Nkhamenya Update 2018

On arriving at Nkhamenya Hospital we were taken to see the Youth Groups who were all ready  and prepared to show us the exercises they had been doing as part of the Tackle Africa training In HIVAids prevention. We watched them play several training games, including  Transmission Tag, which seemed to be a version of British bulldog, where  the catcher was the HIV positive individual and the safe zones represented the use of protection and abstention. It emphasised how the spread of HIV made life more difficult for those in the safe zones, as well as providing a visual aid for how easily HIV spreads. We had a long chat with the ten coaches who had been trained, four females and six males. Both the coaches and the youth groups were really happy with the programme and how it improved interaction between the leaders and the group members, the organisational skills of the coaches and the manner in which it reinforced through football a good philosophy of sexual health. A  tournament will complete the programme, taking place in August. It had to be delayed as many of the group were taking school exams. We would like to be able to continue the coach training, taking it to the next level, so that these coaches could take the training into the villages in the catchment areas of both Nkhamenya and also Mtendere where we funded a similar programme. Thanks to tackle Africa for their expertise.

Our thanks to the coaches we met – Denzio Nambazo, Derick Mpata, Lusungu Mughogho and Tinah Chirwa and especially to Jeremiah Simengwa for their time, their energy and their dedication. Emily and Karen walked with Nhkamenya’s Management Committee to see the new irrigation area funded by the charity, in order to create a small income for the hospital through the sale of excess and more expensive vegetables as well as providing some food security for the patients, their families and those working at the hospital. There have been some delays in completing it, but by the end of September the whole area should be fully planted and all the irrigation canals should be complete. A new borehole was sunk and it is exciting that it has been fitted with a new generation solar pump and it has proved most reliable so far.

Interestingly, the hospital has taken some advice as to which crops to grow to create most profit and carrots are the least available locally, and several local guest houses and already shown interest in ordering them on a regular basis! An income the hospital desperately needs!

Sister Munyenyembe took us on a tour of the hospital and we were delighted that the mothers and babies’ ward looked so welcoming and comfortable after our refurbishment funding in 2016.

Karen and Emily were able to spend time speaking to the incredibly dedicated members of staff at the hospital. Their stories and thoughts about their work will be shared over the next few months. Along with the Hospital Management Committee they have been integral in our understanding of the direction the hospital needs to go to maximise the benefit to their catchment population.

If you would like to help us to make these dedicated people’s jobs easier so that they can improve the lives of their community even more, please read the latest news addition to discover what our 2018/19 fundraising targets for Nkhamenya are.