On June 7, 2023, TEAM MUTOMO (a 14-member student/faculty group from Convent of the Visitation School) and two members of the Wellness for Africa team traveled back to Ndola, Zambia, to volunteer alongside the Dominican Missionary Sisters. This return was long-awaited due to the COVID-19 pandemic - it had been four long years since we were able to make the trip!
The goal for the trip is two-part: first and foremost, to provide support for the Dominican Missionary Sisters wherever they identify the most need across their community. Additionally, the Sisters and their teams take great pride in educating the team of volunteers on their Zambian culture and lived experiences. With the Sisters' input, planning for the trip prioritizes each. We're excited to share a bit more about how these days in Ndola were spent. To provide a broad perspective of Zambian culture and day-to-day life of the community the Sisters serve, the group first set out on a walking tour of the neighboring community. Residents of this community, referred to as "the compound", have no access to running water or electricity. Their homes are made of clay bricks with dirt floors and often lack glass or screens on windows to prevent the rampant spread of malaria. Women wash clothes outdoors in buckets in water they carry more than half of a mile to access. Clothing dries on makeshift clotheslines or is draped over outdoor shrubbery. Vegetable and community gardens, maintained and shared by all, provide greens, root vegetables, melons, maze, tomatoes, and an abundance of other shared produce. Children run free and play with toys handcrafted from items such as milk cartons, string, and lids. The cohort also visited the "Barefoot Community School" run by the Sisters. This school's purpose is to provide education for students unable to afford the school uniforms and shoes mandated by all government-run schools. Students are placed in one of two classrooms all based on academic level and lasting through grade eight. Much to their surprise, the TEAM MUTOMO student volunteers saw many familiar faces here, as most of the students attending live in the compound they'd already visited. The Sisters suggested amazing projects for the TEAM MUTOMO volunteers to complete for both the school and St. Dominic's Hospital. The group painted a beautiful, colorful mural showing the alphabet on a wall of one of the classrooms at the Barefoot Community School. Similarly at St. Dominic's Hospital, they painted murals on the walls of a pediatric room to bring joy to young patients and re-painted exterior walls of the hospital that the Sisters have not had the time or resources to put towards for years. The TEAM MUTOMO volunteers then accompanied hospital staff to Outreach Clinics and aided in doing well-baby checks, observed malaria testing, and saw the distribution of HIV and AIDS medications. At St. Dominic’s Dental Clinic and St. Anthony’s Home for Vulnerable Children, a home provided by the Sisters for 85+ children, abandoned for various reasons. They also assisted Dr. Grutzner in performing dental examinations and applying fluoride treatments at both St. Dominic's Dental Clinic and St. Anthony's Home for Vulnerable Children (a home that the Sisters run for 85+ orphaned children). At the end of our stay, the TEAM MUTOMO volunteers made their way home filled with gratitude for their comfortable beds and refrigerators full of food to return to and with profound memories of the faces and community in Ndola who touched their hearts. At Wellness for Africa, we believe so strongly that the power to impact changes lies in the hands of the youth. We are so proud to join this group on their journey to lend hands in Ndola and we hope they will continue to support our work for this community in the future. In the meantime, we at WFA will continue our mission to improve lives by providing access to quality healthcare and education for those served by the Dominican Missionary Sisters. We remain forever grateful for the opportunity to work alongside them in support of their community in Ndola.
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In June 2023, the long-awaited renovation of the Radiology Department at St. Dominic’s Mission Hospital was completed and the Digital X-ray equipment was installed! The renovations were inspected and approved by the Radiation Protection Authority on June 5th and St. Dominic’s immediately began X-raying patients. It was especially exciting for the Wellness for Africa (WFA) team, as both Dr. Grutzner and I were physically in Ndola at St. Dominic’s hospital volunteering when this took place. This was a very exciting and proud day for the partnership between WFA and the Dominican Sisters as we rang in the completion of this project and our 2022 goal together. BEFORE A portable X-ray machine and the tank filled with liquid processing chemicals. After obtaining an X-ray with the old equipment, the X-Ray film was dipped into this tank to develop the image for viewing by a physician. As you can see, this equipment was extremely outdated and offered minimal protection from the chemicals in the tank for those responsible for processing films. AFTER The new digital X-ray equipment and as depicted by Dr. Grutzner from WFA, and Mr. Mwale, Head of Radiology. Together we achieved our 2022 goal!
Because of your continued generosity, we are helping improve access to modernized healthcare for more than 17,000 under served people in Ndola, Zambia January 2022, Wellness for Africa again reached out to you and other like-minded people seeking your support to fund the purchase of a modern Digital X-ray system for St. Dominic’s Mission Hospital in Ndola, Zambia. As you may recall, the Dominican Missionary Sisters operate the hospital to provide healthcare services for a population of over 17,000 people who would otherwise be unable to access or afford healthcare services. On December 7th 2022, we crossed the finish line in reaching our goal. In just eleven months, we raised $75,000. Wow! We owe this amazing accomplishment to the generosity to a community nationwide of over 70+ individuals, church groups, and the philanthropy arm of a major medical center. Next, construction to update the Radiology Department will commence, as many changes are required within the department to meet safety requirements for both patients and hospital staff. Once completed, the new X-ray equipment purchased by Wellness for Africa will be delivered and prepared for installation. Stay tuned for that exciting news! We are overwhelmed by and so grateful for the level of generosity you continue to show in offering a gift to improve the quality of life for our beloved Zambian community. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for believing in our mission! In January 2021, Wellness for Africa (WFA) reached out to you seeking your support to raise funds for the $42,000 cost to send a 40-foot shipping container of medical supplies and equipment to St. Dominic's Mission Hospital in Ndola, Zambia.
As you may recall, this hospital is operated by Dominican Missionary Sisters and provides access to basic healthcare services to more than 17,000 members of their community annually who otherwise could not afford or access medical care. On December 23rd, we successfully achieved our 2021 goal! We hit our target of raising the $42,000 shipment cost and filled the shipping container to the brim with much-needed medical supplies and equipment for St. Dominic's, valued at $548,799 in total. This was made possible by YOU and 75+ other individuals along with three Church groups nationwide. You chose to offer your support to the people of this community and for that we are eternally grateful - simply amazing! Moving forward, WFA must acknowledge the ongoing challenges the world is currently facing with COVID-19. The vaccination rate in Zambia is a mere 5%. St. Dominic’s is currently experiencing a fourth spike in hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients. The battle for members of this community to survive this Pandemic remains ongoing. COVID-19 patients require frequent chest x-rays so rapid adjustments to treatment regimens can be made. Unfortunately, St. Dominic’s Hospital is unable to reliably obtain x-rays for patients as their equipment is too archaic. It has also become increasingly difficult to purchase the supplies to process x-rays and find replacement parts to keep the equipment operational, due to global supply chain challenges. That being said, I'm excited to announce that our 2022 goal is to raise $75,000 to pay for modern Radiology equipment for St. Dominic's hospital! We so appreciate your generosity in support of our 2021 goal and, if you are able to join us again in pursuit of our next 2022 milestone, would love your support! Together we can help remove a major roadblock affecting treatment options available for COVID-19 patients at St. Dominic’s in Ndola. Please visit our GET INVOLVED page to learn more and donate. Checks can also be mailed to the address below, if preferred. If you have questions, please contact me at janelle@wellnessforafrica.org. Thank you so much for believing in the vision of Wellness for Africa! Through the kindness and generosity of the Fairview Hospital Medical Foundation, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wellness for Africa, Inc. was awarded two grants in 2021, each in the amount of $5000.00. The Grant requests were made on behalf of St. Dominic’s Mission Hospital in Ndola, Zambia. One Grant was earmarked for use toward the purchase of pharmaceutical supplies for St. Dominic’s. The timing of their receipt of grant funds could not have been more of a blessing as this small rural hospital had very few pharmaceutical supplies remaining in their pharmacy due to COVID-19. Only days before receiving the funds, St. Dominic’s Administration reached out to Wellness for Africa inquiring as to when the funds would be available because immediate assistance was needed if possible. The second Grant was earmarked for use toward the purchase of equipment for the hospital. Due to the level of extreme heat experienced during their summer months, they purchased two window air conditioners for their dental suites. Additionally, they purchased a backup energy source in the form of solar panels for use in their hospital laboratory during frequent power outages. The funds also allowed the purchased of Hysterosalpingography Instruments set to enhance the quality of diagnostics care delivered to women of childbearing age. Our team cannot begin to express the magnitude of our gratitude for having been selected to receive these funds as we work diligently to elevate the quality of life for those experiencing extreme poverty in Ndola, Zambia. Before and after photos of the Pharmacy shelves: Unpacking of equipment purchases at St. Dominic's Hospital:
Together we achieved our 2021 goal! Thanks to your generosity, we are helping improve access to modernized healthcare for more than 17,000 people in Ndola, Zambia. In January, 2021, Wellness for Africa reached out to you and other like-minded people seeking your support to fund the shipment of medical supplies and equipment to St. Dominic's Mission Hospital, Zambia, Africa. As you may recall, St. Dominic's Hospital is the main provider of healthcare for the town of Ndola, Zambia and those within a 35-mile radius. This is a community with very limited access to basic healthcare services. In partnership with the Dominican Missionary Sisters in Ndola and our generous donors (you!), Wellness for Africa has successfully coordinated a delivery valuing $548,779 of critically needed medical equipment and supplies to St. Dominic's Mission Hospital! We owe this monumental accomplishment to the generosity of 75+ individual donors and three Church groups nationwide. In just five short months, this community rallied around our 2021 mission - to raise $40,000+ to cover the cost to ship these supplies to Zambia - and made it a reality. As of September 1, the 50-foot shipping container, filled to the brim with the donated supplies, is en route to Zambia. It's expected to arrive in Africa November 7, where it will then be transported by truck to the doorstep of St. Dominic's Mission Hospital. Stay tuned! In December 2021, we achieved our 2021 our Goal. The 50-foot Medical Supply Container filled with donated supplies valued at $548,799, was placed at the doorstep of St. Dominic’s. In partnership with the Dominican Missionary Sisters in Ndola, this was made possible by the 75+ individuals and three Church groups nationwide. In closing, the Wellness of Africa team is both astounded by and so grateful for the level of generosity you have shown in offering a gift to improve the quality of life for so many in this Zambian community. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for believing in our mission. The Wellness for Africa team packing the shipping container in the fall of 2021: The shipping container's arrival to Zambia: |