The dispensary is located in the small district of Agynea (sometimes spelled Aygnea), which is located near Homa Bay.
SHARE funded the $35,000 construction, furnished this mini-hospital with medical equipment, and planted Neem trees on its grounds. SHARE then donated the dispensary to the local community. The local government will staff it with nurses and doctors who will provide the needed medical care to people that live in the surrounding villages and towns.
Delegation of local leaders and SHARE representatives in front of the dispensary during a ceremony to donate the dispensary to the community.
Donation ceremony
In November 2006, SHARE founder and president, Dr. Martha MacGuffie, attended a ceremony that presented the dispensary to leaders from the surrounding communities.
She provides her insight below:
“SHARE finished our new dispensary, perched like a sentinel on a cliff overlooking the second largest freshwater lake in the world: Lake Victoria, 26,200 square feet in size, located in the Agynea district of southwest Kenya. The lake is a highly endangered economic treasure on which 25 million people depend for their livelihood.
Waiting area.
Neem tree saplings are lovingly cared for.
The dispensary was built with SHARE funds, including most of the funding from our Lions International Humanitarian award.
We had a very good gathering for the presentation of this “mini hospital” to the people living in the surrounding areas (over 150,000 in number). Many people gathered, and there was a presentation of keys to the chiefs of the villages and the board members.
Lakeshore.
SHARE representatives.
Dr. Ambrose Misore, Director of SHARE Kenya, spoke and made the presentation.
Funds donated by many rotary clubs in the Hudson Valley at home were used to furnish emergency equipment and the needed furniture.
Dispensary construction.
Construction begins.
The facility will be used for prenatal care and education. It will be a center for immunization for the many communicable diseases, all types of trauma and emergency treatments with the dispensing of needed drugs. It will be used as a center for education and prevention of AIDS and for the treatment of it. ”
About the Neem trees
SHARE planted Neem trees on the dispensary grounds in honor of former SHARE Board member, the late Syd Farber. Dr. MacGuffie said, “I selected Neem trees because they are majestic, constantly growing, provide graceful shade and their leaves are known to have certain therapeutic effects”. Read more »