Olalo Van Update
Hello Olalo Van Supporters!
We are making progress on getting the funds for an Olalo Van for Oyugis and we have YOU to thank for supporting us!
Though making headway has stalled a bit, we are still forging ahead to purchase an Olalo Van which will be used for saving the lives of the sick. Our Kenyan volunteers are still paying transportation costs to get the sick to the hospital for medical care. Through just six weeks this summer, Olalo covered the hospital/medication bills for 10 people and also paid and extra $200 in transportation costs to get four of them to the hospital. (Ambulances don’t exist).
An Olalo Van can be used for a variety of purposes in addition to our medical program. One of those is to offer transportation twice a week to nearby cities. In Kenya, Matatus (vans) are used to provide public transportation to nearby cities. There are many services that aren’t available in Oyugis town, so citizens regularly travel to neighboring small cities for many purposes.
Using the Olalo van for this purpose just twice a week will not only save the money we spend for taxis, it will also provide funds for medical needs, van gas/upkeep and other basic needs for the people of Oyugis. The need for reliable transportation is huge and we don’t anticipate any lack of need for this additional service.
On an average week, using the van twice a week for travelers would raise enough profit to cover:
- 280 tests for malaria,
- 10 days of antibiotics for 94 people,
- 23 x-rays or
- 140 doctor consult fees.
A little goes such a l-o-n-g way!
Your past support for the Olalo Van is very much appreciated! Thank you! Thank you!
If you would like to continue to support our campaign for the Olalo Van, there is an upcoming opportunity to increase any donation by 30% when given on September 21 through GlobalGiving, who is sponsoring the bonus day. Here’s how it works:
“Online donations of up to $1,000 per unique donor are eligible to be matched at 30%, while funds last. The $60,000 available in matching funds will be divided into two equal pots. Those pots — of $30,000 each — will be available as matching funds beginning at 03:00:01 am Pacific Time and 9:00:01 am Pacific Time respectively. Having two release times will allow GlobalGiving to accommodate our nonprofit partners in different time zones. All matching will end at 23:59:59 EDT on September 21st, or when funds run out.”
Thank you for considering continued support for the Olalo Van. Matching funds do run out quickly, so if you plan to make a donation, do so at either of the two times listed above.
Whether you choose to make another donation or not, please know you are highly valued by Olalo of Hope-Kenya and You are making a difference in the lives of the poor in Africa! We couldn't do it without YOU! Thank you!
Merry Broughal, Project Leader
Olalo of Hope-Kenya
