medical

An Amazing Week In Health

It’s been an amazing time in the lives of many of the poor and sick in Oyugis in the last few months, in the last few weeks! And what has made it so amazing? 

YOU! 

It was your support to our medical fund that made it all possible. Thank You!!!

It was just a few weeks ago when Sonko, our amazing volunteer in Kenya was at the hospital with a person suffering with pneumonia when he overheard the nurses talking about three-year-old Joram.

Joram had been left at the hospital 5 days earlier. Her father had abandoned her, her mother rarely visited and no one was treating the large open wound on her thigh because there was no money to pay. It also meant she hadn’t eaten for awhile. Sonko bought food for the child and paid to cover her medical expenses from Olalo's Medical program and Community Support for her food and water. 

While he was still there, Sonko met a young mother of 3-month-old twin boys who were both admitted into the hospital, but again, no money, so they weren’t being treated. Just the week before, this mother had lost another child although we don’t know why. One of the twins, Denis, was suffering with malaria, the other, Evance severe malnutrition. Sonko immediately paid for the twins’ care, but sadly it ended up being too late for Evance who died later that day. Denis is recovering and getting stronger.

And then there is 17-year-old Alex. Alex was brought to the hospital by a person who saw him get run over by a passing motorcycle while walking to school. He broke off a tooth and was having pain in his chest area. He had no money so he didn’t want to go, but the person who rescued him insisted on dropping him at the hospital. When they discovered he had no money, they would not treat him. Sonko heard about him and immediately paid for his medical care out of Olalo's Medical funds.

These are just three stories and there are more…all within hours and within days. Injuries, disease, accidents and illness – all with one thing in common…they received urgent medical care because YOU cared enough to give to our Urgent Medical Needs Project. 

On behalf of Olalo of Hope-Kenya and all the family and loved ones of our patients, and future patients because of your continued support, I thank you!  Your generosity is saving lives.

We can't do it without you!

Nyasaye Ogwedhi!
Merry Broughal
Olalo of Hope-Kenya

Getting a Ride to Health & Life

I want to personally thank everyone who has joined with Olalo to purchase transportation for our Medical program in Oyugis. 

We still have a long way to go and we will continue to raise the necessary funds to purchase a van. It may not be a glamorous or exciting project, but we continue because it is a noble cause. 

In just the last four months, 35% of our medical costs have paid for car/van rentals to get those in need of urgent medical care to the hospital for treatment. Thirty five percent…money that could have been used to cover the medical or medication costs of an additional 18-25 people.

A recent video from Kenya highlights the transportation need to get people to medical help. Olalo volunteer, Sonko, has traveled 3 hours away to check on a mother and son who have been ill for quite awhile.  The mother is having chest pain and the son is having vision problems and cannot see well.

The vehicles Olalo has access to rent aren’t always the most reliable or in good mechanical order. The car in the video doesn’t have lights that work well and they are in doubt of even making the three-hour drive back home to Oyugis that evening. 

On occasion, people we help are referred to Kisumu or Nairobi for more specialized treatment. During trips into the cities, the van would be used to transport other paying passengers who need to travel there for other purposes. It is a much-needed service and would help to offset costs of running the van.

We certainly appreciate your continued support of our efforts. Thank you all for sticking with us.

Coming up in just a few weeks the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has generously provided $500,000 in matching funds for #GivingTuesday on Global Giving!

  • The 2016 #GivingTuesday campaign will begin November 29th, 2016, at 00:00:01 EST and end at 23:59:59 EST on November 29th, 2016. (For us west coast folks, that is 9:00:01PM on 11/28 and ending at 8:59:59 on 11/28.)
  • The campaign will run on GlobalGiving.org  Our Van project is located here
  • There will be $500,000 USD in matching funds on #GivingTuesday, applied at 50% to all donations of up to $1,000 USD per unique donor per organization to eligible projects while funds last.
  • The previous 50% match bonus day for $110,000 ran out in the first few minutes…so if you plan to donate, then it’s best to do it right at 9:00:01 PM on November 28 for us on the west coast.

Your generous contributions are bringing so many people to better health and saving lives!

With Much Appreciation,
Merry Broughal
Olalo of Hope-Kenya

Medical Program Update

It’s been a busy few months for Olalo getting the ill to the hospital for treatment and medications, and MANY THANKS to YOU, we were able to offer assistance to everyone coming to our attention who needed help.

There were many of the usual cases…typhoid, malaria and upper respiratory infections, (our most common illnesses), but then we came across someone diagnosed with an amoeba.

According to Harvard Health at drugs.com, “About 10% of the world's population is infected with amoebas, particularly people who live in Mexico, India, Central America, South America, Africa and the tropical areas of Asia.”

An amoeba is a parasite that causes infection in the large intestine. It can live there without causing much damage until it gets into the wall of the large intestine and causes ulcers, bleeding and other symptoms. It can travel to the liver causing additional symptoms including fever, severe pain and worse.

Most people get the parasite by consuming unwashed fruits or vegetables, produce grown in contaminated soil and general unsanitary conditions.

Our gentleman with the amoeba also had contracted both malaria and typhoid as well, leading to his need to spend 5.5 days in the hospital for treatment. Had this occurred here in the US, I’m not sure we’d have the funds to get him the needed treatment and pay for his hospital bill. But since it was in Kenya, the hospital charges amounted to a grand total of $116.87.


THIS is exactly why we get excited about our medical fund and we hope you do, too! 


With your support, Olalo is able to help countless people- children and adults in Oyugis when the need for urgent medical care arises and they have no money to get help.

Thank you for making this all possible! Thank you for the healings that can take place and the lives that are saved! Thank you!

Merry Broughal, Project Leader
Olalo of Hope-Kenya

YOU are Saving Lives in Kenya - Thank You!

On behalf of the many children, women and men that received urgent medical care in just the last month…and from Olalo of Hope-Kenya, we want to say THANK YOU! Your generous donations allowed Olalo of Hope-Kenya to provide the funds needed to get the urgent medical care for those who would otherwise go without due to their poverty.

Malaria, typhoid, diabetes, asthma, injuries, intestinal viruses...all diagnosed and treated in May, and most are on the road to recovery. None of this would have been possible without the generosity of our supporters...without YOU!

Most times the need for urgent medical care comes to Olalo through others who are aware of the need. Sometimes, it just happens. 

Like the day one of Olalo volunteers was talking with the pharmacist about our vitamin distribution plan when a woman runs in struggling to breathe. Gasping for breath, she pleaded for something to help but was told they couldn’t give her anything without permission from a doctor. In despair she said she had no money for a doctor. Our volunteer got her in a cab, brought her to the hospital and covered the cost of the cab, the hospital and the medication. 

Sometimes, it just happens. 


We are thankful he was in the right place at the right time, and because Olalo had the funds to get her help…that is all because of You and your generosity!

On June 15, GlobalGiving is running a campaign to match donations given online that day by 50%! If you would like to contribute to Olalo of Hope-Kenya to our medical, education or computer lab projects, check it out! It’s a great way to increase your donation without increasing your costs!

Thank you for joining with us at Olalo of Hope-Kenya to save lives and improve the health of those in need of urgent medical care!

With much appreciation….
Merry Broughal, Project Leader
Olalo of Hope-Kenya