Supporting Health In Africa

Jackie, a homeopath whose studies were sponsored by Sheaf has been practising as a homeopath at TORU  and teaching reflexology at the Abha Light school.

2008 Update from TORU

 

 

 

 

Steve Smith writes from the TORU clinic in rural Kenya.

The TORU clinic at Manyanga has seen mixed fortunes during 2008. We are still spreading homeopathy steadily through the local rural areas. Between Manyanga, Kambi-Mawe (photo shows a course there)  and the mobile clinics we have over 20,000 patients on the books.

The year kicked off with four new monthly mobiles in village locations. Two of these, Kasikeu and Ikutha, we anticipated would become permanent clinics for the homeopaths Sila and Peter respectively, within 6 months, and we hope they will become busy enough to be able to sustain their independent status.

The new mobiles did bring in good numbers of patients, and Sila set up on his own in a newly completed, rented building in Kasikeu in June. Peter did likewise from August at Ikutha, renting a renovated building within the extensive compound of the African Inland Church.

Setting up a new clinic is no easy business as most homeopaths worldwide will testify. The Toru clinics do not have excess cash to give loans for homeopath starter clinics. SHEAF has kindly stepped in and has given over £500 for a “new clinics loan fund”. Sila and Peter have received loans. Their repayments to the loan fund will ensure cash is available for future new independent homeopathy clinics.

Our mobile clinics mainly focus on weekly market days when people come in to sell their home-produced goods, do their shopping, and also come for treatment. It can be quite a social gathering with over forty people waiting to be attended. Transforming a mobile into a permanent clinic and trying to spread patients over 5 or 6 days can encounter resistance. Both new clinics are proving to be busy on market days but rather ‘dry’ on other days.

Kambi-Mawe clinic has had its ups and downs this year. The plan for a purpose-built clinic within the community land has been put on hold.

 

The local Ministry of Health closed the KM clinic for 6 weeks in April/May, for reasons not yet clear. Kenya has its own brand of bureaucratic, allopathic obstacles! Patients arrived for appointments and were stranded. The homeopaths, Julius, Dorcus and Dennis had to struggle, and they quickly instigated 3 new mobiles so as to keep in action!

The New Year 2009 sees the setting up of 5 new mobile clinics, chiefly in areas of existing patients. These should generate new patients and necessary extra income. And inject us with some new energy.