One week to go!

  Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Wednesday, November 19, 2008

One week to go and time for our final preparation. Two med students Kateena and Michelle, and our team of volunteer doctors - James, Alex, Nick, Pete and Dan - have left already so it's just us still left in Australia, madly packing meds and equipment into our bags, trying to find our passports and squeezing in the last of the hundred odd sanitary pads and undies we've had generously sewn and donated for our new project SHARE.

I have been beyond amazed and impressed by the generosity of so many young and not-so-young women who have helped and offered continued support for the SHARE project. This December we have more than enough pads to help the girls at the local non-formal secondary school (Musango Secondary School - the school I'm currently in the process of building), plus enough to extend our program to girls in a nearby primary school, as well as a generous cash donation from some lovely girls in Hobart to help us buy local fabric that will allow women in the village to start sewing their own pads for sale. We'll be running the first program at the school on Tuesday 2nd of December and I will put photos up as soon as the Kenyan internet connection allows!

SHARE

On Thursday the 4th of December we will be ploughing land at the school to plant the seeds that have been purchased with a donation from my Mum (thanks Mum!) as well as presenting next years' study books to the students. If anyone would like to donate towards the cost of these books it would be most appreciated - there's a donate button on the page here and all proceeds will go directly towards academic books for the secondary school.

SHARE

Last but not least we will be running three medical camps during our stay, each treating around 200 to 250 patients. These camps are a great way for us to conduct research into the most common medical complaints of the community, as well as encouraging locals to come to the new clinic when they are ill. They are busy but incredibly rewarding days - you can see images from our last camp here and here or check out the video the talented Mike made here.

Before we go I'd like to specially thank the ladies of Key Media for their wonderful sewing efforts and donations, the Crafternoon ladies and my best friend Mags for their fundraising afternoon and continued support, my Mum for her donation and my Mum and brother for their web design efforts, Ryan's wonderful parents who give way too much, the awesome volunteers we have coming with us this trip and, of course, Ry for being the most perfect partner I could ever wish for.
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