Maternity Ward for HIV+ Women in Kamenge, Burundi

FWA Maternity Ward December Report

In the months of October, November and December 2018, we had finally done a lot of progress with our building project. Now we are done with the first and main part of our project. The work was not easy as all the material have become very expansive. This was caused by the devaluation of our Burundian currency. The pictures below show the progress of the construction from October 2018 to December 2018.

See pictures for progress in the construction.

When we were working on the slab of our building, because of water problems, we were forced to rent a tanker truck to bring us water.

The funds that we used were as follows:

• Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting: $21,530.69
• FWA members contribution: $1,685
• GlobalGiving: $559.5

We are very thankful for the work we have already done. Thanks a lot to everyone who has donated for this great work to happen. The next step is to raise at least $20,000 for this specific project by December 2019. We still expect to raise $10,000 through GlobalGiving. If we can get at least $3000 in two months, the very  next step is to enclose the ground floor with bricks after we have removed the planks and poles.

FOR PROGRESS ON THE CONSTRUCTION PLEASE SEE PICTURES.

For a long time, FWA had vision to extend its services offered in Kamenge community through our Ntaseka clinic. On one hand, the main objective is to make available all the services in the poor community of Kamenge where we are working. On the other hand, we must have the minimum package of service required by the Minister of public health and the fight against HIV/AIDS.

After visiting Canada in May 2017, Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting (VIMM) has pledged $ 21,400 (USD) to start construction work. It was in the month of November 2017. Thus we contracted an engineer to make plans and specifications in April 2018. Then, in May 2018, we contacted the National Laboratory of Building and Public Works to do the study of the soil.

We received funds through GlobalGiving Platform respectively as of June 25, 2018 ($ 65.70) and as of July 26, 2018 ($ 49.50). We used this total of $ 115.2 for the site installation. The Vancouver Funds reached us at the end of August 2018. At the same time, we received $ 440 through GG on August 24, 2018. With these funds, we began our construction project. We are in partnership with the construction company "Generation Trading Company" which closely follows this work.

With the amount already received and other funds that we hope to collect through GlobalGiving, we hope to complete the ground floor this year 2018. We have felt that this project can last three years.

FWA has planned to extend its services here in Kamenge and its surrounding communities by building on FWA's second plot of land. There we will have new services such as maternity and hospitalization. The new building will have consultation, laboratory, counseling room, and administration offices. We expect this building project to last for three years starting January 2018.

As the new building appears very expensive (US$100,000), we have planned to build first the ground floor, costing $50,000 which will include the maternity ward. Ntaseka Clinic has found that 6% of women with an average age of 24 years tested at the clinic are HIV+. Many of these women will have children which currently are mostly being delivered in other places with a great possibility of transmitting the HIV status to their newborn babies. With the addition of the maternity ward these women who will have attended the clinic for pre-natal care will be able to deliver in the new maternity ward where they will receive proper medical care so that they do not convey their status to their children.

Vancouver Island Monthly Meeting has supported the project with US$20,000. These funds will be available on FWA account by the end of August 2018. Through Global Giving’s Platform, we were able to raise US$6,570. We received these funds at the end of June 2018. Now, we have just started the site implementation as you can see in the photos. We hope to have a significant part of the building completed next time we report.