|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Action in Focus Wins World Culture Open - After WCO events in New York City and Korea, the multinational NGO, which promotes the value of cultural diversity, honored Action in Focus for our humanitarian service. Full story AIDS orphans In East Africa, many cities suffer from an ever-growing problem of street children. Nairobi is no exception. Some children run away from poor homes, others are sent to the street by their parents to beg, while still others have no alternative, being orphaned due to AIDS or some other misfortune that has befallen their parents.
W. was one of the latter. He had lost his parents, didn't have a home, and lived on the streets until the age of 14. At that time he became one of the very small percentage of the tens of thousands of street children fortunate enough to gain entrance to one of the limited number of rehabilitation centers available. W. was thankful for the opportunity of a lifetime, even though initially he was not used to the authority and regimentation required.
In time W. came to see that there were people who cared about him. He came to trust them and gradually gained the vision and motivation needed to study and apply himself. He completed his primary education at the center and afterwards had a desire for higher studies. After a long wait, he was finally sponsored to attend a local university. Free Medical Assistance Action in Focus organizes Medical Camps that offer free medical and dental assistance to the poor. In many rural areas, people have never even seen a doctor, & therefore suffer from many illnesses. Diseases, which are relatively easy to treat, such as malaria and typhoid, amoebas, urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections, skin diseases, & various eye, ear, nose & throat infections, etc. are things which many people have just learned to live with.
One such camp was recently established in a rural town next to Mount Kenya, a two-hour drive from the capital that includes several kilometers of "maram" (dirt) road that turns to mud after an all-night rain. Courtesy of the University in Nairobi, 12 newly-graduated dentists and two lecturers accompanied Action's team. They treated approximately 400 people for various dental problems (including extractions), held classes on dental hygiene, and passed out free toothbrushes & toothpaste. Another section of the camp was devoted to medical problems. Volunteer general practitioners diagnosed around 400 people, who received free treatment and medicine valued at approximately $3,500. In addition to coordinating the professional services and providing the medicine and supplies, volunteers passed out 3,000 Gospel tracts to all interested people in the vicinity.
Several of our medical camps are more specifically geared to treating children. One in particular is a rehabilitation center that houses and educates 160 orphans. The camp's services are also made available to hundreds more children from the surrounding areas whose families cannot afford school fees or medical costs. With volunteer physicians from Kenya and abroad, our camp treated 450 children daily. One female doctor from England personally attended to 100 children during the course of one day! In addition to offering medical assistance, our volunteers spend personal
time with each of the children-reading stories to the little ones and
holding "question & answer time" on a variety of topics
with the older children-all the while encouraging them with affirmation
that they are loved and have value. Additionally, around 2-3000 people benefit from our involvement in the
Verkaart Medical Camps held in the Kwale district along the coast of Kenya
every 6 months. We began participation in these particular camps in October
2000, providing both volunteers and management, as well as donating medical
supplies.
The Makadara Homeless Aid Program is one that we undertook in Mombassa,
which focuses on supplying medical check-ups for the needy, collaborating
with a doctor from Municipal Council Dispensary and Clinical Officers
from Coast General Hospital. We administer first aid, distribute hygiene
supplies, and feed the homeless men, women, children and elderly that
gather there every month. Action in Focus' medical camps have been so widely successful that these have received national coverage on radio and in the newspapers. Healthy in Every Way! At a recent medical camp, a severely handicapped young man was waiting for the whole early part of the morning for us to begin the camp. Michael, one of our volunteer staff, realized that he had been waiting for a long time, and seeing his situation, brought him to the front of the line so that he could be seen right away.
During the whole time that this was taking place and Michael was assisting him to the front of the line (since he had difficulty walking), the boy was trying to tell Michael something. Unfortunately, since the boy also had difficulty speaking, Michael was not able to understand him. When it was the young man’s turn to be examined by the doctor, the doctor asked him what was wrong. The handicapped boy replied, with a huge smile on his face, “Nothing! I’m perfectly healthy, & am thankful to God for my health!” This unexpected response brought smiles to everyone’s faces & warmed all of the doctors’ hearts in attendance, all of which had seen countless cases of desperate people that morning. Meanwhile, this young man, although obviously very handicapped, did not even so much as ask for preferential treatment, insisting that other people be seen first, as he was “healthy in every way!” What a courageous outlook on life this young man had! It encouraged many
of us that day to look on the bright side in any difficulties that we
may face. Children helping Children
One of the ways in which Action in Focus helps to raise
public awareness of the area's medical needs is though its music and dance
troupe. These young people hold concerts at various private schools around
Nairobi, after which they make appeals for orphaned and/or impoverished
children. Through this charitable mission, they have collected clothing,
toys and bicycles for the kids! The troupe also often performs to raise
funds for blind people of all ages.
Olives Rehabilitation Schooling Program We organize a literacy program in the Bombolulu area of Mombassa, geared to children from poor backgrounds, such as orphans, street children, and refugee children. Tremendous progress has been achieved in children learning how to read and write. We also organize a food program for the children, the parents and guardians of the children also benefiting.
Coastal Prison Visitation Program We supply essentials for prisoners in Shimola Tewa, Mombassa, ranging from slippers, cleaning supplies, food and exercise books. We also present character-building classes for the prisoners, which include drama and other media.
Excerpt from FCF Newsletter Volume 3 -- No.4 With the help of sponsors, and the cooperation of the Dagoretti Corner Childcare Program, we were able to collect food, toys, T-shirts, shoes and other gifts to make it possible for 300 needy children to have a special Christmas Eve. After this show an 18-year-old street boy came forward to help us pack up, neglecting his own meal. He told us he was raised in the streets of Nairobi and had a real burden to help us in our ministry, being touched by the work we are doing.
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
