Happy Holidays, Friends!
A world of hope…peace…love…joy. That is my wish for you—and for all people—this holiday season. Together, we celebrate the possibility of a world free of war and injustice.
Each year, we at the Friends Women’s Association know that whether people around the world remember and celebrate the miracle of the burning oil, the birth of the “prince of peace,” or light returning to the world, the annual holiday season calls us to reclaim and give voice to this dream for the world. Here in Kamenge we work every day through challenges and obstacles to make the dream real in the lives of women and children.
This holiday season, you can make a unique contribution to our work. With our recent accreditation as a Centre du Sante, we are in the process of expanding our medical services to include pre- and peri-natal care, skilled attendants at delivery, minor surgeries, and a mobile HIV testing unit. We will also conduct a baseline health survey of the Kamenge community and implement an electronic medical records system that will allow us to better track patient and population health.
Claire Kamugisha and Gisele Misago are two of our nurses and are critical to this work. Since Claire began working with FWA in 2003, she has personally provided consultation to over 7,000 patients. She is also in charge of planning how mothers and newly identified HIV+ patients from our expansion will be incorporated into our psychosocial programs (home visits, microfinance, gardening, and nutrition programs).
Gisele has only been a member of the FWA staff for one year, but is one of the most well-known faces to our patients. She lives only a block away from the FWA clinic and responds to patients seeking medical attention in the middle of the night. She also coordinates the procurement of medical supplies and equipment, ensuring that we don’t face a stock rupture of critically needed medications or materials.
This holiday season, your contribution to the Friends Women’s Association will help us raise $6,000 to support staff members like Claire and Gisele. FWA’s staff members are faces of hope in Kamenge. They give their time, energy, and love to help women improve their health and well-being. Yet the cost of living in Bujumbura has gone beyond what we are currently able to pay them. This is our opportunity to give back to the people who provide so much hope, love, peace, and joy to the population of Kamenge.
In honor of your support, if you make a donation of $25 or more this holiday season, we’ll send you or your loved one a holiday card handmade by a local income generating project for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Donations can be made by clicking here. This site will take you to the Friends Peace Team’s giving website “Just Give.” Please make sure you “Designate Your Donation” to “FWA Clinic” and include you or your loved one’s name and address so we know where to send your card! Checks should be made out to “Friends Peace Teams/AGLI” with a memo notation of “FWA Clinic” and sent to 1001 Park Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63104.
With many thanks and holiday wishes,
Me and the rest of the FWA Staff
