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2014 FICCS Kenya Report

Prepared By

Stacy Harris

FICCS/Managing Director

3/1/2015

End of Year Report Building Strong Women, Building Strong

Families and Building Strong Communities

Nairobi, Kenya

FICCS (Foundation for International Cardiac & Children’s Services)

1010 Sheridan Road Wilmette, IL 60091 224-875-1631 info@ficcs.net www.ficcs.net

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Mission Statement

FICCS is dedicated to improving the healthcare and education infrastructure for at risk populations in East Africa, focusing on the needs of women and children.

“I was getting ready to get married (at age 16) when FICCS came to my rural area (Magadi) and talked to my father. To my disbelief, they

convinced him to let me train with them in Nairobi so I could get skills to help provide for my family. Now my father does not look at me as a burden

and all the girls back home want to be like me. I thank God everyday for saving my life and giving me a chance to do what I want to do.”

Celestine Mainka, Member of the Shompole Group Ranch Maasai

“The feeding program has promoted the school enrollment and as well as improved the living standard of the children. The sanitary pads have made the girls to remain in the classes and has stopped regular absenteeism.”

Ayub Shimaka, Director of Ramah Care Center in the slums of Nairobi

Dr. Patel Trains Cardiologist in Kenya

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Part One: Overview 4 -6 a. Core Values

b. Our Team

c. Objectives

d. Our History

e. Managing Director’s Report

2. Part Two: Program Information – East Africa 7 - 8 a. Women’s Center

b. Health and Fitness Training

c. Scholarships

d. Feeding and Nutrition Program

e. Medical Camps

f. Disabled Orphans

g. Cardiovascular Care

h. Medical Equipment and Health Supplies Donations

3. Part Three: Our Stories 9 - 10 a. Rebecca Maundu

b. Caroline Akinyi

c. Naomi Wayua

d. Celestine Mainka

e. Elizabeth Siyiantei

f. Isabella Asenwah

g. Magda Harris

h. Lucy Adhiambo

4. Part Four: General Management 11 a. Administration

b. Human Resources

c. Corporate Partners

d. Donations

Changing Lives in Kenya

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Part One: Overview

Core Values

To help train, educate and improve lives of at risk populations in East Africa, focusing on the needs of women and children. Our goal is to reduce easily preventable diseases and promote sustainable health and development solutions for vulnerable and impoverished communities in East Africa.

Our Team

Dr. Parag V. Patel, Founder and President Dr. Patel is the Director of Cardiology Fellowship and Coronary Intensive Care Unit at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL. Dr. Patel, born in Kenya, graduated from University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Des Moines, Iowa and began his missionary services to Kenya in the 1980’s

Stacy Harris, Managing Director Stacy graduated from Colgate University in 1988 where he played football with Dr. Patel. He has been working and living in Kenya since 2006 and oversees all FICCS programs in East Africa.

Millicent Ila, Program Manager Millicent is a certified Kenyan nurse who manages our Women’s Center in Nairobi and teaches health classes. Millicent graduated from Kenya Medical Training College.

Caroline Akinyi, Assistant Program Manager Caroline teaches computers and life skills classes and helps coordinate all of the Women’s Center programs and activities. She received a FICCS scholarship 2011 and received a diploma in Early Childhood Education.

Rebecca Maundu, Outreach Coordinator. Rebecca teaches health classes and

provides support for our outreach activities. Rebecca is a student at Kenya Medical Training College where she received a scholarship from FICCS in 2011.

Peter Ole Tingai, Rural Programs Coordinator, Peter oversees all of our rural Maasai

programs and he is an elder in the Shompole Group Ranch Maasai community in Shompole, Kenya. Peter has been with FICCS since 2011.

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Objectives

Promote sustainable healthcare solutions for impoverished communities in East Africa through training, research and education and reduce malnutrition and easily preventable diseases.

• Reduce easily preventable diseases • Increase access to healthcare, medicines and immunizations • Increase access to state of the art medical equipment and services • Reduce malnutrition and stunted growth

Our History

In 1995 Dr. Parag V. Patel’s family started Global FICS in Kenya to support disadvantaged patients and children in Nairobi. In 2003, Dr. Patel began conducting charity catheterization procedures and training for East African cardiologist.

To date, Dr. Patel has performed over 60 consecutive successful charity cardiac catheterization procedures and has trained dozens of East African cardiologist, nurses and biomedical engineers. In 2006, Dr. Patel performed the first successful Bi Vent pacemaker installation in Kenya at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. In addition, over 200 patients have received donated pacemakers.

In 2010, FICCS partnered with Aqualia Foundation and began introducing programs to empower young women and children in rural and slum communities of Kenya. The program has proven extremely successful with over 350 young women participating in health training, nutrition, fitness and computer classes and scholarships.

• 4 Nursing College scholarships • 2 Teaching College scholarships • 15 Primary boarding school scholarships • 4 Boarding High School scholarships • 1 B.S. in Psychology scholarship • 1 Physiotherapy College scholarship • 3 Interns at FICCS Women’s Center (2 sewing school scholarships)

In 2014, FICCS opened its own Women’s Center in Nairobi to make the program more sustainable. FICCS runs a feeding and basic medical supply and sanitary pad support program for over 3000 women and children living in extreme poverty. FICCS also provides charity cardiac services in Chicago for the uninsured.

FICCS Team Visits Maasai in Magadi, Kenya

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Managing Director’s Report – Stacy Harris

2014 was our best year ever. After four years of hard work and due diligence we finally managed to open our own facility. In May 2014, we opened the FICCS Women’s Center located strategically in the slums of Nairobi so we could better cater to the needs of the women and children we service, including providing daily meals.

I always noticed that the girls typically had to walk two hours each way just to get back and forth to school or to programs they were involved with. Although I admired their determination, they continually had problems. But since they could not afford to take a bus, they had to walk miles each day because this was their only hope to get out of the slums. On top of that, they never had food to eat and when they would get home after such a long day, they were saddled with numerous chores ranging from fetching water to taking care of their younger siblings. I kept thinking, “How do they do this?”

So Dr. Patel and I decided that in order to give these young women the best chance to succeed we need to have our own center in an area where they can get to easily. As a result, the FICCS Women’s Center was opened so now the girls no longer have to walk through dangerous areas nor do they have to cross four lane highways just to succeed.

The joy from the girls was immediate and the center provides a sustainable solution to their most pressing needs. Even though they have an immense desire to succeed, with so many obstacles in life, only a few are able to keep up with the rigorous demands of getting to school and programs. We have eliminated their biggest obstacle.

But this was not enough. Thanks to the support of my wife, we opened a kitchen within the center so we now cook breakfast, lunch and snacks for the afternoon. No more going home hungry and wondering what or if you will have a meal. For many girls, this is the only food they will have for the day so it is not only inspiring but it is a necessity.

Managing Director, Stacy Harris and the Women’s Center Staff

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Part Two: Program Information – East Africa

a. Women’s Center

The Women’s Center, which opened in May 2014, is located in the slums of Nairobi. It provides health, fitness, nutrition, computer, job and life skill training to underserved women. It also provides a safe and secure environment for the women to learn and grow. The Center helps eliminate obstacles such as discrimination; lack of security and it even provides a free daily meal.

b. Health and Fitness Training

The Center provides a yearlong health and fitness program designed to provide young women with skills necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The training includes CPR, first aid, yoga and much more. It also provides the women with new skills that they can share with their family, friends and community. But most of all, the training boosts their self-esteem and confidence.

c. Scholarships

Scholarships have proven to be very rewarding for the girls. Getting out of the slums and the generational poverty requires a good education. To date, FICCS has provided 15 primary school scholarships to Maasai girls who otherwise would be married off to older men. We have provided 4 Nursing scholarships; 3 boarding Highs School scholarships and 2 ECE Teaching scholarships. 2 Maasai girls (pictured right) started internships at the Center, which include computer and sewing classes.

d. Feeding and Nutrition Program

The feeding program expanded in 2014 and now provides a daily meal to nearly 1000 young women and children. In addition, the program includes cooking classes (pictured left), which provide the young women with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide healthy meals for themselves and their families. Women in the slums routinely eat unhealthy which leads to easily preventable diseases and promotes unhealthy lifestyles.

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e. Medical Camps

In 2014, FICCS provided free medical camps for over 200 women and children who otherwise would not have received these services. Dr. Kavi Patel (pictured right) engineered free dental exams for women and children in the slums and medical exams were provided for the women at the center. Dr. Patel provided CPR training.

f. Disabled Orphans

Our newest partner is CHDF, a program that caters to disabled orphans (pictured left). In 2014, FICCS provided CHDF with food, medical, hygiene and sanitary supplies, dental and medical support and clothes and school supplies. Orphans in Africa are literally discarded like trash because they are seen as curses by God or too much of a burden for the already overwhelmed families.

g. Cardiovascular Care

In 2014, Dr. Patel and visiting medical workers provided 8 successful charity cardiac catheterization procedures at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. Kenyatta is the only public hospital in Kenya that provides these services. All patients received donated pacemakers.

h. Medical Equipment and Health Supplies Donations

To date, FICCS has donated over $2 million USD worth of state of the art medical equipment, medical supplies and medicines to needy hospitals and clinics in East Africa. In 2014, FICCS donated over $300,000 worth of medical equipment and supplies including pacemakers, defibrillators and other medical equipment. Other donations included first aid supplies, food and over 2000 sanitary pads. Without pads the women and girls often miss school or work and they ultimately use unsanitary means, which lead to infections.

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Part Three: Our Stories

Rebecca Maundu, 23

Rebecca (pictured right with Dr. Patel) is in the final year of a FICCS nursing college scholarship. She is also working as a health teacher at the newly opened women’s center. At school she has helped deliver babies and is grateful to be able to give back to the girls at the FICCS Center that live in her community.

Caroline Akinyi Onyango, 23

Caroline (pictured right) is our first FICCS graduate. She graduated from Premese Montessori Early Childhood Education Teaching College in May and is now working as our Assistant Manager at the Women’s Center. Caroline teaches computers and provides life skills support. She is also in charge of the after school program for children.

Naomi Wayua, 21

When Naomi’s mother passed away she had to take care of her 5 younger siblings and did not know what her future would hold. Naomi (pictured right) is in the 2nd year of a FICCS nursing scholarship and now she looks forward to a brighter future.

Celestine “Nasha” Mainka, 17

Celestine (pictured right) was our first FICCS primary school scholarship in 2010. When she graduated 8th grade, after 4 years on scholarship, she was set to be married off to an elderly man, which is the tradition of the Maasai communities. After intervention by FICCS, Celestine started an internship at the Women’s Center and is currently studying computers and sewing. She has become an inspiration for her entire community and looks forward to opening her own business one day.

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Elizabeth Siyiantei, 18

Elizabeth (pictured right with her family) was also scheduled to be married off just like her fellow Maasai Celestine. In Maasai culture, girls have little value so a father typically believes that educating her is fruitless because she is being trained to take care of her future husband. Elizabeth is now at the Women’s Center and is also studying sewing and computer while she prepares herself for a new future.

Isabella Asenwah, 27

Due to the great need for psychological counseling, Isabella (pictured right/middle) was awarded a B.S. scholarship to study counseling at the University of Nairobi. The trauma of living in the slums is often equated to that of a soldier and on top of this there are no services available for treatment. Isabella provides weekly counseling and training at the Center with the goal of equipping the girls with skills so they can go and help others in their community.

Magda Harris, 28

Magda (pictured right holding a cake she baked) was awarded the 2014 FICCS Volunteer of the Year Award. Magda teaches cooking, life skills and provides emotional support for the women in the programs due to her knowledge of the girls needs. She has been volunteering with FICCS since 2010 and she is also the wife of our Managing Director.

Lucy Adhiambo, 21

Lucy (pictured right) is in the first year of a FICCS nursing scholarship. Her desire to become a nurse came after she witnessed her friends dying of easily preventable diseases such as malaria, typhoid and cholera because they did not know what to do. At first, she was denied entrance to nursing college because she did not have school fees, but after volunteering her journey to college soon began.

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Part Four: General Management

Administrative

FICCS has offices in USA and Kenya which helps provide efficient services for our entire program needs. A team of volunteers provides services ranging from accounting to medical support and training.

Human Resources

FICCS has a new team of Kenyan employees overseeing the women’s center and they provide our on the ground health and educational training and administration. The team consists of a Program Manager, Assistant Program Manager, Outreach Coordinator, Counselor and a Rural Programs Coordinator.

Corporate Partners

To keep expenses at a minimum, yet continually providing high quality services, FICCS relies on corporate partners to offset costs of things such as medicines and medical supplies. Corporate partners allow FICCS to provide Western standard medical care for poor and disadvantaged communities in East Africa.

Programs

Due diligence, project assessment and monitoring and evaluation are parts of the FICCS oversight of its interests in East Africa. Each program partner is carefully monitored to ensure they comply with proper charity rules and regulations. All scholarship candidates are carefully screened and evaluated to ensure the best results. All accounts are fully audited and comply with federal regulations

Donations

To make a financial contribution please visit our website at www.ficcs.net

Report compiled by Stacy Harris/Managing Director