So, I'm going to be quite frank in this blog post: I need money. Lots of money. No, it's not for my personal use. I haven't sunk quite that low yet, even though I do eat EZ cheese right out of the can.
As many people on facebook may know, I'm currently soliciting donations for a hospital renovation project. The reason this one health facility in the middle of nowhere Africa deserves your money is because: 1. I live and work there. and 2. Last spring a dog dragged up a still born baby that was improperly disposed of and took in through the market. Obviously, people were horrified and they came to me asking for help. The principles of hygiene and sanitation here are a little bit different than they are at the places I used to work at in the States but I still believe the health facility here deserves a fighting chance. Which is why I'm going to continue to beg for money until this project is fully funded.
I have a very tight, specific budget for the project and all of the money will be allocated to a specific need. We need to change the ceilings that have water damage and mold, we need to fill in the cracks in the walls and floors, we need to get new mattresses that are covered in vinyl, we need to repair windows and doors so we can keep animals and mosquitoes out, we need to fix the sinks that don't drain or run water, fix the fans that don't cool the rooms down and fix the lights so the doctor can see. We are also building seating for patients so they have a place to sit while they wait for appointments. We are building an incinerator to safely dispose of medical waste. There is a lot to be done but with your help, we can do it.
And that is not to say the community will not be participating as well. They are providing 25% of the total cost of the project themselves. They are also planning a community wide clean up so that we can attack the negative attitudes towards poor hygiene as a group and change the way people think about their health and their environment.
This is going to be the last thing I do in my two year service in Senegal and I want to make it good. Please, please, please consider helping me out with that. I came here to change just a little bit of the world and so far, I feel like I have. But this project will allow me to really feel like I've done a solid thing for the community that has given me the privilege to work, live and share my culture with them.
If you allow me to make this project happen with your donations, I will paint your name or if you donate in someone's honor, I will paint their name on the wall of the hospital, thanking donors and letting the community know that this would not have been possible without the generosity of other Americans like me. I know that I have a wonderful group of family and friends waiting for me back home. I want to thank you ahead of time for your generosity and support.
This is the link for donating:
https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=685-193
This is the link for photos of the health post:
https://picasaweb.google.com/103517722113759676642/KeurMadiabelHealthPost?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNPqyO3AhpWjkgE&feat=directlink
Again, thank you so much for your support. I am so grateful for everyone's words of encouragement, packages, emails. Without your support, I would have never made it so far into my service and without it I won't be able to finish. So with all the gratitude and appreciation in my heart, I wish you a happy holiday season with your families and a wonderful new year!
No comments:
Post a Comment