Date: August 6, 2011
Bugando Medical Center, Mwanza
Director General of Bugando Dr. Charles Majinge, Deputy Minister of Health and Dr. Lucy Nkya, Bishop Aloysius Balina
Photo by Sheila Shalhevet
I am still peeling back the layers of the each of the 22 members that make up the medical team. Except now the number isn’t 22, it is expanding daily as the medical staff at Bugando and Wolfson work as one team.
Now Adela from Tanzania, Darius from Uganda, Dr. Antke from Germany and Nurse Luticia from Italy have made the list as well. The list is an open one and grows with each day.
It will naturally take me time understand the nuances and complexities of their personalities, with many of them, I may never get there, but I do know that this list is comprised of highly skilled individuals that are not only able but very very willing.
In fact, they are so dedicated and inspired by their work that they find it difficult to pull away for lunch, a snack or a breath of fresh air.
So off I went with SACH Photographer, Sheila Shalhevet, to the local market to buy some snacks and bring them to the team.
After filling a bag of goodies, I bought myself a passion fruit. I realized I had never eaten a passion fruit as it comes off the tree before.
It’s exterior is seemingly bland but open it up and its bursting with color, textures and tastes -an analogy that surely works with some of the people on my list too – not that I’m saying anybody seems bland – no no.
This can work for SACH as well.
SACH is mostly known for bringing children from developing countries to Israel to perform life-saving, open-heart surgery.
But, there is much more to it.
As I am experiencing first hand, SACH really works to elevate the level of pediatric cardiac care in the developing world by establishing relationships with local hospitals, organizations and professionals. These relationships facilitate the training program at SACH, refer many of the patients that enter the SACH doors in Israel and cooperate on teaching and surgery missions.
Fatma Hama, Shamsa Juma
Photo: Sheila Shalhevet
SACH’s mission is focused and concise, but do some digging and the colors pop. Whether it be the vibrant patterns of traditional African garb, the smells of a mélange of spices that enhance each meal or the skin tones of the children, there is so much going on, always – I love it!