Hey folks,
We're still hanging out in Amsterdam. We managed to book flights, and we are praying they don't get cancelled. Mary is booked for Tuesday afternoon and Linda, Annie, and I are booked for Wednesday afternoon. We're hoping sooner flights open up, but we also know that things could stay this bad and our flights could be cancelled again. We've mostly come to accept that we'll be here for a few more days. It's hard to be stuck here when we were excited to be returning home to all of you. We wish we were still in Africa at least, where we had more work we could do. Amsterdam is beautiful, it's just better to be here when it is a planned trip. We've all picked up some clothes and such, so we feel much better. We did a little walking around the city today, and managed to not get lost. It's nice to be able to walk around at night again, we were stuck inside once night fell in Africa. We're hoping to visit a few museums tomorrow and maybe the zoo. Trying to make the best of our time and enjoy ourselves. There are lots of stranded people who are in much worse situations than we are. Everywhere we go, we run into other people who find themselves treated to an unexpected stay in Amsterdam as well. We're taking it day by day and hoping things will change. Much love from Amsterdam.
~Annie, Linda, Mary, and Genny
Our Mission
African Community Health Inititiave (ACHI)
Provide basic health care services to those lacking access to such care in both rural Nigeria and urban Namibia.
These services include:
*Overall Physicals (including Fasting Glucose levels, Vitals, HIV/AIDS testing etc..)
*Medication Management and Maintenance programs *Disease Management
*Health Education that addresses disease prevention, hygiene and nutrition
*Consultations and referrals
Mount Sinai
A program started by Katutura State Hospital Nurse Christa Biart-Vega, who works in the ARV (antiretroviral) pediatric clinic, Mount Sinai provides HIV counseling, health education, well baby checks, formula, water and sippy cups for 105 babies and their HIV+ mothers. If the child is tested HIV- after 6 weeks of being breastfed, the hospital or clinic refers them to Christa. At this point it is important to discontinue breastfeeding: replacing breast milk with formula means that the baby will remain HIV-. Unfortunately, due to the lack of funds Christa has to limit the number of mothers and babies in her program because it is a commitment to feed each child for six months. Christa did receive land in Katutura for the clinic, but lacks the funds to begin building. Not only will this building be used to continue the program that Christa has started, she also envisions it as a safe place for moms and their children, as well as a hospice for children with AIDS to peacefully die in instead of out on the streets. Your donations will go towards formula, sippy cups, water and overall costs. More money means more women can enroll in the program and with your help Nurse Christa will finally be able to have a building to go along with her amazing, life saving program!
Family Hope Sanctuary
FHS is a community based program run by Abigail Maposa located in the extremely poor settlements of Hakahana. FHS’s program helps in two ways: first, to empower women, most of whom are HIV+, TB, single mothers who are raising orphans; and second, through its school readiness program. This program reaches children who are not in the school system and provides them with an education and a safe place to stay. More importantly, the heart of FHS is its kitchen: it feeds hundreds of children each day, which for most is the only meal they will get that day. Lacking the most basic necessities of life, all of these kids are grateful for such a meal, and are in dire need of a formal education before it is too late. Your donations will go towards education, food, clothes, shoes, water and other necessities. Amazingly, $20 sends a child to school for a whole year (books and uniforms included)!
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