The New
Clinic is Underway
Construction is well underway on the new Mama Maria Clinic!
The walls are up and next in line are the lintels and roof. Soon we'll be out of
our rented building and will stretch out on our lakefront property ' enjoying
three exam rooms and observation room, an expanded lab, larger pharmacy, much
more waiting space, and more. The space we've been operating out of is actually
a commercial space, so we're thrilled to operate in a real, live medical clinic.
Building will continue through the summer, with a September launch planned.
News on Mama Maria's 2008 Auction
Many of you have been asking about our auction this year. We had originally planned for a spring date, but due to our growth in Kenyan and other plans and obligations, we have selected November 15, 2008, as our auction date. We are in the throes of planning the best auction yet - so be prepared for a fantastically good time and more updates on the Mama Maria Clinic in Kenya. So, set aside November 15, and get ready to meet at St. Demetrio's Church in Seattle - and get your bid on! Stay tuned for more news and updates...
Previous
Update on Kenyan Situation and MMK
The Maria Clinic continues to thrive in western Kenya despite the most challenging times Kenya has seen since its fight for independence. Mama Maria continues the work of providing desperately needed, low-cost medical care during this time of hardship.
Despite the closure of more than 40 percent of government-run clinics, the Mama Maria Clinic provides some of the only health care in the region. Our patient load has nearly doubled in the past month.
Our ambulance is back on the road with a local driver (we lost our driver/director to the ethnic clashes; he has taken refuge in a distant region). We have been busier than ever and are truly saving lives. We've even had 10 new babies born at the clinic the past month.
The roads to local hospitals are now safe for our clinic ambulance - due to local community support. Different villages have spread the word to provide the protection we need along the road, and the Muhuru police continue to offer escort during our night-runs.
The road to Nairobi remains impassable, however. This is currently hampering our supply delivery, though we are making progress in getting meds to the clinic. With the assured security from the community, and with our unfailing commitment, Mama Maria will continue to stand as a place of solace. And for that, we thank our magnificent Kenyan staff.
One thing has been confirmed during the fighting and chaos: Mama Maria is not a tribal-based program, and we continue to provide our services for the poorest of the poor, regardless of ethnicity, clan, religion, financial or social status. This had been true of our work force as well - until the tribal clashes erupted.
Despite it all, though, we know that we will continue in our mission to provide health, hope, and opportunity to areas where there is none.
And the Winner is ... Peter Kithene and Mama Maria
Honored by CNN
It's official: Mama Maria has a hero at its helm. On December 6, 2007, Peter Kithene was named as the winner of the Medical Marvel category at the global broadcast of "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute," hosted by Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour. CNN's Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, introduced Peter in front of a live, international audience of millions, and celebrities such as Glenn Close, Harry Connick, Jr., and Mary J. Blige, by saying: Let us marvel at Peter Kithene, a man who gave his village not just an outstretched hand, but his entire heart.
We are working on getting the CNN video of Peter's life and work as soon as it is made available. In the meantime, you can read the transcript of the show or hear an audio clip of his acceptance speech - which was, truly, truly an inspiration.
Peter was judged by a Blue Ribbon panel of luminaries, including Nobel Peace Prize winners, musicians, actors, sports stars, and activists, including: Lance Armstrong, Peter Gabriel, Jewel, Deepak Chopra, designer Carolina Herrera, and NBA star Dikembe Mutombo.
Congratulations, Peter. Our Hero; our Medical Marvel: dedicated to the enhancement of human health.
Muhuru Bay Receives Unparalleled Guests
Peter and wife Katrina just arrived back from a recent trip to Muhuru Bay - where Peter was flown out by CNN to tape a segment profiling his life for the upcoming award show, "CNN Heroes, an All-Star Tribute." After three days of taping with the four-member CNN crew, Peter and Katrina were joined by Board President, Leif Anderson, and Treasurer, Vicki Isett and the group joined forces to do accounting and other checks-and-balances acts of oversight.
The Mama Maria staff was thrilled to have so much of the
Board present at one time, an
d Muhuru Bay's only heath care program truly
benefited from the visit. Staff procedures and the volunteer program were
refined, management received in-depth training, all staff had a chance to air
questions and voice concerns, and the Board members themselves had an experience
they will never forget - enjoying the love, honor, and sheer goodness of the
villagers and staff alike. There is no place like Muhuru Bay!
Chakula Bora Launches for Muhuru
Bay Mothers and Babies
With a donation from partner organization Gracewinds Global Breast Milk Initiative, the first clinical building on the new compound is up and in business. The chakula bora (a Swahili word meaning, roughly, "proper nutrition for babies"), will serve as a place for perinatal services, including prenatal education and basic health checks, well-baby checks, and an outreach center for breastfeeding and other perinatal education. It will also serve as a community center for further health-related education and seminars, as well as the site for the Orphan Feeding Program lunches. One more word: it is stunning.
Mama Maria Ambulance Launch!
June,
2007, Peter went to Muhuru Bay to check on the
clinic and MMK programs, and, best of all, to purchase a clinic ambulance. For the first
time in Muhuru's history the community has an ambulance meant for the sick and
the needy. No more carrying women with birth complications or desperately sick
children on bicycles or wheelbarrows or donkey carts, no more painful walks with
the sick, no more unnecessary pain and suffering for emergencies that can't be
treated.
The day the van was launched it took its first passenger to the hospital in Migori. Among the earliest cases was an infant born on the side of the road, his mother on her way to the clinic. They little boy's intestines had developed outside of his body, and the ambulance rushed the new baby and his mama to hospital. We are told his life was saved - and many, many others - all because of the new ambulance!
The New Volunteer Compound is Open
After two years of operating the volunteer program on our family compound, MMK has officially launched the grand opening of its official volunteer compound on our 3.5 acres of lakefront property. We have four brand-new round, cement and thatch huts, complete with generators, sockets, and underground electrical wiring (thanks again, David!). We have a large brick kitchen with storage area and gas cookers, and even an outdoor brick barbecue grill in the works. We have a huge dining tent with netting to let the lake air pass on through. We have two brand new pit latrines, three shower stalls, and solar foot lamps to light the way.
- All fenced and privately guarded by our staff. If you've ever had a hankering to visit Kenya, now is the time!
Mama Maria in the News!
Seattle's
NBC affiliate, King 5, featured Mama Maria Kenya this past Mother's Day!
Anchorwoman, Lori Matsukawa, spent an hour interviewing the founding members and
then did a three-minute piece highlighting the great work of Mama Maria.
Check it out! Or, watch the
video clip!
Architects Without Borders Plan Mama Maria Clinic Campus
Architects Without Borders finished their design of an absolutely gorgeous Mama Maria compound - pro bono. It's a campus beyond our wildest dreams, designed to be built in phases. So, eventually we'll have not only an incredible, non-rented clinic, but also a maternity building, an emergency building, a surgical building, an education building, not to mention volunteer housing, landscaping, and more ... designed by the best in the business. It will obviously be some time before it all comes to fruition, but when it does, wow! See what the future of Mama Maria will look like someday!
Vaccination Outreach & Perinatal Service at Mama Maria Clinic
January 2007, MMK's vaccination program opened its doors! The government
of Kenya now supplies us with free vaccinations, delivered
regularly,
straight to our door. What's more, late 2006 Mama Maria formed a partnership
with Gracewinds Global Breastmilk Initiative
to provide pregnancy, breastfeeding education, and pre- and postnatal
services to mothers and infants - something completely unavailable to the
people in and around Muhuru Bay. With a vaccination program, perinatal care,
a family clinic ... not to mention a clinic "van-bulance" to transport our
patients when the need arises and, coming later this year, HIV services and
education - our patients will truly be blessed!
Stay Informed
Things happen so fast at Mama Maria - and we'd love to keep you posted on the latest happenings. So, sign up for our free newsletter - and we'll be sure to keep you posted with all the good news!
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