MCN Foundation Travels to Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya – Day 5
MCN Foundation Travels to Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya – Day 5
On September 9, 2015, Amanda Valeur and Jennifer Carter-Scott from MCN Foundation, along with a team of dedicated volunteers, travelled to Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya to meet with MCN Foundation partners to align goals, conduct trainings and garner a greater understanding of what is possible with the Foundation’s support.
We will be posting blogs over the next few weeks of the MCN Foundation’s team travels so that we can share what the Foundation is doing to help those who do not have access to proper healthcare.
Day 5 – Off to Uganda
We are off to Uganda! Sometimes when I travel I am so filled with anticipation that I am giddy. That is how I felt traveling to Uganda. We were also beyond excited about the final destination for the sewing machine cutter – 32kg of weight – literally lifted off our shoulders! Happy New Year and 2008 (?!) I don’t know how many of you loved 2008 but for those of us who experienced the depth of the recession… we are not fans. But here is to learning and growing!
Ok so somethings are not as they appear in Africa or rather are not as straightforward as you might hope.
- Flight to KAMPALA is to ENTEBBE
- They ask us to go through security and proceed down the stairs to a bus that is leaving for Darfur (we are not trying to go there)
- No one seems to know what we are talking about
- The plane is boarding when we are supposed to leave
The flight was smooth, except for my incessant attempts to complete a crossword puzzle and talking the entire flight about nonsense. I am really excited about the work Days for Girls is doing!
Ok a little history…. Days for Girls is awesome. I will tell you why. They connect women and girls around the world based on one simple notion – we all get our period and it’s not cool and can sometimes be dangerous if you live in the developing world. Sometimes men attack women during this time in part due to the misinformation that they cannot get diseases and that the woman cannot become pregnant – both untrue.
Days for Girls helps girls gain access to quality sustainable feminine hygiene and awareness by direct distribution of sustainable feminine hygiene kits around the world. Days for Girls sends pads made by women around the world, teaches girls to make their own pads, and teaches women how to make and sell the pads to support themselves and their families! Yes, I am a big fan! I know I spoke about this earlier but I am passionate about it and excited that this is what MCN Foundation is committed to and what we are doing.
Travel day goes well… in theory. We arrived in Entebbe – the name of the airport in Kampala – one bag short, the one with the large metal plates for the sewing cutting machine! The last stop, we are so close, but so far! We ask at the baggage desk and they have no record of the bag… hmmm wow. We file a report and plea and beg and head off to the hotel.
MCN Foundation, More Care Now, mission is to increase patient care and safety through web-based healthcare education, skills building and entrepreneurial endeavors in order to promote and maintain the health of families and communities.  Our purpose is to educate individuals, providers and organizations in developing countries around the world through healthcare education and entrepreneurial investment in order to nurture and grow healthy families and communities.