Excellent Newspaper Article in Auburn, California

This article (click for link) features an interview with Charles and Vickie in Auburn.
Caption of a big front page photo:

Charles Obes and Vickie Winkler, of the Health Education Africa Resource Team, or HEART, walk in Downtown Auburn Tuesday. Obes is the manager for the organization’s lodge in Kenya and is on his first trip to the United States. Obes said he has learned a lot during his time working for HEART, and he is happy to be working at the lodge. “Really that has been a good experience in my life, when I joined HEART in 2004,” Obes said. Winkler and Obes have been meeting with various groups to give updates about HEART.

Kick out HIV Youth Tournament in Migori...

On the 5^th of August 2011, HEART’s executive Director, Vickie Winkler, and Staff Huma Kaseu and Jackson Kuboka accompanied by The McGreggor’s Family, Intern Coordinator Katelyn Winslow, Community Transformers; Nick and Njenga and HEART team member Kayde Murphy left for Bware, Migori for a youth sport’s event dubbed ‘Kick out HIV” organized by HEART’s intern Ashlee Negrete, with the help of Christ Care ministries. The aim of the event was to create awareness and educate on HIV/ AIDs scourge that plagues the county. The sporting event included athletics and a soccer tournament that drew participants and teams from different churches around Migori.  Also present for the event was The Rotary Club of Migori who came to show their support for the event.

The event activities which lasted for five days saw the participation of over 650 young men and women who constituted 12 male football teams and 4 female teams. It involved all members of the community as the elders and the pastors were part of the organizing committee. The preliminary soccer rounds were played on Wednesday and Thursday while the knock outs were played on Friday and Saturday. Before the semi final knock outs the participants went through HIV education training, facilitated by Nick and Njenga of Community Transformers. Jackson Kuboka, taught on the importance of hand washing in the prevention of diseases and preparation of safe drinking water using either traditional methods, boiling or modern methods (purifying tablets). The group then was divided into smaller groups according to age groups and sex for more targeted HIV/AIDs education the sessions were facilitated by Community Transformers, HEART staff and Team. Dr. James McGreggor who is a Hospice Doctor met with the ‘Migori Pastors Fellowship’ President and members of The Migori Rotary club and gave tips on dealing with death.

 

The male soccer tournament was won by Riat Church and the runners up were Christ Care while the female was won by Bahati Church with Christ care emerging as runners up. Both male and female athletics events were won by Bahati church. The award ceremony was opened by more HIV/AIDs education.  The Community was  grateful for the education, “It’s what this area needed, we seem to have forgotten the dangers of having irresponsible sexual behavior, especially the widows and the young men.” Said Wycliffe, the event organizer.

The event provided an opportunity to spend time at The Christ Care children’s home which is residence to 27 orphaned and vulnerable children in the community. The home received donation for the kids including T Shirts , socks and toys. The smile on the children’s face lingers still.

 

New Intern Handbook and FAQ Online Now

Thanks to HEART Intern Coordinator Katelyn Winslow, the HEART Intern Handbook and other updated material is available online (in PDF format). Go to the FORMS page for these (and other) documents.

Facing the threat of Hunger

UC Davis team members Sarah Ashley, Sara Walker
and Quyn with WEEP coordinator Gladys

A while back my friends were having an argument about Kenyan food. One side of the argument was that there was no food that is particular only to Kenya and the other side was off course of the contrary opinion. They sited 'Githeri' a meal made out of corn and beans, 'Mokimo' mashed potatoes, pumpkin leaves and corn, 'Omena' fishlings, Chapati e.t.c. The faction that had it that these still could not be regarded as Kenyan food as they had no country wide acceptance.

Anyway, fast forward five weeks ago and I had the pleasure of visiting The Kibera WEEP centre with the UC Davis team for a medical clinic. Lunch was served and the students couldn't help but praise 'Kenyan food'. Laura O'Neill one of the UC Davis Medical student even posited that if her folks would have made veggies into Mokimo when she was younger she would've always make sure to make her plate happy As the conversation ensued my thoughts drifted to the current food security in East Africa.

According to WFP, 'around 9 million people in the horn of Africa need humanitarian assistance as severe drought combines with high food prices and conflict.' (http://bit.ly/lLwrdE). In Kenya, where over half the population leave with under a dollar a day, most households cannot afford a plate of the most basic meal (ugali and sukuma), leave alone a 'Kenyan cuisine'.

The effect is so severe that even the populace that can afford a decent meal, are affected. A packet of Unga (maize flour) was one dollar last year now the packet goes for 2 dollars and you are not allowed to buy more than two packets. This translates to hunger for the majority who survive with under a dollar a day and strains nutrition even for those who can afford it.

James Laiti (KFS benefiary) in Manga with his
food donation from the Bayside church team

HEART - with the support of partners - has been providing food donations to beneficiaries of our programs. With every visit we make to communities we serve we make sure to remember to carry food stuff.
 

Valor Team with food donation
for the Kibera WEEP ladies

Exciting Handmade WEEP Creations

Fight Against Malaria

Despite Kenya's metropolitan capital and stable international reputation, malaria remains the cause of death for children under five years here, according to statistics from the Ministry of Health.

HEART is contributing towards the fight of malaria by distributing treated malaria prevention bed nets that are made by ladies in our WEEP program to pregnant mothers and children under five.

Sabina Kamau

HEART Administrative Secretary

Children's Ministry

Greetings, My wife Tammy, myself, and Kathy Jurgensen (Mission Staff) went to the Mabroukie Feeding Program today. We served Gatheri (Beans & Maize) to over 200 children. These children, whose parents (or parent) work in the Tea Field from 6 AM to 6 PM, six, sometimes seven days a week, leaving these children alone day after day. This hot meal is provided two days a week by Pastor Peter and his wife Ruth. They are assisted by the youth group at their church. Before the hot meal is served, Bible Stories are shared with the children and games are played. Also the children are requires to wash their hands, with soap before eating. We hope that this teaching will be carried home to the family. The children are told the importance of washing their hands to prevent sickness. Over the past years, we have provided shoes, a wool cap, and a blanket to these children, as this program is located in Limuru, which is a very cold place, especially in the winter. Just seeing the smiles on the faces of the children as we arrive, knowing that they will go to bed with a full stomach, makes us glad we are involved in this project. Pastor Bob and Tammy

Video of Africa HEART WEEP Center

Just watched "Africa HEART WEEP Center" video by Allison Reynolds: http://vimeo.com/13447279

Notes & Photos from a Traveler

Visit http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/yogakathy/1/tpod.html to read about a traveler's experience with WEEP women. She has photos. too!

Follow the Blog, too

It's wonderful to see contributors join the blog. Please also "follow" the blog (the link is up at the top left) and recommend that your friends and others associated with HEART also follow it.  Thank you!

Welcome to the new HEART Blog

We've just started this new feature...a GROUP BLOG for HEART.
Webmaster Stewart Feldman is the administrator, but we have many members of the HEART family (past and present) who will be adding their insight and experience to this blog. Visit www.africaheart.com to learn more about HEART and our work.

Please excuse any glitches while we get familiar with this new feature.
To contact Stewart, send a message to aex@garlic.com.