The first few days of our time in Kenya has been nothing short of amazing. I'm reminded and inspired in seeing the passion people display when talking about their work, their vocation and their communities.
I always wanted to be both a medical provider and a mother. Having many of my own kids and a variety of clinical opportunities to hone my skills in caring for pediatric patients, perhaps, kids is my love language.
In these first days of our visit, many of our visits have focused on children and those in their lives who care for them.
Mama Monica from Liramu Children's Center (LCC) is one of many ‘Mamas’ that care for over 40 kids and 20+ babies awaiting adoption by Kenyans. Monica rubs the feet and hands of a child who has been there all her life. The occupational therapist visits once a month has provided this guidance. Monica has worked at LCC for over 11 years and her eyes still sparkle with care for the little ones running around her, one of which I had the pleasure of holding most of the visit.
Under the leadership of Karen, the director, this center also cares for the area community's children by providing schooling during the day and feeding to over 100 children outside the center daily. Initially a nurse, her passion was caring for vulnerable kids. She showed up for our meeting, on a Sunday, under the weather, and yet her eyes also still sparkle when she speaks of her work at LCC.
Today we first met leaders at a local government hospital that houses a child and maternal wing, ob and pediatrics among other services. We then met with Foundation Leaders at Getrude’s Children's Hospital. A team of four dynamic and passionate individuals oversee, operationalize and assess initiatives that serve the mission to provide accessible care to all kids. We met with three of them and the hospital CEO today. This was after these foundation leaders ran an annual fundraiser in Nairobi yesterday. They made a special effort to our meeting which was scheduled for one hour and lasted almost three. (This may have included some side conversation about life as a parent assisting school aged kids in their school projects, how leaders sometimes place passion and care of others over self and how communities overall could better support those who care for communities.)
The symbiotic relationship between the foundation and the hospital has advanced outreach in specialty care for kids across the country. One of these is through telehealth. Now into a second year, this telemedicine initiative is allowing children of rural communities access to pediatric subspecialty evaluation and care they wouldn't otherwise receive. As a practicing PA in rural health, this especially caught my interest. In the next days we will be visiting one of these rural sites.
Billy, EDUafrica program designer and our leader for the first half of our visit, is also an artist of children’s content. I heard him say to a community partner, if it has the word kid in it, “I'll be there”. To this, I certainly can relate!
We are looking forward to what the next days have in store.
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