While I was home in the States, visiting my wonderful friends and family I had several conversations with people about starting a non-profit. I am not an organization person. I am a midwife. I love being a midwife. I feel passionately about caring for women, especially for women who often find care in scarce supply. I am not a manager or an administrator. (I feel that statement can and should be followed by a line of exclamation marks.) Over the past two years I certainly feel I have been a funnel for many people’s goodwill and resources but my efforts have lacked order. I described to one friend all my little projects as a spewing, simmering, cauldron; there is a lot of good stuff happening but it is a bit out of control. Still the thought of starting a non-profit scared and, honestly, scares me.
When I reached Austin, I reviewed my mother’s account of all the unsolicited contributions made by family, friends, and strangers over the past two years. The shocking grand total was US$20,000. My immediate thought was, "there is no way that I can handle that amount amount of money in an informal way." While in DC I talked to my friend Leanne who, I must interject, was the person who told me to be a midwife in the first place, meaning she has great instincts. She responded to my fear with excitement and said, “I am an organization person.” Her enthusiasm gave me a push. I returned to Austin and told my friend Sarah about my thoughts; she mentioned that in the building where she works there is a Non-Profit Center that helps people set up non-profits. She made me an appointment. On Tuesday morning I met Sandy who has been setting up non-profits and assisting them for 25 years, surprisingly he also knew quiet a lot about Malawi and midwives. That night, serendipitously, I opened a donation check from a friend for $2,000 - more than enough to cover Sandy’s fees and the IRS fees. The next requirement was a volunteer board of three. I had myself, Leanne, and I called my friend Heidi who is a social worker and has experience with blossoming non-profits as well as community work with teens and moms. She agreed. The stars aligned and the African Mothers Health Initiative was born.
At the moment we have a bank account with almost $12,000. (Sandy has applied for tax-deductible status which he says may take up to nine months but will be retroactive to the date that we filed.) We are working on a website. I need to set up a sister organization here in Malawi before I leave to carry out the work legally. My friend Mrs. Namaleu – the nurse who works on the malnutrition ward – has agreed to continue the projects I have begun. She is two years past the date when she intended to retire but had no other alternative for employment. For the moment we will continue supplying formula for infant orphans, visit those little ones at home as well as any severely ill women during postpartum period, continue the feeding program, and pay school fees. This is where we will start and depending on how things develop I would like to expand. My vision is broadly and basically to provide women with quality care during pregnancy, delivery, and in the postpartum and to ensure that children also receive such care – with particular attention to the ages 0 to 5. At the center of this work I also want to hold the value of honoring people above numbers, lives above cost-effectiveness, and care for women and children above all else.
If anyone is interested in donating. You can send checks made out to the African Mothers Health Initiative to 6808 Belford Dr. Takoma Park, MD 20912. A couple friends are helping me with a website so hopefully that will be up within the month. There is a lot to be done before December.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
More Good News
Clement has been talking of becoming a Pediatrician since we met. Earlier this year he applied to several medical schools in various countries in Africa. While we were in the States he received news of his acceptance to Moi University in Kenya and then to Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. After talking to many people and doing some research on our own, Clement decided to accept the offer of admission to KNUST. So . . . we will be moving to Ghana.
Classes start for Clement on August 17th this year. There is so much to do but we are experiencing another bureaucratic and infrastructure nightmare. With three weeks left to go, we have not received any additional information from the University. All our emails bounce back, our faxes won’t go through, and phone calls only make it through on average of 1 out of 30. It seems he will need a student visa but the closest Ghanaian High Commission is in Zimbabwe and no one answers the phone there to tell us what he needs or how to get the visa. The High Commission in South Africa, that we can reach, says that he must go through the one in Zimbabwe. We need the visa before buying the ticket. In short we are freaking out. Thankfully we have a small handful of people in Ghana and in the States who are also trying to help us so we are hopeful. We need a minor miracle.
We are also looking for funding for the six year program. Our plans are to return to Malawi and then for Clement to eventually specialize in Pediatrics. Clement wrote a letter to send to organizations/people who might be willing to help fund his education. On the chance that any of you have an idea I am including it below. I’ll feel some peace once I know he is there beginning classes and then I’ll have time to think about how I’ll manage to find work as a midwife in Ghana and wrap up my life here in Malawi. One of my friends, after hearing of all the recent updates, told me that I’m someone who does better on a rollercoaster than a merry-go-round. When my anxiety sits heavy on my chest I take a breath, think of that line, and smile, either way it’s just a ride.
Clement in his words . . .
Since a young age, I have aspired to become a medical doctor. Such inspirations are a result of my own life experiences. As both an in- and out-patient I learned that Malawi’s health care system though free, lacks many resources and this negatively impacts the overall quality and efficiency of care. Perhaps the most significant shortage is that of human resources. Imagine that you fall sick, but with great determination set out early - so that you may be among the first served - and arrive at the out-patient department by 6am. At 10am the clinician arrives and begins reviewing patients but before he reaches you, he leaves for the day. You have no choice but to return home having spent time and energy and perhaps precious money for transportation, without receiving any assistance. Sometimes luck is on your side and you receive a consultation, but once you leave with your prescription you find the dispensary closed, or the laboratory closed. As an in-patient you may stay in hospital for a week but only see a clinician twice and the nurse who may be caring for a ward full of sick individuals alone may not be able to carry out the clinician’s orders in a timely manner. This has been my experience, the experience of many family and friends, and of innumerable Malawians, simply because there are not enough medical practitioners to meet the even the basic needs of patients. Personally, these agonizing experiences ignited my passion to work with the poor and the sick.
After secondary school the path that opened to me was that of a clinical medicine programme. This three year programme was designed to cope with the extreme shortage of medical doctors. The concept of a fast track programme which trains individuals to examine, treat, prescribe medication, and conduct surgery in half the time it takes to train a physician was readily accepted in several southern Africa countries. During the process of obtaining my diploma as a Clinical Officer I came to better understand the problems faced by our health care system and gained a greater appreciation for the importance of pursuing a medical degree.
Malawi is a country of 13 million people of whom 60% are children under the age of 15. Currently there are less than 200 Malawian physicians. Malawi boasts the third worst maternal mortality rate in the world, high infant and child mortality rates, and a life expectancy that hovers around 40. The HIV/AIDS pandemic, although much milder than some neighboring sub-Saharan countries, still affects every industry including education, health, and agriculture as productive individuals fall ill and die. I recognize that I cannot change the system alone and that even though most needs are modest, they are also endless. But, I will provide one more pair of trained hands, and I know with great certainty that for the thousands of patients I will see and treat during my career as a physician, this is a significant contribution. I also understand that after three years of training my knowledge of disease processes and my clinical skills are limited. I see great need and value in further education. Malawians though poor – perhaps because they are poor and more likely to die young - deserve excellent care; I experience a constant thirst for knowledge in order to serve the population more efficiently.
In the course of my departmental rotations I fell in love with pediatric medicine. I feel this is a particularly vital course of study since the majority of Malawians are children and since they are undeniably the future of our nation. Even before I completed the clinical medicine programme I have been seeking a path to pursue my dream of becoming a pediatrician. I am now happy to report that I was recently accepted by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. Their medical programme lasts six years and will begin August 17th, 2007. My dreams are within sight but one hurdle remains. I am lacking the funds for tuition, which is about US$8,000 annually. For this reason I am appealing to you; for your support of my education. I will be grateful for any contribution and will be happy to send supporting documents and references upon request.
Classes start for Clement on August 17th this year. There is so much to do but we are experiencing another bureaucratic and infrastructure nightmare. With three weeks left to go, we have not received any additional information from the University. All our emails bounce back, our faxes won’t go through, and phone calls only make it through on average of 1 out of 30. It seems he will need a student visa but the closest Ghanaian High Commission is in Zimbabwe and no one answers the phone there to tell us what he needs or how to get the visa. The High Commission in South Africa, that we can reach, says that he must go through the one in Zimbabwe. We need the visa before buying the ticket. In short we are freaking out. Thankfully we have a small handful of people in Ghana and in the States who are also trying to help us so we are hopeful. We need a minor miracle.
We are also looking for funding for the six year program. Our plans are to return to Malawi and then for Clement to eventually specialize in Pediatrics. Clement wrote a letter to send to organizations/people who might be willing to help fund his education. On the chance that any of you have an idea I am including it below. I’ll feel some peace once I know he is there beginning classes and then I’ll have time to think about how I’ll manage to find work as a midwife in Ghana and wrap up my life here in Malawi. One of my friends, after hearing of all the recent updates, told me that I’m someone who does better on a rollercoaster than a merry-go-round. When my anxiety sits heavy on my chest I take a breath, think of that line, and smile, either way it’s just a ride.
Clement in his words . . .
Since a young age, I have aspired to become a medical doctor. Such inspirations are a result of my own life experiences. As both an in- and out-patient I learned that Malawi’s health care system though free, lacks many resources and this negatively impacts the overall quality and efficiency of care. Perhaps the most significant shortage is that of human resources. Imagine that you fall sick, but with great determination set out early - so that you may be among the first served - and arrive at the out-patient department by 6am. At 10am the clinician arrives and begins reviewing patients but before he reaches you, he leaves for the day. You have no choice but to return home having spent time and energy and perhaps precious money for transportation, without receiving any assistance. Sometimes luck is on your side and you receive a consultation, but once you leave with your prescription you find the dispensary closed, or the laboratory closed. As an in-patient you may stay in hospital for a week but only see a clinician twice and the nurse who may be caring for a ward full of sick individuals alone may not be able to carry out the clinician’s orders in a timely manner. This has been my experience, the experience of many family and friends, and of innumerable Malawians, simply because there are not enough medical practitioners to meet the even the basic needs of patients. Personally, these agonizing experiences ignited my passion to work with the poor and the sick.
After secondary school the path that opened to me was that of a clinical medicine programme. This three year programme was designed to cope with the extreme shortage of medical doctors. The concept of a fast track programme which trains individuals to examine, treat, prescribe medication, and conduct surgery in half the time it takes to train a physician was readily accepted in several southern Africa countries. During the process of obtaining my diploma as a Clinical Officer I came to better understand the problems faced by our health care system and gained a greater appreciation for the importance of pursuing a medical degree.
Malawi is a country of 13 million people of whom 60% are children under the age of 15. Currently there are less than 200 Malawian physicians. Malawi boasts the third worst maternal mortality rate in the world, high infant and child mortality rates, and a life expectancy that hovers around 40. The HIV/AIDS pandemic, although much milder than some neighboring sub-Saharan countries, still affects every industry including education, health, and agriculture as productive individuals fall ill and die. I recognize that I cannot change the system alone and that even though most needs are modest, they are also endless. But, I will provide one more pair of trained hands, and I know with great certainty that for the thousands of patients I will see and treat during my career as a physician, this is a significant contribution. I also understand that after three years of training my knowledge of disease processes and my clinical skills are limited. I see great need and value in further education. Malawians though poor – perhaps because they are poor and more likely to die young - deserve excellent care; I experience a constant thirst for knowledge in order to serve the population more efficiently.
In the course of my departmental rotations I fell in love with pediatric medicine. I feel this is a particularly vital course of study since the majority of Malawians are children and since they are undeniably the future of our nation. Even before I completed the clinical medicine programme I have been seeking a path to pursue my dream of becoming a pediatrician. I am now happy to report that I was recently accepted by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. Their medical programme lasts six years and will begin August 17th, 2007. My dreams are within sight but one hurdle remains. I am lacking the funds for tuition, which is about US$8,000 annually. For this reason I am appealing to you; for your support of my education. I will be grateful for any contribution and will be happy to send supporting documents and references upon request.
Thanks to the Scotts
This past week included my first days back at Bottom. Two months away from birth is long enough. I was eager to witness the covert strength of women surge forth and push their babies into the world. I was eager to see glimmering soft brown eyes as they opened to light and color for the first time. It was wonderful to be back; greeted warmly by the nurses, clinicians, maids, and security guards. The usual chaos reigned: many women, many students, few nurses precepting and overseeing care. Even so, my first three days back at Bottom passed without catastrophe. Wendesday, at some point I encouraged students to get the women up off their backs. Thursday morning I walked in to find two students with their patients in neighboring beds squatting and pushing - pink wriggling babies emerged almost simultaneously within minutes. Friday I assisted students deliver two sets of twins including one breech. I conducted a vacuum for fetal distress - the mother visibly exhausted and the baby’s heartbeat disturbingly slow - but the little girl, once on her mother’s belly, blinked and greeted her mom with a loud cry. The mother asked me for a name, I suggested Mwaye (fortune).
The good days are both gratifying and exhausting. The constant movement and noise in the labor ward at times reminds me of a force of nature, the environment is neither safe nor malevolent. It is the uncommitted energy and space affecting beginnings and endings; expectant mothers face an unpredictable course upon entering the grounds. A hospital should not mimic a force of nature. A hospital should protect dignity and uphold life. It should contain a safe space for women to give birth. It should facilitate necessary interventions (not obstruct them), and offer consistent care in all senses of the word.
There are many reasons why Bottom lingers in a place far from these simple descriptions but happily there will be major changes soon. Last December, Sir Tom Hunter - of the Clinton and Hunter Development Institute - spearheaded a Christmas fundraising drive in Scotland and raised two million pounds to put towards a new maternity hospital. Clinton and Hunter have on-going projects in Malawi but during one of his earliest visits to Malawi, Hunter was whisked off course and directed towards Bottom by an inspired woman who believed that if someone with the means and a conscious saw the conditions, he would feel compelled to help. She was right.
The first quick tour of Bottom led to meetings with the obstetricians, Dr. Chiudzu and Dr. Tarek Meguid, meetings with the representatives from the Ministry of Health, visits from a Scottish media crew to document the progress, and finally approved plans and a full bank account. Saturday a groundbreaking ceremony for a new maternity hospital was held with short speeches from Sir Tom Hunter, The Minister of Health, and The President. Hunter spoke about the construction as a step towards protecting the human rights of Malawian women and mentioned that the money was given with the fundamental understanding that Malawians know best how to care for Malawi.
I have never been as acutely aware of the impacts of a physical structure on human life as I have at Bottom. In the new plans self contained examination rooms will increase possibility the probability of privacy and support. Self contained labor rooms, with enough space for a mother, sister, husband, or friend mean laboring women will have the option of bringing love into space where they give birth. Multiple operating rooms will mean that one life will never have to be weighed against another; a distressed woman over another woman’s distressed baby. The location of the hospital on the grounds of Kamuzu Central Hospital will mean that women who have hemorrhaged will not need to wait hours to receive blood or to be transported to the ICU. The physical structure will make humane care possible. The new hospital will be named after the President’s late wife Ethel waMutharika, a great advocate for Malawian women and mothers.
The good days are both gratifying and exhausting. The constant movement and noise in the labor ward at times reminds me of a force of nature, the environment is neither safe nor malevolent. It is the uncommitted energy and space affecting beginnings and endings; expectant mothers face an unpredictable course upon entering the grounds. A hospital should not mimic a force of nature. A hospital should protect dignity and uphold life. It should contain a safe space for women to give birth. It should facilitate necessary interventions (not obstruct them), and offer consistent care in all senses of the word.
There are many reasons why Bottom lingers in a place far from these simple descriptions but happily there will be major changes soon. Last December, Sir Tom Hunter - of the Clinton and Hunter Development Institute - spearheaded a Christmas fundraising drive in Scotland and raised two million pounds to put towards a new maternity hospital. Clinton and Hunter have on-going projects in Malawi but during one of his earliest visits to Malawi, Hunter was whisked off course and directed towards Bottom by an inspired woman who believed that if someone with the means and a conscious saw the conditions, he would feel compelled to help. She was right.
The first quick tour of Bottom led to meetings with the obstetricians, Dr. Chiudzu and Dr. Tarek Meguid, meetings with the representatives from the Ministry of Health, visits from a Scottish media crew to document the progress, and finally approved plans and a full bank account. Saturday a groundbreaking ceremony for a new maternity hospital was held with short speeches from Sir Tom Hunter, The Minister of Health, and The President. Hunter spoke about the construction as a step towards protecting the human rights of Malawian women and mentioned that the money was given with the fundamental understanding that Malawians know best how to care for Malawi.
I have never been as acutely aware of the impacts of a physical structure on human life as I have at Bottom. In the new plans self contained examination rooms will increase possibility the probability of privacy and support. Self contained labor rooms, with enough space for a mother, sister, husband, or friend mean laboring women will have the option of bringing love into space where they give birth. Multiple operating rooms will mean that one life will never have to be weighed against another; a distressed woman over another woman’s distressed baby. The location of the hospital on the grounds of Kamuzu Central Hospital will mean that women who have hemorrhaged will not need to wait hours to receive blood or to be transported to the ICU. The physical structure will make humane care possible. The new hospital will be named after the President’s late wife Ethel waMutharika, a great advocate for Malawian women and mothers.
Friday, July 13, 2007
A Little More Patience
I know I've been MIA for months and it's really inexcusable but I beg for just a little more patience. I promise stories are on the way. So much is happening, my head is spinning.
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