A chicken is known the world over as a source of food, either through eggs or as a meal itself. If you have a chicken, you can use it to feed your family or trade it for other goods and services. In many ways a chicken could be considered a global currency. If someone said “I’ll trade you one chicken for that ” most people would inherently know the value. For example, in the US a whole chicken costs about $7-$8, plucked and ready to cook. In Matoso Kenya, where Lalmba’s programs are, a live adult chicken costs about 700-1,000 Kenyan shillings. At the current exchange rate $7 is about 840 Kenyan shillings, so the value of a chicken is surprisingly about the same. It’s similar in Ethiopia at about 400-500 birr ($7.66-$9.58). Maybe a chicken really could be considered a universal currency.
But it sure doesn’t feel that way. Imagine a family about to enjoy a delicious chicken dinner. How many hours would they have to work to earn that chicken? Someone in the US, working at a minimum wage of $8/hour, can easily earn about one chicken an hour, leaving plenty of time to earn breakfast, lunch, and much more. Earning a chicken doesn’t feel very hard at all.
What does earning a chicken feel like in Matoso? Well, a typical family receiving Lalmba’s RCAR support in Kenya makes about 500 to 1,200 Kenyan shillings a month. Using chicken currency, that’s about one chicken a month. A whole month’s worth of work to earn one simple chicken to feed your family.
Inflation is impacting everyone worldwide. We all feel it when we go to the grocery store or at the gas pump. Yet only a few months ago in the communities Lalmba serves, that chicken was half the price it is today. That’s two more weeks of work for the same chicken. It is when we put it in terms like this that the “Economy of a Chicken” hits home as we remember women like Grace.
Lalmba’s Long and Beautiful Story Continues
By Rob Andzik
It is in the journey of searching for someone new that we learn the most about ourselves. Over the last few months we have been praying for and actively searching to find Lalmba’s new President.
We cast a big net, met many people, and contemplated exciting futures for this amazing organization. Through this journey, we have reaffirmed that Lalmba is about the people in Kenya and Ethiopia. Amazing and wonderful people who struggle daily to provide for their children, for their elders, and for their communities. Lalmba’s heart and soul are dedicated to those people and empowering those communities to find a way out of the cycle of poverty.
As part of our search we put that dedication to action and facilitated our first ever African interviews for a Lalmba USA role via Zoom. We are very happy to announce that our search has come to a fruitful conclusion. We would like you all to meet Lalmba’s new President.
Meet Lalmba’s New President Jennifer Wenningkamp
By Jennifer Wenningkamp
I lived with my husband and three sons in Mozambique, serving desperately poor children and elders for over ten years before we all moved to Colorado. After achieving my humanitarian aid career goals, I earned a dual Master’s degree in International Human Rights and MLS in International Law. Then, as I searched for a job, I wondered if my time in Africa was behind me. Until, they asked me if I was willing to schedule another interview – with African leadership. My final round of interviews was with Joan and the Kenyan and Ethiopian Directors. To my joy, this African-based organization chose me. As Lalmba’s President, I will endeavor to educate and empower Africans by continuing Lalmba’s ongoing work “at the end of the road”.
For the past 9 years we have been blessed to be at the helm of this efficient, thoughtful, and effective organization. We want to let you know that we will be moving on from Lalmba this summer. Our departure from Lalmba will take us on a new path in development work. Though our hearts will yearn for the people and places that have marked our lives and touched our souls, we take great pride in knowing that Lalmba’s wake still spreads wide and, tucked neatly within that long and rich timeline of Lalmba history, is the birth of a family, our family.
After 18 years of our affiliation with Lalmba (We just celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary last month!) we will be pursuing other work in development that will continue to allow us to work together as a team, which we have learned to do well. This change will bring us closer to what is dearest to us, families. We will be leading a small organization called Maternal Life International, which aims to promote safe births and healthy families in the developing world. If there are paths out of poverty and gateways to redemption, this surely is one of them, and we feel called to help.
We want to assure you that Lalmba also remains our family, and Lalmba has great parents. The Lalmba board of directors is dedicated and extremely capable of sailing this ship until new leadership is in place, and we will always be supporters, like you!
Hillary: When I think back to my beginnings with Lalmba, our first night as volunteers on our way to Lalmba’s project in Ethiopia comes to mind. Jeff and I had married just a month before and volunteered for an adventure to serve for 2 years in the rainforest as project directors. Jeff already knew Africa, as he had spent several years living in Kenya. We arrived at our hotel in Addis Ababa, an unsanitary hole-in-the-wall place that offered rooms by the hour. As we lay in bed my first night in Africa, I looked up in the rafters and saw a long rat tail moving along the roofline. I put my head on Jeff’s chest and cried and cried, telling him, “I can’t do this! I want to go home!”
Jeff reassured me and told me, “It will get better. You will learn how to do this.”
And he was right. My time living alongside the poor for those 2 years and then leading the organization since 2013, I have ‘learned how.’ Poverty is just one of many features of the rich lives we encountered, and what an honor to represent Lalmba to them, a force for hope and opportunity to pursue their dreams, dreams that are no less grand than ours.
Jeff: In September 2005, our son Gideon was just 4 weeks old when we returned to Ethiopia from home leave. This time around, I was the one who needed reassurance. To call me overprotective and worried is an understatement. I feared if we put him on the ground the fire ants would envelop him and carry him away. Or that every spoon that entered his mouth was a petri dish for amoebic dysentery.
Hillary and Gideon, Tejbet, Chiri town, 2005
But then I saw Hillary mothering him with confidence in the same manner as every other mother in the village, innately knowing the difference between a hungry, tired, and wet cry – and I realized that I had a lot to learn, but with her great example, I would “learn how” to do it.
Probably because it was here that I first became a father, what I remember most about all my years of project work, are the worried and desolate parents, perched on the edge of a hospital bed, hopeful that being in this setting would bring forth a cure. Although Lalmba has saved many lives, there remains an outsized amount of heartache for the poor in this world.
Chiri, Ethiopia 2005 – Mother and son
I remember a tender scene of a mother gently caressing the cheek of her sick child as he labored to breathe. Her hand seemed to fold into the contours of his cheek, as if hoping his peaceful expression would be permanently marked on her palm. I wanted a picture of them because, as a tableau, it illustrated to me what pure love looks like. But as I lifted the camera to my eye, I heard her gasp, and saw his eyes cloud over, and her body slump forward into heaving sobs. All I could do was bow my head and pray.
I don’t know why I share this sad story. If you’ve learned our style, it is the joyous moments that we strive to share, for their impact resonates longest. But we all also know the ache of losing a loved one, that process of letting go, and the strength and sense of purpose that can be derived from grief. Closing this chapter of our life feels a bit like that.
When we reflect on our tenure, we appreciate what your support has helped Lalmba accomplish in that time. One key shift was the reduction of dependence on food aid in Kenya, with a transition to a microloan program to allow families to make sustainable income instead. Lalmba successfully handed over Chiri Health Center in the now booming town of Chiri, Ethiopia, to a partner, moving to a much more remote area of Agaro Bushi which had no adequate health care options. We managed to build a clinic without a fully functional road and have begun orphan care services there. It wasn’t easy, but Lalmba has always chosen the difficult path that other development agencies avoid due to the hardships.
Some of our favorite memories are moments shared with those of you we have been able to meet over the years, supporters who have believed in our mission. Cars have pulled up to our house with people getting out saying, “I’ve been sending checks to this address for so many years, and I just wanted to see what Lalmba’s office looks like.” We shared coffee, you met our children and saw our home which also served as “Lalmba’s International Headquarters.” Everyday people like you are the lifeblood of this organization.
Working with our volunteers and alumni has been a joy as well. If you want to feel hope in the inherent goodness of human beings, point to a random name on our long list of Lalmba field volunteers and you will feel inspired. Our volunteers are the key to the efficiency and accountability that Lalmba enjoys in the field.
And finally, to our friends in Africa. The children who are running through our children’s homes, the staff who have patiently taught us how to think in order to be successful in Africa, and the countless people who have influenced us along the way.
We have tried to be true to all that founders Hugh and Marty Downey modeled in their first 50 years, remaining simple, with the motto, “Ordinary people on their way to accomplishing extraordinary things.” God has blessed us with this opportunity to know Him through the poor and through you.
Hugh Downey, Eritrea 1963
The Long and Beautiful Lalmba Story
Rob Andzik, Chairman of the Board for Lalmba Association
You may have heard these words echo in newsletters past. Lalmba’s story began in 1963 with Hugh and Marty Downey and over the years countless volunteers have added their chapters. Across four countries Eritreans, Sudanease, Kenyans, and Ethiopians have contributed their own beautiful perspectives. Stories of family, challenges, successes, and tragedies have pulled on our hearts and inspired us to support Lalmba’s amazing work.
Today we recognize and thank a very special couple who have given so much of themselves to the people Lalmba serves and left their mark, shining bright, in the long and beautiful Lalmba story. Jeff and Hillary James have served Lalmba both as volunteers in Ethiopia and as our President and Vice President in the US. For nearly two decades their compassion, dedication, and frankly, blood, sweat and tears have helped empower and transform communities. They have struggled through difficult times and united us in joy for the successes.
Chiri, Ethiopia – Posy and Jeff, a sad farewell
They did all of this while raising a family of four. Jeff and Hillary alternated who stayed home and who traveled to Africa, sacrificing their family time, holidays, and significant life events while they were apart. Like all our volunteers, they willingly and humbly took personal risks to reach the remotest areas and help those at the “end of the road”.
Sometimes it is in saying goodbye that we become most aware of the impact someone has had on our lives. Recently I had the privilege of traveling with Jeff to inform our staff. While our staff was surprised and disappointed, their heartfelt statements of gratitude testified to how many lives have been touched from Jeff and Hillary’s work. The voices that rang the loudest and most pure were those of the children, many of whom have only known Jeff and Hillary as the face of Lalmba. Some of the older children, names you might recognize like Posy, Meskerim, and Kocheche, stood and with tears streaming down their faces expressed their love and thanks. They know that without Lalmba’s support their lives would be very different, if they had survived at all. And with those same tears in their eyes, they turned to me, to all of us, and simply said please don’t forget us.
Those words have echoed in my thoughts and prayers. Lalmba’s long and beautiful story is a story about children. Children in desperate need and whose future is so intimately tied to the situation they were born into. We, as Lalmba’s Board of Directors, are fully committed to helping these children and these communities lift themselves out of the cycle of poverty and into a bright and prosperous future. And it is with your continued love and support we can do this.
We have already begun the search for the next leaders of Lalmba. Someone who will adhere to Lalmba’s mission and values, join us in our love for children and the poor, and carry forward our vision of empowerment and self-sufficiency. We hope that this process will be short but we know how important it is not to rush. If you know of someone who you think would be perfect for this role please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Ongoro Children’s Home, Kenya – Rob Andzik, Lalmba board chairman, face painting with the children
In the meantime, Lalmba’s Board, and myself personally, will be stepping in to ensure uninterrupted services in these remote communities. We will be working closely with our African leadership teams and our new East African Director, Joan, to make this transition as seamless as possible. But we need your help to do this. It is only with your continued support and generosity that Lalmba can do what it does so well. So please, keep us in your thoughts and in your prayers as we enter into the next chapter of the long and beautiful story of Lalmba.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Lalmba, I wish to express our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Jeff and Hillary for everything they have done for Lalmba. They have touched us all with their passion and devotion to Lalmba’s mission. I know they will keep their friendships and the love they have for Lalmba as they enter a new and exciting chapter in their own lives.
So, you might be asking yourself: who is this guy and how did he end up as East Africa Director for Lalmba? Let me start by giving you a glimpse of what my life has been before I came across Lalmba. Born and raised in Barcelona, I had a very standard life for a boy in Catalonia. I was lucky enough to grow in a loving and caring family who made sure I always felt supported to pursue my dreams. I studied education as an undergraduate.
Joan Marques Comerma, Lalmba East Africa Director
In 2011, I joined a Salesian NGO and traveled to Ethiopia, a country I did not know much about except for the long-distance runners and the horrifying news I saw about droughts and famine. That summer in Ethiopia sparked my interest in international development, and a special love for Africa.
After graduating from university, I still had Ethiopia and its people in my mind and I felt I was not in the right place as a primary teacher. I was afraid, but I knew I had to step forward to focus on what I really wanted to do. An NGO offered me to volunteer in Ethiopia for one year. That experience was so enriching and transformative that I decided to pursue a master’s in international development in the UK. I was offered a volunteer position as a District Teaching Advisor in Rwanda with Volunteering Service Overseas (VSO). I was based in a small village in a northwestern district and was responsible for building the capacity of volunteers who conducted teacher training in 94 schools. After my time with VSO, most countries in the world were in lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I grew tired of spending hours submitting applications for organizations and not getting any positive response. One day, I got an email from Jeff and Hillary about working with Lalmba in Ethiopia.
I arrived in Chiri in early June 2021. I started working side by side with the staff, especially with Aselefech, the Children’s Director. She has been living in Kaffa all her life, working with Lalmba for more than 20 years and has a wealth of experience. Her commitment and her determination make her easy to work with, despite the communication barrier and cultural differences.
As RCAR Program Director, I oversaw operations while building a strong organizational structure and empowering the local staff. I have been able to more individualized support to the staff members, especially the ones working in the office.
Now, as the East Africa Director, I will be responsible for directing the operations of the projects in Ethiopia and Kenya. This will involve traveling back and forth between countries and working closely with the project managers to strengthen the organizational structure and ensure the operations are in line with Lalmba’s vision and mission.
On January 31, 2022, we officially inaugurated the Agaro Bushi Medium Clinic. Bishop Markos Gebremedhin of the Jimma Bonga Catholic Secretariat blessed every room and the grounds from corner to corner. Government officials marveled at the quality of the construction and the improbability of constructing such a clinic in this remote place. It truly was an amazing feat. During the rainy season, the mountainous roads were treacherous and impassable for days on end; more times than we can count, our 4-wheel-drive Land Cruiser sank to the doors in mud, only to find good people descending from the countryside, wading into the thick of it to pull our vehicle out. Other times, large construction trucks carrying tons of cinder block, sand, stone, cement, iron bar, and other building materials made half the distance before having to abandon the supplies on the side of the road. And again, the community came to the rescue, carrying the supplies the rest of the way by pack animal and on the strong and slumped shoulders of local men and women.
The local people’s labor and good will are a testament to the need of this clinic. Carrying the weight of a heavy physical burden pales in comparison to the burden of losing a loved one for lack of adequate medical care.
After the blessing ceremony, numerous speeches were given, all of them sincere, with expressions of hope for the poor people of this community, that a healthier and more prosperous future is within sight. I was asked to say a few words, and I felt compelled to express the warm wishes from you, our supporters, who funded the bulk of this project. But also, I reminded the gathering that this is truly a partnership, and each partner is responsible for the success of the construction, and the future success of services to come.
As with so much in development work, partners are essential to success. Our partnership in Agaro Bushi is fourfold:
our Swiss partner SAED Etiopia, whose founder Ruth Brogini is a pioneer in this community. 13 years ago, she was moved to tears by the heart wrenching fate of a young woman who died in childbirth because of no access to healthcare. She set about building the first clinic here, a small primary clinic, but struggled to manage it. It was then that she reached out for help to Lalmba, whom she knew was successfully running the Chiri Health Center just 20km away and had a good reputation for quality health care in rural areas. Soon after, our partnership in rural health care began.
Next, there is the Ethiopian Catholic Church, which has called us to assist them in God’s service, to heal the sick, feed the hungry, and care for widows and orphans. If there’s a higher calling than that, I know not what it is.
Then there are the government entities, which have established high standards and “fair” laws for us to follow. Sometimes, it may feel the opposite, that the laws and standards impede our success, and truth be told, we’ve felt great frustration for being judged harshly and held to account for just barely missing the mark on unachievable goals. But we recognize that if we were not pushed to accomplish the seemingly impossible, we may aim too low. So, for their high standards, we are grateful.
And last, but not least, the most important partner in the collective is the people of the community of Agaro Bushi. We say this a lot, but it’s profoundly true, that the people who live in these rural communities are not pitiable souls. They are hardworking, humble people, who laugh and smile with ease, and gracefully go through life enduring problems inconceivable to most of us. They are an inspiration, and it is our honor and duty to help where we can.
At the ceremony, I spoke about how the strength of these new buildings is not merely a reflection of the quality construction, but also a symbol of the potency of our partnership. If our foundation were built on shifting soil, the structure would collapse. Our partnerships too must have a solid foundation of mutual trust and respect, a shared vision of what a healthy community looks like, and how to get there.
As for the walls that create the interior space, if the blocks were laid crooked and the cement mixture impure, the walls would crack and crumble within a year. The walls of our partnership need to be made of pure intentions as well – a love and respect for human life and dignity, and a commitment to compassionate health care. The windows and doors that open to allow in good things like fresh air and sunshine, can also be closed to keep out harmful elements. The doors and windows of our partnership should be the same, always open to those who are in need, and those who wish to fortify the quality of our work. But we should be quick to close them upon anything that might divide us or create cracks in our walls.
And lastly, no building is complete without a roof; the roof of our partnership is our conscientious stewardship. We must be thoughtful in our decisions, especially when it comes to spending and the use of our limited resources. If we spend wastefully or misuse the resources, who suffers the consequences? It is the people of Agaro Bushi, the humble and good people whom we’ve been called to serve. And that would be unconscionable!
The symbolism of a well-built house is easy for people here to understand, where men and women share in the effort to construct their own homes by hand using locally sourced materials. An unstable foundation, sloping walls or a leaky roof are disastrous for the family, and often the whole building needs to be torn down and reconstructed. So, with our clinic opening celebration, I hope I was able to illustrate that the strength and beauty of the building is only as good as our shared commitment, good effort and pure intentions for the people of Agaro Bushi.
One year ago, I was here in Ethiopia, right where I am now at the time of this writing, following a girl named Birhane around for a 24-hour period, making the above video, “A Day in the Life of a Chiri Orphan.” You can find the video on our home page at www.lalmba.org or here on YouTube. (https://youtu.be/03-z1s1l-Y8).
For as long as I’ve been doing this work, I had never before had such an intimate look into the daily life of a person we support. One can glean a lot from brief encounters, but bearing witness to an entire day is an awareness-raising experience. The gritty details of life are often overlooked, as our biases paint a veneer that conforms to our expectations. But with enough time to observe the mundane details of life, my spirit grew, and I discovered that despite our vast cultural differences, the palette of our lives is similar — a mixture of drudgery, heart-swelling happiness, boredom, loneliness, hope-inspiring and deflating moments, speckled with the tedious routines of daily life. The key difference between Birhane’s life and, say, my 14-year-old daughter’s, is the relative physical comfort with which daily functions are performed.
And so, this video had a dual purpose: 1) To give you, our supporters, a peek into the world of the children you help support, and 2) to show you the context of where life takes place, the Chiri Children’s Home. And thanks to you, we’ve made a big difference in improving the amenities of the place where life happens for these precious children. See for yourself!
This year, our goal is to complete a plumbed water system, rebuild the dormitories and remodel one of the old dormitories into a learning resource center with textbooks, novels, and computer learning stations. Thank you for your support!
“That manger, poor in everything yet rich in love, teaches that true nourishment in life comes from letting ourselves be loved by God and loving others in turn.”
Every year when Christmas comes, we relate to this manger Nativity scene. We have been privileged to enter countless traditional homes in Ethiopia and Kenya to meet families living similarly to the setting in which Jesus was born—-mud walls and thatched roofs, families sharing space and warmth with animals, a thick bed of straw for comfort, houses devoid of running water for cooking or cleaning, no electricity for light, nor any of the comforts we consider essential. We know that the poor understand hardship and fortitude in ways we never will, and we honor their position on the world stage. To the billions who live so simply, we wish you a very blessed Christmas! We know God shines his light on you in a special way.
This Manger Scene is our Christmas gift to you.
Each one is a hand carved relief sculpture of the Holy Family carved from a single piece of wood with the bark still intact, a unique item from Kenya that will surely compliment, if not be the highlight, of your Christmas decorations. We’re sure you’ll be impressed by how innovative the artists were when carving them and adding hinges so that you can close it up and store it away safely until next Christmas. Although we might just leave ours out year-round as a reminder of how precious our family is and how blessed we are to have each other.
Please remember the people of Ethiopia this Christmas, as their nation grapples with violence. We have removed our volunteers from the country for the time being, with the hope to return soon. Our clinic and children’s operations continue with our loyal local staff, curing the sick and providing support to vulnerable children who are victims of political conflict beyond their control.
JOIN OUR TEAM
AND BECOME A PART OF THE LONG AND BEAUTIFUL LALMBA STORY
Lalmba is searching for strong, compassionate, and adventurous volunteers to work at our projects. If you or someone you know would like to give 1-2 years of service in exchange for lifelong memories and rewarding experiences helping some of the neediest people on the planet, please get in touch with us. We need project managers and medical volunteers (doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant) to help train, lead and manage our clinic and public health programs. If you have a love for children and are interested in working at our children’s projects, that position will be opening within the next year.
In the last edition of Lalmba News, we told you about all the wonderful improvements we’re planning this year for the Chiri Children’s Home. Those upgrades are well underway. The protective wall along the front of the compound is about 70% complete, the new kitchen is finished, and the existing buildings have been repainted with new windows and doors installed. A pair of generous brothers has donated towards the water system and the learning resource center. We are reviewing bids from contractors to begin those projects. Our 2021 Tembea Na Mimi team is dedicating all of its fundraising efforts towards raising the $160,000 we need to complete all the work (see diagram below).
So far, our intrepid walkers have raised $30,000 towards our goal, with each of them pledging to raise $10,000. It works out perfectly, as we have a group of 16 walkers this year! After a year of social distancing and working from home, I think people are more than ready to rip off those masks, stretch their legs, and show their beautiful smiles again. I know I am!
We are all meeting in Nairobi, Kenya on August 3, and after acclimating for a couple of days we will take our first steps across the Great Rift Valley on August 6th – 160 miles of fleet-footed (perhaps sore-footed is more like it) walking to Lalmba’s project on Lake Victoria. You know the deal. It’s a noble adventure for a needed cause, and we call it Tembea Na Mimi (Walk With Me).
Perhaps you’re interested in who’s walking with me this year. We have an assortment of TNM alumni, new walkers, fathers and children, Canadians, former Lalmba volunteers, and current board members. I would like to introduce you briefly to this group, and if you have a heart for the people, the cause, or the adventure, please offer some of these folks your sponsorship.
Like in the past, we have family groupings walking together this year. Harry Lindmark, a Lalmba board member (and former Lalmba volunteer in Sudan), is walking with his sons Rhys from San Francisco and John from Denver. From Charlottesville, Virginia, we have the Ragsdale family, Jim with his children Quinn and Audrey. Audrey is 17 and will be a senior, and Quinn is 15; both are athletes and scholars. They are also my niece and nephew, and I am beyond thrilled to share with them this experience, the people, and the places that have changed my life. Perhaps most excitingly for me, I will be walking with my son, Gideon, who spent his first year of life with Hillary and me in Ethiopia when we were Lalmba volunteers. He will turn 16 on this trip, a major milestone, and I want it to be a significant rite of passage for him. I’m looking for ideas on how to make it as impactful and memorable as possible, but Hillary has already told me scarification and fighting a lion are not permitted.
Dr.Charlie Evans (Former Lalmba volunteer from Kenya) who last time walked with his son Dan, and Rob Andzik (Lalmba’s board chairman) and son Nate will be joining us again this year.
Other Coloradans on this journey are Chris Atencio (Lalmba volunteer in Sudan) from Grand Lake. Chris is a retired schoolteacher and author of several marvelous books. One of them, Into Africa, is about his time serving as a Lalmba volunteer. Also from Denver, we have John Desmond, a retired urban planner and an experienced African explorer. From Westminster, Terry Robinette will be embarking on her third trek. Terry is on Lalmba’s board and is our treasurer. She is difficult to keep up with and brings so much faith and enthusiasm to every adventure. And last, but certainly not least, we have our friends from Canada, Bev Hooper and Kathy Moore. They have started the Lalmba Canada program which focuses primarily on providing high school scholarships for Lalmba’s orphans in Kenya.
We’re a big group, who plan to make a big impact for the children of Chiri with every step we take.
By Katherine Greene, certified nurse midwife
I have dreamed of visiting Africa since I was a college student. Life occurred and children and work responsibilities placed the dream on hold. As a nurse midwife, my passion is serving mothers and babies with maternity care. Learning of Lalmba’s mission from Hillary and Jeff, I was thrilled with the opportunity to visit their project in Kenya.
Matoso Clinic – Idah arrived at the clinic around 1 pm on Saturday. She had traveled approximately 45 minutes via motor bike (Imagine riding on the back of a motorbike while in labor!) from her village of Tagache. Idah’s closest government health facility had been closed for the prior 3 months due to employee strikes. There was a fivefold increase in deliveries at Matoso clinic during these months. How busy the staff were caring for all of the medical needs of people from the surrounding attachments!
As Idah’s labor continued, she wandered around outside leaning on trees and in the center of the compound. Wilkester, the clinical manager and experienced nurse midwife, comforted and reassured her. “Pole, pole,” Wilkester would say as she massaged Idah’s back, “sorry, sorry” in Swahili. Evening arrived and Idah returned to the hall of the maternity ward, which is an office building with the back end converted into a delivery room, two postpartum rooms and a bathroom. The front end of the building is shared with the offices of 3 lovely gentlemen who oversee data and IT. Idah was there on a weekend when the offices were vacant, allowing her more freedom to labor as women do, moaning and at times bare. When her time came, Idah stepped gently from the old wooden step stool on to the narrow delivery table covered with a large green plastic pad. With a stoic and graceful ferocity, she gave birth to a vigorous baby boy. Beautiful new life! We wrapped the babe in the blankets that Idah had brought with her. Wilkester hastily cleaned up after the delivery of the placenta with 4 small strips of gauze. Idah was supplied with a bar of soap and assisted to the bathroom for a highly coveted shower with running water. Wilkester sprayed down the bed and I mopped the floor. Wilkester rinsed the delivery supplies to be placed in the autoclave. I collected the small trash bag with the meager amount of waste supplies: 2 pairs of gloves and 4 strips of gauze and placenta. I marveled at how much more disposable material is used during a delivery back home! Also, it amazed me that the midwives here are responsible for all aspects of care, including cleaning up after deliveries. Idah was assisted to a postpartum bed and cuddled up with her sweet baby boy. Early in the morning, Idah headed home with her husband and baby boy on a hired motorbike.
I had the opportunity to tour a government facility in nearby Got Kochola, a 20-minute car ride from Matoso. For a patient to deliver here at night like Idah, an on-call nurse who lives in Matoso would be called in and would arrive via a lengthy motorbike ride. This presents a risky situation as a laboring woman is left outside in the dark awaiting care to arrive. And one must hope that all goes well, as the government facility lacks any emergency transport.
Sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for 38 percent of global neonatal deaths, has the highest newborn death rate in the world. Kenya’s maternal mortality rate is 20 times that of the United States. Lalmba’s clinic serves the community of Matoso by providing 24-hour access to skilled nurse midwives and emergency transport to an operating room.
During my short stay, I was present for 7 deliveries. One was the delivery of a preterm infant to a 15 year-old mother. We were able to transfer the pair to a higher level of care in Migori, about 90 minutes away. I feel certain this was a lifesaving event for the infant.
Just a few weeks ago I learned very exciting news that Lalmba will now be able to accept government antenatal and delivery care reimbursement. It will be wonderful to watch maternity care services grow in Matoso!
Katherine Greene, a nurse midwife from Longmont, Colorado, volunteered as a mentor for our antenatal and delivery practices.
As a small organization, we enjoy the flexibility to modify our programs based on the changing needs of the communities we serve. We have been encouraged by the myriad ways that community health in Matoso, Kenya has improved in recent years, particularly with the availability of anti-retroviral medications for HIV and a promising new vaccine for malaria.
Concerning, however, is the stubbornly high rate of HIV transmission for the 15–24 year old age demographic in this area of Kenya around Lake Victoria. We also noted an increase in the teen pregnancy rate in the Matoso area during the COVID crisis when schools were not in session.
To that end, Lalmba contracted with a Kenyan consultant group that specializes in educational seminars. In April, the team facilitated a week-long seminar for 50 of Matoso’s most promising youth leaders. The facilitators were particularly impressed by the young man who walked 10 km on foot back and forth for the seminar each day and never missed a moment of the training. The high level of engagement reinforced to the team the area youth’s sincere interest in opportunities like this.
Throughout the week, the students participated in education sessions about HIV in their community (most were shocked at the high rate compared to the rest of the country), including role-playing about the most pressing issues they face, particularly in the areas of HIV, drug and substance abuse. The wise insight that came from these young people inspired many. One particular shining star compared the differences between the rich and poor in society. He said, “A poor man spends hours walking each day to find food for his family. A rich man spends hours walking to lose weight from all the food he has consumed that day.” Another wise youth said, “A rich man has a house with 10 rooms for 1 person to live in. A poor man has 1 room in which 10 people live.” In an attempt to understand their own place in the world, the students first processed the dichotomies that exist in society.
At the end of the week, Lalmba’s public health team identified those most promising candidates to form ongoing support groups and peer leader activities on campus. We envision a support group for pregnant teens, for example, and one for HIV+ youth, as well as further seminars to encourage healthy choices and focus on professional development. We plan to further develop our focus on Matoso’s youth, to improve their health and professional outcomes in an area that currently has so few options for their future.
I was crouching down in the common room of the Chiri Children’s Home (CCH), taking a picture of Yegerem, our youngest family member. He held a large yellow trumpet flower in each hand, and the sparkle in his eyes, and inquisitiveness in his face, showed no trace of the sad day he was found, wrapped in a banana leaf and covered by fire ants, discarded on the side of the road. Today, he’s a happy little guy, with 14 brothers and sisters who adore him, and will raise him to know that there is hope even for the abandoned and destitute. They should know, because each of them arrived at the Chiri Children’s Home with their own sad story of loss and abandonment; each in turn found a sense of belonging as they grew up in this cheerful home in Chiri, Ethiopia.
5 years ago, I introduced you to Posy. She was abandoned because her epilepsy was misunderstood by her family and community. Today she’s a teenager, a little too bossy with her brothers, and like teenagers the world over, a bit too willful with her housemothers. She tempted fate last year, standing around a fire at the home to keep warm. She knew that this was against the rules, and that fire tends to trigger her epilepsy, but she did it anyway. She had a seizure and fell into the fire, burning her legs. She has since recovered, with difficult lessons learned.
After taking Yegerem’s picture, I turned to see Posy watching me. She studied the camera, reaching for it, and cradling it in her hands, she simply asked, “How?”
I showed her the basics, how to look through the viewfinder and take a picture, and how to view it afterward.
When I got back to my house that night, I looked through her pictures over dinner, and saw the soul of a young woman finding beauty in a life saddled with burdens that only the poor must carry. She made pictures of her siblings doing their chores, her bed, empty and guarded by the Blessed Mother, the housemothers preparing meals, portraits of pregnant women and children in the community, etc. See for yourself; I think they are marvelous, and that she has a gift for visual storytelling.
Senayt, CCH Housemother
Hewan, Yegerem, and Meskerem relax in the dormitory.
Housemother, Aster, prepares a meal
Ashenafi, front porch Chiri Children's Home
Kocheche, CCH's oldest sibling. Kocheche hopes to go to medical school
Housemothers, Senayt and Atsede
Meskerem gets a lesson in cooking doro wat.
Posy, self-portrait
In her hours not in school those weeks, Posy composed images that were at once typical of a teenager, but also advanced in artistic expression beyond her years. Before I left, I promised to bring her a camera on my next visit, on 2 conditions: 1) She listens to her housemothers’ advice and avoids fire at all times, and 2) she treats her brothers more kindly.
Of course, my mission there was not to teach photography to our orphans, as fun as that was. I had a more administrative task that drew me away from new year’s celebrations with family … I went to Ethiopia to broker our first ever agreement (after 20+ years) with the Ethiopian government for our children’s program.
Geremew and Yegerem walk the crooked path to the CCH gate.
Our children’s program in Ethiopia began organically, as a side project to the Lalmba Chiri Health Center. In the early days, we were simply trying to help a small group of orphans whose mothers died at our health center or who spent their days begging in order to survive. We rented a mud house in Chiri, bought them food, and helped them go to school.
Over time, we built better houses on the health center land, hired staff to help care for the children, and tutors to help them catch up from years of being unschooled. As the children’s program grew, the first Lalmba children grew up, went to college, and have since moved back to their community as leaders. There are so many success stories of destitute children overcoming insurmountable odds. Geremew, above, holding Yegerem’s hand, is one of them. He’s in his 3rd year of law school in Mekele, and wants to come back to Chiri to be one of the first practicing attorneys here. He grew up in the Chiri
Children’s Home, and although he doesn’t live here any longer, it’s still home.
The government has taken notice as well. They’ve encouraged us to take this step and officially register our program. They promise more community support and have offered us more land to expand. But before we expand, we need to improve the current compound, raising the living standards to make this home a safe and loving environment for raising Chiri children.
Our goals are fairly ambitious, and we will need to complete the work in 2-3 phases over the next several years. Early estimates of the construction work are in the ballpark of $160,000, on top of current program expenses. But when the work is complete, we will have a home for children that inspires hope. Here’s a basic list of the work we have planned:
Agenyo plays with a toy car on the pathway to the dormitory.
A river of generosity poured in after we broke the devastating news to you about the floods in Kenya. Your kindness and quick response allowed us to react rapidly and send $20,000 to Kenya to aid the community of Matoso in their recovery.
Caroline Awino Okoth, pictured above and below, is delighted with her new home. She is one of those unfortunate people whose house was destroyed by the flooding, yet she and her children continued to live in their ruined home until help arrived.
Marico Owino, Lalmba Kenya project director, says:
“Your decision to urgently send funds to support food relief, housing assistance, mask making and distribution, and microloans to small businesses truly came at the right time. People were really suffering from the flooding, while already feeling great anxiety about the Covid19 pandemic. Many people lost their farms, residential houses, and places of business. Small-scale day labor jobs disappeared overnight, which made putting a meal on the table impossible for many people. People are very grateful for your support. I wish you were here to witness how joyful they were, and the smiles on their faces when they received assistance. We managed to feed 1,135 households with maize, supplied 1000 masks to the community and have so far built 1 complete house (more home repairs are in progress). Microloans are being distributed. The business owners who receive a loan will be given a 3 year, 0% interest repayment schedule. Our community will rebuild and rebound. Thank you!”
As we walk through our current lives, trying to navigate a new and unexpected reality, one where smiles are only revealed by the crinkling of the eyes, and greetings are awkwardly expressed by subtle head nods from 6 feet away (or if you’re feeling in need of some intimacy, with a fist or elbow bump), it’s hard to fathom life returning to normal. It’s difficult to see goodness or justice through the smoldering debris of America’s once most beautiful cities. It’s politics and pandemic all the time, everywhere. These sad new realities are taking their toll on us, and keeping us from seeing and planning beyond the next few months. But, dagnabbit, I refuse to be so shortsighted!
My eyes are set and my soul is solidified to plow through the mire of today, and set foot once again on the breathtakingly beautiful ground of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. God willing, on 6 August 2021, we will take our first steps on Lalmba’s 4th semiannual, 10-day charity walk, crossing valleys and rivers and through vibrant communities where children squeal with delight when they see us, all the way to Lalmba’s project in Matoso.
Tembea Na Mimi is Lalmba’s largest fundraiser. Each time we’ve done it, we have collectively raised more than $100,000 to support our lifesaving work in Kenya and Ethiopia. The money raised supports the operations of 4 clinics, where more than 36,000 people were treated last year. We also provide education, health care, and nutritional support for more than 1,100 AIDS orphans, instilling them with a sense of hope for their futures … something that seems to be in short supply these days.
Do me a favor, look to the future with me, pray with me that hope and prosperity return to this great country of ours, and that this special Lalmba event becomes a reality. For as you can see, the needs of these impoverished communities we support have grown even greater. Or even better, sign up and walk with me!
It’s hard to fathom how life could be more difficult for the people of Matoso, but when it rains it pours, this time quite literally. Last month, the rains came to Kenya and didn’t stop until much of the community was displaced and many livelihoods lost. We are appealing for your assistance during this trying time. In addition to being down by 35% of our normal donations year-to-date because of Covid-19, we are now faced with the task of helping this community rebuild. Please see the below letter from our project director, Marico, in Kenya.
Hello Jeff and Hillary,
I hope you are okay over there. We are fine but with many challenges such as: Floods, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the economy is in a downfall. All of these challenges together have resulted in very difficult living situations for the people of Matoso. The floods have caused many people to be displaced, leaving them homeless with businesses destroyed.
The lake and rivers have overflowed into the farm lands destroying this season’s crops. Not only are the lands near the lake flooded, but even the high grounds have turned to swamp because of oversaturation. Many houses have fallen and gardens are destroyed.
People who have been affected by this disaster are in need of some support. It is not easy to estimate the exact cost of support needed because people have lost so much. The victims need food support and materials to rebuild homes and businesses. Any donation you give shall be highly appreciated and will support the identified individuals. We believe we need at least USD $20,000 to start a flood relief fund to help rebuild the community.
At the Matoso Clinic the lower compound was also flooded, destroying the gardens for the orphans’ food, and the generator house and the lower fence have fallen into the lake.The Ongoro Children’s Home compound is also under water. We will need a new fence at the clinic and partial repair at the orphanage. For both fences to be repaired is about USD $2500.
Covid-19:The pandemic cases are increasing in Kenya with confirmed cases over 800, recoveries over 300 and deaths over 50. We already have 10 confirmed cases within Migori County.
Most of the adults 30 years and above wear masks especially when they travel to places like beaches, shopping centers, and markets. Some of the youths below 30 years and children are creating a high risk problem because they don’t seem to care so much, not wearing masks, or keeping a safe distance from each other. They don’t wash their hands frequently enough, and at the end of the day they join their parents and other family members at home. I fear this will result in a very dangerous situation for the elderly parents who are trying so much to follow the rules.
Our public health team is working very hard to provide masks to everyone and strengthen our education. They are driving around to all the villages using a loudspeaker to address the public and teach about Covid-19. They are so serious about it. Masks that many people are using are locally made with two layers of cotton cloth and one layer of a porous cloth. They are sold for USD $.50 to $1.00 each.
Economy:The economy has gone south all throughout the countryside. Getting material supplies for the small scale business owners is nearly impossible because of travel restrictions. People are really afraid, and there is an increasing food shortage. The markets are nearly empty, schools and churches are closed, and funerals are limited to no more than 15 people, which is very difficult for our large families.
For the clinic construction we rushed to place an order for 300 corrugated tin sheets before the global pandemic drove the prices up, caused a shortage or something worse. Now we are rushing to transport them before the rains get too heavy and the road becomes impassable. The large truck we initially contracted to carry some of these building materials got caught out in the rain and has spent the last 4 days stuck in the mud. We used some sunny weather today to bring a few of the metal sheets the rest of the way up the mountain with our Land Cruiser. It will take a lot of tedious, careful trips, but we’ll be able to keep everything moving here at the building site.
It’s becoming much more difficult when we have emergencies to transport patients. The rain doesn’t seem to care how urgent our needs are. Last week we received a call from the government clinic down the road; they needed some help transporting a delivering mother with prolonged labor. The rain came suddenly 5 minutes into the trip and the hospital that is usually a 2 hour drive took 5 hours. The mother and child were fine in the end, but there is always risk we can’t control here. We were lucky and made it through the rain that day (snapping every one of the mud chains we use for traction along the way).
Tomorrow we will be rushing again, trying to secure some food purchases for the orphanage before, it is rumored, the roads will close again due to Covid-19. While we are rushing tomorrow we need to find someone to sell us infant formula for our 6 month old orphan, Yegerem. This is one of the import items which seems to have suddenly disappeared from the market due to the pandemic. Yegerem is lucky to have a Lalmba car at his disposal to go searching for milk.
A lot of vulnerable people here, single mothers, orphans, people living with disabilities or chronic disease, the elderly, are already being hit hard by the economic impacts of the pandemic. Most staple foods have already risen over 50 percent in price at the market. We are able to buy in bulk and head off shortages by shopping around, but most of the people in Kaffa aren’t able to rusharound like this. Instead they’re swept along in the current, overwhelmed by the uncertainties: How much will grain cost in a month? Will the outbreak reach Kaffa? Will I be able to find work next month? How do I feed my children? With 1 can of infant formula now costing half of what an entry level government employee might make in a month, for a lot of families these uncertainties are becoming very complicated.
Over the next few months we’ll be here in Ethiopia, racing against the rain and rushing to stay ahead of the pandemic. For those delivering mothers and children we are rushing around for, your support makes all the difference.
I sorely miss shaking hands. I have been a prolific handshaker across several countries. In the U.S. I have loved best shaking the hands of men of my father’s generation, men who judged character by the firmness of your grip and the sincerity in your eyes. In Kenya I’ve shaken thousands of hands in my 23 years of working there, and Kenyan handshakes are fun! The friend handshake starts with a loud clap of two hands coming together. Then the hooked thumbs, swivel up at the fulcrum into a soul brother shake, and then quickly back down. Often it ends in a hug or vigorous back pats. The professional handshake is elegant and gentle. You shake hands while resting your left hand on your right forearm, with a slight bow of mutual respect.
In Ethiopia, greeting traditions are slightly different. The handshake is followed by an immediate shoulder bump, right shoulder to right shoulder. The bumps are often several in succession, and seem to increase the fonder you feel about the person. But what’s also common is hand-holding. In Ethiopia, it is very common for male friends to stroll hand and hand with their buddies. It has come to feel very natural, and a fine way to walk and talk with a friend.
The handshake — that brief physical connection, the passing touch of goodwill, is one of the most beautiful ways to unite in our humanity. I sorely hope it will remain with us when this crisis is all over. Regardless, I know that the power of human compassion and connection will transcend any virus!
Speaking of hope and future generations, I’ll be honest with you, these weeks in isolation have been unnerving. A few times, I have found myself trembling on the edge of despair, and I hated it! That’s not what any of us should be feeling right now, and it is definitely not the legacy of Lalmba. We need hope, of which Lalmba has been a fountain for 57 years, and that’s exactly what we will remain!
Last week we had a flurry of calls from Africa. Our Kenyan project director, Marico, called to check on us. From the news he had heard that America is in crisis. Other African staff also wrote or called to make sure we are all ok. As Marico said, “We owe everything to our friends in America. If you are suffering, we also share in your suffering.” It touches us deeply that the care and concern we have frequently shared with Africa is now being so tenderly reciprocated. So for all of you Lalmba supporters, your African friends are sending you their wishes of hope and solidarity!
HOPE…the virtue that has become synonymous with Lalmba. Lalmba is the name of a mountain near the city of Keren, Eritrea, where our organization began in 1963. For generations, elders and those in great need have made pilgrimage to that mountaintop to climb closer to God to pray. So you see, our very name means that hope is always within view, as long as we keep looking up!
While hope is our hallmark, so is calm in the midst of crisis. Lalmba has stood on the front lines of the war in Eritrea, the humanitarian disaster in Rwanda, the refugee crisis in Sudan, and the AIDS pandemic in Kenya, to name a few.
Our mission remains clear. More than 1000 orphans depend on us to stay in school and eat this month. Tomorrow, 50+ people will show up at our clinics suffering from malaria and seeking treatment. Likewise, 710 HIV+ patients will still come to the clinic this week for their medicines, malnourished children will arrive needing nutritional intervention, and pregnant women will still need a clean and safe place to deliver their babies. It’s business as usual for us in Africa, and crisis or not, we will continue ensuring our communities have the health care they so desperately need.
During these uncertain times, we thank our country’s health care professionals who are on the front lines fighting coronavirus, risking their lives to help others who are sick.
Lalmba would also like to thank our staff on the front lines in Agaro Bushi, Ethiopia and Matoso, Kenya, for their tireless efforts to ensure the health and well-being of their local communities, who will likely see patients with coronavirus, but due to lack of local testing, will never know.
We find that everything takes a little bit longer to get done in Africa than it does here at home. But as they say in Ethiopia, “Little by little an egg walks.” Last year the rainy season seemed to go on forever, and therefore the roads to Agaro Bushi were impassable for the large trucks. There was too much mud!
While Jared, our Project Director, waited for the rains to pause, he was negotiating with contractors, buying supplies and scheduling deliveries, approving designs, and simultaneously managing the day-to-day operations of the clinic and Lalmba’s children’s programs. (Not to mention functioning as a 24/7 ambulance driver!) We don’t know how he does it, but we suspect he wears a cape beneath his t-shirt.
These pictures may resemble the archeological excavation of the ancient kingdom of Punt, but they are in fact the newly constructed foundation of the Agaro Bushi Medium Clinic. Can I get a “woohoo”? We are so excited to watch the progress this year. The contractor has given us an estimate of 3 months to completion, which I think translates to a year on the Ethiopian calendar.
Trucks deliver sand to the site of the Agaro Bushi Medium Clinic
The foundation is dug by hand and filled with rocks, also broken by hand.
Foundation of the connecting pharmacy.
Clinic foundation. Partitions on the right will be the examination rooms and laboratory. It's a pretty nice view, wouldn't you say?
As the world economy has come to a halt and the coronavirus has each of us isolated in our homes, we want you to know that we are doing everything in our power to maintain all of our mission-critical programs in Kenya and Ethiopia. With your loyal support we can continue to serve the poorest of the poor with comprehensive health care and nutrition for the orphans and elders who depend on us. We are deep in prayer and optimistic that Lalmba will survive this crisis and that you, our dear friends, remain safe, happy, and healthy throughout the duration of your isolation. We also ask for your prayers and continued support. It can be tempting to close in and become insular in a crisis. We ask you to continue looking outward at those in even more extreme circumstances.
Please see below an article by Lalmba’s medical director, Dr. Kim Chen, on our efforts in the field to protect the communities we serve. And below that is a new video about our children’s programs that Jeff produced on his last trip to Kenya in February. We hope the video might put a smile on your face during these somber days.
As cases of COVID 19 surge worldwide, Africa is no exception. Limited resources in Ethiopia and Kenya leave urban hospitals and rural clinics unprepared for a pandemic. Nairobi’s opportunists have been arrested for selling fake coronavirus test kits, and in Addis Ababa foreigners have been attacked for allegedly harboring the virus. Health care workers, facing shortages of personal protective supplies and cuts in salary, are declining to risk their lives at work.
However, Lalmba’s clinics in rural Ethiopia and Kenya are preparing themselves, as much as possible, for the spread of this pandemic. In Matoso, clinic staff have set up hand washing stations on and outside premises, as traditional soap and water is more effective against coronavirus than hand sanitizer. Prior to entering the clinic, patients are screened for COVID 19 risk factors, and positive patients are isolated, examined, treated appropriately, and referred if needed. Community members are being mobilized to sew face masks, which provide some protection against infectious droplets. And lastly, our stellar Public Health Team is parading down the beaches and towns educating the community regarding coronavirus disease and prevention.
If a community could be socially isolated, Agaro Bushi in rural Ethiopia would be a forerunner. Lalmba’s clinic, off a small road/path not accessible by public transport, is at low risk for the coronavirus pandemic. However, health officer Sultan, who has been engaging the community regarding handwashing, clean water, and hygiene, is using this opportunity to emphasize continued disease prevention practices. In an area where many children are malnourished and therefore most vulnerable to infections, he is educating families to provide the most nutritious food the are able to afford.
Throughout the years Kenya and Ethiopia have experienced epidemics of cholera, AIDS, typhoid, malaria, and famine. And yet communities survive and become stronger. Per Wangari Maathai,
“We cannot tire or give up. We owe it to the present and future generations of all species to rise up and walk!”
I lived with my husband and three sons in Mozambique, serving desperately poor children and elders for over ten years before we all moved to Colorado. After achieving my humanitarian aid career goals, I earned a dual Master’s degree in International Human Rights and MLS in International Law. Then, as I searched for a job, I wondered if my time in Africa was behind me. Until, they asked me if I was willing to schedule another interview – with African leadership. My final round of interviews was with Joan and the Kenyan and Ethiopian Directors. To my joy, this African-based organization chose me. As Lalmba’s President, I will endeavor to educate and empower Africans by continuing Lalmba’s ongoing work “at the end of the road”.
