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