Report by Peter Kai – Camp Kenya (Project Coordinator)

Last year  in November, Camps International officially launched the Healthcare Outreach Programs with 25 medical professional who traveled all the way from UK to Kenya to provide free medical treatment and advice on nutrition, sexual health and hygiene and a strong jiggers eradication campaign within 8 villages in Msambweni District. The outreach program was a huge success and a clear indication that the needs are vast and wide with thousands of people on the South Coast of Kenya who have little or no access to basic healthcare and often unable to offer simple treatment.

Based on our intervention last year, we launched a similar initiative with a group of 22 volunteers comprised mainly of practice nurses, healthcare assistants and social workers from the UK who arrived on 15th November. Once again, we set up 8 free medical camps in the same areas with certain additions to our program including spraying homes against pests (specifically jiggers), testing for malaria and provision of flipflops to the children (an initiative set up by the Happy Feet Program)

Over the course of two weeks, they operated 8 free medical clinics tirelessly, providing general treatment and advice in different health issues facing the community which included; Malnutrition cases, self hygiene and sexual health, laboratory services were issued specifically for the malaria test. A Social malaria survey was also carried during this period to determine whether the community understands what causes malaria (we are currently analyzing the data and will be publishing in due course)

Some of the Nurses who were there last year, made the job much simpler than before, organising the group into their respective working areas although once again they were surprised by the number of the water borne diseases and Jiggers in some of the 8 clinical stations operated compared to last year. Children below 10 years were the highest age bracket infected by Jiggers. All the patients infected by Jiggers were treated, given flip-flops and their houses sprayed thoroughly to prevent Jiggers spread.

Below are just some of the achievements:-
•    8 free medical clinics were effectively operated in the villages of Makongeni, Muhaka, Madago, Fihoni, Kilole, Mkwambani, Magaoni and Zigira
•    The team successfully treated about 8,000 medical incidences within 2 weeks, and around 4260 people
•    The volunteers also treated as many jigger patients as they could and fumigated about 200 houses. They also provided flip flops to the children to avoid re-infection.
•    Malaria tests was successfully carried in the field and treated accordingly.

A special thanks to all the volunteers nurses from the UK who came out this year and to the following who have financially supported the clinics:

• Kinondo Kwetu
• Harleys Limited
• Melanie Finn
• Zoia Wowk
• Alexandra Carrell

And of course the Camp Kenya staff and local community volunteers who worked tirelessly alongside our volunteer nurses…ASANTE SANA!

Once again, Camps International has set up the opportunity for a group of diverse individuals to lend a hand in the remote villages of Southern Kenya comprising a mix of nurses, clinical officers, and non healthcare volunteers. Everybody has the same goal; to improve the lives of the local villagers. Last year, we treated over 4000 people in less than two weeks and judging by the numbers we have been receiving over the last few days, we expect to hit the same target.

Sadly jiggers (a flea infestation affecting  fingers and toes, which left untreated may lead to extreme pain and even immobility) continue to be one of the biggest problems the young and old continue to be plagued by. This year, we are also spraying as many houses in the area as a way to reduce the epidemic.

Other illnesses that seem to be prevalent are Malaria, malnutrition and systemic infections. The health issues, poverty, sanitation and lack of education make living a healthy life challenging. We are also conducting a study on people’s understanding and knowledge of malaria. This we believe may help public health authorities to know whether people actually do know what causes malaria and how to prevent it.

Everybody has come together to provide healthcare clinics across eight villages seeing approximately 450 patients a day. We have held 4 clinics so far and 4 more to go. When you consider that there are 22 volunteers and a handful of local community members in the team, we have a lot of work to do over the next two weeks!…

Win £100 Cotswold Outdoor Vouchers! May Prize Draw.

If you’re looking to book your expedition with Camps International this month we have a fantastic prize draw on offer for anyone who confirms their place by the end of the month.

Book any Life or Gap trip with Camps International this month to be in with a chance to win £100 Cotswold Outdoor gift vouchers!

Save yourself £100 of essential travel equipment. Just choose your Gap or Life destination and book before the end of May 2012 (5pm GMT on 31st May 2012) to be included in the draw.

As usual with our monthly prize draws, we will choose the winner from a hat and post the video on our Facebook page so that you can see the draw. The prize draw will be held on the 1st June 2012.

So what are you waiting for? Enquire now to find out more about the trips available to you, or book online now! You can also give us a call on 0844 800 1127 to have a chat with one of the team. This prize draw only applies to new Gap and Life bookings made during April 2012.

If you’re looking to book your expedition with Camps International this month we have a fantastic prize draw on offer for anyone who confirms their place by the end of the month.

As seasoned travellers we have scoured the globe for the best prize and have chosen the Haglöf  OXO 60 trekking pack - worth a whopping £200! This pack is perfectly suited for all of our various adventures and expeditions. All you have to do is choose your Gap Year or Family Life destination and book before the end of April 2012 (5pm GMT on 30th April 2012) to be included in the draw. If you’re considering a Camps International expedition then now’s your chance to save yourself an essential travel purchase.

As usual with these offers we will choose the winner from a hat and post the video on our Facebook page so that you can see the draw. The prize draw will be held on the 1st May 2012.

Check out all the bag’s fancy features:

1. Quick and easy adjustable shoulder harness system.
2. Gender specific back-panel, shoulder harness and hipbelt (we will supply the winner with the correct bag for them)
3. Load-distributing framework with contoured head space.
4. HDPE frame-sheet with single 6061 aluminium stay.
5. High loft lumbar-pad with ventilating dual density foams.
6. Haglöfs unique side panel Flex-Pocket™ with water resistant zippers.
7. Large front panel zip-opening for easy access to main compartment.
8. Double wand pockets.
9. Angled water bottle holders.
10. Divider in main compartment.
11. Sleeping bag compartment.
12. Double pockets and water resistant zipper.
13. Fully seam taped rain-cover in separate bottom compartment.
14. Lashing points for sleeping pad on front panel.

So what are you waiting for? Enquire now to find out more about the trips available to you, or book online now! You can also give us a call on 0844 800 1127 to have a chat with one of the team. This prize draw only applies to new Gap and Life bookings made during April 2012.

What’s Hot in April?

April is our biggest month for Family life sales and so far this year we have been filling up Kenya and Tanzania with excited families wanting to do something different. The Healthcare Outreach programmes in Cambodia and Kenya are producing a lot of interest with repeat bookings from last year and new ones who have heard how successful the last one  to Kenya was.

2012 has seen the level of spending by gap year clients rise as our gappers look to stay longer with us at each camp. The best thing about staying longer is not just the impact but you get to see more wildlife, more communities, more environments and of course much more fun. If you book 2 months in Borneo it includes a stay on the tropical island of Mantanani where the Arkitrek guys have just finished their latest project. There are also some incredible projects taking place in Camp Kenya this year including the Sanitary Pads initiative at Muhaka Village and the Wildlife monitoring in Camp Tsavo. If you book to go to Kenya on your gap year you have a great chance of taking part on these and many more ground breaking projects.

If you’re interested just drop us a line via email: gap@campsinternational.com or call +44 (0)8448001127.

After the succesful launch of our Healthcare Program and ongoing jigger eradication campaign, we are now beginning to give shape to a long term and more structured intervention. One way we intend to do this is to start offering placements and residentials for individuals in healthcare. We have been having regular meetings with people like [...]

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About a year ago we were approached by a group of nurses who were keen to get out of their comfy practices and give their time to communities who really needed their help…and so our Healthcare Outreach Programme was born. Last week a group of 23 healthcare professionals (and a couple of chaps who wanted to tag along) flew out to Kenya for two weeks of sun, sea, sand and jiggers (Google it!) and halfway through their programme they seem to be having a whale of a time.  In their own words…

“[We are] having the most unbelievably amazing time! Hot, sweaty and knackered but enjoying being with some great people and seeing some extraordinary things. It’s going to be hard to explain just what it’s like here. Treating hundreds of people with a variety of hideous ailments and treating the dreaded “jiggers” in kids and some adults. ?Have ridden a camel and seen some elephants and monkeys so far. Two more days of work then beach day and then…Safari!”

“Having amazing time, did clinic yesterday. We saw over 500 in 6 hours…. Off to a different village today to do it all over again. The organiser said it was a record!…”

“Another busy clinic today, going out to remote villages who haven’t seen healthcare at all before. Lovely kids have smuggled a few!”

“On our way back to camp now for shower and tea. Wormed 540 school kids! Searing heat! Nose looks like rudolf as so red!!…I love it here!!!”

Keep an eye out for more updates on what this incredible team have achieved during their short time in Africa