Since one of the objectives of this new round of featured villages is to find ways to better define the steps and tasks of a project to be able to define the way is going to be approached.

I thought a good way to start this discussion was to proposed some topics that can be covered:

When commenting on the things that can be done when defining a project, one facilitator contacted me to talk about the Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation method used for projects in developing countries where a lot of the work happens at the community level.

A comprehensive lit review can be found [url=http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/ESSD/sdvext.nsf/66ByDocName/ParticipatorymonitoringandevaluationinLatinAmericaOverviewoftheLiteraturewithannotatedbibliographyIDSMay2000/$FILE/pme-latam.pdf]here[/url]

From this method, one of the main tools used is the assessment village assesment instrument that allows a determination of the level of developent at which a village is and from there, decisions can be taken.

You can find the tool here

I think this has been raised in the past but I thought this could be a good moment to bring it up and discuss more about it.

My idea is that we could maybe start evaluating the level of a village together with the application form (or maybe we can also discuss how the application form can be modified) so we can start deciding what would be appropriate for a village to support the project definition.

MAybe we can use the villages in the featured villages that are new in the featured villages group to start testing this?

All the best,

Raul

Hi Bramuel,

I have read your application form and for now just wanted to ask a couple of questions and comments.

- Could you give us a better idea of how the hospital sustains itself?

- I read that you get discounted prices for medicines form some pharmaceutical companies. How did you get to this? Is there a special model being applied there?

- Can you give us more info on the type of treatments given and services provided at the hospital

Comments.

I read in the application form that one of the most immediate needs is to find ways to get free drugs. Do you have an idea of the types and quantities you are currently needing.

Through the Nabuur model, based on the areas you want to start covering, I think several things can be achieved specially if they are approached in a very concrete way.

Just my thoughts:

- Maybe finding ways to contact information on programs and organisations that deal with providing drugs to different organisations, hospitals around the world and see if we can identify a way in which they can help.

- MAybe finding about models where people can also do some basic things at home rather than always having to travel to the hospital

- Maybe some information on health care awareness programs.

Just some ideas.

Let's see how the discussions go once we get more neighbours and people participating.

Raul

Bramuel-

I just reviewed your application and wrote down several notes which I will share with you. Based on what I read, the overlying focus seems to be access to medications. My response to that is that medications can help people get better-but they don't address the root of the problem-the reason they got sick in the first place.

You list many of the root causes of disease throughout your application; poor water conditions, poor drainage, sewage and waste management, poor housing conditions, lack of access to food, and lack of employment. Many hospitals and health care facilities are supported by a Foundation that focuses on raising money to support different programs. I was unclear regarding whether or not one currently exists, but it may be a good way to organize people and use this structure to support your cause while helping address the root issues that cause the cycle of disease/sickness to continue.

The other idea that I noted would be possibly considering partnership with local employers or social organizations that are focused on addressing the root causes of poor health in the community listed above-for example, if you work with this group of people to improve housing, we agree to provide medical care. You could look at developing agreements with them to partner together and they may be willing to provide contributions to the healthcare facility to support your efforts.

I agree with Raul in that it is important to understand the immediate needs of the local community and I would encourage you to look through the material in his first post. I do feel in this circumstance that a business plan is vital as well as formal organization or establishment of a supporting Foundation. Proposal writing would be a useful part of developing and promoting Foundation work in support of the health center.

I too would also be interested in knowing your responses to the questions that Raul outlined in his second post.

I hope this is helpful-

Jennifer

Dear Neigbours

your first question you wanted to know how the hospital sustain itself?The hospital sustain itself from monthly member contruption we normaly contrupt USD15 per month this money coz to the rent of the building and we have a registration fee of Usd4 per patients. we use this to buy some available drug we have alwalys servive with this litle budget.
You asked that we have idecated in our application that we get drugs in a half price yes,since our village is a registered Non-gevernmental organization and a nonprofit making organization,we work with Meds drugs supplies.Meds is a missionary organization of catholic churches and it always supplies with a half price to nonprofit organizations.
Now that you wanted me to give you which treatment we give from the hospital and is as follows:
-we treaty all kind of malaria to both children and adult.
-we treaty all kind of typhoid both children and adult
-we care and treaty HIV/AIDS
-we care and treaty T.B
-we treaty all kinds of human illiness.
we operate as a hospital we have IN/OUT patients.
I suport your coments since i am just a new in this areas i am ready to provide any kind of information you may need or you want to know from this village.
Thanks and welcome all
Best wishes
Bramuel

Great to have you on boards Bramuel.

We might need to wait for more people to join but we should be able to get some discussion happening.

Raul

Bramuel-

The specific medical conditions you mention point strongly to the water sanitation issue and housing issues. Can you tell us more about how/if the community is working to address these issues?

I would like to know more about if there are any type of community improvement efforts taking place and if so, what are the efforts focused on?

I look forward to your response-

Jennifer

Hi Neighbours.
Thanks for your question again,
Yes you want to know if there is any community improvement efforts, Yes there is improvement from this community and is as follows:
-we have set up a community hospital which is treating this community in all kind of illness.
-we have a youths group that we have puttee in place to take care of environmental problems this i could of cleaning the slums.I will soon post they photos on the side for you to see it.
-three we have set up a guiding and counseling board which will be to guide and counsel the community about care and maintain of good environment within there homes.and we call this board (Home mobilization committee)
Now our focused is look how we can get more funds to buy more needed medicine,Hospital Equipments,to build our on hospital within this environs.But first is how we can get more medicine for this hospital.
I hope i have answered all of your questions don't hestate to ask me any question you may like to know.
Best wishes
Bramuel.

0

Bramuel-thank you again for answering my questions. It sounds like you are doing a lot of good things. What is the transportation like to/from your location?

Dear Jennifer
Transportation to/from???,the hospital or?????????.
Bramuel

Yes, the hospital location. Is there a means of public transport? nearest airport? If supplies had to be shipped to you-where do you pick them up and how far away do you have to travel, or can they be brought to you by delivery service?

Hi Everyone,

Just another source of information I have received that could add to the discussion about defining a project as well as monitoring with more involvement from the community.

http://www.lindaswebs.org.uk/Page3_Orglearning/PALS/PALSIntro.htm

Look forward to getting some feedback and getting more people participating.

Raul

Dear Jennifer.
Yes there is public transport from the airport.is possibly 15 kms from the hospital to jomokenyatta international airport
looking forward.
Bramuel

Hi Neighbours
It has taken as more than a week to define the project please can i give you one sugestion? as local
representative our main problem is how we can get medicine,as you know there will be know hospital without the medicine.so let we think of what we can to do get medicine and as we do this let we remember this is a continues isue becouse we can get the medicine yes for ones and it could not be the last solution so as we look for the medicine let as even think of how we can do to come out of this.give us the idea of what community is surpost to do so that we can reach the last solution like lacking money to buy medicine lacking money for the salaries for the staff.And is only your idea will help us come out of this problem.
welcome all of you for more discusion but first let us face the first challenge.
Am here to answer all of your questions for the time being before i hand it to our facilitater which is still vancacy upto now.
welcome

Bramuel-

How many inpatient beds does the hospital have? Are all of the beds typically filled? Do you ever have to turn people away that might have otherwise been admitted to the hospital?

Regarding outpatient services-do you have an idea how many people that the hospital sees on a weekly basis?

With regards to medications, do you keep records of what medications are being used most frequently? How frequently have you needed to replenish medication stock? How long does it take typically for medications to arrive once they purchased?

Jennifer

Hi Bramuel,

That is exactly what we are trying to do. It is very important that you understand how the online model works and what are the type of things that can be achieved with this model.

We need to first understand the full issue better to then analyse the ways in which we can help. We want to work together to identify ways how the community can do things without requiring to depend on other things. We have agreed the medicines are important and we will definitely approach that, we can collect links of organisations, write letters see what can be done but at the same time we need to start looking into the longer term solutions. What is going to happen if we for example get medicines for one year, then what is going to happen for year 2, another fin raising or letters writing or similar?.

It is also very important that you understand the amount of time that a project takes when developed online. If we take small steps, a lot of things can happen but for example if we talk about getting medicines for the hospital the we can be talking of months. We just try to approach this in the best way possible given the model.

Let's try to continue discussing and see what else can be done as well while we wait for a facilitator.

There are many programs out there and we can collect links, write letters and send letters all very quickly. Bit we need to understand more about the situation as a whole and try to see what can be done looking into the whole picture.

Raul