Gashanda Health Post, Rwanda, Africa

 

The Skagit Rotary club is embarking on a project that will provide health care to approximately 50,000 people in rural Rwanda.  The project is a partnership between the Skagit Rotary Club, the Mount Vernon Rotary Club, the La Conner Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Kigali, Rwanda.  A matching grant application is currently being processed at the District level and then will be sent on to Rotary International for final approval.

 

An additional and important partnership was also established with a not for profit organization based in Seattle, Washington called Humanity for Children.  The organization is providing in country support for construction as well as long term operation of the clinic.  This is the second clinic that will be operated by the organization in East Africa and will be one of two clinics that will be sponsored by the organization.  The second clinic will focus on women and children's health care and will be located closer to the main city in the province, Kibungo.  Two other major partners are the Anglican Church of Rwanda and the local provincial government headquartered in Kibungo.  The site for the clinic is being donated by the government and is the current sector headquarters office.  A new office building is under construction and the old building had no plans.until now.

 

The grant application includes the costs for remodel of the building including a new roof, interior walls, windows and fresh paint.  There will also be latrine facilities, a water cistern and portable electrical generation.  The health post will be furnished with appropriate desks, refrigerator, freezer and health supplies to give the clinic a solid start.

 

Another important part of the grant is the purchase of a van that will allow for the transport of staff, supplies and patients to and from the clinic to the larger city of Kibungo where the province hospital is located.

 

It is the hopes of many of the Rotarians to be able to be a part of the finishing touches to the clinic, meet our fellow Rotarians in Rwanda and celebrate the opening of the clinic in the summer of 2010.