By Dr. Pooja Rachewad | Operations Manager
Strengthening Healthcare Access in Rural Kenya
Project Update | April - June 2026
Dear SOTENI Supporters and Friends,
For more than two decades, the SVH Mbakalo Health Center has provided essential healthcare to families in rural Bungoma County, Kenya. Mothers, children, young people, and families continue to rely on the clinic for accessible care close to home.
During this April - June period, the clinic provided outpatient care, antenatal services, baby wellness clinics, and safe deliveries. Mothers continued to receive care throughout pregnancy and childbirth, while babies and young children received routine wellness services. These services remain especially important for families who otherwise may need to travel longer distances to access healthcare.
An important improvement this quarter was better access to reliable water at the health center. Water connections and related infrastructure were improved, helping strengthen sanitation, infection prevention, maternal care, and the clinic's everyday operations.
The clinic also expanded access to rehabilitation care with the introduction of physiotherapy services in May. A physiotherapist from Bungoma County Hospital now visits the clinic weekly, allowing community members to access physiotherapy closer to home rather than traveling to the county hospital. The service has continued to grow during its first months, demonstrating another way the clinic is responding to the healthcare needs of the surrounding community.
In June, services through SOTENI's partnership with TIKO also resumed. Through this partnership, eligible adolescent girls and young women can access youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning, HIV testing and counselling, STI screening, pregnancy counselling, and referrals for additional support when needed.
Each of these developments represents another step toward SOTENI's larger vision for Mbakalo: a stronger rural health facility capable of providing comprehensive, reliable, and dignified healthcare close to where families live.
These developments are part of SOTENI's continued efforts to strengthen the SVH Mbakalo Health Center and expand the range of healthcare services available to the community. From safer maternal care and improved water access to physiotherapy and reproductive health services, each improvement helps bring needed healthcare closer to rural families.
Thank you for standing with SOTENI and the families of Mbakalo. Your support helps us continue building stronger and healthier communities.
WE ARE BECAUSE YOU ARE.
Asante Sana
Links:
By Dr. Pooja Rachewad | Operations Manager, SOTENI International
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser