Making Bed Kits for the Children
Status: 
Nights in Kabondo can be cold and mosquitos prey on the children at night. Eric, the Local Representative has noticed that many of the children do not have blankets or are using very worn ones, contributing to poor health. Most do not sleep under mosquito nets either. A warm blanket and mosquito net contribute to a good night's rest and better health.
We have tried finding donors of mosquito nets, without much success. We have also found one organization that may consider Kabondo for inclusion in their bed kit project, but not for at least another year.
Putting together a bed kit that includes a blanket, and mosquito net is something that can be done locally. The children, guardians and/or other community members may be able to make their own using locally acquired materials. We would like some assistance on what is needed including patterns, supplies, treating the nets, best fabrics to use, etc.
Please provide input and suggestions!
HI Barb
A couple of groups who send knitted blankets to Africa. Bit of a long-shot but maybe they know someone who can help, although as you have already suggested it may be easier to get locally than to ship (unless you find someone who will do it for free...)
Warm The World
http://www.warmtheworld.org/index.htm
Send blankets etc to organisations all over the world. Says the list of groups they support is growing, but does not give nay info on how to apply but has contact details.
Knitting4Africa
http://www.knitting4charity.org/
Sends knitted blankets to Africa. Again does not say how they pick their groups
As someone who always ends up with more holes than knitting :-) , I can't comment on patterns etc.
Mary
Hi Mary,
Thanks for this information. You always seem to have a wealth of useful bits!
I have sent an email to Warm the World and still looking into Knitting4Africa. This one seems to focus on South Africa.
I don't knit either or crochet. Tried a few times - not good!
Maybe we could look at costs of yarn and needles locally and find someone that knits or crochets. This would be a valuable skill to have... I would think.
Barb
Re Nets: might be worth contacting PSI:
http://www.psi.org/malaria/malaria-programme-maps.htm
Their scheme of distributing millions of heavily subsidised ITNs (eg $0.6/net for under 5s) includes Kenya and their main African contact is based there (Nairobi) -his email is on the site. (Hopefully they're still working there...)
If that comes to nothing here is some info on net mesh sizes and materials:
http://www.mosquito-netting.com/mosquito-netting.html
And attached is a guide on treating the nets -bit basic but all I could find...
Sam.
Hello,
I heard back from Warm the World. The founder asked for more details, but the biggest obstacle to their assistance would be shipping the blankets, as they do not cover costs for overseas shipping. She said she would be speaking with her board of directors.
Sam - thank you for the info on mosquito nets. I will contact PSI and see what they have to say. The guide will prove helpful as well.
Barb
Hi Barb
Oh well, it seemed worth a try, just in case they were able to ship for free..
My reason for mentioning the Knitting4Africa one was that it said "...the enthusiasm generated by the "knitwits" has spread prompting others to ask how they can help make Knitting 4 Africa a national, ongoing project." which made me think that they may go beyond sending things to South Africa. They are also linked with http://www.teddiesfortragedies.org.uk/ who send knitted teddies all around the world and whose website says to get in touch if you want some (although that is not quite what you are after!)
Suspect you are right about it being easier and cheaper to make locally. Maybe one day someone will start a business there making blankets, sanitary pads etc etc...
As to nets, I guess you tried all the ones that got posted in the wiki under the old mosquito nets task? Would be good to keep track of all the groups contacted under the various tasks. Might have a couple more to add to the list but need to cross-check against that wiki first and its a bit late to do that tonight! I suspect the biggest problem is that most organisations get more requests than they can deal with.
As to my sources of info - I tend to start with google, then follow the links until I find something interesting... although the 'something interesting' often has nothing to do with what I am actually looking for at the time!!
Mary
Hi Mary,
I take another look at Knitting4Africa. It got late and I got tired... so didn't review the website very well. I will take another look and it's always worth contacting!
I will open up the wiki and put the mosquito net companies in there. I contacted most on the list, but I will have to review again. The list is in the resource section, but it is good to have it in the wiki as well. I will also add the organizations that you and Sam have provided.
Thanks again for all your help!
Barb
Mary,
You made me laugh.... that's exactly what I do, and I usually end up sooooooo far off track it's not funny!
I have to keep a life line running so I can find my way back to the beginning or I get completely lost and wander around in cyberspace for hours before realising it's been that long. It's amazing what you find sometimes. :-D
Barb,
I too have a link for a company in the Netherlands that produces a product called Permanet. It is a treated net, and they are involved in providing subsidised nets etc. They have an office in Nairobi. Not sure if you have them already as I haven't cross-checked your list, but I don't have time at the moment, and if I don't post it now I will forget!!!
Permanet
Melissa
Hi Barb
Apologies, I didn't think to look in the Resources Section!
One more to add to your list - it may also be worth checking out the Partners individually but I don't have time to do that tonight.
Against Malaria
http://www.againstmalaria.com/en/default.aspx
Their distribution strategy is at http://www.againstmalaria.com/en/Distribution_strategy.aspx
Current distribution partners (who could in themselves be sources of nets)
http://www.againstmalaria.com/en/Distribution_partners.aspx
Some of them have distributed nets in Kenya over the last year
http://www.againstmalaria.com/en/Distributions.aspx?MapID=54
Under the old task a Kenyan neighbour called Kobong mentioned the Kenya Ministry of Health and Kenya Red Cross. I am not sure if he contacted them or not?
Hi Melissa
I'm glad its not just me who does that! Google can be an incredibily useful, but sometimes very frustrating, search tool!
Mary
Hi Melissa and Mary,
I can spend hours searching and find things for other tasks and I too forget what I had started searching for!
I will add to the wiki and check these out.
I never heard back from Kabong, so I don't know if he contacted the Ministry of Health. Red Cross was contacted. Most responses I found were that the amount of nets we are looking for is too small. If a few communities banded together or we included more than just the orphans, than maybe we would be considered. I have also found that the partners/suppliers want to know that each person/family will be shown how to use the nets properly and why they should use them, as they are no use if they are not used properly, or at all. Community awareness goes hand-in-hand with the nets.
One other item - Sleeping Children Around the World informed me that they have passed along our project information for consideration. They said they will get back to me soon.
Barb
This guide has easy and simple directions on how to treat a mosquito net.
HI Barb
From what I have read, there has been a lot of large-scale distribution of nets in Kenya. Has Eric done any research locally to see if there is any way to get Kabondo included in a future distribution?
I agree about the education. There is information out there on the internet, maybe in other Nabuur villages, or Eric may have some already?
I think you already know about these but in case you don't....
Lots of general health education books, some of which include malaria, at http://www.hesperian.org/publications_download.php
They will also send free copies of printed books via http://www.hesperian.org/projects_gratisBookProgram.php
Also links to groups who have translated into all sorts of languages http://www.hesperian.org/publications_translation.php
And http://www.unicef.org/ffl/ which is designed as a simple training manual to teach about child health. May be possible to get printed copies from Kenya Unicef office.
Mary
Hi Mary,
I am not sure on what research Eric has done. I will ask him about this.
I will check out the sites you gave as well.
Regarding blankets, Eric sent me the following note:
"Generally in Kenya and particularly in Kabondo i have never seen people make their own blankets. May be they have never known they could do it. Here people buy ready made blankets that are usually knitted at the edges to ensure it doesnot wear off.I know a person locally who is good at knittingbor crotcheting for that matter. May be in the fullness of time we can ask him to do so. It would be a great idea to have the children make their own blankets and bedsheets and therefore own the idea behind the beddings that cover them. It will be a great attempt at empowering the local community."
If there is a local person willing to teach the children how to make their own blankets, the materials needed would be:
1. Yarn
2. Crochet hooks or knitting needles
We'll have to find out costs of local materials.
Barb
1001 Nets are an Australian supplier of mosquite nets who also donate nets to people in Africa
http://www.1001nets.net/donation.htm
So more likely to send with travellers than direct, but you never know...
Melissa, I see from your profile that you are in Australia so if you know anyone travelling to Kenya (or anywhere else in Africa for that matter) this may be of interest to you too.
Think that's probably all I will find for a while!
Mary
Hi Mary,
I will look into this one as well.
I have also resent out an email to a neighbour that now works in Tanzania on projects related to malaria and nets. She is looking into some options and will get back to me.
Regarding making blankets, the community seems very interested in making their own. I am not a knitter, but crotchet is fairly easy to learn. Does anyone have any instructions that are simple and children could follow?
Barb
Hello,
After consultation and discussions with the community, Eric has informed me that they are keen to have the children learn how to crochet and/or knit blankets. There was an initial hesitation, as the typical blankets used are made of wool, and there was concern that crocheted blankets would not be warm enough. There was also a concern on how much time it would take to make one, as some community members that do crochet mentioned it would take a long time to make over 100 blankets. However, after further discussions, they decided this would be a good idea. Wool can still be used and the costs of supplies are very inexpensive. A crochet hook costs about 15ksh (or $.20 USD) and a skein of yarn is about 30Ksh (or $0.43 USD each) Several rolls of yarn would be required. In addition, the learned skill would be useful.
As a back-up blankets can be purchased locally for about 350ksh ($5 USD).
Still looking at mosquito net options.
Barb