More about the purpose & goal of this trip

PLEASE read and learn more as to why purchasing a copy of this book "Where there is no Doctor" is so valuable to this trip.  Our team is trying to purchase 100 copies to bring with to leave behind with the villages and this blog below helps to understand what a difference it is making already!!

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A COPY OF THE BOOK FOR US!!

(message me for the address to have them sent to!!!!)

If you read my previous blog about Project Helping Hands and their mission ... they not only set up these medical clinics all over the world to help the sick, but to educate & our main goal is to one day see each area as a self sustaining unit.  In an email from one of my leaders, she talks more about how we can accomplish this.  The area of Kenya in which we are headed (Turkana) has been visited only twice by PHH and already look at how far they have come! These people are excited and eager to learn more about self sustainability and taking things into their own hands. I mean, after I read this email & saw the pride in their faces, it made me remember why we are going & how I cannot wait to help them learn more. 

Here is my email from my leader who was just there a few months ago to asses the needs:

The Turkana people are fiercely independent and hold their cards close to their chest. This has been their means of survival. Drought, famine, a government that prefer to forget that part of Kenya and long, long distances without roads. It was clear when we sat with Joseph, Charles and Joseph that they had it figured out. A year ago the Kenya government made a wise move by investing in the development of Community Health Worker Networks. The top down development investing hospitals and primary clinics had not served remote areas like Turkana well. The distances are long and resources scarce and the culture independent therefore traveling to a large medical center was difficult if not at times impossible. The research around the world supports the use of village trained community health advocates as the primary point of contact for the people in their individual communities. CHW's feel responsible for the health and well being of their community and are therefore empowered to teach people to care for themselves for the betterment of all. We had no idea that this movement was underway when we last visited Turkana in November of 2012. Much to our delight the people of Lokichar and surrounding areas initially supported and trained by the Kenyan Government have created a Community Health Worker network. One of translators and host from our last visit is heading up the CHWs in the region. They are each responsible for checking on the health and well being of 20 families in there immediate areas. There duties are to check on them monthly, triage and refer if there are issues and provide health education and community health projects in their area. We met with many of them while we were in Lokichar askedthem how we could augment their efforts. Overwhelmingly they asked for more education and hands on learning. We also collaborated on how we could use our medical clinics to identify those that have not yet connected with a CHW and to promote the importance of collaborating with the CHW's for the health and well being of themselves personally and to improve the overall morbidity and mortality of their individual communities. The CHW's that spoke with asked if we could hold a seminar furthering their knowledge of basic health promotion, disease prevention, triage, referral, support and coordination of the resources in the area. We asked them to list areas in which they needed more help. All felt that the book Where There Is No Doctor that we left with Joseph had valuable information and that they would like to each have a copy if possible. So in deciding the details of our itinerary we have planned to hold a half day health seminar for approximately 50 CHW's. Here is how you can help. Below are listed the topics that they outlined as important to them:

1. Basic first aid

2. fracture immobilization and managment in a field setting

3. wound care

4. Family planning

5. Prenatal care

6. basic hygiene; handwashing, personal care, teethbrushing

7.Disease prevention; such as malaria prevention, river blindness, Cholera, typhoid, TB  and diarrheal illnessness

8.Nutrition and malnutrition what are the basics how can we look at what they have and create a health diet. How to recognize signs and symptoms of malnutrition, kwashiorkor vs marasmus. Treatment and teaching around malnutrition and how it impacts morbidity and mortality

9.Maternal and well baby care

10. HIV, AIDS and STI's - would be good to have pictures

So I have to pic a topic and teach about it!!!! I'm nervous if I may say so !! But I look forward to doing whatever I can to help!!  

They have drawn a map of their area with the different villages, police station, school...I cannot wait to see what it all really looks like!!! NO computer generated maps here!!! I mean this is dedication and love for their home and their people that I cannot wait to learn about.