KUMI COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
SEPTEMBER 2020 UPDATE
Elspeth Robinson
Whoever thought the pandemic would still be restricting our freedom as autumn approaches and with no prospects of the UK team visiting Kumi this year? But has it stopped helping our families? Not at all with Harriet and Ruth continuing to provide much needed assistance to the community.
KCF has been registered with the Charity Commission for 13 months now and the Trustees have held the AGM. Fund raising has been successful and we have been able to continue providing our support.
A couple of months ago, I received a phone call from a friend who had read our newsletter regarding prosthetics. He wished to send a donation and what did we need. With a little thought, I remembered the five tricycles we had on order for five post polios in need and he was offering exactly the right amount when including Gift Aid! However, we had the funds for these tricycles and so Ruth ordered a further five as the waiting list is long. The five tricycles have been distributed and one man returned requesting a drum for collecting his water from the borehole, a necessity he has never managed.
An outreach clinic in Toroma identified many children and babies with disabilities who were assessed and care plans were drawn up.
A young girl was born with congenital absence of her leg and is being fitted for a prosthesis.
Last week, Ruth met one of the ladies who came to the Wheels for the World distribution at Kumi Hospital in February where she was assessed by the team and found to be able to stand with a Zimmer frame and was not considered to be a suitable candidate for a tricycle. She went home with her frame and now she is learning to walk without it and is incredibly happy to be able to walk. With practice, she may well not need her frame.
Funding was given for a chicken which is now the proud mother of thirteen offspring and will hopefully result in a profitable income generating project with the chickens being bartered for a goat which can then reproduce and be bartered for a cow and, who knows, a few cows can buy you a wife!
We have provided Ruth with an infrared thermometer so that she can test her clients for the COVID virus. On 15 September 2020, the WHO tells us that there are 4978 confirmed cases with 56 deaths.
Ruth’s son, Chris, celebrated his fourth birthday with his grandmother and friends. Harriet also celebrated her birthday with a party where they drank ajon, the local brew, through tubes.
Thanks again to all who have so generously donated to KCF and for the Kumi team who continue to help the needy!