Many refugees are still traumatized

sh. We have several patients who are still suffering from the traumatic circumstances of the last 3 1/2 months, for example this mother with her two little children (see picture right) who had to watch with her own eyes how one of her close relatives was killed. - Today we cleaned the hospital especially the maternity because it is a rule at the Rhein-Valley Hospital to clean and sterilize this section after a birth took place. The toilets for the refugee camp still didn't arrive. We got the excuse that the truck involved had to be repaired. So it will probably be only next week that we can finish our sanitary installations. At lunch time our grandmother schuschu could leave the hospital. Her two sons took care of her and thanked us profoundly for all the help at the hospital. Later in the afternoon we again had a heavy thunderstorm and we were happy to get home without any calamities because the Kenyans use to drive in these circumstances as if the streets were dry...

The big clean-up took more than 3 hours

This morning we saw some animals on the way to work. Click on the picture to see it in large size or visit our Kenya Photos blog.

UNICEF, UNHCR, Map Int. & UN WFP on a visit

sh. After an uneasy night with gunshots and barking dots we went to the hospital early this morning because many visits were expected. At 11 am delegations from the UNICEF, the UNHCR, Map International and UN World Food Program arrived to check our hospital and they were all very impressed about the organisation and the tidiness everywhere. In the maternity they could see a baby born this morning at 1 am. By the way the mother is fine and already could leave the hospital in the afternoon. The delegates then visited the refugee camp on our ground, the preset for the toilet and shower facilites, the big new fire place and our food storage room. All guests praised the work of the Rhein-Valley Hospital and promised us assistance for the coming weeks. They will also inform the Government about this positive well functioning humanitarian institution.

Today the refugee workers not only got their daily meal but also some clothes.

Still waiting for the toilets and shower cabins

sh. Heavy clouds were in front of us when we left the house at 8:30 h this morning. On the way to the hospital we picked up a new nurse who comes from Western Kenya and had lost his job from one day to the other when the crises started. Arriving at the hospital ground we could assist the finish of the central fire place and the laundry construction that got the final stainless coating (see picture). Then we presented our new crew member to the others and said hello to our 85 year old schuschu (grandmother) who is more or less in a stable condition. We are still waiting for the promised toilet and shower cabins. As often in Kenya you need a lot of patience. You can call 20 times until something becomes reality. Let's hope we get them soon. The weather stayed dry. During the day we have now temperatures up to 28° C and during the night it goes down to 10° C!

This is our current crew of staff members
and temporary workers!

Humanitarian organisations inspired by us

This is one of our patients: a 85 year old woman who suddenly had several health problems. Only last week she still was carrying 20 liter water containers from our hospital to her home. She was happy to be outside the building for a short time and was assisted by our doctor and one of our nurses.

Today started sunny and already at 8:30 am we had a first meeting at the office of the UN World Food Program, where we got the latest informations. The major humanitarian organisations had a meeting and discussed the situation at the Rhein-Valley Hospital in Nakuru, based on extensive informations from Mr. Meina Muhia and Mr. Harald Nordby. Both recently could witness themselves how active Mama Matata and our crew is.

Cooking for our crew

Arriving at the hospital we called the President of the Rhein-Valley association to ask him for permission to give a little salary to 22 refugees who currently help us with our works at the camp site and to keep the order. The roof for the central fire place of the camp could also be finished today and we were looking for some amount of gravel for this site. So we drove to Naivasha, where we had a meeting with Mr. Lutzky, project manager of the H. Young & Co. and he kindly agreed to sponsor a truck load of gravel including the transport costs. Many thanks to him for his generous help!

On the way back to Nakuru we had a heavy thunderstorm and flooding. Many cars were blocked by the water masses.

Working hard for our camp installatations

sh. Today we had a busy day with all the works for the finish of the central fire places, the building of a roof for it and the last earth digging for the sanitary installations. In addition we are planning some laundry strings. As it will rain more often in this season, all these works are more than necessary. Currently about 40 workers are involved, 25 from our own crew, the rest recruited from the refugees. All workers have now the same T-Shirt so it is visible who is part of the group. We still have to control a lot because we have a lot of equipment around and especially in the night our protection personnel is needed. Tomorrow Mr. Muhuia from the UN will visit us again to help us with the final decisions and installations. On our way home, we met some women and girls carrying heavy wood sticks for their fires at home. It is not rare that they have to complete distances of 15-20 k with loads of 30-40 kg!

Last minute news: The political situation here in Kenya is not getting better for the time being. Today 18 people were killed in Nairobi and many cars burnt. The fight of the Mungiki's seem to continue and the military together with the police are present. In the Cabinet again an incident occured: when Odinga wanted to take his seat, he was pushed away and had to sit where his other group members are. Only next Tuesday the final seating order will be announced.

Swiss TV reports on the Rhein-Valley Hospital

The French speaking Swiss TV station tsr included a report on the Rhein-Valley Hospital in yesterday's programme "Le Journal". They recently visited the facilities (see our earlier posts) and interviewed the founder, Swiss Stephan Holderegger (picture).

Food distribution despite gunshots in Nakuru

This morning we were wakened by gunshots near our home in Nakuru. Military people went into town. One news followed the next, we got telephone calls and it seemed that the Muliki militia got ready for riots and cars were burnt. The streets were closed and all cars who wanted to enter the town, were stopped. Mama Matata stayed calm because she experienced similar situations before, but I was quite shocked and frightened. Now we had to decide what to do because we had to go to the hospital to feed thousands of people. We were lucky that we were driving in the other direction and could reach the hospital without trouble, although police and military were present all over. Arriving there we heard that our doctor and one of the nurses still were blocked in town. Mama Matata advised them to stay there until the situation would become better.

The refugees were already waiting in masses. First we registred them, then we started with the food distribution, directed by Mama Matata herself. We also had a visit to the hospital: Mr. Harald Nordby from Sweden (see picture below), who is responsable for the UNICEF logistics in Nakuru. He could witness all our activities in and around our facilities. He was amazed to see Mama Matata and our hospital crew and told us that he is planning to invite people from other humanitarian organisations to watch and learn how to handle the masses of refugees. Finally we gave out food for 3,200 refugees and also activitated the works at our central fire places at the camp site (see picture right). We got the help of two additional workers for the coming 2-3 days to finish everything as soon as possible. Later in the after- noon a heavy thuderstorm urged us to quickly return home. -Stephan Holderegger

Grand Coalition Government: New hope?

sh. Today at 5 pm the Kenyan TV station KTN broadcasted a live report on a new Cabinet with President Kibaki, Prime Minister Odinga and Vice President Kolonzo. Now they have to proove that they will bring back the standard of the country to its previous level. Sudden results cannot be expected over night, but the first steps in the right direction are done. Let's hope that God will protect them and guide our country.

It was also a day of preparation for us at the Rhein-Valley Hospital. Tomorrow we will have to feed 3500 refugees with corn, beans, milk powder, porridge and some baby food. At the same time we will have to do more regsitration work for the UN and the Red Cross. Each family living in of our tents will be listed. Our Swiss guest Alex Paur helped to load our Landrover. Then he insisted to visit a Governent Hospital but after 5 minutes they have seen enough. The circumstances were not so inspiring. Alex will probably stay for another 2 days to witness our big food distrubution.