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Welcome to International Health Partners TZ and International Health Partners - US INC.

 

General answers to common questions are available on the FAQ page of this site.

 

If you are interested in volunteering at IHP-TZ in Tanzania, please fill out our Volunteer application .  I will help us match up skills, needs and availabilities.

 

Dear Friends,

 

Mary Ellen Kitundu writing:

Well, this is kind of a weather and farm report this month.

 

The rains have finally stopped in Mwanza, but Mwanza has a different pattern of rain than the rest of Tanzania because of Lake Victoria.  It creates its own weather system.  We expect rains again in March.

 

The two major crops in this area are rice and cotton.  Of course people have little fields of corn and beans also.

 

Many people grow pigs as a cash crop.  This month, many, many pigs were sold.  Why?  Because this is the month that school fees are due.  Expenses in December are high with the many holidays followed by the dreaded month of January.

 

Some farmers have donated some money designated only for building a screen in shelter for the many volunteers who come to help construct the hospital buildings.  They hate bugs and mosquitoes.

 

So we are on our second week of building this shelter.  You can see on the picture the center pole...which took all day to position and cement in place.  The roof will have a Sukuma Thatched roof made of long grass, bamboo and sisal wood.  The man who will thatch it is a famous thatcher and the last of his generation.  He cannot read, write his name, speak English or Swahili, but gets lots of work because he is so good at thatching roofs.  Even the famous Sukuma Museum has employed him for his skills.  We will be taking pictures of this project as it progresses.

 

A generous donation will enable us to purchase professional institutional washers.  In the meantime, we purchased a smaller washer to begin washing the laundry of the wards.  The Maasai guards (most of whom come from small villages) were very interested in that machine.  Many of them had never heard of a machine to wash the clothes.  It was a grand occasion with many people checking out that washing machine and asking many questions about it.

 

So that brings us to the question: what do you do when Paula and Denny are fundraising?  We paint, repair, do accounts, and prepare for all the groups coming to Mwanza this coming year.  We service the generators, change security lights and....recruit more staff.  With the coming of the x ray and hiring a lab technician, a pharmacy technician, an experienced surgeon and assistant medical officer plus nurses, we will soon be ready to open the Bogamil Birthing Center and the Patricia Ward as well as the Laundry.  We will also be able to apply to be a full-fledged hospital.  Does that mean we are done? By no means, there are still 20 buildings to build and all the work that goes with that.  Thanks to the generous donors, we continue to work seven days a week.

 

Thanks you for keeping the hospital in your hearts and your prayers for us as we struggle to continue.

 

Thankfully, Mary Kitundu, President, International Health Partners

 

Selemani Shabani writing:

Keeping in mind that it is Blessing that you are enjoying and that you are Blessed to be a Blessing to someone else, and He will continue to fill your life with immeasurable love, Joy and Peace.  Your value, your gifts and talents have been put in you by Almighty GOD!!!   e have to understand that, God will never put dream in your heart without first equipping you with everything you need to accomplish it.  We have the necessary wisdom, talent, ability or resources, simply we have to remind ourselves, God has matched us/you with our/your world.  He has already put in me and you what i need and what you need.

 

Every one of us is Blessed and has many talents, gifts and values.  I am taking this opportunity to thank everyone of you for the talents, gifts and your values your sharing with IHP.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR KINDNESS.

 

We don’t have much going on, we are painting Paula's house and we are building a place for our volunteer to eat behind Lucy's house, we named that place, will be called Food Square.  This Food square will be done in two weeks from now.  Again thank you for all the help you are giving to IHP.

 

Selemani Shabani, Project Manager, IHP-Tz

 

Den Lofstrom writing:

February 2, 2012.

We are now in Oxnard, CA where we have headquartered for the past four days.  We go out daily for presentations and meetings with interest parties or individuals in nearby locations.  We have backtracked to Santa Barbara to visit with Lois Okerstrom, a missionary friend from my earlier 1958-62 stint in Tanganyika and her husband, Amel Olson.

 

This brings to mind the development of technologies that have drastically changed and enhanced our mode of operation since then.  Email, of course, has made a big convenient difference, but over and beyond that is the ability to Skype with Mary Ellen Kitundu, IHP’s President, and Selemani Shabani, our Project Manager, which we have been doing twice a day.  The only limitations have been when we are travelling or when they are without electric power.  Still, this, compared to the one-to-three month turnaround communication time of the 1950-60s with the Board of World Missions in the U.S.A., is quite an amazing improvement.

 

Because of these technologies, we have been able to continue our construction program unabated while we are fund raising in the U.S.

 

The Nyakato Clinic, of course, continues as always seeing 100-150 patients a day with Dr. Bon or Dr. Msengi, and other staff under the continuing supervision of Mary Ellen.  We do not, however, have medical students or medical specialty teams scheduled while we are in the U.S. fundraising.  Otherwise, the work goes on, thanks to your continuing interest and support. God’s blessings on all of you!

 

Paula writing:

To date Den and I have done 88 presentations telling the story of IHP, our progress, our plans, our hopes and dreams.  We’ve asked for donations to help build the buildings, and people to come help.  We’ve asked people to physically come help, to give service, and to see for themselves what IHP is doing and to come become part of the project.  We have had amazing responses.

 

So far, we have 144 volunteers, medical students, nursing students on the planner for 2012.  It’s going to be a busy season.  Students will learn about medical care in Tanzania.  Volunteers will help move things along with their skills.  The generator and x-ray units will be installed.  The birthing center will be opening full-time.  The Patricia Ward will serve for after-hours urgent care.  The Maternal and Child Health unit in the clinic will function to give pre-natal care, well-baby checks, and to offer family planning information.

 

Nyakato Health Center now has four full-time clinicians, and with, MCH nurses, nurse/midwives, a lab tech and pharmacy tech, and with all the specialist doctors and dentists coming this season, we will be able to provide more care than ever for our patients.  Add to that the generator and digital x-ray unit coming this year, we’ll soon be able to apply for hospital status.

 

Thank you for helping to make all of this possible.  There are no big grants.  What is being accomplished at Nyakato Health Center comes through your donations, your prayers, your support however it is given.

 

We need 150 people to pledge $100 a month to make our operating budget of $15,000 a month.

Or, we need 300 people to pledge $50 a month.

Or, we need 600 people to pledge $25 a month.

 

Remember, IHP-US is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation and your gifts are tax deductible.

 

At this point we have 88 people who donate regularly. It’s obvious, we need your help.  It is your pledges that make us able to budget, to hire new construction staff, and to buy supplies.  Please send your pledge, or whatever you can to:

 

International Health Partners, US & TZ

Joyce Zemel, Treasurer

1811 So. 39^th St. #36

Mesa, AZ   85206

 

Or, go to our website, www.ihptz.org and click on Just Give!

 

Please note: The attached pictures are viewable on the normal monthly update page.