FBB Support Helps FAME Bring Medical Services to Rural Tanzania

Fourth-quarter health beneficiary the Foundation for African Medicine & Education (FAME) gave us this report about how they will use the funds contributed by members of Foundation Beyond Belief. Foundation members donated $2,285 to FAME last quarter.

On behalf of the Foundation for African Medicine & Education (FAME), we would like to sincerely thank the membership of Foundation Beyond Belief for your incredibly generous support. We deeply appreciate your obvious commitment to making quality medical care accessible to vulnerable populations in rural East Africa. For seven years now, FAME’s focus has been on rural Tanzania, where there is an acute shortage of qualified health care workers and well-resourced medical facilities. In fact, a 2004 USAID/Tanzania report states that eight out of ten children who die, die at home–six of them without any contact with formal health services. Partnering with like-minded organizations, FAME operates an outpatient clinic and diagnostic facility, as well as a mobile medical service in the District of Karatu, a rural area in Northern Tanzania. Further expansion is scheduled for this year, with the opening of a small hospital with operating room capabilities. In 2010 alone, FAME accomplished many things, including the following:

•    Almost 8,000 patients were treated at our small outpatient clinic
•    Patient numbers continue to grow, with our Maasai population increasing tenfold over the last two years.
•    Another 4,800 patients were treated by our Mobile Medical Team
•    Health education and community outreach was delivered to 18 villages in the most remote parts of the district.
•    One medical student and two nursing students were sponsored at educational institutions in Tanzania

Our accomplishments are the direct result of the intentional giving of people like YOU! Your fourth-quarter giving alone, in the amount of $2,285, covered FAME’s costs (salaries, labs, and medicine) to treat 64 children diagnosed with malaria and another 88 children diagnosed with pneumonia. For the same amount, FAME could treat 550 children suffering from intestinal worms. As you can see, your contributions go a very long way. We join with the people of Tanzania in saying asante sana, thank you, for your commitment to making quality medical care accessible to the people of rural Tanzania.