The evening of Thursday 6 October 2022 brought reunions and an exchange of knowledge and stories at De Houtmaat in Hengelo. The talks offered insights into the work contributed by many people and the results achieved so far.
The room brought together people volunteering a wide range of expertise for Tanzania, including finance, ICT, medicine, media and communications, architecture, engineering and travel. It was a valuable opportunity to hear from one another.
The speakers were:
Chaka Travel Afrika
Elly Siers spoke about Chaka Afrika Travel and her move from an experienced Arke travel adviser to an independent Tanzania specialist. By 2022, she had worked with ranger Julius for more than seventeen years to develop the business. Six of its safari vehicles were operating in southern Tanzania. Her enthusiasm for travel in Tanzania went alongside her support for Hart voor Tanzania.
Every trip sold contributes a donation to Hart voor Tanzania.
Stichting Mwika — ICT support for Africa
Wybren Lok of Stichting Mwika in Leeuwarden described the work of its ICT specialists at KCMC in Moshi. Their efforts had helped provide well-equipped ICT facilities and build a more stable, sustainable local ICT team.
The work continued, with improvements still to make and maintain. The foundation focused on training local staff, installing donated equipment and securing provision within the hospital’s budget. Mwika also described an ambition for the future heart and vascular clinic to be energy-neutral, or even to generate surplus energy.
Find out about Stichting Mwika
Stichting Twiga, Arnhem
GP Dr Lennard Hiltermann from Delden spoke about his experience in tropical medicine. Fifteen years earlier, he had travelled with his wife, an anaesthetist, and their two children to a Maasai area in northern Tanzania near the Kenyan border. It was an area with much work to do, where the team also achieved a great deal.
Alongside treating conditions ranging from animal bites to HIV and malaria, they helped establish a small clinic with clearer organisation and better patient care over two years. Internet access, laptops, changes to the layout, solar energy, a protected space for the HIV clinic and a fund for the poorest patients left practical improvements that continued to help after Dr Hiltermann’s placement.
This reflects Stichting Twiga’s approach of sending doctors working in tropical medicine for placements of at least two years. Dr Marieke Dekker was another example: she and her family had been active at KCMC for years, where the heart and vascular clinic was planned. Her knowledge of local conditions gave our team a valuable point of contact when considering support and donated equipment.
Find out about Stichting Twiga
Africa Classic Twente challenge
Henk Dassen gave an enthusiastic account of his experiences in Tanzania with the Africa Classic Challenge for War Child, including the funds it had raised.
A retired financial and tax specialist, Dassen wanted to encourage larger-scale fundraising. Participants exchanged ideas and discussed how similar enthusiasm could support the clinic.
We planned to share more once these ideas had developed into concrete proposals.
Heart and vascular clinic update
The closing talk was given by Dr Salah Said, chair of ZGT Overzee, the foundation supporting the Hart voor Tanzania project. He reviewed recent working visits and discussed the steps still needed to develop the proposed clinic. Every contribution could help.
Visits, training in person and at a distance, and container shipments were continuing. Funding was also needed to work together towards the heart and vascular clinic.
The evening ended with encouraging news. A donation from Stichting Wilde Ganzen would allow work to begin on family accommodation, described as a Tanzanian ‘Ronald McDonald House’, for families of children with heart failure. At the time of the October 2022 meeting, construction was planned to start in January 2023.
The photographs below give an impression of the evening.
