Summary
Hi, my name is Sonny, I'm currently serving as a Marine Officer on Camp Pendleton, California. A few years ago, I came across a book called: "It Happened On The Way To War - A Marine's Path To Peace" that profoundly impacted my life. It was a story of a fellow Marine Officer - Rye Barcott, who launched a non-profit initiative to prevent violence by organizing an inter-ethnic sports programs in Kibera, Africa's largest slum of almost a million inhabitants where the average person subsists on merely $1 per day.
Rye developed lifelong relationships with some of the Kenyans that he met there, and partnering with local Kiberans and focused on empowering local leaders to make decisions to improve their community instead of guiding it with a "Western hand". Over the years, Rye's modest initiative has now blossomed into a fully fledged non-profit that operates a clinic that is partnered with the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and serves over 41,000 patients annually.
Rye's story had a profound impact on my life because it compelled me to take action. Having lived in South Africa for six years, I've witnessed the heartbreaking effects of abject destitution as a child, and always vowed that I would do something about it. Now is the time to take the first steps!
This May, I will be traveling to Kibera to volunteer at the Tabitha Clinic. It will be an opportunity for me to live amongst the people, and have a small taste of the extreme deprivation that Kiberans suffer through every day. However, the last thing they need is another rich American "humanitarian tourist" who is going to come in, journal about the conditions, take photos with children, and go about his life.
No! This is an opportunity to make a lasting impact! While I was in Afghanistan, I corresponded briefly by email with Rye and members of his organization - Carolina for Kibera (named after Rye's alma mater, UNC-Chapel Hill). Recently, I asked CFK if there was anything I could do, anything that I could bring from the United States that would be of use to them. They provided me with the Tabitha Clinic's Wish List. I promised them that somehow, someway, I'm going to make this happen to the utmost of my abilities, but I'm going to need your help!
History of the Tabitha Clinic:
(Read "Tabitha Atieno Festo")
What The Tabitha Clinic Needs:
General and Emergency care equipment (order of priority):
- Ultrasound machine
- Cryo Gun
- E.C.G Machine and Electrodes.
- Doppler ultrasound
- Defibrillator machine
- Hand held oxymeters
- Digital Weighing scales with BMI
- Digital Electronic Stethoscopes
- 2 Digital Cameras (for tele-dermatology)
- Mega phones
Laboratory Equipment:
- Chemistry analyzer - Automated (for mid-volume laboratories)
- Hematology Machine - Automated (for mid-volume laboratories)
Community Health Workers’ Kits:
How can you help?
- Make a financial contribution. 100% of the proceeds from this fundraising campaign will go towards purchasing equipment needed by the Tabitha Clinic. Any unspent remnant will be donated to Carolina For Kibera, a 501(c) non-profit organization that has received a maximum of 4 out of 4 stars from Charity Navigator.
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=13255
- Make a material contribution. All the equipment needed is listed above. Please coordinate with me by email at stai0331@gmail.com or Suzanne Thomson of Carolina for Kibera at suzanne@carolinaforkibera.org
- Tell people about this campaign! The more people we get on the bandwagon, the greater impact we'll be able to make!
What can I promise you?
I can promise you 100% transparency. Your contributions will ONLY fund purchases for the equipment listed above, and the remainder will be donated directly to Carolina for Kibera. Your contribution will NOT fund my airfare, expenses, meals, taxi fare, or any personal expense related to this trip. All such expenses will be funded from my personal savings.
I can promise that I WILL maintain meticulous records of every transaction on an Excel Spreadsheet. I WILL keep copies of every single receipt from every single purchase I make with campaign funds. All of these records and documentations WILL be available upon request!
I can promise that your contribution WILL make an impact and change lives. The Tabitha Clinic provides free healthcare to over 41,000 Kenyans living in a community where the average wage is only a dollar a day, but the clinic doesn't have everything it needs. This equipment will enable the poorest people in the world to come closer to receiving the level of care that they deserve.
Thanks so much!
Best,
Sonny
