KBC Radio Review of Peter Kithene
Eliud Abongo
Founder and CEO Peter Kithene was hosted on a live radio show broadcasting in his native Luo language in Kisumu, the third largest city in Kenya, last week.
The response to the one-hour show was a shocker to Peter Kithene. While he was at ease tackling questions from both the presenter and the listeners regarding his work and what motivates him to provide affordable and sustainable medical care to the locals; he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of gratitude from the listeners.
Hosted by the government-owned state corporation radio station KBC (with coverage spanning nearly the whole of Kenya), Kithene captured the mood of the listeners by clearly stating that even though he spent several years in USA on his studies, it is time for him to give back to Kenyans - by opening Mama Maria Clinics throughout the country, providing accessible medical care for all.
The majority of callers were touched by Kithene's biography, his having left home as a disadvantaged orphan child to pursue schooling, and that despite being exposed to the "good life" in America, that he came back to Kenya to provide hope to people dying of hunger and preventable diseases.
The show was dominated by callers who appealed to Kithene to speed up the spreading of ambulance services to remote areas where people are dying due to poor emergency response, particularly childbirth. Kithene was at pains to explain to callers that even though they are suffering it will take time before Mama Maria's services are felt countrywide since the funds are not available as yet. But he kept on promising that he is working hard to reach them all.
Kithene's interaction with Kenyans provided a forum to discuss that things can move forward in life, despite challenges. The show had people calling from Tanzania and many callers from the Nandi district (inhabited by the Kalenjin tribe, who speak Luo). Many of these individuals made a touching appeal of how badly they need a Mama Maria Clinic more than any region.
In their small way callers pledged to support Mama Maria by whatever means possible to reach its mission and vision in Kenya. Callers were even relating to the organization as one of their own; personally claiming ownership of Mama Maria. Kithene noticed this, too. He said to them all, "My fellow Kenyans: I have come up with an idea. Let's work together and sustain it."
After the program, Kithene had much to think about. He approached me about his concerns. I truly sympathized with him when he asked, "Elly when am I going to open clinics in needy areas where callers are demanding services?" All I knew to say is that the word impossible exists only in the dictionary of fools. . . . It certainly doesn't exist to Peter Kithene.