Kenya Medical Camp

Medical camp in Kenya

This 19 day free medical camp in Kenya is for the communities of either the Nyanza Province in Western Kenya (one of the poorest populated regions of East Africa) or the slum and rural communities in and around Embu town (on the lower slopes of Mount Kenya). Moving Mountains Trust have been developing many sustainable projects for over a decade in both of these areas of Kenya which are well away from the traditional tourist trail.

It is open to medical students and medical professionals, working alongside Kenyan medical staff and public health staff. The camps offer free diagnosis and health checks and either treatment or referral to local hospitals. We also use the camp to run public health campaigns in schools and villages, and we'll distribute mosquito nets to families most in need. The data we collect is shared with the provincial medical offices and we work in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the local medical hubs to ensure that our work is in line with national and regional aims.

The trip includes an overnight safari to either Kakamega National Park (if the medical camp is in Western Kenya) or Castle Forest Lodge on the southern slopes of Mount Kenya (if the medical camp is based in Embu), followed by a few days at Lake Naivasha in the Rift Valley. Throughout the Medical camp accommodation will be provided at either Ulamba Childrens Home in Western Kenya or in our Guest House in Embu.

The medical camp will run over 10 days and there will be opportunities to gain some work experience in a local clinic. There are more photo's and further information about the Kenya Medical Camp available on the dedicated website for students from Bristol University (you don't have to be a Bristol University student to access this website).

Experience needed for our Medical Camps

For this trip we are very happy to accept qualified physicians and nurses and medical professionals, as well as medical, nursing and public health students. The trip is supervised by Kenyan Doctors and the purpose of the camp is threefold: to diagnose and treat, to assist with the local public health campaigns, and to collect and share data with the provincial medical office.

The trip is obviously a great opportunity to experience health care in this part of the world and to also help others. It is important to be open, willing to learn and take part, enthusiastic and objective. The trip can be emotional, and you will meet people whose lives seem almost impossible to live, but your interaction with them will help in many ways.

Principles of the camps

Our medical camps are open to anybody, and there is a clear understanding that any community event like this can only exist if there is a need that is identified by the local communities.

We have an equal opportunities policy and strict policies regarding child protection which we will share with your beforehand.

We ensure that the emphasis on personal development and international development is balanced, and that this medical camp is always part of a long term aim which has been properly evidenced.

We want to ensure that your time with us is productive and enjoyable and effective. We are experienced in managing volunteer expectations, and we have a background in development, but we will also be asking a lot of you during this trip.

DEVELOPMENT IMPACT

Every camp aims to achieve a measurable developmental impact. We analyse the processes of change that occur so that there is clear evidence for the need of events like this, and we use impact assessment ‘maps’ to try and define the developmental process. We always work with the relevant health authorities to ensure that our work is collaborative and not insular.

We communicate with all relevant stakeholders and ensure that the placements are collectively agreed, for example with regional administrations and local Chief's and committees in the Siaya or Embu District.

INTEGRATING WITH THE COMMUNITY

The arrangements for the camp will allow you to develop an insight into the lives of the community, which includes visiting homes, shopping locally, cooking local recipes, travelling on local transport and using community facilities like the early child development centres and attending community events.

During the trip there is always opportunity to meet and share your experience with staff who can help with evaluations and reflection, helping to build on the skills and knowledge and experience being gained. One of the biggest aims of the programme is to encourage people to engage in society on their return and take part in many incentives to promote global healthcare solutions.

ROLE MODEL AT THE MEDICAL CAMP

You will not be expected to be a visiting Doctor who sees patients although sometimes of course misunderstanding occurs; we recommend you discuss clearly with the supervisor what you can and can't do, and also make it clear to patients that they are being seen by a student and not a qualified Doctor.

We run long term ongoing medical programmes with Moving Mountains, and also at the request of local communities and hospitals. We have worked with medical authorities in many locations to ensure ongoing continuity as well as medical co-operation with other aspects of our work, for example the children’s homes we build and run, and the satellite private clinics which serve smaller remote communities and take some of the burden off under-funded Government hospitals.

Medical Camp in Kenya itinerary

The core dates cover a 19 day period, which starts with your arrival in Nairobi. The second day is a travel day to either Western Kenya or Embu before spending a total of 12 nights based at one of our Guest Houses on the Medical Camp.

On day 14 we transfer to the stunning Kakamega National Park (if based in Western Kenya) or Castle Forest Lodge (if based in Embu) to start our overland safari, we'll overnight here and then head towards Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley to set up camp on the shores of the lake for three more nights, where you can enjoy a number of optional extra's, including boat trips on Lake Naivasha, a visit to Elsamere, a cycling safari through Hells Gate National Park, a day climb on the impressive Mount Longonot or just some R&R on the shores of Lake Naivasha. We'll head back to Nairobi on the late afternoon of day 18 for the final night of the itinerary.

Day	Info
1	Arrive in Nairobi and transfer to a secure camp on the outskirts of Nairobi (Wildebeest Eco-Camp - near Nairobi National Park) for introductions, trip briefing and some R&R (accommodation and food in Nairobi not included, you can book directly with Wildebeest Eco-Camp in dorms, garden tents with shared bathrooms or luxury ensuite garden tents, or alternatively you can camp in tents provided by us and pay on arrival - if the Medical Camp is in Embu and everyone arrives on early flights it is possible to transfer directly to Embu on this day).
2	Early morning start in private vehicles to reach either Ulamba Children's Home in Western Kenya or Embu on the southern slopes of Mount Kenya. The drive to Ulamba is a long but enjoyable drive along part of the Great Rift Valley, past the tea plantations of Kericho, Lake Victoria and the traditional homes and small farms of rural Western Kenya, to get to Embu is a much shorter drive north past coffee plantations and rice fields to reach the Central Highlands and the medium sized market town of Embu
3	Day to visit some of the Moving Mountains projects in the area, as well as visiting some rural homes of Moving Mountains beneficiaries to give yourself a good insight in to life in Western Kenya or Embu, you'll learn a bit more about some of the difficulties faced by the local community today. Meet local Doctors, Dentists and Medical Staff who will be working with you on the Medical Camp and final preparations for the camp starting on the following day.
4-13	10 day Medical Clinic which will be largely based at one of the rural or slum clinics. The clinic will start on day 4 and finish on day 13
14	If based in Western Kenya we transfer to Kakamega National Park for an overnight camping adventure in this stunning rainforest which is the perfect location for bird watching and forest treks and despite the dense forest you can still catch a glimpse of a bush pig, giant forest hedgehog and colobus or debrazzar monkey. Alternatively, if based in Embu we transfer to Castle Forest Lodge on the slopes of Mount Kenya where there are clear views of the summit of Mt Kenya inside a forest filled with wildlife, if you're lucky a family of elephant will come out to drink in the 'swimming pool'
15	One of the highlights at Kakamega National Park is an early morning trek to a highpoint within the Park to watch the sun and mist rise over the forest canopy below or at Castle Forest Lodge you can fish in a nearby lake, take horses out on a jungle trek or just relax by the pool, after breakfast we continue our journey towards Lake Naivasha where we'll set up camp on the shores of Lake Naivasha for the next 3 nights.
16-18	3 days for R&R and safari activities at Lake Naivasha - Our staff can help arrange a number of optional extra activities in the area, including cycling safari's through Hell's Gate National Park, day climbs to the summit of Mount Longonot (2776m), boat trips out on to the lake to see the swooping Fish Eagle and wallowing Hippo, visits to Elsamere, the former home of Joy Adamson and swimming at the camp. On the late afternoon of day 18 we return to Nairobi for our final night (accommodation and food in Nairobi not included, you can book directly with Wildebeest Eco-Camp in dorms, garden tents with shared bathrooms or luxury ensuite garden tents, or alternatively you can camp in tents provided by us and pay in Kenya.
19	An afternoon or evening departure will give you the chance to visit the likes of David Sheldricks Wildlife Trust and the Giraffe Centre and / or a visit to a medical clinic developed by Moving Mountains in Kibera, sub-Saharan Africa's largest slum but you are free to depart at any time on this date. We can also help you with any optional add-ons at this stage, such as climbs on Mt Kenya or to the 'Roof of Africa' on Kilimanjaro, advice on beach travel, extended safari's to the likes of the Masai Mara or volunteering on other Moving Mountains projects around Kenya.

Accommodation throughout will be provided in comfortable and spacious safari tents (smaller teams can stay in our guest rooms at Ulamba or Embu).

Food will be plentiful and of a high standard, provided by Adventure Alternative Kenya staff (meals in Nairobi are not included). On travel days it tends to be lighter pic-nic lunches but dinners will be cooked, and a mix of both local dishes and western dishes. Expect to try the stable diet of ugali with vegetable stews, lots of potatoes, rice and plenty of fruit and vegetables. Bottled water will also be provided throughout the trip, as well as tea, coffee, juice, etc.

There will be electricity in most locations, and we'll have generators for back up but be aware that we will not be able to provide for lots of people with different gadgets, phones, ipads, etc. In Western Kenya they experience frequent power cuts and the generators cannot charge at the same speed as normal sockets.

Medical Camp in Kenya cost £1395.00

The land costs for this trip covering accommodation, meals, transport and activities comes to £795.00 and you can either pay this to Moving Mountains yourself or fundraise the total amount. The balance of £600.00 covers the cost of the medical camp and also helps fund some of our personnel, such as child counsellors and community health workers.

The money can be raised on our BT MyDonate fundraising website page which allows us to collect 20% gift aid online.

Cost includes

All the medication / medical equipment required for the camp and it's transportation to the location of the Medical Camp
Medical Camp logistics, planning, local promotion and staffing
Accommodation provided in safari tents (guest rooms for smaller teams during the medical camp)
Transport provided in private safari vehicles or converted overland trucks
Meals throughout and bottled water
Camping fees at either Kakamega National Park in Western Kenya or Castle Forest Lodge on Mount Kenya and at the camp on the shores of Lake Naivasha
National Park fees at Kakamega National Park
Fundraising target of Moving Mountains.

EXCLUDES

International flight to Nairobi and internal flight to Kisumu (optional)
Visa, vaccinations / personal medication required and personal travel insurance
Accommodation in Nairobi if needed on the 1st night and 18th night of the itinerary
Airport transfers and meals in Nairobi (we can help provide these and you can pay directly in Kenya)
Any tourist / safari activities in Lake Naivasha (National Park entry fees, etc)
Personal expenses such as extra snacks, drinks, souvenirs, etc

LOCAL PROVIDER

Our local provider is Adventure Alternative Kenya which will make all the necessary arrangements in advance and work with Moving Mountains Kenya with regards organisation of group stays, medical supplies and local Doctors and Dentists, meetings with local committees, communications between the UK office and Kenya.

Medical Camp in Kenya - History

Although this is our first Medical Camp in Kenya we have a long history of running successful Medical Camps in Nepal, and we have been providing very popular placements for Medical Elective students across Kenya for over a decade. Both Western Kenya and Embu has also had dozens of teams visit the areas to take part in 'Developmental Aid' projects at Primary and Secondary Schools, Medical clinics and hospitals, water projects and the development of our very own 'Ulamba' Children's Home and Community Village in Western Kenya and the Rescue Centre for Street Children in Embu.

Our regeneration projects in both Western Kenya and Embu is the implementation of a long-term development plan focused around the rural communities of the Siaya District and the slum and rural communities around Embu. Overall enhancement of quality of life and sustainability of the community has so far been achieved via investment in infrastructure, education and healthcare as well as training and reliable employment.

Aside from the more obvious physical and material elements, one of the main achievements has been the rejuvenation of a community away from the traditional tourist trail which saw little benefit from the tens of thousands of people that arrive in Kenya every year. Through improvements in sanitation, schooling, employment and future prospects the communities have started to see the benefits from the years of investment.

The sustained close links of Adventure Alternative to these areas has provided locals with a reliable and ethical source of employment and training. Throughout the course of many years, Adventure Alternative has been running school and university trips, volunteer and gap year placements, medical electives and unique safari's. These have brought in charitable donations and also a reliable revenue stream.

So far the physical achievements in Western Kenya include:

Construction and management of our Ulamba Children's Home
Installing and maintaining numerous bore-holes in a variety of community-access locations in the Siaya District
The development and management of the Early Child Development Centre (or Nursery!) on the site of Ulamba
The construction of guest rooms and a guest house at Ulamba, as well as starting a small farm and renovating the community centre which all help to bring a regular income to the Children's Home
Complete re-development of numerous schools in the area, including Wagwer Primary, Wagwer Secondary, Kumuok Primary, Wagai Primary, Nyasidhi Primary, Barkatado Primary, Barkawandu Primary, Malunga Primary and Kayieye Primary.
Support and development of Dophil Community Clinic and support given to Siaya District Hospital

Some of the achievements in Embu include;

Development and management of the Embu Rescue Centre for Street Children
A daily feeding programme run from our Rescue Centre providing meals for the street kids and some of the kids from the slums who experience a difficult home life
Setting up a number of social enterprises which provide employment for some of the young people who show a desire to get away from their life on the streets
Complete re-development of numerous schools in the area, including Embu County Primary, Urban Primary, the School for Special Needs and the rural Gatwe Primary School
Black Cats sports and recreation club for boys and girls
Support given to Embu Provincial Hospital and Dallas Clinic from Medical Elective students

Other initiatives include

Continual care of dozens of children who come through Ulamba Children's Home
Funding provided for extra teachers in the schools we develop, at least until a point when the Government puts more investment in (this tends to happen shortly after the re-development of schools)
Individual sponsorship and support given to dozens of school children in the regions
Our 'Black Cats' sports club has now started in Western Kenya after the success of the Embu teams
Supporting community cooperative programmes for wealth generation

Explore the Moving Mountains website for more information on our work in Kenya and beyond.

MEDICAL CAMP IN KENYA - PRINCIPLES

Our medical camps are open to anybody, and there is a clear understanding that any community event like this can only exist if there is a need that is identified by the local communities.

We have an equal opportunities policy and strict policies regarding child protection, and we are founding members of Fair Trade Volunteering movement.

We ensure that the emphasis on personal development and international development is balanced, and that this medical camp is always part of a long term aim which has been properly evidenced.

Our support includes training and preparation from dedicated staff in the UK, which ensures that your time with us is productive and enjoyable and effective. Our training staff are experienced in managing volunteer expectations, and have a background in development.

DEVELOPMENT IMPACT

Every camp aims to achieve some kind of development impact which has been developed in partnership with a credible partner, in our case Adventure Alternative which has over twenty years of experience in responsible tourism and supporting social welfare, education and health in developing countries through our sister charity Moving Mountains.

We analyse the processes of change that occur so that there is clear evidence for the need of events like this, and we use impact assessment ‘maps’ to try and define the developmental process.

We communicate with all relevant stakeholders and ensure that the placements are collectively agreed, for example with regional administrations and local Chief's and committees in the Siaya District.

INTEGRATING WITH THE COMMUNITY

The living arrangements for the camp ensures that volunteers develop a real insight into the lives of the community, which includes visiting homes, shopping locally, cooking local recipes, travelling on local transport and using community facilities like the early child development centres and attending community events.

During the trip there is always opportunity to meet and share your experience with staff who can help with evaluations and reflection, helping to build on the skills and knowledge and experience being gained. One of the biggest aims of the programme is to encourage people to engage in society on their return and take part in many incentives to promote global healthcare solutions.

ROLE MODEL AT THE MEDICAL CAMP

You will not be expected to be a visiting Doctor who sees patients although sometimes of course misunderstanding occurs, we recommend you discuss clearly with the supervisor what you can and can't do, and also make it clear to patients that they are being seen by a student and not a qualified Doctor.

We run long term ongoing medical programmes with Moving Mountains, and also at the request of local communities and hospitals. We have worked with medical authorities in many locations to ensure ongoing continuity as well as medical co-operation with other aspects of our work, for example the children’s homes we build and run, and the satellite private clinics which serve smaller remote communities and take some of the burden off under-funded Government hospitals.