One Meal A Day - SOLID' AFRICA

We are so blessed in the United States to have food readily available; from drive through "fast food" to the hospital cafeteria.  Even while at work, I can have food delivered.  And when patients are admitted to the hospital, we order them a meal tray.  Or the ED patient gets the "dry turkey sandwich" and a Sierra Mist soda.

But imagine having ONE meal a day.  Now imagine being in a hospital bed; sick, healing, post-operation and only having one meal a day. Or even no food available at all.  Health insurance in Rwanda guarantees medical treatment but does not provide meals while hospitalized in the public hospitals.  A family member, friend, etc. should be available to participate in the patient's care while hospitalized.  It involves bathing the patient to changing dressings to providing meals.  Meals are also available for purchase.  If you do not have family or funds to purchase food, you are left vulnerable. 

Solid'Africa NPO/NGO is a non-profit for vulnerable patients in Rwandan public hospitals. 

Mission:
Solid’Africa is a young and dynamic Local NGO that helps vulnerable patients in public hospitals in Rwanda. Working along with social workers, our Six main programs:
1. Gemura: Food for All,
2: Kiza: Medical Expenses,
3:Sukura: Hygiene,
4: Gombora: Hospital Bills & Transport,
5: Menya: Awareness and Advocacy on public health challenges, and promotion of the "Mutuelle de Santé"
6: Kina-U-Kire: Play therapy for kids & educative entertainment, we aim at compensating the lack of financial resources and thus, ease their recovery and accelerate their return back home.

Rwanda, building on its program of access to the mutual healthcare system “Mutuelle pour tous”, has improved access to healthcare. However, misery remains in some layers of the population. For the most helpless ones, paying co-­ pay for medical care, ranging between 5 and 25%, proves difficult or even impossible.
Even when they are affiliated, some find themselves in precarious situations requirin...g food, sanitary products, and means of transportation be made available in order to make their recovery possible.
Our organization is providing a citizen and humane response to contemporary social challenges. The building of Rwandan, African, and world society relies on the involvement of its citizens, solidarity.

It was founded in September, 2010 and we were fortunate to meet the founder.
She invited us to observe the program; we assisted in the feeding on May 1st, their Labor Day.  Solid' Africa provides one meal daily [Lunch on Monday & Breakfast Tues-Sun] to 300 patients at the CHUK, University Teaching Hospital in Kigali, Rwanda.  The patients are identified by the social worker as needing nutritional assistance. Fruit is provided 3 times a week.  Lunch includes rice, vegetables and a meat.  The breakfast is a porridge [gruel like] and bed; milk for children.

 

 

The organization is in need of an industrial kitchen.  The goal is to provide 2 meals per day for 1000 patients.  They are currently working out of 2 personal home kitchens.  They have gardens to provide their own food source.  They have installed a cistern/filter and launched a Portable Water Project at CHUK.

Day 3 Part 2 - Kigali

After a full day in the rural communities, we relaxed at the restaurant Heaven.  The view of the city was spectacular and I felt like I was dining in a treehouse.  The food was excellent especially the pumpkin soup and squash risotto.

 

 

 

We met with the President and Founder of Solid Africa; a local NGO that helps patients in the public hospitals of Rwanda.  Their four main programs ease in their recovery and accelerate their return back to home:  1. Food Deilivery; 2. Medical Expenses; 3. Hygiene, and 4. Hospital Bill Payments and Transport.  They are currently delivering 300 meals once a day to the inpatients in the public hospital.  The hospital & insurance system is very different than the USA.  If you are admitted to the hospital, the insurance does not cover meals; a patient may go 2-3 days in the hospital without food if they unable to buy their food or the family cannot supply food.  Solid Africa provides food security to these patients.  You can read more about the organization at www.solidafrica.net.

 More about Solid’Africa and the hospital system in Rwanda to follow.