The Kebeneti SDA Dispensary in Kericho, Kenya was founded in 1966 in a two-room mud building with the mission of serving children and adults in desperate need of healthcare in a rural region of the country where medical services were extremely limited.
And decades later, its mission: “To provide quality health services to the community at an affordable cost” remains, as much else has changed from its humble beginnings.
Nearly 60 years later, thanks to supporters of Bread and Water for Africa®, starting with our partnership in 2014, we have been able to provide financial assistance to enable the clinic to run a pipeline from a stream to provide a steady supply of running water, as well as to install solar panels on the clinic roof to ensure hot water is always readily available.
Today, thanks in large part to the unwavering support by Richard Landis Family Foundation and Peter Thomson during the past several years, the clinic provides preventative and curative services, maternal and child care, lab tests as well as providing medicines to patients in need.
In addition, through their compassion and generosity, Bread and Water for Africa® was able to construct maternity and delivery wards, a modern, fully equipped lab and staff housing – a necessity in such an isolated area.
(We are forever grateful to Richard “Dick” Landis, and his wife, Toini, who are committed the biggest part of his retirement as a successful businessman to working in Kenya hand-in-hand with Bread and Water for Africa® to improve healthcare, and the overall quality of life, for thousands of Kenyan children, parents and elders.)
But despite all the accomplishments, the Kebeneti clinic still relies on Bread and Water for Africa® for assistance to meet the demand for essential medicines to prevent and treat illnesses, as well as to supplement clinical staff pay to incentivize them to remain for the long term.
The clinic averages seeing 120 patients a month, the vast majority of whom otherwise would go without medical treatment and the medicines they need.
“At the moment,” stated Kebeneti representative Titus Korir in his request for funding support last year, “we can only afford a few drugs, and for whatever is not available, patients are given prescriptions to go and buy medicine at the chemist.
“This can discourage patients from coming to our clinic for help.”
Earlier this year, Titus reported that between July and December 2022, staff at the Kebeneti clinic treated a total of 562 individuals, including 114 children.
And because of the grant funding made possible by our supporters, Titus says, “We have been able to purchase medicines for patients, and a nurse is always available to provide services to community residents.
“The local community is very appreciative because the clinic is operational, and they are receiving treatment and medicine – which is now always available.”
Among them is Vivian Koros who wrote “to extend my heartful thank you for the support you provide to our facility – Kebeneti SDA Dispensary. Our community really appreciates every that you provide.
“I am one of the clients who has been suffering from asthma and respiratory problems,” she told us. “I have been getting treatment at the lowest cost and the nurses are always available at any time to attend to our needs.”
To our supporters who make our grant funding to the clinic possible, Vivian commented, “It’s because of your dedication on assisting our facility that keeps it running up to date.”
And as for Titus, speaking on behalf of all the patients and clinic staff:
“The entire community of Kebeneti Village sincerely appreciates your continued support of our clinic – which has saved a lot of lives and improved the overall health of our community.”
