Rwanda part 5
Rwanda is full of people with incredible stories. The largest demographic in the country is youth, age 15-30. Most of this demographic were children at the time of the genocide and most all have a direct tie to the horrific events of 1994. Their stories are not just of history but of a future that is full of hope and they seem to fully understand that they hold the potential for their country to be great. I want to share with you the story of one of Rwanda’s amazing youth, Isabelle Kamariza, and Solid’Africa.
Since my first week here I have been going with Isabelle to the public hospital in
Kigali to help feed some of the most vulnerable patients. This experience is one
that I will treasure not just for the honor or being a part of making a small
difference in the lives of people in need but also for the distinct pleasure it is to
call Isabelle, friend. She and her inspiration, Maman Zouzou, are tireless in their
work to provide what assistance they can to as many people as possible seven
days a week every week of the year. It started for Isabelle a little over a year ago
when she became aware of the problems within the public healthcare system
and shortly after was talking with Maman Zouzou who asked her, “how come you
pray for the sick people and you don’t care about going to visit them in the
hospital?” What a wake up call from a woman who was the living embodiment of
the answer through her daily trips walking across town to take whatever small
amount of food she and her eight children had leftover to maybe only feed one
patient in need at the hospital.
Allow me to explain the way the public health system works in Rwanda. The
system is decentralized, if you are sick you first go to the healthcare provider in
your village and if they are not able to help you then you are referred on to your
district provider, then your regional provider and finally if your issue is serious
enough you would go to C.H.U.K. which is the main public hospital in Kigali. The
poorest of the poor pay nothing for their insurance and are covered 100%. The
next level is 3000RWF per year per person (about $5 USD per year per person)
and then 7000RWF ($11.50 USD) with both of these having a 10% co-pay. The
plan is to keep changing the public insurance rates as wealth increases in the
country. A great thing about this system is that no one in Rwanda is refused
healthcare no matter how poor however for some they just don’t have the ability
to pay at all. You are not allowed to leave the hospital grounds until you pay. You
don’t have a bed to sleep in but you can’t leave. You have received the
treatment you need but now you are a prisoner.
Also in Rwanda, and I’m told in many developing countries, the public hospital
does not have the means to provide food to the patients so as a patient you rely
on family or friends to bring you your meals. This can prove problematic for
some who have traveled from outside of Kigali to get to the hospital and couldn’t
afford to have someone come along to arrange food and don’t have family or
friends in Kigali who can help. The need for food is critical for all humans but
when your body is fighting to keep you alive the need for good nourishment can
truly be the difference between life and death.
As Isabelle began to get involved she found that the problems were even greater
for the most vulnerable of patients. If the hospital pharmacy doesn’t have the
medication you need then it is up to you to go outside the hospital therefore
outside your public insurance to get the medications you require. Some patients
didn’t have the simplest of things like soap, a toothbrush, slippers, a blanket and
then others maybe had found a way to get the treatment they needed and pay
their co-pay but now had no money left for the transportation to get back home.
As Isabelle began to learn about specific needs at the hospital she would go to
her friends and family and anyone who would listen and tell them the story and
say please can you help by giving me just 5000RWF ($8.25 USD).
Soon the passion she had for helping these people became her full commitment
and she and some close friends created Solid’Africa, the name comes from the
idea of solidarity for those in need. This group of young professionals contributes
monthly dues and also holds fundraising events to provide for as many patients
as they can. They work with the hospital social workers to determine who is most
in need and while they are not the only organization in Rwanda bringing food to
the hospital they are the only ones coming seven days a week. I have been so
blessed to assist Isabelle and Maman Zouzou as they deliver the food and hope
and love to so many each day.
Please indulge me while I give you a snapshot of the financial needs of
Solid’Africa. In January they spent:
2,435,801RWF ($4,013 USD)
1,066,500RWF ($1,763 USD) on food + gift-in-kind (average 150 people fed per
day)
225,127RWF ($372 USD) on special care (medication, crutches, wheelchairs…)
658,300RWF ($1,085 USD) on hygiene needs
458,874RWF ($756 USD) on release & transport
Examples of the types of need they have:
--5 patients need transport home 5,000RWF/per = ($41 USD)
--Baby Formula for 3 orphan babies 11,000RWF per week = ($18 USD)
--Baby blankets for orphan babies – 5 blankets 10,000RWF = ($16.50 USD)
--Woman that lost baby in childbirth needs to pay ICU bill to get moved to Ward2
and get medicine 30,000RWF = ($50 USD)
Long Range Need:
Finalize Legal Non-Profit Status 238,000RWF ($392 USD)
Build Kitchen to feed 1000 people twice per day = 60,000,000RWF ($98,850
USD)
Delivery Vehicle 10,000,000 RWF ($16,475 USD)
Paid staff – CEO 1,215,000RWF/month ($2000 USD)
Admin Asst 250,000RWF/month ($412 USD)
Field Worker 250,000RWF/month ($412 USD)
Driver 100,000RWF/month ($165 USD)
5 kitchen staff 370,000RWF/month ($610 USD)
This is truly the tip of the iceberg. Isabelle’s mind bubbles over with possibilities for the future. But she is not worried. She is steady in her pursuit of these dreams and as she said to me “God is awesome,” and God will care for the least of His flock and she, Maman Zouzou and their many friends will continue to do His work.
-Beth Crookham
For more information about Solid’Africa:
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