waff 2015 trip report
TRANSCRIPT
WAFF 2015
WAFF THANKS YOU
Our new facility at Kakua
Our first kitchen tent donated by Doctors without Borders
Tent converted to triage area
Paul Robinson getting temperature checked
Now a temporary kitchen
Great food no matter where we cook!
Even the cook is going to taste it
We serve great chicken to the patients
We sure needed some electricity and thanks to the donors for the generator
We must take care of it though
Paul says let’s build it a home
Great, room for a back up generator, workshop area and a store room
Elijah oversees the electrical work
Scaffolding comes in handy
Let us get down to business and do what we came here to do and that is HELP THE PEOPLE. Tear out
the walls and build an operating theatre.
Walls removed and a very comfortable operating theatre with the first patient on the table. Great
job Paul and associates!!!
Wow how wonderful!!!
Nice to have electricity and oxygen saturation machine since we do not have access to oxygen in
the country
Now have a modern machine that determines one’s blood count.
Now let us bring the patients to their new home and see if we can fix them. They are now part of
our family.
Matron Aminata Swaray ready for admissions
Samuela and Fatmata have the beds, gowns and flowers ready for the ladies
Get comfortable and have some flowers next to our bed. Do I see a cell phone?
I’m ready and what are you folks waiting on?
Janet says you are welcome to the Julia ward which has 12 beds at present.
You are welcome to the Maria ward (16 more beds). Sisters that started the prettypurposeful.org
foundation and are supporters.
Dr. Mannah with Fatmata and Samuela
Robert is ready also. Always with that smile.
Time for PPE (personal protective equipment.
Robert do not spray me in the face.
Might lose a little weight if I do this much.
Patients passing the time with making beads to resale.
These beads are beautiful!
Fatmata, Memuna and Marian getting food for the patients. 3 meals a day.
This food is a must to help us get better and heal. We also get fe, vitamins, zinc and other nutrients.
Oops! Where did that oil come from? Where is Paul????
Thank God for Paul and his folks (Kabba). We have only one operating table. (Only 2 ½ hrs downtime)
Dr. Mannah with John Mansary our anesthetist and a Amie carrying her urine bag post op.
Grandma has only been wet for 44 years!!!! She will gladly carry her urine bag for 2 weeks.
In the meantime. Timothy has a job to do as he has a lot of pride in how his hospital looks. Look
out for the cobras!
Paul, Juana and our administrator Benedict are busy making sure we are frugal to the penny.
Elijah is giving Paul receipts for every expenditure and they are scrutinized. Maintenance on the vehicles and generators are meticulously done
regularly.
Dr. Mannah takes time out to play with one of the many babies that come and stay with their
mother.
I’m happy to be with my mother who is also happy. Wow we all are happy!!
Marian with one of the patients’ baby.
To and from the hospital we see many different sites. Wondering where he is going?
Probably not going to have as much fun as these creative boys had building this car out of a oil can
and lids.
High dollar toy here!!!!
What about these high dollar toys. A worn out tire and a stick. Bigga and Morrison here.
Freedom has been around for a long time and looks like he is being taken care of by many. No
problem here.
A few weeks have gone by and they are doing well with their foleys and urine bags. Posing for a friend
Paul Burke, District Fire Chief I recently met with the Boston Fire Department that was the Chief
during the Boston bombing.
Two of our patients have been ministering to our patients and this was a Sunday morning service.
Jinnah, Grandma, Mamie and Amie are all participating in the service all run by the patients
Janet in her pretty Sierra Leonean dress on a Sunday morning.
BoBo and Bigga do not seem to have much to worry about. Pretty content I would say.
This young man seemed very happy he got a lift from a friend.
A waste basket full of bladder catheters. We must have some happy patients!!!
Very happy young ladies and how have they bonded and did not know each other until a few
weeks ago. Happy to have their life back.
Oops someone is DRY!!!
Another plus many more and thanks to all the donors for giving to our organization to make this
possible!!!!
Now ready to go home wearing normal dry clothes.
Guess who is also happy? This is Grandma dancing with Dr. Mannah.
Now it is time for Grandma to go back to the village where she has been shunned, ostracized and destitute for 44 years to inform them she is
DRY!!!!
Look what she is going in. The beautiful land cruiser that our donors provided her with to ride.
Nurse Jeneba is spending hours with the patients and giving them booklets with pictures to help
them understand what caused and how to prevent Fistulas. Education is the key!!!!
Mamie and her son are happy to be going home.
Abigail and Memuna (former patient) help with our skills training.
We pray that education reaches this young lady before it is too late.
Look to the left next to water tank. Paul is starting on the kitchen that is going to be the best out door kitchen in Sierra Leone for his patients.
Now we know where to go.
Our Mantra
Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the
world…..Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead
All that is needed for evil to prevail is that good men do nothing
On a solemn note “EBOLA”
The most resilient people in the World!!!!!
We will not relent. We must go on regardless. For why are we
on this earth. There is no greater joy than helping our
fellow man.
West Africa Fistula wants to say thank you to all our friends,
donors and supporters.Darius R. Maggi M.D.
www.westafricafistulafoundation.org