WHAT DOES HOPE LOOK LIKE?

Post by Dr. Chris Lewis, Founder of Village Life Outreach Project-(Twitter @doclewis1)

In 2007, shortly after announcing his presidential campaign, Barack Obama visited Cincinnati. Village Life founder Dr. Chris Lewis (thanks to connections with Obama's law school classmate Jan Michelle Lemon Kearney and University of Cincinnati Board of Trustee member Robert Richardson), was able to meet briefly with Mr. Obama and share about Village Life's work with the Luo people in Tanzania, the same tribe as Obama's Kenyan father. Mr. Obama provided words of encouragement, a photo op, and was gracious enough to sign several books, one of which contained an inspiring message to Mr. Josiah and Dr. Esther Kawira, founders of Village Life's partner organization in Tanzania, the Shirati Health, Education, and Development Foundation (SHED).

The book has been described by the Kawiras as one of their most prized possessions, and the photograph of Dr. Lewis and Mr. Obama has been seen and shared throughout Kenya and Tanzania. Stop in a gas station along the Narok Road by the Great Rift Valley (the journey described by Obama in Dreams From My Father) and you might just find a copy of that photo hanging in the shop window. The shop owner will tell you that Dr. Lewis is his cousin and is friends with President Obama, and will encourage you to buy his copy of the "Jambo Bwana CD" while filling up. Take the story with a grain of salt, but get the CD, and the delicious samosas!

Shortly after that meeting with Obama, Village Life began discussing plans to build Roche Health Center. The photograph of Dr. Lewis with Mr. Obama helped inspire an entire village of 5,000 people to mobilize and partner with Village Life and SHED to build the first-ever health care facility in Roche Village. Knowing that Obama had discussed THEIR village with Dr. Lewis gave the people of Roche HOPE. Hope that their children would live. Hope that their women would have a safe place to deliver babies. Hope that their sick could be healed, that their children could be vaccinated, that their community would live and thrive.

The hope inspired by Obama helped the Roche people take the training provided by Village Life and build their health center. Roche Health Center opened 4/1/11 and now provides access to healthcare for over 20,000 people. That is what hope looks like.

Students and faculty from the University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, the Clinton School of Public Service, and other U.S. institutions of higher learning have been involved in transforming Roche Health Center from a set of drawings to a life-saving facility. Join the Village Life team. Support Roche Health Center, and keep turning hope into reality.
For more information about Village Life, please visit: www.villagelifeoutreach.org
or on twitter at @VillageLifeOP

"First, Do No Harm" from Dr. Kawira

From Dr. Kawira, SHED Medical Director:

The first patient of the day was, according to the chart, a 3 year old
boy. As the father carried him into the exam room, I noted that the
child was well nourished, nicely dressed, and appeared well cared for
and contented. I noted further, as the father settled the child into
his lap, and I got a good look at his face, that the child undoubtedly
has Down Syndrome.

"He doesn't talk", the father said. "He should be talking by now".

"Does he hear" I asked.

"Yes, if you tell him to come, he comes, but he doesn't speak".

As I got further history from the father, I found out that this was
the ninth child, and youngest. He had not started walking until 18
months of age.

As I examined the child, happy to find normal heart sounds (some Down
Syndrome children have congenital heart disease), I was also
considering how I was going to explain a chromosome abnormality to a
parent with no knowledge of modern biology or genetics.

I also found out from the father the treatment suggested by friends
and neighbors. A common traditional practice, considered now to be
among those "harmful traditional practices" that should be abolished
(as opposed to those considered benign), is to cut off the uvula, the
"V" of skin hanging down from the back of the palate, as a treatment
for chronic cough. Some neighbors advised that this child should have
his uvula cut as a treatment for his mutism.

With the help of my nursing assistant (who had never heard of Down
Syndrome but did his best to translate my words into the local Luo
language), I explained to the father that this child had been born
with a condition that had caused the delayed walking and the delayed
speech.

"He will talk eventually", I assured the father. "We doctors know
about children with this condition, and they all are able to talk". I
also mentioned slow learning in school, so that a teacher would have
to give special help to this child. I assured the father that
children with this condition have happy natures, and if they are given
love and attention, they will respond with love and affection. I also
emphasized to the father that he should never allow the child to be
injured in any way, such as cutting the uvula.

Although the father would not understand chromosomes, I trust that I
was able to give him enough understanding so that he will educate the
older siblings to love and treasure this special younger brother
within the large family unit.

Life at the Roche Health Center

When our group arrives, many friends come out to visit.

This is part of our construction crew.

Here is Jacob, one seriously dapper dresser.

This is a photo of 3 guys named Dan.

This is the construction crew for most of the work that we did while on-site in June. From left is Barack, Daniel, Jeanne, Sakkai and Johnny. Our contractor Julius isn't in this one.

Roche Health Center photovoltaic lights

As a result of a University of Cincinnati DAAP Signage Grant, we received funding for photovoltaic signage that would illuminate the health center lobby at all times. Until it is installed, our on-site Nurse Assistant, Daniel will be using the lights to provide much needed light at night.

The Roche Health Center Committee

Village Life has committees in the US and in Tanzania. This is the local RHC Committee - an inspiring and insightful group.

Roche Health Center design strategies

It was thrilling to see how the "passive design" strategies for ventilation and shading had worked. The building was much more comfortable and better ventilated than other buildings around.

We also achieved our goal of building a "quiet" roof. Most metal roofs in the region are so loud during a rain that people have to leave the building. Our layered roof system was extremely quiet and comfortable in the strongest of downpours.

Seeing the Roche Health Center for the first time

I began working on the Roche Health Center in June 2008 and have worked on it continuously since that time. It has been an incredible project that continues to inspire me. Until this past June, I had not seen the completed Health Clinic building. It was an amazing experience to finally see the project built and in use. Emily Roush, Richard Elliott and the whole construction crew in Roche did a phenomenal job creating this building using only local materials and no power.