BACK TO PROJECT
MEETING THE LOCAL PEOPLE LIVING NEAR THE KENSWED MATERNITY & HEALTH CENTER
Today I had the great pleasure of visiting some of the local people living nearby the building site for our Kenswed Maternity & Health Center. We wanted to understand better the struggles that the people face here concerning health care. I met a group of four women who live beside each other in small homes made from metal sheets. The homes are only one room, and have whole families living inside together.
When they get sick, or need medicine they must travel 10km to Ngong. They either get there by walking or taking a motorbike if they can afford. They said that this is too far to travel when sick, and too difficult by motorbike when you are pregnant. The cost to give a natural birth in a clinic is KSH 8 000- 10 000 (SEK 720- 900) which they said is too expensive. These women do not work, and rely on their husbands income. Often times the husband struggles to make enough money to provide for his family, and works very hard.
Some of the women I spoke to said that they have been sick with flu, cold, stomach pains and head pains, and have not gone to the clinic in Ngong because they could not afford it. They said they feel “excited” because now there will be a clinic within walking distance and cheaper. They said many people in the community have been talking about this clinic being built because they saw the sign for it, and the Kenswed students have been talking about it, and the word is spreading.
One woman pulled me aside and said that she faints a lot and will “definitely be coming” to the clinic to receive a check up.
What a great pleasure it was to meet these women, hear their struggles, and know that this health clinic will help so many people!
Morgan Young
Lööf Foundation representative
