We are embarking on our biggest and most important project yet: to build a clinic in a very remote village in South Sudan. The community has already donated the land for the clinic to be built on which is a blessing because this also helps them take ownership of the clinic once its built.
Plans for Clinic
Here are some of the problems affecting the people right now. They have the highest child birth mortality rate in the world. There are 2053 deaths out of every 100,000 births, which is 20.5% mortality rate. There is only one doctor for every 100,000 people and there are very few clinics or hospitals in the entire nation.
It is our goal to start in this remote village to help those most in need with a clinic and then branch out to other areas. Our goal is to work with the local community and help them keep the clinic running with little to no outside help once its completed.
The community has come up with a way to keep the clinic running and the upkeep once its built. They plan to start a dairy farm where they can sell fresh milk to the nearby cities. We want to start this dairy farm as soon as possible so they can start saving money in the community account. We need to begin with 5 cows, which they will breed and continue to raise more. The cow is extremely important in South Sudan, it is their currency for marriage, for bargaining and for buying land. They are very knowledgable on how to care for them and this is a great idea to financially keep the clinic up and running once its built. The care and feeding of the cows is relatively inexpensive because they graze on land and drink from the river, which are free. The community will pay a few men to take the cows out to graze and care for them. One cow costs $700. Our goal is $3,500 in the next 3 months so we can buy these cows before the rainy season begins and we won't have access to bring them across the river.
Our other plans are to have a well drilled as soon as possible, the cost for that is $9,000 which includes installing a pump and teaching the community how to repair and take care of it. Currently the only wells within a 30 minutes walking distance are pictured below. One of the biggest problems throughout all of Africa is the people are not given the tools or the training on how to care for the pumps. We will ensure a water committee is formed and well trained with the tools and parts they need to keep the well up and running, so this new pump does not end up like those pictured below.
Once we are able to get the dairy up and running and the well drilled we need to start collecting materials for the clinic while the river is low and before the rains start in June. Due to limited access to this area we only have a 3 to 4 month window (March-June) to get a lot accomplished. We are hoping to convince the government or another organization to build a bridge so there is access to this area year round.
We need to have 30,000 bricks made, the cost is 1 cent per brick, for a total of $3000 dollars.
Our overall goal between now and May 15th of 2012 is to raise the $15,500 it will cost to buy the cows, bricks and have the well drilled. After that we will then look to start raising funds for the remainder of the costs to build this clinic. The estimated cost of the clinic is $19,000.
This clinic will be life changing for the people of Mayen Pajok area. They have no medical facilities within 6 hours from the village. Children die from curable diseases and ailments. Children are disabled due to lack of medicine that can cure diseases. Grace (on the Urgent Needs page) is an example of the grave need for a clinic. She was disabled from tuberculosis, which would have been treatable had there been access to a clinic.
Will you please consider helping us transform the lives of the people of Mayen Pajok area of South Sudan?
Please go to the donation page for ways to give either online or mailing a check to the address listed.