!00% Summit Success - overnight Crater Camp (18,802 ft.)

The guide called at 6:20pm from the summit to say everyone made it to the top!

They'd been hiking since 4am and still had a couple of hours to go to go down into the Crater where they will spend the night. So they saw the sun rise and the sun set on the trail. That's a HARD day!

Tomorrow after a bit of time to explore the Crater floor, they begin their descent.

Above the clouds.

Summit Ridge

Tonight's campsite - 18,802 feet! It's tough to sleep at this elevation, even after all the acclimatization and after a long hard day's trek. 

Crater Camp with Furtwangler glacier in the background.

Trek: Day 6 - Happy Birthday from 14,000 ft! Summit bid tomorrow - overnight Outward Bound Camp (15,450 ft.)

Today I got a surprise call from David Still at around 8am. He and Gary sang a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday to 8 year old Olivia. What a treat! And they sounded pretty good - considering the lack of oxygen where they are.

This afternoon at 4:37pm we received a text message update from the guide:

"Jambo from Kilimanjaro! We are doing very well. The weather is fantastic. Wageni (guests) are fine but pole pole sana (very slow). Life is good on Kilimanjaro."

Outward Bound Camp (named after an old Outward Bound Hut on the site)

Mawenzi as viewed from Outward Bound Camp.

Tomorrow, Monday, is the grueling ascent to the summit (can be a 10+ hour trek for the pole pole sans wageni) and then down into the Crater (another 1-2 hours' hike) where they will camp at the foot of the Furtwangler Glacier. Send good vibes!

Trek: Day 6 - All still going well - overnight Mawenzi Tarn Camp (14,210 ft.)

At 12:07pm today:

"We are doing well. We just got to Mawenzi Tarn Camp and the weather is fantastic."

 Geoff Knight has been tracking donations and they are starting to come in. More would be great to encourage the trekkers as they get to the higher elevations and it gets tougher to breathe. Cell phone reception is better and we are able to communicate with the group via text message - when they happen to be standing in the right place.

Remember that 100% of donations go to the Mufindi Orphans Project. The trekkers are all covering their own costs, having fun, and helping an important cause.

Enjoy the weekend.

Trek: Day 5 - Gary called to give an update - overnight Kikelewa Caves Camp (11,850 ft.)

Gary called this afternoon!

He echoed the messages we've been getting from Peandaeli, the head guide. Everyone is doing well. Even Tom, who is hiking with an injured knee is holding up well. And the weather has been wonderful with stunning clear views.

The head guide has been measuring each person's oxygen levels with a pulse oximeter and so far the acclimatization process is working as everyone is in a good range. More than that though, they are having fun! Gary said the group has bonded nicely and people who didn't know each other before the trek began have been discovering connections they have in common.

Gary said that the group had separated into the rabbits and the frogs… Frogs? The line wasn't great so I couldn't be sure I heard him correctly. I tried to clarify whether he meant rabbits and tortoises or rabbits and frogs… But I couldn't hear his reply. So it's entirely possible there are no tortoises at all, but rather frogs. Hmm.

Gary was extremely complimentary about the food (in particular the soups have been a hit) and the organization of the guides and staff. He said the group definitely feels well looked after. And he mentioned that their waiter could have an alternate career as a stand-up comic.

This comes after a day of relatively easy hiking and being at a lower elevation than the previous two camps. Tomorrow things ratchet up notch with a 4-6 hour trek into the highland desert, camping at good thousand feet higher than any campsite so far. Stay tuned for tomorrow's update.

For some reason I have no photos of Kikelewa Caves Camp or the surrounding area. Below are a couple of photos of fauna and flora found trailside on Kilimanjaro.

A chameleon doing its best to look like a dead branch. A chameleon would be a good slow animal to use instead of the proverbial tortoise. The antelopes and chameleons?

A lobelia plant. Gorgeous color.

Trek: Day 5 - Morning status update via text message

We received the following message this morning from the Mufindi Mountaineers who were getting ready to depart from the Rongai Caves 2 Camp:

"Jambo from second cave. We are doing well. All wageni (guests) are happy. GARY SAYS the guides are amazing, the food is delicious and porters doing very good job. Have a nice day."

Trek: Day 4 - Tortoises and Hares - overnight Rongai Caves 2 Camp (11,450 ft.)

According to the daily update from the guide, the group has divided itself into the Tortoises and the Hares.

 

The terrain on today's hike is ridges and valleys, so a lot of up and down. The hares will have done 4-5 hours of hiking and the tortoises 7-8 hours. Everyone is doing well and in good spirits.

Heading out from Pofu Camp, Kibo Peak looks deceptively close.

The tortoises are probably better at stopping along the way to appreciate the vegetation. There are some tenacious plants eking out an existence in the moorland zone.

Tufts of Helicrysm

On the Grand Traverse Route, there are vast stretches of mountain wilderness that few other trekkers encounter. Tomorrow is an easier day, with the hares hiking a meagre 2-3 hours and the tortoises 5-6. The shorter day allows the body to use its energy to adjust to the higher altitudes before they start pushing toward the top in a few days time. Go Mufindi Mountaineers!

News from Mufindi - Early Childhood Education at Igoda Children's Village

Can we join in too?! Teacher Dorkas is leading a Circle Time song that gets everyone up and moving!

From Amari in Mufindi:
Mufindi Orphans has not only expanded its Children’s Village, but also the scope and depth of other projects! The goal of these Educational programs is to work within the existing educational framework to create sustainable options and pathways for all children. There is an understanding that national education standards cannot be changed, but students and teachers can be empowered to use available resources and think outside of the box! For teachers, Mufindi Orphans and its partners provide a Kindergarten Village Outreach Program, and for students, we work in three sectors: Early Childhood Education, Vulnerable Youth Sponsorship and Support, and Vocational Schooling. This blog will focus on the early childhood education provided on-site to the Vulnerable Children under the care of Igoda Children’s Village, as well as local youth.

Igoda Village student Anita practices her addition! She is top
of her class in math and the independent learning style of the
classroom allows her to move at her own pace- and she sure flies!

Welcome to the Interactive Learning Pre-school and Kindergarten! Mufindi Orphans- through a partnership with the Olive Branch for Children in Mbeya, Tanzania - has taken Western educational philosophy, tweaked it, and developed a culturally sensitive model for rural village schools with little government support. Mufindi Orphans has both on-site classrooms, as well as a Kindergarten Village Outreach Program - which will be highlighted in a later blog!

There are currently two pre-school classes (ages 8 months to 1.5 years and 1.5 years to 3 years) and two Kindergarten classes (ages 3 years to 8 years) on-site. The teaching style is based on the Montessori-philosophy of child-directed learning. This means that the teacher follows the child's interest and pace through the engagement of self-correcting, independent activities. School curriculum uses culturally appropriate, independent activities that are organized into Montessori’s Five Sections of the Classroom: Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language, and Culture and Science. Each child is free to move from one activity to another based upon their interests. The teacher’s role is to observe and guide.

James is a little boy with a killer smile. Unfortunately, he

also has a back deformity that makes getting up and around difficult.

This classroom is a perfect place for him because he is able to be

supported in a chair at an appropriate level and engage in activities

that hold his interest!

 
Each day is broken up into two periods of independent activity and three short Circle Times. The day begins with a Circle Time where the children and teachers greet each other, talk about the day, and do a fun song or game. The following two Circle Times are also filled with songs, dancing, games, and activities that allow the children to release energy but in a structured way. The children often take turns leading the songs, and it is not uncommon to hear both English and Swahili songs being used. In fact, Circle Time is usually the first place an English word or greeting is introduced, tied to a song or game. It is a goal of the school to integrate English and Swahili completely.

Even snack time is an activity that is used to teach

independence! Students enjoy their snack independently at a table set

for four. As one student finishes another takes her place without

prompting from the teacher. Students love to treat it as a mini

"restaurant" and enjoy their break time just like the rest of us!

This “new” approach to early childhood education is an important departure from more strict teaching methods commonly seen in over-crowded classrooms. This method has ultimately been more effective in this rural setting for a number of reasons. First, this methodology has been proven effective in high volume classrooms and little resources. This means that in most Kindergarten classrooms in the village, books, furniture, desks, and shelving are all anomalies. About 90% of the on-site classroom activities and materials are hand-crafted by teachers, setting the example that one doesn’t need money to teach. All that is needed is a little ingenuity, resourcefulness, and dedication to the job at hand. Second, the independent activity approach to teaching means that students can work together in small groups that are overseen and guided by the teacher. No longer is one teacher attempting to control and gain the attention of 100 five year olds (a common ratio in village classrooms). Finally, a classic Montessori classroom contains children of a wide age range- as do classrooms in the village. The child-directed philosophy allows each child the freedom to move at their own pace, regardless of the level of their fellow peers. Teachers then have the freedom to provide more advanced students with harder and harder activities to prepare them for Primary School, while younger children can refine their motor skills and practice culturally appropriate skills they can use at home!

Boni is a sweet boy with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome who thrives in
the Interactive Learning Kindergarten. Boni loves the Practical Life
activities of the classroom that encourages him to refine his motor
skills and perfect life skills that sometimes don't come as easy to
him. He just needs a little bit more time to do things himself and
this environment gives him just that!

The vulnerable youth at the Children's Village thrive under the structure and routine that the classroom provides. They are allowed freedom to explore and engage their interests with tangible, reinforced limits. This, as well as the individualized attention, means that development is monitored more closely than ever and troubled behavior can be addressed quickly. Teachers are able to work closely with guardians to reinforce discipline and send cohesive messages to the children. Also, the teachers are very familiar with the children and the medical problems each child may face so they can give them the best care and report any changes in health status quickly and efficiently. It is the hope of Mufindi Orphans to one day be able to provide on-site schooling for all children who face medical problems that might prevent them from thriving in local schools.

To promote peace education and community building, at

the end of every school day, each child receives a high-five, a hug,

and a kiss on the cheek from every other student and teacher! It is a

great way to support a loving classroom environment and the kids love

to show their affection for their friends this way!

Trek: Day 3 - Hiking high and camping low - overnight Pofu Camp (13,200 ft.)

Message from Pendaeli the head guide:

"Jambo from Pofu Camp. We are doing well. Wageni (guests) are strong and the weather is fantastic."

Pendaeli, the head guide on the trek, with David Still.

Today's trek was 5-7 hours, up expansive ridge lines and then back down to Pofu (translating to "eland" in Swahili) camp, to sleep at an elevation slightly lower than yesterday's camp. "Climb high and sleep low" is the recipe for healthy acclimatization. 

Pofu campsite, situated looking out over the moorland.

While the trekkers get their rest anticipating another 5-7 hours of hiking tomorrow, let's hear more from Amari about the Mufindi Orphan's Project. 

While the primary intention of the Mufindi Mountaineers challenge is aimed at raising funds to improve the quality of healthcare in the community, thereby preventing more children from being orphaned (see Gary's comprehensive post), education is also an important part of the daily, on-the-ground work. Learn more in the next post!

Trek: Day 2 - Shira Plateau into the Alpine Desert - overnight Moir Camp (13,700 ft.)

The Grand Traverse is all about acclimatization. Today our trekkers ventured farther along the Shira Plateau, a four to five hour hike, starting in the heath zone and gradually ascending into the alpine desert zone, gaining a couple of thousand feet along the way.

The Shira Plateau with Kibo peak in the distance. It's a long way to go!

It is important when climbing Kilimanjaro to go slowly and allow the body to create enough red blood cells to cope with the decreasing levels of oxygen. Today's hike is not particularly demanding as the terrain is relatively flat.

Cell phone reception is virtually non-existent in this area, but the guide carries a satellite phone for emergency use. As in times before constant communication was possible, we assume that no news is good news. This trek uses a relatively remote campsite situated near an old mountain hut, long-abandoned, called Moir Hut.

Moir Hut sits abandoned in a bowl under Lent Ridge.

I realize I don't know why Moir Hut is there or who used it. Gary will no doubt have the story and be able to fill in the details.

The curious looking Moir Hut, nestled against a ridge marked with natural cave formations.

Tomorrow we will feature more details about the project in Mufindi for which the group is raising funds. While the group is probably still feeling pretty fresh and strong, in a few more days the trek will start getting difficult and any donations received will be hugely motivating. We'll be keeping the group apprised of donations made during the trek as and when we are in communication. They have already had a pledge of $5,000 which is wonderful. As much as grand gestures are appreciated, every little bit helps. Donating is easy - just click on the "Donate Now" link in the side bar. Thanks for your support!

Trek: Day 1 - Shira Plateau - overnight Shira 1 Camp (11,499 ft)

This is a photo from Gary's trek 5 years ago, but gives an idea of the scene at the trailhead.

This morning the trekkers packed all their gear into vehicles and drove to the trailhead where they began their Kilimanjaro adventure. Cell phone signal on Kilimanjaro is still spotty at best. We had a call from the head guide, Pendaeli, saying that all was going well. The total hiking time was only about 2 hours today. It's an intentionally short day to allow the group start the acclimatization process.

Gary Drobnack and David Still traveled this route 5 years ago. I have photos on hand from that trek to give an idea of what they are seeing along the way since modern technology hasn't quite reached every nook and cranny on Kilimanjaro to enable them to send photos as they go.

Hiking across the Shira Plateau - one of the highest in the world. 

Meanwhile…. News from Mufindi and the Project courtesy of Amari Alexander, a US volunteer who is helping out in Geoff Knight and Jenny Peck's absence.

Best friends and brothers! Elia and Tito love to strike action poses for the camera during some free time in the afternoon.

The Igoda Children’s Village was opened July 7th, 2007 in response to a growing orphaned population. In the Mufindi District, the HIV/AIDS epidemic had reached its peak crisis point, resulting in a mass mortality of adults and an extreme shortage of able-bodied caretakers. Normally, Tanzanian culture encourages family members to take on the responsibility of caring for the children of the sick and dying. However, a dissolution of the family structure as a result of HIV/AIDS lead to many orphan-run households or one –often elderly- caretaker taking on the responsibility of 8 or more children at one time. Upon the recognition of this heartbreaking problem, Foxes’ Community and Wildlife Conservation Trust (FCWCT) donated money and land to establish the first of the eventual six Children’s Houses that would come to be the home of some of Mufindi’s most vulnerable children.

Through hard work and a partnership with neighboring villages, as well as local government, the Igoda Children’s Village has expanded rapidly in the past 7 years with a capacity to house and care for over 80 children and a completely local Tanzanian staff of 50 people. Igoda Children’s Village remains committed to vulnerable childcare and currently is the home to 53 children.

Every Saturday evening, the boys head up to the airstrip to play a quick 3 hour soccer game! They play until they can't see the ball anymore- and then keep playing for 15 more minutes! This activity is lead by the young men on our staff. 

And a Children’s Village it definitely is! The six houses form a sort of loop over a beautifully scenic valley, a few short kilometers from the neighboring village of Igoda. Each house, though identical in structure, is run by a House Mama who lives full time at the Children’s Village. The House Mama is given autonomy to create a home for the children under her care in that house, with the guidance of

the staff’s Administration and Welfare Team. The goal is to achieve a lifestyle that closely resembles daily life in the village. In addition to the House Mama, the children in each house are carefully placed to imitate village life as well. Every house (with the exception of two: the Baby House and Boys House) has older girls (ages 12-17) and young children (ages 3 -8). The House Mama guides the older

girls in care of the younger children and the younger children are provided with many models of responsibility. Just as in the village, the House Mama leads her children in daily chores like fetching water, cutting firewood, and doing laundry. At some point, every child will leave the Children’s Village- either at the age of 18 or under the care of a family member. Daily life is structured to make that transition from the Children’s Village to the village as easy as possible. The idea that every child contributes to the daily operations of the Children’s Village also helps to fight against entitlement mentalities that can be rampant in community development projects. Every person- young and old- lends a hand in the maintenance of the Children’s Village. A culture of reciprocity is very strong
here.

The young boys of House #1 are being lead by their older brother Harry as they fetch water using a very cool waterball- a device that allows you to carry 50 liters of water at one time!

The older girls enjoy a quiet Sunday afternoon spent doing some arts and crafts activities.

Vulnerable Childcare does not end at providing food and shelter. Healthcare and Education are also strong branches of support for every child at the Children’s Village. Currently, there are 10 HIV+ children in the care of the Children’s Village. As part of their daily care, these children receive daily medical supervision, antiretroviral therapy, weekly wellness checks, and monthly trips to the Care and Treatment Center to receive HIV treatment and CD4 testing. Other children are fighting daily battles with diseases such as Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and physical deformities.

These children receive special medical care and attention as well, which is often an impossibility in the local villages. The Children’s Village also provides pyscho-social support for children from all types of home situations and backgrounds. Many of the children arrived at the Children’s Village, not because of parental death, but because of abuse and neglect. This can lead to behavioral problems. Both guardians and staff are trained in the management of vulnerable children and trauma behavior. Through the implementation of nightly studyhalls, sports clubs, and weekend activities, children can be
closely monitored and supported.

University of Louisville Medical Student Volunteers joined the ranks of the dedicated visiting doctors who help provide medical care for our children. They held numerous clinics as well as performed wellness checks on-site for all of the kids.

Meet some of the Children of Igoda Children’s Village:

Meet Godi! Ask anyone about Godi and the first thing they will mention is his smile! Godi is an extremely sweet little boy who came to the Children’s Village after suffering unspeakable abuse and neglect at the hands of his Uncle after the death of his mother. He was brought to the Children’s Village by the Social Welfare Office. And through the combined efforts of the Children’s Village team and the local government, Godi was the first child in his village to bring charges up against a relative for abuse and neglect. He appeared in court with his NGO advocates and bravely recounted his story. When Godi first arrived at the Children’s Village he was extremely shy and withdrawn. He has since blossomed! He remains at the top of his class in our on-site Interactive Learning Kindergarten. He is extremely helpful to his House Mama and loves to meet new guests and volunteers. He has had
a difficult start in life but we are so happy he is now a part of our family!

Meet Loveness! Love arrived at the Children’s Village just a few days after her birth. Her mother died in childbirth and her father is unknown. Love came as a failure-to-thrive baby, meaning her birth weight was extremely low and her chances of survival very little. Failure-to-thrive babies often arrive at the Children’s Village because everyone else has lost hope. But not us! Against all odds, Love rebounded back! With carefully monitoring, a special diet, and lots of TLC, Love grew healthier and healthier. She was paired with an amazing volunteer who, for three months, treated her as if she was her own child. This extra attention proved just what the doctor ordered and today, Love is doing better than ever! She has just started to walk all by herself and has quite the reputation for demanding snuggles and cuddles from the closest person. We certainly love our Love!

Meet Hezron! Hezron is quite the village celebrity and many residents and volunteers site his endless optimism and huge smile as where it all began. He arrived at the Children’s Village in its first year. He has Cerebral Palsy and he is HIV +, and remains to this day the most remembered child for almost anyone who visits us. During the day, he attends our on-site Interactive Learning Kindergarten where he practices his language skills and fine motor skills. In the evening, you can often find him sitting in the sun in front of his house (everyone knows that House #6 is actually Hezron’s house) and helping the House Mama keep an eye on the younger children - who love him because he is just their size!

THE MUFINDI CHILDREN'S PROJECT TANZANIA

 

VISITING THE MDABULO CLINIC - SITE OF THE FUTURE MDABULO HOSPITAL

 

Following an outstanding visit to the Mdabulo Care & Treatment Center, which sits adjacent to the Mdabulo  Clinic, we were treated to description of several other health care initiatives undertaken by the leaders of the Mufindi Children's Project.

 

1. School Meals. Production of crops has commenced near the school and Children's Village to provide school meals for young school students who might otherwise go hungry during the long day they are attending school.  This started out as a "Meal in a Mug" initiative that gave students a nutritious porridge during the school day called "Uji"  The program has been expanded to include more vegetables and fruits which the students are involved in growing. Their parents also make cash contributions to the meal program whenever possible.  The result is a healthier and more alert student population capable of applying better learning skills.
2. Infant Feeding Program.  This initiative targets the identification of HIV+ women who are about to give birth.  Their newborn babies are vulnerable to HIV transmission at the time they are ready to switch from breast milk to a combination of breast milk and solid food.  The program provides education and counseling to such mothers to help them understand the health risks involved, they learn to prepare and feed the formula to their babies, and they learn to monitor their own health status and to seek help and appropriate medications when warranted.  These women are monitored and periodically tested to deliver the right ARV's to them in the right quantities so they can live to raise their infants to adulthood.
3. Home-Based Health Care System.  Many villagers live in remote locations and do not have access to any kind of medical care unless it comes to them.  The only way to reach some of these villages is to walk to them given the lack of roads or the poor condition of the roads.  This initiative is led by Dr. Leena Pasanen from Finland who has been practicing medicine in rural Tanzania for over 30 years.  She has retired from the Lutheran Mission Hospital where she worked in another part of Tanzania and has moved to the Mufindi area to manage the Home-Based Health Care System.  She is part of the health care delivery system that is part of the mission of the FCWCT non-profit that manages all other aspects of the Mufindi Children's Project.  She is widely famous and appreciated for the help she has given sick and injured people in these remote villages and is always welcomed into these communities.  Dr. Leena is also very important to the good operation of the other health care initiatives given her experience and leadership.
4. Upgrading the MDABULO CLINIC to the status of MDABULO HOSPITAL under Tanzanian regulations remains one of the most pressing health care initiatives left to accomplish. 

This Mdabulo health facility was merely a Dispensary when the Mufindi Children's Project commenced in 2005.  The formation of a public-private partnership involving the Mdabulo Catholic Mission, Foxes Community & Wildlife Conservation Trust (FCWCT), and local government was followed by upgrades to the Dispensary that now allows it to be classified as a Clinic.  Changes included the addition of a maternity award, a labor ward, the establishment of rooms for clinical examinations, and the establishment of a place to store and dispense medications.  More recently, the Care & Treatment Center (CTC) was built adjacent to the Mdabulo Clinic and it is now fully operational and remains the most effective tool in the fight against HIV-AIDs to date.

To become a Hospital requires the addition of the capacity to perform major and minor surgery, x-rays, ultrasound, dental and optometry labs, and a variety of medical tests.  Once classified as a Hospital, Mdabulo will be the only hospital serving 45,000 people living in 19 villages within a 30 mile radius,  or roughly 4-8 hours by bus. 

The fund-raising objective of this trip will be to raise funds to complete portions of the health clinic at Mdabulo so it can be classified as a full-fledged hospital and attract more government support in the form  of government medical staff and increased allocation priorities for scarce medicines and medical supplies.  A lot of dental and x-ray equipment has already been donated and is on site as are other medical supplies.  The space needs to be built to accommodate this equipment and to increase ward capacity as well as living quarters for additional medical staff whose salaries will be paid by the government.

New buildings on the left and at the far end create spaces for dental labs, an x-ray room, ultra-sound room, surgical prep room, a surgery, and recovery rooms..

Improvements to the original dispensary include this maternity ward and a labor room.

Some of the dental equipment that has already been delivered and which awaits installation.

Geoff Fox showing supplies of donated hospital gowns which are now stored on site.

Donated x-ray equipment needing installation.

Donated dental tray.

These photos are examples of portions of the Mdabulo Clinic that need to be expanded to accommodate already donated supplies and equipment, the installation and use of which will go far toward enabling reclassification of the Mdabulo Clinic as a Hospital.

 

The Hospital project calls for establishment of:

 

1. Two surgical theaters, an x-ray room, a dental facility, optometry room, ultrasound room, and doctor's consulting rooms.
2. New toilet facilities.
3. New kiosk for patients and their visitors for dispensing food, drinks, and other patient necessities.
4. New medical records room and administrative conference room.
5. Reception center and an out-patient center
6. Refurbish existing in-patient wards that are in poor condition
7. Build new in-patient wards
8. Increase staff housing capacity on site for essential health service providers.

The next blog post will focus on life and programs in the Children's Village including dorms for up to 10 children, each with a full time housemother; infant care programs; Montessori schooling for pre-school children; kindergarten; also care of infants and children in the dorms who are HIV+.

 

Another blog post will cover current status of primary education facilities, secondary school facilities, establishment and use of libraries including mobile libraries, and the establishment of vocational training centers that teach skills that allow older children in the Children's Village to ultimately obtain good paying jobs that lead to economic independence.





As of 21 September, all the Mufindi Mountaineers who will be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro as part of the fund-raising effort for the Mufindi Children's Project have assembled at the Ndarakwai Lodge on the west side of Mt Kilimanjaro.  They commence their climb on the 22nd of September and will spend their first night on the mountain on the Shira Plateau west of the summit.  In total they will hike over 75 miles and climb roughly 9.000 feet above the point where they start the trek.  There are 12 climbers in the group.  More about them later.

THE MUFINDI CHILDREN'S PROJECT TANZANIA

 

VISITING THE CARE & TREATMENT CENTER - CTC

 

Four of the Mufindi Mountaineers 2014 team are visiting the project site in the south central highlands of Tanzania before the Kilimanjaro climb.  They include Gary Drobnack, Jennifer Lindwall, David Still, and Rich Wortley.  For David and Gary, this is a second visit, the last time being in 2009 on the first Kilimanjaro climb. 

Today's tour of Mufindi Children's Project facilities and programs started with the CTC.

 

Because of a major donation made by the Rosaria Haugland Foundation of Eugene OR in 2009, construction on the CTC building was just being finished during the last visit.  

The purpose of the first Kilimanjaro fundraiser was to help complete the fitting out of the CTC so it could become operational. 

Before the CTC became operational, people who needed to be tested for HIV-AIDs had to be transported to more populous  areas where HIV-AIDs testing and treatment, if indicated, could be administered.  This was a terrible burden in terms of people's time and energy and many villagers were simply too poor and/or too weak to make that critical journey.

 

A final and very important step to making the CTC effective was the addition of a CD-4 machine, testing reagents, and other testing devices.  CD-4 measurements are used to determine when an HIV+ person should go, without further delay, on anti-retroviral drugs (ARV's) in order to maintain health and aid recovery. 

The Canadian non-profit African Children's Book Box Society purchased the CD-4 machine for the CTC and the first round of testing reagents needed to perform the tests.  Later on, Seattle 4 Rotary supplied funds to acquire additional stocks of CD-4 testing reagents.  More recently, the government has started to supply testing reagents in addition to ARV's through the PEPFAR US-AID program.  It is crucial that this supply be continued.

The impact of the CTC on the health of Mufindi District residents has been remarkable based on our observations during the current visit.

L-R Geoff Fox, David Still, Gary Drobnack, & Simon Shercliff

at the CTC during the 2009 visit.

Geoff Fox and Jennifer Lindwall entering the now operational CTC.

CTC staff track and administer testing and prescribe-provide anti-retroviral

drugs to fight the disease. 

        

                 The CD-4 machine                               Testing reagents and ARV's

 Qualified lab technicians are on site to make and interpret the tests

 

 

 Training of new personnel is a constant theme as qualified staff are in short supply

Counseling of individual cases is thorough and well documented.

 

 

 

Records of all tests and the issuance of medications is carefully recorded.

 

Records are filed and maintained in data banks for future treatment needs and research.

 Patients await their turn to be tested and/or receive the meds that will keep them alive.



A pharmacy to treat HIV-AIDS patients is located within the CTC to make it easy for patients to get the drugs they need to fight infection.

 

As visitors in 2009, and as donors to the Mufindi Children's Project, both David Still and Gary Drobnack felt very satisfied with the program and operation of this CTC facility.  Efforts to make it more efficient and to expand its work to outlying villages are underway.  Currently, the CTC at Mdabulo handles over 3000 visits per month and the numbers are growing as more outlying communities are tapped.

 

The next blog posting will focus on other aspects of the Mufindi Children's Project health care initiatives, with special focus on the improvement and expansion of the  clinic at Mdabulo village.