Pangaro Clinic Opens!
Pangaro Hoye!! We aren’t certain of the exact translation, but it is clearly a rallying cry to the people of Pangaro, because we heard it a lot at the recent opening of their new Safe Motherhood Clinic!
This clinic has been under construction during 2012, modeled after the first Safe Motherhood Clinic at Nadururu in 2011. These clinics are being put in extreme remote areas, populated primarily by Maasai people who have little access to health care. There is an extremely high maternal mortality rate in these remote areas, because the women often get no prenatal care, and the 5-20 mile walk to the clinics or medical centers means most of them traditionally deliver babies in their homes with untrained midwives.
ETI sought private funding for this clinic, and for $12,000, was able to build the building and supply it with basic equipment needed for a clinic day, as well as delivering babies. Local women were trained as midwives, and an agreement was drawn up with the nearby medical center to come out and hold a clinic day once a month for prenatal and postnatal care.
Needless to say, the people of Pangaro were EXCITED to see the clinic open! The day was full of dancing and singing and thanking the many people who came to help celebrate the success of the project. There were District Government officials as well as local government officials, people representing the Pare Diocese, the nearby schools and medical center, Rotary Club, and of course, Empower Tanzania.
There was a ribbon cutting for the actual clinic, but in addition, we were able to also dedicate a large tank and rainwater collection system, funded by Rotary Club of Des Moines and the Same Rotary Club. As there is currently no working well in the area, this is their only close source of water, and vitally important to the project.
The delegation from ETI included Phil Latessa, Sheri Krumm, Susan Stocker and Dr. Jeff Carithers, who along with his wife Ali, was the major funder for this clinic. At the end of the day, we were hot, tired, and completely happy! It was truly a fabulous celebration of a fabulous project.