How further

What do we want

2009-2010

The foundation wants to continue improving the midwifery care as well as the general medical care. There is a strong need for the purchase of new means for the midwifery department and the pregnants department. These purchases differ from new beds, new delivery beds and matrasses, a autoclaaf, a CPR table, new medical instruments, a new doptone for the midwifery consulting hour to listen to the heart of the baby, - new blood pressure and stethoscope, glasses for the midwives to prevent transfer of the Aids virus and several other means.

The foundation also wants to contribute to the salary of the midwifes. At the moment no employee is being paid for months due to the lack of money of the hospital. Logically there are staff members that start looking for another job at a government funded hospital. Luckily Kumi Hospital has a fivesome midwives dat are in full-time employment of the hospital. The other 5 work on behalf of the government. It is important for the hospital to have the minimal staff turnover in order to make good agreements and follow-up. Steffie Mooren knows all midwives personally and has great confidence in this group. For the benefit of the hospital it is necessary to keep these people committed. The salary of a midwife amounts to € 110 to € 150 per month.

Furthermore the foundation wants to contribute to the fuel costs for outreaches. During these outreaches, a team of Kumi Hospital visits the surrounding villages for on site consultation and information. Many expecting mothers do not take the time to visit a hospital or health clinic to check up their pregnancy. Often, they do not take the trouble to go to a hospital to give birth. To reduce the mortality rate of mother and children, this situation has to change.

The outreaches are meant not only to examine the pregnant women but also to create awareness of the fact that it is necessary to give birth at an hospital. With the high costs of fuel in Uganda, the hospital is not able to accomplish the desired number of outreaches.

Fieldwork

Since the last few years the foundation also provides direct aid to the poorest. The hospital has the disposal of a chauffeur and several fieldworkers and therapeutics who visit families with a mentally and/or physically disabled child several times a week. The fieldworkers work dispersed in Kumi Hospital’s field of activity. Each have their own region to find families who need help. The families that receive aid from the hospital are too poor to travel to the hospital themselves. Often people in the near surroundings do not even know the existence of the handicapped child which diminishes his or her chances. By providing aid to these families the child’s future can look much brighter.
The aid provided differs but exist for example of a visit to Kumi Hospital to analyze the specific disability. This can result in an operation or in taking measure of splints or prosthesis. The therapists decide on the spot the possibilities and what therapy the child needs. Children are often brought to the hospital for a longer period of time for therapy or to revalidate. They also offer wheelchairs or adjusted chairs so the children can sit and do not need to lie down all day.
The foundation has been able to operate many children already, which has made them mobile again and even go to school. Besides this also orthopedic resources, mattresses, mosquito nets, blankets and clothes are often donated to these families.
Buying a goat gives such a family direct aid (milk) and aid on the long run (sell goat’s offspring). By selling circa  8 goats, a cow can be purchased, which brings more opportunities to the family. A goat costs about € 30 to € 35.
Buy a goat!!!

Adesso school
Adesso school is a primary school in Kumi with approximately 800 pupils, divided into 8 groups. Group 1 for example exists of 62 students, group 7 has 75 students. The ‘older’ kids are often kept out of school because they provide a valuable task in the household or in cultivating the land.
The school exists of 7 classrooms, which simply means one group must be taught outside every day. There’s a need for an extra classroom including furnishing . The foundation wants to put effort into realizing this. The Lyceum Schöndeln in Roermond has chosen the Adesso project for their 2010 Lent campaign. We hope to collect enough money to finance this highly essential extra classroom!
The existing classroom have limited furnishing. Not all kids can sit on a desk, there are no windows buildings… so frankly, the whole school can use a patch up.
Another goal the foundation wants to achieve is improving the sanitary facilities of the school. There’s are need of new and especially more toilets as well as bathroom facilities for girls who have their period. Building 5 double toilets costs € 4000,-, building toilets for males costs € 320,- as well as building shower facilities for females.
Most children come to school without having had breakfast. Also for a lunch most families do not have enough money. To stimulate the educational performances the school wants to be able to prepare lunch for all students. They have started doing this on a small scale by a donation of the foundation. With this donation a cow has been purchased. The milk this cow produces  is used for making porridge for several pupils. Considering the large number of students and the limited amount of milk it’s impossible to provide lunch to all students at this time. We are also striving for changing this situation. By purchasing 3 Frisian cows, vaccinations for those cows, transport, forage, building a stable and laying out grass-fields all conditions for a decent lunch for nearly all children would be present.  The total costs for above items are € 2500,-.
A food program for all 800 students for a period of one year, existing of hiring a cook, salary cook, salary cattle-breeder, building a simple kitchen and storage room, costs € 2800,- which is € 3,50 per child per year.
(In case you want to make a specific donation for Adesso School, than please mention this at time of transfer).

On the long run: Kumi Farm


Since old days Kumi Hospital is the owner of a farm and 1100 hectares of land, bordering a lake.
In her glory days during the 70’s Kumi Hospital Farm provided for all the food of the hospital. The enormous remains of agricultural products and milk were sold in the nearby cities and villages of Mbale and Soroti. Revenue from sales supplemented with donor money bear for all the operational costs for the farm ánd the hospital.
During the civil war from 1986 until 1992 rebels totally destroyed the farm, followed by robbery the full stock of cattle.  Until that moment the farm owned about 2000 heads of cattle, of which 745 exotic Frisian cows that provide for milk and beef.
In her glory days the farm produces 1000 liters of milk per day. The revenues were used to pay for the operational costs of the hospital and the farm as mentioned before. That’s how the hospital was able to keep up and even help out another hospital (Ngora Fred Carr Hospital) financially.

The foundation wants to renovate the farm in the future, buy a new stock of cattle, tractors and equipment  and also fully cultivate the land. To restore the farm into the original situation at least € 400.000,- will be needed. An amount that will not be feasible immediately and must generated bit-by-bit.

By putting the farm back in to use Kumi Hospital will become self sufficient again and able to redeem current debts. Financial problems keep the hospital from paying salary to their staff, which logically is a huge problem that frequently makes personnel resign to work for a government owned hospital  

In 2009 Parochie Lambertus Swalmen collected € 5000 for the farm project during Lent. With this amount the first new milk cows can be bought. An average Ugandan cow produces only 3 liters of milk a day. By purchasing another type of cow (a cross breeding of a good Frisian cow and an exotic cow that can stand the heat) the milk yield can increase. First of all some acres of land must be cultivated in such a way the cows can graze. If that is realized the first cows can be bought. One cow costs € 500 - € 600.
The foundation hopes the agrarian sector can provide or offer help in realizing this large project.
In the Kumi movie the necessity of rebuilding the farm is obvious. We cite Dr John Opolot (medical CEO): “The farm is our future!”