Do Something Small to Create Massive Changes in Lives

Can a tree seedling changing a life? Tell us what you think.

Ready to change the world?

Mark 8:00 am in your calendar today to start.

RTC's President Kevin Clawson will be the keynote speaker at today's BYU NGO Conference. You coming?

Reach the Children & AZ Doctors Help Uganda

Arizona State Alum and current KBMT Channel 12 (Beaumont, Texas) reporter Liz McKernan created an Hearst award winning video while at Arizona State. The Hearst award is the Pulitzer Prize for college students. Part of her video featured a medical mission sponsored by Reach the Children.

Lily White's New Hope, New Look

For those who have helped with Lily White, Jastus Suchi has sent the following update:


I just visited Lilywhite yesterday, as I entered the compound, I felt the new hope experienced there. Work is still going on, but seedlings are ready for transplant, there were waiting for a technician to install drip irrigation pipes.

Here is the gate:


A view from the East:


Another view from the West:


Patrice opening the door:


Here are some tomato seedlings that are ready to be transplanted:

Laparoscopic Miracles - A Report by Dr. Paul McKernan on their trip to Uganda

Check out the great work Dr. Paul McKernan did with four other physicians in performing and teaching medical procedures in Uganda!

This is his report!

I am writing with regard to a recent medical mission I conducted to Kampala, Uganda, for the express purpose of teaching operative laparoscopy skills to the OB/GYN physicians and residency staff of Mulago Hospital at Makerere University School of Medicine. My group, (comprised of four physicians from Phoenix, AZ, and a laparoscopic surgical technician) worked for four days in the operating theater of Mulago Hospital at the invitation of Dr. Josephat (Chairman of the Dept. OB/GYN). Our specific days in the O.R. were 1/25/10 to 1/28/10. On previous missions (2005, 2006 and 2009), I and other physicians took over donated laparoscopic equipment (insufflators, wolf end coagulator, cameras, light sources, and laparoscopes). These were set up and left for the benefit of the OB/GYN physicians in Kampala, Uganda. In 2009, I worked with the same department chairman (Dr. Josephat) and we set up the first GYN laparoscopic unit in Mulago

Hospital. In 2009 we performed five GYN laparoscopic procedures, in a teaching setting for the GYN department staff and resident physicians. On this particular (2010) mission, we successfully performed ten laparoscopic surgeries on local patients who came to us via the residents and attending staff. Our team member anesthesiologists trained and worked with the anesthesia residents at (Mulago Hospital) to teach them the particulars of anesthesia safety for the laparoscopic procedures. My team members pay for their own expenses, and we are sponsored by Reach The Children an NGO through whom we organize the trips.

Paul D. McKernan, MD, FACOG

Diplomat, American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Three Reasons to Be Voluntourist

Emily Smurthwaite explains how an expedition with Reach the Children taught her the keys to living stress free, connecting with others, and becoming a better person.

"(T)hree months ago, I found myself singing, “This is the way we wash our hands …” and “Brush, brush, brush your teeth, morning and at night …” in front of hundreds of little Kenyans. The students were so loving I wasn’t even self-conscious during my solos. And all it took was a trip half-way around the world to conquer my fear!

"But don’t expect any American Idol auditions anytime soon."

For the full story, check out Emily's story on La, la, la! Three Reasons to be a Voluntourist

One Car or Sixty Nine Families and Empowered Women, Where $10,000 Can Go

Ten Grand buys a pretty cheap new car in the United States. In Kenya, it helps 69 families support themselves and helps them to support even more families. Reach The Children received a $10,000 donation and invested the donation in farms to help Kenyans fight poverty by becoming self sustaining business owners. We are proud to see the funds have also gone to empower women in the region, breaking traditional male dominance stereotypes.

RTC's Kenya Country Director wrote about the project in the following:

2009 DAIRY – POULTRY – SHEEP PROJECT
By Jastus Suchi Obadiah

This is a report of the $10,000 sent to Reach the Children Kenya via RTC Inc. in 2009 for the implementation of Dairy Project in Western Kenya according to the proposal that was sent. These funds were supposed to purchase fifteen cows, however due to an improved exchange rate: The funds were used to empower more families than targeted as shown in the table below:

PUBLISHERS NOTE: SORRY THIS IS CUT OFF. CLICK THE CHART TO SEE IT IN ITS ENTIRETY

The Groups that received the animals above are indicated in the report attached to this report. However, five major groups received, that is:

1. SHIEBU Network (comprising of over 30 self help groups) found in Butere District. They got 13 cows and ten goats.
2. Vihiga Development Group from Vihiga District got two cows.
3. Annointed Youth Group from Trans nzioa District. They received 11 Sheep.
4. Ang’olo Women Group that received 10 goats
5. Mesori Beach group that received five goats.

All farmers were trained on their management of the animals they received before they were given.

Farmers receiving training and instructions on how to manage animal from a local trainer.

Impact of the Project So Far
Letters of appreciation will be send by this report, however most of these letters were written before calves were born and even chickens had not multiply. A report that will be send in May will indicate the new findings. However a general survey showed that those families that received cows that have delivered economic lives improved, they had improved from living on a less than a dollar per day to living on five and above dollars a day. Indirectly, the keeping of dairy cow had improved the farming activities too because they were able to purchase seeds and other farm input. Families surrounding those that received also reported a new income generating activity of selling grass to those that have cows; this has generated a new excitement in the community to grow grass commercially for those that keep cows/goats etc. Those that received Chickens, they got immediate benefit, and most farmers sell eggs and chicken for meat.
Below, we have some of the photos taken from the project, some photos are of poor quality but they show hopeful families. On behalf of RTC Kenya and all the families, Thanks

This is the wife of Daniel Masimba, their cow is incalf and they do have high hopes. She takes care of it when the husband is out working.

This is a family of Samuel Frodwa, the cow delivered and they are now enjoying milk, being handcaped means that he stays at home most of the time while his wife goes to look for grass. They said that this is the first time they have owned a cow. Once they donate two calves born, they hope to keep more cows to produce more milk.

This is a family of Hanningtone Amunga, in this photo, they have smilling faces as they await they take care of their incalf cow. They are hopeful that the cow will give them milk and transform their economic life. So far, they are benefiting from compost made from the manure and resecue of animal feeds. This has improved their home garden so much.

The projects targest both men and women. This is to bridge a gap that has dominated cultral beliefs that women and men cannot work together. Now more women like the one above (Esther Ochero) are hopeful even after loosing her husband three years ago. She hopes to earn money from the cow she received to educate her children through secondary. During the training, men are taught to respect the rights of their wives to own things like cows etc.


Indeed RTC has not reported any major family disputes resulting from men wanting to take all the money sold from milk or even selling the animal. During the initial preparation stage, local cheifs are also involved and thus a signature of a husband, wife or any family member is gotten to quarantee family support.

When a cow delivers, a farmer is supposed to take care of it for eight months, before handing over to another farm. This is normaly done openly with a short ceremony as shown above. Though it takes up to two years for the young cow to mature, the receiving end is normaly happy and optimistic.

This Group from Vihiga called: Vihiga Development Group received two cows, one has already delivered

This is a family from Annointed Youth Group from Kitale area, they received one Sheep which delivered one month later. He is supposed to donate two born sheep and then he can enjoy the sell of the rest. In this community, they sell sheep for meat.

This is Wanyama family with their donated cow, they are hopeful and strive each day to take care of it. They were trained on how to take care of it well. They have grown enough grass for it. The cow should be delivering any time soon.

This is Ang’olo Women Group that received ten goats from RTC. Most of these goats have since delivered. They sent much appreciation to those that donated.

Potato chips taste even better in Kenya, and 51 other Reasons to Volunteer with Reach the Children

After a trip to Kenya last year with Reach the Children, Emily Smurthwaite wrote 52 things she learned on the expedition. Here are some of them, the rest can be found at 52 things I learned in Kenya

Number One: Friendship is in the stomach. (A doctor said that when persuading us to drink Orange Fanta.)

Number Three: Never take a warm shower for granted.

Number Four: The best music for getting ready for bed is an African men's choir that is practicing nearby.



Number Seventeen: Nothing feels better than rain after a hot, long day.

Number Eighteen: The Maasi tribe lives on cow meat, cow milk, and cow blood. (For reals!)




Number Twenty Two: Jambo means hello in Swahili (not from the author, but if you listen closely, you can hear "Hakuna Matata" in the song)



Number Thirty Four: Obama has a lot of cousins and nieces and nephews in Kenya ... or so they claimed.

Number Fifty One: Kenyans are the sweetest, kindest, nicest people ever.

To learn 52 of your own lessons, join Reach the Children for an expedition!