Four men. Zero jobs. One goal. Well, one goal with two parts.
Beginning in March 2011, our hardy band will be marching overland from Georgia to Maine along the Appalachian Trail. For each mile of treacherous, orc-infested wild we traverse (and there are many) we are asking YOU, dear reader, to pledge a critical donation to the Mufindi Highlands Orphans Project.
What is the Mufindi Highlands Orphans Project? In formal terms, the Project is a humanitarian effort to provide relief to thousands of children in central Tanzania whose parents have perished in the region's ongoing AIDS epidemic. In more basic terms, the Project describes a school, six dormitories and an AIDS testing clinic for the people of Mufindi -- all critical pieces of infrastructure that did not exist five years ago.
The next step in a better way of life for the good people of the Mufindi region is a full service hospital. Work has begun on this project (Mdabulo General Hospital) already, but more help is needed.
Donation information is plentifully supplied throughout the site (albeit tastefully, we hope). Moreso than in any other part of the world, every little bit in Mufindi helps. Please check back, spread the word, tell your friends. Top donors will be brought back a pet bear.
Thanks,
Mike "Hollywood" Healy - Harpooner Erik "Boots" Christensen - Navigationist Christopher "Danger" Mendrala - Sergeant at Arms James "Gower" Gower - Quartermaster Katherine "Kate" Gales - Information Officer
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Sensational dispatches from our man on the ground, Geoff Knight! Obviously, progress on Mdabulo General has been nothing short of fantastic, and we hope you’ll take the few minutes here to keep yourself abreast of this wonderful project. One nit: Mr .Knight claims that “four friends hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in the US to make money for the project,” more rightly put, it would be three friends, plus one fellow who cooked all their food (though by the end we did feel some rough sense of camraderie with the chap).
Great stuff, check it out.
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The pictures below we’re taken earlier today.
Construction of the L-shaped “functioning” part of the Hospital is continuing perfectly! All Mason work is done and carpenters are on site even today making window shutters and doors. Soon enough we’ll be able to start to move the medical resources we have in storage to the new facility! Once this is complete, the hospital will be ready for an array of new procedures such as x-ray, ultrasound, major and minor surgery, dental procedures, medical consultancies, and other procedures.
This extension of the facility will literally save lives as the closest hospital is a 4-8 hour bus ride away, at a cost that many in our area cannot afford. Funding for this project has come from our friends in the UK, the US, Canada, and Hong Kong! The Hodges’ donation from the UK got things started, then 4 friends decided to hike the entire Appalachian trail in the US to raise money for the project. Money from Kowhoon Rotary in Hong Kong spurred on by hard work from Maureen Boost; and a fundraiser held by Gord Bredyk and Evelyn Voigt in Ottawa, Canada also helped get this project done. All will be updated periodically this year as the project gets completed.
It is such an exciting thing to be a part of something to which so many people from around the world are connected. Our family is growing, and on behalf of the people of Mufindi we thank all that have been a part of this journey!
From Geoff Knight, Project Manager for the Mdabulo Hospital Initiative:
The milk powder program gets a new ‘customer’ today. This program is currently our number one intervention in the realm of HIV prevention. HIV+ mothers start on a program of infant milk powder immediately after the infant reaches the age of 6 months. This drastically reduces the risk of vertical transmission to the child.
