC nurses accompany these patients thus having the responsibility for all the equipment in the ambulance and ensuring that the equipment doesn’t get damaged or stolen.

The staff are generally all well, happy and working hard. There is generally a good working climate in the clinic. There is a Doctor and a Dentist working at weekends between 8am and 4pm. This is attracting more patients and is economically viable. Thus, enhancing the clinic’s use. They also cover for our permanent dentist, Esther, on public holidays and when she has to attend meetings or has other business.

New chairman KInderhulp Afrika.  In this report we would like to introduce you to the new chairman of Kinderhulp Afrika, Xander Rijken. Last May he took over this position from his father-in-law Mathijs Piet.

During a challenging charity weekend in Scotland with the 4th Musketeers, several years ago, Xander was touched by the need and injustice in this world. It didn't let him go. “I didn't want to close my eyes anymore,” says Xander. “I wanted to do something for a charitable organization to make a difference.” And that organization was closer than he thought…

Xander is an IT consultant and initially he helped Kinderhulp Afrika in the IT field, updating the administration, communications and overhauling the website. When the moment came that Mathijs indicated that the time had come for him to stop as Chairman, Xander assisted in drawing up the application for this vacancy. He became increasingly eager to take on the role of chairman himself! This was the way he wanted to work for people who are so much less fortunate than he is. Last May he took over the roll and gavel officially. He deeply respects his father-in-law in how he built up the project in Uganda with great faith and vision.

Xander has now visited the project several times. He says: “I am always impressed by the size of the project. It is not a school as we know it in the Netherlands. It's so big, and it has so much impact. Children's lives are being changed.” The last time Xander was in Uganda, his eldest son accompanied him. “That was very special. One particular moment made a big impression on me. My son wears an orthodontic brace. Curious children continuously gathered around him. They had never seen these braces before. One of the Ugandan children came up to me and asked what it was. That moment struck me. In the Netherlands we can visit an orthodontist. These Ugandan children are not at all concerned about anything that is cosmetic. The money simply isn't there. For them there is only one thing: survival.” 

Bring back justice
“That moment made me realize even more that these children in Uganda have nothing if we do nothing. If we don't do anything, they will remain outcasts and grow up in the gutter. And how wonderful it is that we at Kinderhulp Afrika can help these children to have a fully-fledged position in society. We are grateful to hear stories from children who grew up with us. To hear that they have become a doctor or have ended up in politics. This is exactly why I am committed to Kinderhulp Afrika. I want to bring a bit of justice back into the lives of children who would otherwise have nothing.”

 Xander is married to Stefanie, who has been working at the Kinderhulp Afrika office for 18 years. Together they have three sons.

Invest in the centre’s future

Would you like to help invest in the Jjanda Medical Centre? It's possible! Make a one-time donation or become a friend! As a friend you support Kinderhulp Afrika for a fixed amount per month and you help where necessary. See donation options below.

Donation match alert!

Little by Little Campaign

From April 8-12, when you give up to $50 to support https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-buy-ambulance-and-upgrade-clinic-and-save-lives/  GlobalGiving will match your generosity at 50% during the Little By Little campaign. 

Help us spread the word: share this post with your family and friends to let them know that BIG change can come from little acts of kindness! 

Thank you!

We hope you have enjoyed reading this update. We will be writing regular reports throughout the year to keep you Up to Date!

Thank you for your support and continued interest. If you can’t give now, we completely understand, and would be grateful if you can help us by sharing the link and telling your friends about the work we are doing and all that we are achieving in Uganda.

Please visit our website for more information and regular updates: https://www.kinderhulp-afrika.nl/en/

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the office via the website or myself personally, jill@kinderhulp-afrika.nl, I would love to hear from you. 

 Our motto: “FROM HELPLESS TO HOPEFUL”!  

On behalf of Esther and all the staff at the Jjanda Medical Centre, THANK YOU.