"The Healing Power of Nature" Photography Book

Zebra Smiles

While in Kenya, Dr. Fitzgerald has taken some amazing pictures of the native wildlife and landscape which illustrate the beauty of the land. In order to further our mission, we have compiled over 30 of her photos into a hard-back picture book. Dr. Fitzgerald also writes about her passion to start a nonprofit and how each of us through a "single action" can truly move the world.

The book will be available for sale on December 21, 2009, at a cost of $35.00. All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the dentistry and clean water project at the Kipkaren clinic.

If you would like to help us by purchasing a book, please download an order form at our website: http://www.spandainc.com/ (fundraising tab) or call 319-364-2311.

We appreciate your support and happy holidays!

We Made It!

Just a quick post to let everyone know we made it home yesterday afternoon (10/18) at 4:30 PM. All of us are so grateful to our family and friends for supporting us during this trip. Your support and love is truly amazing.

Although the trip has been completed, our work is not done. Each of us have ideas and goals we hope will have a positive impact on the community of Kipkaren. We will be sharing with you our continued work through the blog.

Thank you again for your support,

The Eye Care Kenya Team

Ready to Come Home!

Hi Everyone--We have arrived back in Nairobi and will be leaving for London tonight at 11:45 PM (that is 3:45 CST). We have much to share with everyone and will try to do some more posts upon our return--the internet connections have been challenging!

We plan to be at the Cedar Rapids airport around 4:00-4:30 tomorrow afternoon. We are looking forward to seeing everyone, while at the same time remembering our Kenyan friends.

The Dolls Are A Hit!!

Thanks to Mary Uthe, we were able to take over 300 dolls to the children of KipKaren. Each child that received a dental cleaning from the Children's Home received one of the dolls. To see there bright shining faces as they received their dolls was an amazing experience!

We also went on hut visits today. One of our stops was to check on a woman who was very sick due to HIV/AIDS Yesterday, her 18-month old son had been trying to feed her with one of his spoons. The medical team provided her with antibotics and medical care. Today, when we stopped she was doing much better. We were able to give the little boy and his brother dolls. They were so happy. They immediately started playing with their babies--rocking them to sleep and then putting them to bed on a rock.

We have much more to tell--but thank you Mary for all of your kindness!

Rotary Kakamega!!

We are in pursuit of the finalization of the paper work for the well to be dug in Kipkaren near the medical-dental eye clinic.  Thank goodness for google and safaricom so that we were able to find the rotary contact but instead of Eldoret which is forty five minutes away we had to go to Kakamega which was 2 hours away.  The clinic let us borrow the ambulance and with Adele at the helm and Randy pushing we were on our way!!
I'll clarify--the ambulance won't start but it's a clutch so today Randy is "the pusher man!!"
Making our way to Kakmega the roads have potholes the size of a kitchen table and can be 1-2 feet deep.  Most of the potholes are from the rioting in 2008 where they started fires in the middle of the road.  So daylight is our friend.  We finally arrive in Kakmega and we now have to find Mama Watoto Supermaket!!  We parked the ambulance carefully so that we could push it out.  And proceed to walk down a street out of who knows!!  3 people who look out of place standing in the middle of a busy street in front of Mama Watoto Supermarket and we see a very kindly man wave at us.  We cross the street to his shop that sells clothing.  "Welcome, welcome"  "Don't say a word you have come a long way.  And you are thirsty I will get you an orange Franta!!  For those of you who may remember that I am sensitive to sugar--Adele whispered  "Do you think it's a good idea for you to have this?" 
It was cold and good.  All went well.  He signed off on the paperwork and we thanked him--gave him the two rotary flags--I don't have any flags here!!  I said no problem I'll be back to collect the flags because Jack Hardin and Dr. Kingus will be after me!!Good, good you'll come to the meeting then...?!
A very successful trip and we got to see Olive Baboons on the way back sitting on the side of the road!!
Adele got us safely back before dark and lots of stories to tell and friendships made....Thank you Adele.

Oh and Randy...how fabulous he did an awesome job I only wish we could have see the footage of him and me pushing the Ambulance out into the road--  the engine starting and we both jump into the jeep.  Straight out of a hollywood movie!!  Randy and Adele --You Rock!!!

Simon

Today is Tuesday and some of the folks from Ilula came to have their eyes checked.  Simon is a 30 year teacher we saw in 2007 he had a -18.00 prescription.  He originally, he had no glasses. We did an exam and made his glasses in the US and had a team bring them over.  I was walking into clinic this AM and saw a man with very thick glasses.  "Simon is that you?"  "Yes, Daktari!" " How have you been? " " You and your team have changed my life.  I was a teacher and I could not see, now I wear the glasses all the time and I can see and now I am the headmaster of the school!!  His glasses were held together with bailing wire and one of the nose pads was missing.  Roy in his usual wizardry fixed Simon's glasses like new.  We rechecked his eyes and are making him a pair of glasses and these may become a back up. It was marvelous to see Simon and how well he was doing!!

Jambo!!

Haberi  (Hello)


It is Monday night in Kipkaren.  As all the posts have cited everyone is doing and doing "well."  No pun intended for Randy the "water guy".  The clinic was busy and so were we.  Carla, Carol and Bridgit were having a lot of fun and excitement with the teeth cleaning and education.  You guys are the bomb!!
Roy and Dr. K were busy with getting all the parts together for the lens grinder.  Julius takes about 2 hours to make a pair of glasses-- with the lens grinder and Roy's fabulous tutelage he can make a pair in 15 minutes (Roy name that tune!!)  Dr.  K is removing foreign bodies and refining the refraction for patients.
Michele and Sharon are doing very well with teaching the ultrasound and helping with seeing patients.
Dr. Fitz wants to thank all of those who help make this happen - family, friends, and patients - who feel like extended family, and of course this fabulous team.  And much appreciated team leader Adele Booysen--this absolutely could not have been done without  her leadership.


To Iowa--Tally Ho for now and may God bless,


Dr. Fitz

First Day of Clinic - Well Water

Randy Luth spent the day walking miles and miles to different wells around the clinic, training center, Children's Home, and other neighboring wells.  He was able to get a water sample from each well.  The water sample tests take 24-48 hours to develop, and Randy will report back with his findings as soon as they are available.

First Day of Clinic - Dental

We had a successful day of dental cleaning and fluoride treatments - 44 children were treated.  She commented that all the children we saw today had excellent teeth.  They are really brushing well, and very few patients had cavities.  We recorded the names of the patients with cavities for further treatment in town. 


Carol brushed their teeth and painted on a fluoride treatment.  The fluoride treatment adheres with saliva, and is activated for 4 hours.  Each child will receive a new toothbrush after they have brushed the fluoride treatment off their teeth tonight. 


Bridgit gave each child a sticker and a Duduza (comfort) Doll, and took a picture of each child.  The children really loved the dolls, especially since they got to pick from 3 or 4 choices.  


Noella is in charge of Health at the clinic.  She assisted us with calming a few scared patients, and they found it did not hurt at all.  She translated to the younger children whose English is not strong yet.  She also taught us, "meza", which means "swallow".  Carla started the day standing and bending over each patient, but Noella was able to find a low bench for the children to sit on, so Carla could sit.  Carol was kneeling on the concrete floor to brush teeth, so Noella found a well-padded cushion for her knees.  A dental chair would be most beneficial to the dental clinic here in Kipkaren. 


At the children's devotions tonight, Carla demonstrated how to brush their teeth.  They all tend to have deep grooves in their back teeth, so she stressed really scrubbing those teeth, and not forgetting to brush their tongues.  Many children came up to show us their clean teeth tonight.

First Day of Clinic - Optometry

Dr. Kingus saw approximately 20 patients today.  Joseph returned for a re-check of his eye.  The swelling had gone down somewhat, so Dr. Kingus was able to determine there was a foreign body in the eye.  Dr. Kingus removed a tiny piece of plastic and gave Joseph more eye drops for the swelling. 


Another patient was in her 20's, diabetic, and she previously had cataract surgery.  She has had blurry vision lately.  Dr. Kingus found that her eyes had developed fibrotic tissue, which creates strands or sheets of tissue that run together and impede vision.  Unfortunately, only a laser treatment can remove the fibrotic tissue.


Roy organized the optical supplies, including many donated eyeglass frames.  He was able to assemble the lens edger that arrived a few days after the team's previous trip in 2007.  Tomorrow the edger will be calibrated and fine-tuned.  Roy will teach Kenyan Julius Kimboy to operate the edger and make custom lenses.  Currently, Julius hand-grinds each lens, a very time consuming process.  Roy will also train Julius to adjust glasses. 

First Day of Clinic - Medical

Michele gave a training session about burns to the clinic staff. They were very attentive and appreciated her time.  Michele saw some medical patients at the clinic, including a young boy around 9 years old.  The Kenyan children typically run through the corn fields, and the corn husks sometimes injure them.  This young boy had been stuck in the leg with a corn husk the day before, but he pulled it out himself.  Today, his leg was very swollen and hurt too much to walk on it.  Michele cleaned the wound and dressed it with a bandage.  


Sharon trained the clinic staff on the portable ultrasound machine.  They hope to use it more tomorrow during the Mama/Baby Clinic scheduled for Tuesday morning. 

A Rare Treat in Kenya

Sunday night we enjoyed a rare treat in Kenya - cold Fanta soda pop.  We Americans were grateful for the treat while we were at David and Allison Tarus' home for supper.  Randy offered to test the water in their well. Once again it rained, but it stopped in time for the team to return to our cottages for the night.  

Duduza Dolls in Ilula

After we greeted the children, we were given personal tours of their rooms and the grounds.  One child was especially excited to show us their cows, rabbits, and chickens. They milk the cows and collect the eggs, and the rabbits will be used as meat when they grow more.  They also have a very large garden and an oyster mushroom house.  We were served a mushroom stew that was delicious!  The Children's Home in Ilula was very self-sufficient, growing and producing most of their own food for consumption.  


That evening we joined the children for their devotional time.  The team members gave each child a Duduza (Comfort) Doll of their very own.  We have lots of pictures of the children with their dolls.  Please refer to the earlier post about how you can support the Duduza Doll project. 


We had supper with the staff, and shared many ideas about community development.  Empowering Lives International (ELI) really works with the surrounding villages as well as the childrens' home.  Due to continued jet lag, we turned in early. 


After breakfast Sunday morning, we had a relaxing team meeting with a lot of laughter.  Sunday morning we joined the children, parents, and staff for church service.  Many groups off children sang and danced, including a visiting school from Sudan.  We heard beautiful singing in Swahili, and we were able to sing along to the English songs. 

Welcome to Ilula

After lunch on Saturday, the team headed to Ilula.  We picked up Adele and Dr. Fitzgerald at the Eldoret Air Strip and continued to Ilula.  There will be an additional update at a later time regarding their trip to Korr, Kenya.  

The team was again greeted by singing as we arrived at the Children's Home in Ilula.  Each team member went around the circle and greeted each child individually.  Everyone was so welcoming!  We were also given red, yellow, and orange roses.  Then the older children treated us to three songs on their flute-a-phones, or recorders.  Then they sang more songs and recited Bible verses and chapters.  

Each team member was asked to introduce themselves and was greeted warmly by the Children's Home director and staff members.  When the formal introductions were done, the children immediately came to us for hugs and personal greetings.  

ELI School Tour in Kipkaren

The ELI Brook of Faith School tour began with a report of the students' performance.  There are 285 students at the school.  This includes children from the orphanage, children that board at the school, and local children from the community.  The students grades (marks) are very high.  They participated in a district-wide test for the first time this year.  There are nearly 250 schools in the district, and the ELI Brook of Faith School placed 9th for the whole district.  Many students go on to higher learning at the national schools - a prestigious honor. 


The children begin school at age 3, the "baby class".  Next is the "middle class", and then the "top class".  After that, there are standard grades 1-8.  The students attend school from 8:00-3:20 p.m.  The teachers are at the school from 6:30-5:00, and then from 7:00-9:00 p.m. to help students that learn slower than others.  The teachers are very dedicated to the students' education. 

Kipkaren Children's Home Tour

The team got to meet and play with the children at the Kipkaren children's home today.  The children are all very friendly and love hugs!  Many of the team members got a buddy for the tour.  They especially liked to swing between two of us holding their hands.  


There are two parents for 24 children - Baba and Mama.  The young children live with the parents until age 4.  Then they go to either the girls' or boys' dormitories.  Twice a day the children and parents gather together for devotions.  They also eat their meals together.  There is one kitchen for the entire Children's Home, which provides the meals for everyone.  This allows the parents to focus on the children's emotional, physical, and spiritual needs.  There are approximately 90 children, and they are all full of joy and smiles. 


The older children were eager to show us how they shuck the maize (corn), then they dry it in the sun on tarps.  Every part of the maize is used.  The cobs are ground in a diesel-powered grinding machine.  The ground maize is then mixed with other grains and fed to the cows.  

ELI Facility Tour in Kipkaren

Today the team had a full tour of the Empowering Lives International (ELI) facility in Kipkaren.  This included the training center, community building, the kitchen, and a small store run by women from the village.  These women are generally single mothers or widows.  They make crafts and sell them at the small store onsite to provide for their families.  They are very talented, and the team will certainly bring back some souvenirs. 


The outside of the grounds features a very large garden and a tomato greenhouse.  The garden includes lettuce, kale, cucumbers, papayas, and many, many other vegetables.  The garden is an example of other produce that be grown besides maize (corn). Kenyans traditionally have grown only maize, which is dried in the sun and sold.  However, due to drought all summer, and now a late rainy season, the maize harvest is very, very small.  When other vegetables are grown, the Kenyan people can feed their own families, and sell the excess to make a profit for themselves. 


There is also an agri-forestry area where fast-growing trees are cultivated. The philosophy is when you cut down one tree, plant two others in it's place.  The agricultural students tend the gardens and agri-forestry areas as part of their studies.  The garden also has an apiary - a bee-keeping area, as well as a tilapia fish pond.   

First Day Setup in Kipkaren - Other Projects

Randy and Carol Luth brought a water filtration system to make clean drinking water.  Randy observed several youths filling containers from a nearby well.  He asked them if they drink the water, but they assured him they boil it first at home.  Randy is currently testing a water sample from the well, which will take 24-48 hours to complete.  

Carol Luth prepared the Duduza (comfort) dolls for distribution in both the Kipkaren and Ilula Children's Homes in the next few days.  We have 320 dolls in all, enough for all the children!  Please see this previous post for additional information about how you can adopt a doll.d

Carla McDowell, dental assistant, organized her dental supplies and toothbrushes.  Bridgit Brandt will be assisting her with fluoride treatments. 

First Day Setup in Kipkaren - Medical and Eye Care

When we arrived at the ELI compound in Kipkaren, we were greeted by a large group of ELI staff and agricultural students singing to us in their beautiful language.  Pastor Peter warmly welcomed us, then each team member greeted each and every person. We were also given fresh red and yellow roses.

Despite incredible jet lag, we spent most of the afternoon at the clinic unloading supplies and equipment. Michelle Kiprop (P.A.) is the administrator of the clinic.  She was able to email Michele Burnes several times before the trip with a specific wish list of items needed at the clinic.  As we unpacked the action packer totes, Michelle Kiprop just kept exclaiming how overwhelmed she was by all the supplies!


The doctors did not officially start seeing patients today, but Michele Burnes (P.A.) treated a few patients that came in, and Dr. Kingus (O.D) had 1 patient as well.  A young man named Joseph got something in his eye a week ago, and it was red and swollen - very sore.  We weren't unpacked yet, but Dr. Kingus examined Joseph's eye and determined it was an abrasion.  Dr. K went through the totes until he found some eye drops for him.  The young man is coming back on Monday for a re-check.

Arrived in Nairobi

Everyone has arrived safely in Nairobi, including all 28 pieces of baggage!  All flights were normal and everyone is in good health. We are currently staying at the Mayfield Guest House in Nairobi.  The team will be leaving at 5 a.m. tomorrow for KipKarin. 

Ready for the Adventure!

Tomorrow the team from Iowa will depart for Kenya, a two-day plane trip.  Please follow us on our journey.  We will update as often as possible. 

Every Blogger Needs a Good Computer

This year Spanda, Inc. will be taking two laptop computers to give to the KipKarin health care clinic. During our ten-day trip, we will be using the computers to report back to our families, friends, and community detailing our daily activities and observations.

Spanda prides itself on being an environmentally friendly organization. This year we were pleased to obtain two laptop computers from the Midwest Electronic Recovery Company, which is quietly located in Walford, Iowa. They are the largest computer and electronic recycling center in Iowa and are the proud recipients of the Governor’s Iowa Environmental Excellence Award and the 2002 Recycled Product Manufacturing Award.

As chronicled recently on 60 Minutes, electronic recycling is a huge problem facing developing countries. Over 80% of the United States electronic waste is sent to overseas countries for recycling purposes. Midwest Electronic Recovery does not export computer or electronic equipment to developing countries like China, India, or Pakistan where child labor is often exploited and the enforcement of safety and environmental standards are sorely lacking. We were proud to learn that we had a recycling company of such high standards in our own back yard.

Midwest Electronic Recovery also operates an outlet store where you can find great deals on hardly-used computer towers, laptops, printers, and much more. The next time you need computer equipment, consider checking them out. For more information on their products and services, visit www.mcbia.com. Recycle, Reuse, and Protect Our Environment—it takes only a single action!

Making a Difference, One Drop at a Time

The Pure Water Foundation, Inc. - John & Mary Jo Hays

During our upcoming trip to Kenya, we will be taking two water chlorination systems for use at the KipKarin clinic and village. The systems were developed by Iowa’s own John Hays. Mr. Hays is the water superintendent of Washington, Iowa, and has taken on the personal mission of supplying water systems to developing countries. The need for clean water remains the number one need as nearly 40% of our world’s population lacks basic sanitation, while one billion of our world’s citizenry lacks access to clean drinking water. That is a staggering 20% of our world’s population! Uganda has the largest population without safe drinking water—followed closely by Kenya.

The Hays’ have founded their own nonprofit, the Pure Water for All Foundation with the aptly stated mission statement, “Making a difference, ONE drop at a time”. Through their efforts they have supplied villages in Africa, India, Asia, Russia, Europe, Nicaragua, Haiti, Mexico, Columbia, and Venezuela with water filtration systems.

Their chlorination system uses a salt solution that runs through a solar charged chlorine generator several times. The result is chlorine that can treat several hundred gallons of contaminated water.

This picture, courtesy of John Hays, shows a baby cemetery in Tanzania, Africa. When Randy and Carol Luth met with Mr. Hays, he shared with them that he thought this odd looking field was some sort of tribal garden. Unfortunately, he quickly learned this was not a garden but a cemetery where the villagers buried their babies-- many victims of diseases caused by dirty water. Before introducing his water chlorination system to the village, there were over 120 cases of typhoid per month. Today the village is down to just two cases of typhoid per month thanks to clean water! No more baby cemeteries!

Spanda, Inc is pleased to provide the chlorination system as well as the training to use the chlorinator to our Kenyan friends. We are all very excited to work with Rotary International to drill a well which will provide a fresh water supply to the entire KipKarin village. The initial survey has been completed. We all greatly appreciate our Rotary partners and the Hays’ for helping us to bring clean water to our Kenyan neighbors. It truly does take only a single idea and a single drop of clean water to move the world!

Join Us for an Evening of Wine Tasting

Metro Rotary North Fundraiser to Benefit Spanda Inc.

Drinking wine is a luxury many Americans can afford. But imagine for just moment what it would be like for you if you did not have this luxury. Or if water, for that matter, was the luxury. We turn a knob on our faucet and out comes clean drinkable water. This is not true for far too many people on the African continent. While there are millions of Africans without clean drinking water, we can only focus on a relatively small area in the east African country of Kenya for now.

Two years ago Dr. Fitzgerald raised money to build an eye and health care clinic in KipKarin, Kenya. The village needed to add a health clinic. But it’s just not that easy. One need leads to another to another. In order to build the health clinic, the village needed a constant source of clean water. Most of us cannot begin to understand the absence of such a basic human requirement. We need not feel guilty for having clean running water; however, after witnessing conditions where this is not the case, there is a sense of appreciation and pride for having a clean and constant source of drinkable water.

From that pride stems a burning desire to help someone gain what we know to be possible. What is possible is that with money raised here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, through our partnership with Metro North Rotary, a well will be drilled supplying the village with a fresh and clean water supply. It is the goal to begin digging the well this fall. But that creates another need. We have the clinic and we have fresh water (or we will soon). What more is needed? We have identified two new projects. The first is buying an ultrasound machine for the new clinic. The second will be to help KipKarin locals establish a supply of a “Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food” product, which will help to combat severe malnutrition faced by the Kenyans. When given to a child this product can provide life-sustaining vitamins and minerals and the ability to stave off hunger during the current drought and famine. It’s a fascinating food supplement that you can look up on the web for more information.

We are raising money (with the help of Metro North Rotary) to provide a supply of this product to the Kenyan village. Amazingly simple! All we need is the money to provide this life sustaining product. It’s always about the money, isn’t it? In this case, we are drinking and tasting wine as a social event in order to raise money to meet the basic needs of our friends in KipKarin.

On September 17, 2009, Metro North Rotary is sponsoring a fundraising event where we have the privilege of drinking and tasting wines or beers at the First Avenue Wine House in Cedar Rapids. The money we raise will go toward funding of our next two projects. This was the avenue for funding the well project and I believe it will prove just as successful this time. Join us (the Spanda board of directors and staff) for an evening of wine tasting and delightful company.

Sincerely,

Juli Hardin
Spanda Inc. Board Member

Roy and Bridgit Brandt - Eye Care and Blogging

Roy and Bridgit Brandt are excited to go to Kenya. This will be Roy's third trip and Bridgit's first. Roy is an optician at Dr. Fitzgerald and Associates, and Bridgit is a customer service representative at an auto finance company. They are members of Noelridge Park Church in Cedar Rapids, as well as the ScinergyIA Scion Owners' Club.

Roy will be installing and calibrating an edger for the optometry lab at the Kenyan clinic. He will be training the local Kenyan staff to operate the edger, so they will be able to manufacture eyeglasses. He will also be assisting optometrist Dr. Rob Kingus in establishing a small dispensary area in the optometry clinic. This will display eyeglass frames so patients can choose their own frames, and then the lab can custom fit lenses for the frames. Roy will also be assisting Dr. Kingus and Dr. Fitzgerald with eye exams and fitting eyeglasses for patients.

Bridgit will be interviewing team members and posting updates and pictures to the blog during the trip. She will also be assisting with distributing the Duduza (comfort) dolls and photo-documenting each child with their very own doll. For more information on the Duduza dolls, please click here.

Roy has been to Kenya twice with Dr. Fitzgerald, and cannot wait to return again. The chance to serve those who would not have had access to routine eye care is an opportunity he could not ignore. Roy also enjoys using his skills to train native Kenyans to help their own people after the team is gone.

Bridgit has heard Roy's first-hand accounts of the Kenyan people and the clinic in KipKarin. She loves hearing his stories about the Kenyan people, from sharing “chai” with Mama Chiri, to the beautiful singing (in Swahili) during the church service. Bridgit is excited to immerse herself in a different culture and to appreciate the simple life of the Kenyan people.

Randy and Carol Luth...Ready To Do Anything

Randy and Carol Luth are first-time travelers to Africa. After surviving all of the travel shots, sending their first child, Jacob, off to college, and granting their daughter, Sarah, the privilege to drive, they are officially ready to go! Although not sure what to expect, they both are excited and proud to be a part of this dynamic team.

Randy is a 22 year employee of the United States Department of Labor where he works as an investigator for the Wage and Hour Division. His interested in international aid and relief work was peaked when he served as a post-Hurricane Katrina recovery volunteer. He hopes that in the future, after retirement, he may be able to combine both of these experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Randy has been researching water filtration systems (read more in a future blog post) to assist the clinic and village with a sanitary water supply until the planned well can be dug. Rotary has been working with Spanda Inc. to drill a well which will serve this community.

Randy is also working to establish a supply of Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic-Food products to serve this region. This food product will be used to combat severe malnutrition faced by the Kenyan people. (Please read more about this product in the post of Help Us Name Mary’s Babies.)

Carol works as the Director for the Cedar Rapids Vision In Motion clinic. This is the second program of the nonprofit, Spanda Inc. The clinic is an outpatient occupational therapy clinic serving the vision wellness and rehabilitation needs of low vision clients, neuro-vision rehab patients, and the needs of young adults and children. The goal of this unique program is to help each patient achieve maximum success in their daily living activities----school, employment, or in their ability to remain living independently.

Carol, along with Bridgit Brandt, will be blogging and writing about the team’s African experience. She also will be compiling information for future grant applications and micro-lending opportunities to assist the villagers in sustaining their clinic’s business operations.

Dr. Rob Kingus - Eye Care Team Member

Hi! This is Dr. Rob Kingus. I have been an optometrist with Dr. Fitzgerald and Associates since August 2006. I graduated from the Illinois College of Optometry, and moved to Cedar Rapids soon after. I have enjoyed working with my patients in our office, as well as working at Vision in Motion as the primary low vision optometrist. I enjoy my job very much, and it is very fulfilling to help people improve their vision and the health of their eyes.

I am married to Heather, who is a veterinarian in Cedar Rapids. We have two young daughters, and enjoy spending time together as a family. We like to visit Clear Lake, Iowa each summer, and also travel to Duluth, Minnesota so I can participate in an in-line skating marathon each fall. Other interests of mine include watching most sports on TV, playing Nintendo Wii, spending time outside, and catching up with friends and family.

I am very excited to go to Kenya again this year. I was fortunate to go there in 2007 to help open the eye clinic, and I am happy to go back to further the work that we started. It is nice to know that I can make a difference in so many people’s lives by just doing what I’ve been trained to do.

Meet Carla McDowell-Dental Team Leader

The need for dental services at the KipKarin clinic is great. When local Cedar Rapids dentist and owner of Dental Associates of Cedar Rapids, Dr. Karen Besler, DDS, heard of Spanda Inc.’s need for dental services at the clinic, she immediately knew she wanted to help.

Dr. Besler is pleased to send one of her experienced dental assistants, Carla McDowell, on the upcoming October trip. Carla will be providing dental training to the Kenyan health care staff, assisting with patient dental screenings, and determining clinic dental equipment needs.

Carla has been a practicing dental assistant for 27 years and has worked for Dr. Besler at Dental Associates of Cedar Rapids for the past five years. She is a member of the Professional Women’s Network and of the Business Network International organization. She attends Antioch Christian Church in Marion and enjoys spending time with her fiance David, her son Charles, and her cat Monster.

Carla is very excited to share her dental knowledge with the Kenyan people and is inspired by Dr. Besler’s and Dr. Fitzgerald’s vision of bringing dental services to an area where toothbrushes and toothpaste are seen as luxury items.

Will You Help Mary Name Her Babies?

Sitting quietly in her sun-drenched family room Mary Uthe knits….and she knits….and she knits. Why is Mary knitting so fervently? On a mission, Mary’s story offers both a simple message of love while illustrating the amazing interconnectedness we all share. It truly leaves one feeling that it does only take “a single idea, a single action to move the world.”

The Connection

Mary has been a long-time patient of local Cedar Rapids optometrist, Dr. DeAnn Fitzgerald. While in her office for a routine eye exam in the summer of 2007, Mary noticed a lone postcard at the reception desk. It described an upcoming wine tasting fundraiser event to benefit Dr. Fitzgerald’s newly founded non-profit organization, Spanda Inc. Dr. Fitzgerald would be returning to KipKarin, Kenya, to help build an eye and health care clinic. Spanda Inc. was founded to combine Dr. Fitzgerald’s passion for optometry with other health care professions to improve the lives of all regardless of personal situation throughout the world community. Mary and her husband, Jack, attended the event in which Mary describes as “awe-inspiring” to be surrounded by individuals so passionate and enthusiastic about helping the KipKarin people realize their dream of having a village-operated health care clinic.

Later that year, Mary, along with her sister-in-law, made a trip to the New England States to enjoy the fall colors. While vacationing, she visited a local yarn shop. Her eyes were immediately drawn to a basket filled with colorful, hand-knitted dolls. Mary recalls feeling overwhelmed with how cute and special the dolls looked. When she went to purchase one, however, there was no price tag. The store owner explained these were special babies called “Duduza (Comfort) Dolls”. They were created by an organization, Children In Distress Network International (CIDNI). Knitters throughout the United States and the United Kingdom were knitting these dolls with the sole purpose of giving them to African children affected by HIV/AIDS. The store owner gave Mary a web address where she could obtain the pattern to make dolls with the promise that the dolls would not be made for private profit. Upon her return to Cedar Rapids, Mary read the CIDNI story and immediately thought of Dr. Fitzgerald and Spanda Inc.

At the same time, Dr. Fitzgerald had been researching “Ready-To-Use-Therapeutic Foods” (RUTF) to stave off the effects of severe childhood malnutrition. Most concerning was the recent drought affecting the Kenyan people—resulting in the loss of grazing pastures for their cattle and goats. Over a quarter of all children living in the area served by the Kenyan clinic had become victims of malnutrition.

The RUTF is a peanut-based product enriched with vitamins and minerals. It does not require water to manufacture nor refrigeration and has a shelf life of two years. When given to a child, twice daily, for four weeks, it can restore the child to near normal weight. True to her philosophy of “wouldn’t you do whatever you could to help a child” Dr. Fitzgerald set out to discover how this food product could be introduced to this region of Kenya.

300 Babies Are Born

Within days of her return, Mary called Dr. Fitzgerald to tell her about the dolls and to see if she would like to take some with her during her next mission trip. This is where great ideas between two dynamic individuals are launched. Not only would the 300 children living in the two orphanages served by the KipKarin clinic receive a doll, but the dolls would become the major fundraising tool to introduce RUTF to the area. For an adoption fee of $35, the donor would be given the special honor of supplying a malnourished child with a month’s supply of RUTF as well as giving a child in the orphanage a doll of comfort!

The Knitting Continues

At the time of this article, 265 dolls have been hand crafted by Mary. Using the softest of yarns, each doll is unique. All are knitted with love, given a kiss upon their completion by Mary, and blessed with this message of hope---“Somebody out there believes you are special!”

Mary is also pleased to report that her “community of knitters” has grown. As more people learn of her endeavors, she is receiving the support of fellow knitters throughout Cedar Rapids.

Would You Like To Help?

The need for RUTF will be on-going. Spanda Inc.’s long-term goal is to help over 10,000 malnourished children in this region. Presently, discussions are being held with a distributor of the product to ensure sustainability.

We need your help to realize this dream. If you would like to adopt and name one of “Mary’s Babies”, please contact us at spandainc@yahoo.com. You will receive an adoption certificate and, upon our return from Africa, a picture of the child receiving the doll you have adopted.

The $35 adoption fee will provide a Kenyan child with a month’s supply of RUTF, which will help restore the child to a near normal weight.

Through your donor efforts, Mary’s knitting, Dr. Fitzgerald’s vision, and the volunteer work of many others—it really does only take a single idea, a single action to move the world! Won’t you be a part?

Meet Michele Burnes - Medical Team Leader

Michele is excited to return for her second trip to Kenya. As a physician’s assistant practicing at the Urbana Family Medical Clinic and the Virginia Gay Hospital ER, Michele will be leading the team’s medical efforts this October.

Michele is looking forward to working with the Kipkaren clinic’s nurse, Michelle Kiprop, in developing clinic protocol for patient care and treatment. The duo will also be conducting continuing education sessions for the rest of the clinic staff.

This year Michele is very pleased to bring a portable ultrasound machine with her for the clinic’s use. Spanda Inc. is nearing its goal of raising close to $6200 to acquire this machine. The clinic staff is ecstatic to be receiving the ultrasound machine as it will aid them in providing obstetrical care and in the diagnosis and treatment of other diseases. (If you are interested in contributing towards the purchase and delivery of the ultrasound machine, please contact spandainc@yahoo.com).

Although not easily put into words, Michele relates, “You cannot help but be changed by the kindness and faith of the Kenyan people—even in the midst of extreme poverty. My circle of family, friends, and neighbors has grown through this life-changing experience.”

Team Leader Adele Booysen

Adele Booysen joins us from Taiwan, where she is currently working as a teacher. Before returning to Taiwan (where she had previously worked as a magazine editor), Adele spent three years with Empowering Lives in Kenya. "Living in a rural African village was one of the biggest joys and challenges of my life," Adele admits. Though she herself is African (she is from South Africa), Adele got to know a different side of African life by serving at ELI's orphanages. Adele's work at ELI included photojournalism as well as hosting teams. She'll be the one to make sure we get from one place to the next without any hassles, and even learn some things about the country and culture along the way...

The Visionary Behind Eye Care Kenya

As our team begins preparing to depart on our upcoming October Kenyan mission, it seems only fitting to introduce you to a true visionary and the founder of Spanda Inc., Dr. DeAnn Fitzgerald, OD.
Doc, as her patients, family, and friends call her, has been a practicing optometrist in the corridor community for the past 25 years. Her private eye care practice provides comprehensive eye care services to over 10,000 patients annually. Realizing her passion for optometry and health care as well as her desire to do more for our local and world communities, she founded her own nonprofit, Spanda Inc., in 2006.
Spanda Inc. is based on the notion that “it takes only a single idea, a single action to move the world”. With that thought, she has sponsored two mission trips to Kipkaren, Kenya. Through fundraising efforts and her own generosity, a health care clinic was built and local villagers were trained to operate the clinic. Doc also purchased a satellite, which has enabled her to keep in contact with the villagers. Currently, she is working with Rotary to provide fresh water to the clinic and village. She is also working with Dr. Karen Besler, a local Cedar Rapids dentist, to bring expanded dentistry services to the clinic. She is also working to establish a supply route for a therapeutic food designed to combat malnutrition. (Please stay tuned to future blogs describing all of these projects in greater detail.)
When asked why she began this mission work, Doc replied, “The moment I knew I wanted to do this---it became a process. I never thought “little ole me” could ever be able to do something like this. It was like a steamroller---other community members, businesses, and colleagues all became involved. I have been outside of my comfort zone as I embarked on this journey. But it did not matter. I realized that a piece of my destiny was to bring hope and humbly empower and inspire my Kenyan neighbors. I totally believe there is something bigger than each of us. It is amazing to be a part of all of this!”
One need not look any further than Dr. DeAnn Fitzgerald to see a leader with tremendous heart and spirit ready to “take a single idea”, create a strong team, and develop dreams that make our community and world a much better place to live.
Please join us on this journey…..

Welcome to Kipkaren

These videos were taken when the team arrived in the village of Kipkaren, Kenya in 2007. The first video features John Busche, the director of the children's home, welcoming the team from Iowa. In the second video, the team was treated to a traditional dance and singing by the children.

Previous trip pictures

Past trips to Kenya

As we look forward to our departure for Kenya coming up in October, please enjoy a look back at our previous adventures.