Matangwe / Kenya

Another year and the village continues to grow! This summer 12 -14 volunteers are going over. An electrician will be available to connect the newly built residence (beside the clinic) to the generator we sent over and to inter-face it with the solar source as well.

Ron Bell returns to teach the children and Brian his son cannot go this year as there is a severe shortage of doctors at St. Mary's hospital here in town. A number of nurses will man the clinic. Steve and Sylvia Scott of course return and Brian Gleiser has helped me access copious quantities of Co-Trimoxazole to be carried over. This drug will help reduce secondary infections caused by HIV.

To be less of a burden on the generator, a water tower will be built to supply water to the village via a 'community tap'. The tower will be built in the memory of Christa Cantwell. Christa was a nursing student from McMaster University. Twice she went to Matangwe alone, the last time for 3 months. Upon her return, she told her parents that she would like to go to medical school and become a doctor and dedicate her life to Matangwe. Christa died in a head-on collision in Hamilton shortly after her announcement.

It was her parents wish to collect money at her funeral - they collected $4 000 to build the water tower in her memory. Christa's memory lives on!

Those that are involved in Matangwe are the Kitchener - Conestoga Rotary, The Grand River Rotary and its sister club in Japan. Also the Kitchener Rotary Club, Caring Partners International, Waterloo Collegiate, Benton Street Baptist Church, Private community members and some developing NGO's.

Our club has promised $12 500 to build a mortuary next year, the funds are in a GIC.