October 11, 2007
By Hannelore Volpe
Staff Writer, Stouffville Sun-Tribune
Many residents in Igoma, Tanzania, are healthier and babies have a better chance of a healthy life thanks to the Stouffville Igoma Partnership.
The group has raised funds and provided volunteers for several years to help build the Urafiki Health Centre, Igoma’s first medical clinic.
The clinic is now open full time and is operated by a staff of 20, including full-time doctors and nurses.
To continue its work, the partnership is holding its third annual fundraising dinner and auction Oct. 19 at EastRidge Evangelical Missionary Church.
The most recent addition to the facility is the mother and child care clinic.
So far this year, three sets of twins and one set of triplets were born and cared for at the clinic.
“We are quite proud of them, as multiple births are not always successful,” partnership chairperson Peter Neufeld said.
A group of volunteers from Whitchurch-Stouffville and surrounding area traveled to Igoma this summer to work on the mother and child care clinic, which was built with the help of about 20 Igoma residents.
Another project of the partnership is buying and putting up mosquito nets in the homes of Igoma residents.
Students at the Progressive Montessori Academy in Stouffville held a fundraiser, spearheaded by Olivia Wignall and Aline Murad, to buy 90 mosquito nets.
They got their class involved and held a bake sale at their school, raising $390.
The partnership also supports around 10 Igomans so they can complete training at a nearby vocational school and provides funds for five students to attend high school.
The dinner and auction begins at 5:30 p.m. at EastRidge, 12485 Tenth Line in Stouffville.
Tickets are $50 per person.
For tickets, all the Whitchurch-Stouffville Chamber of Commerce at 905-642-4227 or the church at 905-640-3911, ext 42. Visit sipartnership.org for more information.
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