In rural communities of Tanzania, healthcare is sometimes delivered in the simplest of settings—under a tree. Ashe Love Project joined Mission Aviation Fellowship’s monthly clinic flight seeking to provide nutrition education through locally led training.
Story by Päivi Griffin
There’s not much of it, but the little shade that the acacia tree provides is well utilised by this clinic in the remote village of Lesirwai in South Maasai Land.
This is a mobile clinic under a tree. Nurses and patients sit on blue plastic chairs on the orange dirt, while mothers and children murmur, awaiting their turn.
One of the women arriving at the clinic for a check-up is 40-year-old Monica Paolo, draped in the bright colours of red and blue.
“I’m expecting my tenth child,” says Monica, handing in her clinic card. “I love all my children. They are a blessing from God.”
From the crowd of nursing mothers, Monica voices their opinion: “We can trust that the plane comes, bringing the clinic to us. And I desire for my children to be cared for.”
There are no walls, but the services being provided at these monthly maternal and child health clinics are growing.
“Aircraft are such neat tools to help people,” says Elsa Klarich, who has joined today’s MAF flight.
Elsa, a pilot herself, flew with Flying Medical Service in Tanzania before starting her non-profit organisation, Ashe Love Project, which partners with other organisations for greater collaborative effort. The word ashe means ‘thank you’.
Elsa is seeking out opportunities to complement the already established maternal and child health services provided by Same hospital through the monthly remote clinics that MAF flights enable.
“The malnourishment rate in these rural areas causes stunted growth,” she says. “Around 70% of children suffer from it. We want to target that with nutrition education of a balanced diet. Nutrients affect everything: your growth, focus and education for the rest of your life.”
New visually enhanced clinic cards are passed around and discussed, ensuring illiterate mothers can easily understand the content.
The lack of fruits and vegetables in the region’s diet causes low haemoglobin, say the local nurses. One of the ways Ashe Love Project seek to combat malnutrition is by looking into local production of a Plumpy’Nut nutrition supplement.
Remote clinics also encounter some under-aged mothers. This is a concern health education can provide solutions to.
Aircraft are such neat tools to help people.
“We know that the younger you are, the more dangerous it is to have children” Elsa says. “I can see the need, especially when it comes to education and training.
“Here they have good healthcare because MAF aircraft deliver the clinic monthly, where their basic needs are met. It’s invaluable.”
During the clinic, nurses encourage mothers to visit the hospital in Same for scans and delivery. It takes planning to get to there.
A short ten-minute hop allows nurses to fly in and maximise clinic services, but it takes the mothers all day by foot due to the challenging terrain and lack of road networks. In order to afford the three-hour drive on rough dirt roads by motorcycle or bajaj tricycle taxis, mothers share the expenses of the long journey.
“To me, promoting sustainable growth means a locally led approach,” adds Elsa. “Caroline, my first local volunteer in Tanzania is a health specialist, nutritionist and has a master’s as a dietician. She also has a background in sustainable agricultural practices.
“My plan is to send Caroline out twice a month on an MAF aircraft to deliver menstruation, health, nutrition and hygiene trainings in the bush.
“Honestly, the people at Lesirwai were so grateful to see the plane come in. It was probably the first time I really heard people say: ‘Thank you for coming.’”