FreMo's is looking fantastic!!

The day I left FreMo’s was a public holiday in Kenya – we had lunch together and said teary farewells.

I then went to Moffat and Judy’s home where I had been staying to collect my final things before making my way to Amimo’s home in Westlands for my last night.

What we have achieved in the last 2 ½ months is nothing short of remarkable. As the file is too big to upload, please visit my facebook page for a video of what the clinic was like in July 2010! For Kawangware standards it was absolutely fine but it wasn’t a place that attracted clientele. And being a private clinic, they need the business to survive.

The biggest problem FreMo’s faced was the unfortunate reality that being in the slums, many patients were unable to pay for the services and there are another 4 well know clinics and hospitals close by.

What I saw in FreMo’s was the incredible potential for them to be a great hospital. The founders and staff were wonderful; they had big hearts and would always treat someone instead of pushing them out the door which would have been inevitable death for some. Today this attitude remains the same.



After spending a very interesting 5 months at the clinic, my goal when returning to Australia was to raise money and return to help them improve their facilities in order to create more business and be self-sustainable entity. Over the past 12 months they had moments of financial struggle. I was fortunate to be in a position to send some funds to keep them afloat until my return.

Thanks to the substantial contributions and inexhaustible efforts of Vicki, Faith, various generous souls and all those involved in the Girl’s Night Out charity event I held on the Sunshine Coast in February, the clinic has had an amazing transformation. The front still needs signage; the roof and guttering between buildings need repairing, large sinks and 500ml rainwater tank are both to go underneath the new 5000ltre tank and toilet seats. That’s about it and they certainly won’t take long at all.

It was a tremendous experience to see what a change for the better it is now at FreMo’s. Special thanks to Vicki Chan for all her amazing fundraising efforts to give more than $10,000 to the project (not to mention the $5,000 Sunsuper competition for 2 midwifes for a year she also rallied people from around the globe for to vote on and WON) and Faith Belts for reconstructing the second birth room/ward. FreMo staff and I missed you both terribly when you left. What a significant impact you both made. Thanks also to Amimo for your time, passion and knowledge – I learnt a lot from you as a Doula and humanitarian worker. And Faith and Grace for sharing her Giwa home and families – the Kawangware community misses yost u like crazy, They miss their Mzungu neighbours. I MISS YOU!!!!

Back in late June Vicki and I arrived on the steps of FreMo’s on a mission to change the way birthing takes place in this clinic which we hoped would start filtering through Kenya. No more abusing the mothers, slapping or pinching their thighs leaving them with an awful experience. 2 months later it is a new clinic!!



It’s still strikes me as hard to believe that Vicki and I met just 4 months prior to our trip. She made contact with me after reading the article in the Weekender Magazine published in the Sunshine Coast, Queensland (http://digitaledition.theweekender.com.au/default.aspx?iid=45135 pages 10-12) and just 2 weeks before the successful ‘Girls Night Out’ in aid of FreMo’s. Barely knowing me, she did her research on the clinic and did everything she could to raise awareness and helped me so much at this fundraising event.

Vicki and I met over coffee and she immediately knew she had to make the journey back with me. Over the short time prior to our departure, we an idea of what we wanted to achieve and Vicki with the medical background knew that hygiene and maternity would be a perfect start.

Just look at the clinic now!!



I left Kenya a few days ago. After my visit to Somalia I was not ready to leave. Goodbyes are always hard but It was especially difficult saying goodbye to Judy(Moffat’s wife) who had been the perfect host during my stay and their adorable son Frank. Frank is now 10 months old and I witnessed his first few steps just last week – I will never forget how his face lit up every time I walked into the room. I know he will forget me, but I will never forget him.



I am disappointed to say that the only person I did not get to say goodbye to, was the very person I most went back to Kenya to see... Moffat. He was in bed, sleeping. He is a busy, tired man and I don’t like goodbyes.



I am lucky to have partnered with Vicki as her support and passion for the clinic grows every day. As I help those in impoverished communities bordering Kenya/Somalia, Vicki is doing everything she can to ensure FreMo’s continues to be successful. As a renowned midwife, FreMo is so very blessed to have you – and they know it!! Thank you!