At the end of May the Ambassador of Slovak republic in Kenya, H.E. Dr. Michal Mlynar, visited Nutrition centre in Kwale, maintained by Kwale district hospital in cooperation with Trnava University and funded by Slovak Aid. It was very important visit (full of words of thanks, motivation and support) for representatives of Slovak-Kenyan partnership – cooperating together on development project in Kwale region.
The main purpose of the visit of Slovak Head of mission in Kenya was to monitor the activities and successes of Slovak-Kenyan development cooperation (on particular health-care project in Kwale district), to meet the representatives of hospital, local authorities of Kwale County, as well as community health workers and Slovak team of field workers. Dr. Mlynar was satisfied and proud of running project “Socio-medical care for malnourished children under 5 years and their mothers in the Kwale region”, which will last until the end of September 2013. He said: „I was here one year ago during the opening ceremony of nutrition center and I was amazed by warm welcome from local people. Now I see that project activities are reaching positive results. As I heard from Slovak field workers, the program have attended around 570 malnourished children with their mothers, which is already more than was originally designed in the project application in year 2011.“
Slovak field workers and Community health workers in Kwale district hospital’s area.
Honoured guests of the Friday’s meeting were impressed by multimedia presentation about Trnava University health-care project in Kwale region provided by Slovak field worker Dr. Bozena Baluchova. Very important part of the program was the tour of the Kwale district hospital with focus on Nutrition centre. District Medical Officer of Health: Dr. Kevin Kinyua with assistance of community health workers showed the guests: examination room for malnourished clients (children under the age of 5 years and their mothers), supplements’ store (for porridge, beans, plumpy nuts, vitamin syrups, mosquito nets etc.), specialized project library (with more than 75 books focused on medical topics, nutrition) and also model garden (where mothers of children involved in the project can improve their skills in local farming), which is also helping to decrease malnutrition in the region.
Slovak field workers from Trnava University in discussion with Slovak ambassador.
The audience of this ceremony could hear a lot of words of motivation, thanks and support in following speeches of honoured guests: representatives of Kwale district hospital (Dr. Hatim Dosaji, Dr. Kevin Kinyua) and authorities of Kwale County (Mr. Evans Achoki, Mr. Martin Mwaro). Representatives of Trnava University (Slovak field workers: Dr. Bozena Baluchova, Mr. Michal Miadok and development volunteer: Mr. Pavol Markovic) have also opened the discussion about the sustainability of the project. Slovak Counsellor in Kenya (Deputy Head of Mission: Mr. Jozef Bandzuch) reminded the Slovak and Kenyan team about the opportunity to apply for micro-grant from Slovak embassy in Nairobi – to support some additional activities connected with this development project in the coastal part of Kenya.
At the end of interesting and important meeting (dedicated to the official visit of Slovak ambassador at Kwale nutrition center) Honorary consul of Slovak republic in Kenya with his wife (Mr. and Mrs. Modigell) gave a donation to Trnava University project – as an expression of support to this project of Slovak-Kenyan development cooperation.
Writen by: Dr. Bozena Baluchova (development / field worker of Trnava University in Kwale); Photo: Palo Markovic (development volunteer of Trnava University in Kwale)
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