Holds our Monthly Feature and Monthly Feature data
Sr. Prisca Ovat, MMM, working in Kenya, shares her passion of caring for our earth and how she is trying to make changes among the people she lives and works within Eldoret.
“In our desire to curb climate change and care for our earth, here in Eldoret, we empower our 27 community health volunteers with a health topic every month they gather to submit reports. This month we focused on air pollution, how each of us contributes in small or big ways to climate change, and what we can do differently.
As I move around the 11 communities in our catchment area which are predominantly slums, I observe that most families living in either a thatched or iron sheet hut cook inside while children are asleep. They inhale the smoke, and all of this has affects on their health. So together with the volunteers, we walk around these villages every day of the week, gathering families and educating them on the impact of air pollution. Each month we choose a different topic.”
(As we spoke, we made the connections with the EARTHSHOT Prize 2022). Growing up in Mukuru, one of Nairobi’s largest slums, for years Charlot Magayi sold charcoal for fuel. That charcoal was the cause of respiratory infections for her and her neighbours. Then, in 2012, her daughter was severely burnt by a charcoal-burning stove. Seeking a better solution, in 2017 she founded Mukuru Clean Stoves.
Rather than burning dangerous solid fuels, Mukuru Clean Stoves use processed biomass made from charcoal, wood and sugarcane. This burns cleaner, creating 90 percent less pollution than an open fire and 70 percent less than a traditional cookstove. They are cheaper too, costing just $10 and halving ongoing fuel costs.
Today, 200,000 people in Kenya use Mukuru Clean Stoves, saving $10 million in fuel costs and saving lives too. In rural areas, where young girls often spend three hours a day collecting firewood, they also save precious time. A female-founded business with mostly female staff and distribution agents, Mukuru Clean Stoves is empowering women to make a living by making a difference. Magayi plans to create an even cleaner stove that burns ethanol. In three years, she hopes to reach one million customers. In ten years, she plans to reach ten million people all over Africa.
CONNECT WITH MUKURU CLEAN STOVES
www.mukurustoves.org
www.linkedin.com/company/mukuru-clean-stoves
Sr Pauline Amulen, MMM, Lilongwe Community
It is astonishing how life can change from comfort to discomfort and misery in a blink of an eye. Cyclone Freddy has caused an unprecedented crisis in Malawi where the state of devastation is indescribable. The rains that started slowly in southern Malawi on 10th March 2023 intensified on 13th March 2023. It is being reported as one of the longest-lasting tropical cyclones with the strongest storm ever recorded. These rains resulted in tremendous flooding, mudslides, broken bridges and damage to roads. It is heartbreaking to see many lives lost, dozens injured and thousands displaced and now living pitifully in camps with some waiting day and night for any news about their missing relatives and friends.
The worst hit place is Blantyre which is the second largest city in Malawi of roughly 800,000 people followed by 12 other districts. It was a very dull Tuesday morning. We were leaving to go for Mass at 6:00am and we met our security guard, he was very upset and hardly a word could be heard from his lips. Then after some minutes of patiently waiting for him, he said, “My father is dead and other family members are reported missing”. Shock caught us, and we stayed there trying to console him and praying with him. Our staying back with him helped him calm down and he got the courage to start off his journey to Blantyre. We thank God other family members were rescued from where the floods had carried them and are still alive. It is difficult to state the figures of the affected as many cases are discovered each single day.
The effects left by the cyclone are still hard felt by the whole of the nation as we are experiencing power blackouts and lack of running water and even piped water in most areas. Some villages remain unreachable because of cut-off roads leaving the lives of the people in the hands of God. The victims of the cyclone are traumatised as some of them report experiencing mental disturbance as the sound of the storm and the waves of water keep ringing in their ears. They say it will take a long time for them to have peaceful minds. Furthermore, the scarcity of water is raising concerns that cholera which some areas of Malawi including Blantyre were battling with might rise again. The schools which delayed opening due to cholera, are again at a standstill now as classrooms are used as shelter for the displaced people.
Even in the most difficult situations in life we find reasons to be thankful to God. A hand of applause really needs to be extended to the government of Malawi, different agencies, countries and individuals who are wholeheartedly and tirelessly working to rescue the lives of many people. The Catholic Church of Malawi is working hard too to see how best we can help in the situation. The Bishop has made an appeal to the small Christian communities to give any material support they can to assist.
As we keep holding Malawi deep in our hearts in prayer, let us strive to mitigate all the factors that are putting our environment in jeopardy. As reported by scientists, human activities are one of the causes leading to the rise of cyclones.
Let us remain ambassadors, educators, promoters, and advocates of better climatic change for a better Africa and the entire globe.
Kasina Health Centre is situated in Dedza district, one of the mountainous areas of Malawi, bordering Mozambique. It is 40kms north of the town of Dedza and an hour’s drive south
of Lilongwe, the capital city. There are 74 villages in our catchment area, with a population of 35, 863.
Early in 2021, the number of cases of suspected COVID-19 were on the increase. Up to that time we had no means of testing. Then the Government identified Kasina Health Centre as a government partner, and we were recognised as a testing and treatment centre. From here we refer cases to the Government treatment centre, through the District Health Officer.
We noticed that people were growing lax with hygiene protocols in fighting the virus. As there was a considerable amount of apathy, we realised the need for more education, both on hygiene and the need for vaccination. There was little knowledge about the seriousness of Covid-19 and the need for vaccination was not pressing. We began an awareness -raising/education campaign with community leaders and home-based carers. These, in turn, would bring the message to the people. We provided handwashing points and soap to the communities. Our Health Centre staff were updated about the virus and they were active in the education campaign.
We were able to reach the 74 villages in our catchment area. We met a lot of challenges as we moved from place to place. One village was especially challenging. There they had more than 50% of a particular religion who believe that:
- That if they take COVID Vaccination it will make them barren, and they will not be able to have a child of their own.
- Taking the vaccination will shorten their life i.e., they believe that they will die within two years after taking the vaccine.
- Their religious leaders were discouraging them from taking the vaccine.
- Some of them were spreading the rumour that Covid vaccination is benefitting the politicians.
The first time we visited this village, very few people gathered in the usual meeting spot. We talked to the group that gathered. Our next move was to go around the village with a microphone. We gave input on the importance of COVID 19 Vaccination. That day only 56 people summoned the courage to take the vaccine, while others were watching and laughing at them. The next visit we intensified the health talk around the village. We met with the religious leaders and talked to them about the importance of the vaccine. After realizing that nobody died after receiving the vaccine, more people started changing their minds. They were also afraid of the government rules saying that in future, they would not be able to access medical care in government institution without vaccination.
Gradually convinced of the importance of the vaccination as a lifesaving remedy, they only started coming out gradually and voluntarily. In the end we were able to vaccinate 214 people in this village.
It is now 48 years since Mother Mary Martin, our founder, died here in Drogheda. Up to now we have gathered the memories of the Sisters who knew her best. But this is our call out to you, the people of Drogheda, Dublin and beyond.
If anyone has memories of Mother Mary they would like to share with us, we are very open to receive them. You can write to us, or arrange to talk with one of the Sisters. Email: mmm@mmmworldwide.com Phone: +353 1 288 7180
Sr. Jacinta Ugonma Mahakwe MMM
We live in a world filled with lots of deprivations of basic human needs – food, water, clothing and shelter. These must be satisfied in order to address more complex needs like mental and physical health, relationships and employment. Growing up to adulthood in the neighbourhood of Nordeste de Amaralina in Salvador, Brazil, is more of a miracle. The neighbourhood had experienced violent deaths of a lot of young people related to drugs, domestic and police brutality over the years. Those who experience or witness violence may develop a variety of problems including anxiety, depression, insecurity, anger, poor social skills, pathological lying, manipulative behaviour, impulsiveness and lack of empathy.
The returns on investing in human relationships could avert a lot of damages and bring healing in an environment endemic with violence. A few years back, the Medical Missionaries of Mary Sisters and their staff at Project Consolation in Salvador, Brazil, carried out “Peace walk” in the neighbourhood. This was done in collaboration with some primary and secondary schools in the area in conjunction with the support of the police force. Over three hundred school children with their teachers, some parents/grandparents took to the streets in a peaceful march accompanied by music, calling everyone to embrace the healing beauty of peace and end violence. The young school students shared sweets, colourful flowers, and balloons with the onlookers as symbols of love to demonstrate their quest for peace, with glowing smiles. The walk lasted for one hour and there was a feeling of tranquillity that hovered in the air through the whole period and beyond. With trust and anticipation, mothers, fathers, young people trooped out one after the other in support of this invitation to foster a culture of peace in the neighbourhood. Peaceful coexistence is a healing beauty. What is more healing than the face of a young child saying “friends, our young life matters, we want peace, we want to live”.
With the appropriate technique and approach, almost every behaviour and issue can be resolved by dealing with the root causes. The Medical Missionaries of Mary continue to engage with young people and adults in activities focused on behavioural change and trauma management. These include Coexistence / Well-being Workshops and Integrative Body Therapy. Integrative Body Therapy is a helpful approach of treatment for a range of concerns such as somatization, depression, anxiety, relationship concerns, and the effects of past trauma. It looks at the relationship between the body and mind. For many people expressing what they feel through oral language is very difficult, almost impossible in some cases. Through a body language/expression a scream can be heard, seen, released, and welcomed.
“The body speaks”. This self-care activity awakens in the participants an understanding that caring for oneself prompts one to care for the other. When we expand our range of care, it becomes a collective benefit – a healthy and peaceful environment.
Many of our current medications come from plants and the natural world. Because we take them in tablet form, or as a cream or gel we often do not realise their origins. Can plant-based medications work? Yes, definitely. As a Congregation with “Rooted and Founded in Love” as our motto, we take our natural world seriously! For this reason we are also concerned about the effects of climate change on medicinal plants. Many scientific researchers are warning us about this. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/54348/1/medicinal%20plants.pdf
Here we present two of the medicinal plants that our MMM Sisters use in their daily lives.
Aloe vera, or Aloe barbadensis, is a thick, short-stemmed plant that stores water in its leaves. This forms the gel which seems to ooze out of the leaves. It is best used when rubbed onto the skin. It is widely used for sunburn, for skin conditions and for the healing of wounds. It has anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial qualities.
Some studies suggest that it may also be useful as a mouthwash in inflammatory conditions in the mouth, for swollen or bleeding gums, mouth ulcers and it may reduce the build-up of dental plaque.
Sometimes people recommend aloe vera to be taken orally for conditions like constipation or reducing high blood sugars, but the studies are incomplete and they may in fact, conflict with other medications. It is best to consult with your doctor before being too adventurous.
Moringa oleifera is a plant that is often called the drumstick tree, the miracle tree, the ben oil tree, or the horseradish tree. It is a native plant in India but it also grows in other parts of Asia, Africa and South America. Moringa contains many healthful compounds such as vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), C (folate and ascorbic acid) and many minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and zinc.
It has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. However, there are few scientific studies on its benefits. To date, studies show that Moringa oleifera may lead to modest reductions in blood sugar and cholesterol. It may also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and protect against arsenic toxicity.
It protects and nourishes the skin and hair, it can treat some digestive problems such as constipation, ulcerative colitis and gastritis.
Moringa leaves, which are widely available in Africa, are also highly nutritious and are beneficial for people who are lacking in essential nutrients.
As with all medicinal plants, use with care and after checking with your doctor.
The MMM Steps for Hope 2023, our Lenten Challenge, has started. Last year people from all five continents participated and this year we hope the same happens.
We have set out some simple guidelines which we hope will explain all and are encouraging everyone, wherever they are throughout the world, to take part. It is good for your health! So, sign up to join us and walk or run 40 Km or 80 Km over the 40 days of Lent, fund-raising for MMM at the same time if you are able. (more…)
By Sr. Mary O’Malley, MMM
Let me tell you the story of the Karamojong girls from Uganda. These unfortunate young girls and children, some as young as 9 years old, were initially found by one of our Trainers sleeping ‘rough’ with no shelter and only plastic sheets in the Majengo Eastleigh area, Nairobi. They are recruited in large numbers by the Somali community and used mainly in domestic service and sexual exploitation, but they are also used in Al-Shabbab (terrorist) activities. We were reliably informed of Karamojong girls who obtained Kenyan passports to enter Somalia. They may get killed, but who cares?
We undertook the major challenge of rescuing these vulnerable young girls. Initially twenty of them were offered shelter in a rented house with food, personal and sanitary items supplied, plus bedding, clothing, etc. We hired security guards for night and daytime duty, also two house mothers to oversee their varied needs and we left them free to move out during the day and take any small casual jobs they might find. It worked well. They went out happy, and at night availed of the security of the shelter.
The numbers increased dramatically every day until we had 98 girls in six houses. We also realised that at least ten of them would deliver babies in the next two months. It was a huge challenge. Many were sick, ranging from chest infections (two had tuberculosis), rashes, sexually transmitted infections, etc. In the first two weeks, we had taken sixty-five of them to various hospitals and clinics. That whole situation contributed to major expenses. Each morning we held daily briefing meetings. There was a strong bond and commitment in the team, and we consulted each other as and when necessary. Eventually, we were able to repatriate some of them, some to formal schooling, others received micro-finance assistance while those with babies opted to go home, and they too were given the rudiments of running a small business.
MMM Sisters, Fuka, Nigeria
Everything in life has a season and we are called to embrace all with love, wisdom and integrity. Niger State, since the beginning of the year 2021, has suffered grievous attacks from bandits. However, God’s mercy and goodness has remained unsearchable.
Medical Missionaries of Mary Fuka community is in the Munya Local Government area in Niger state. The rainy season is here and despite the insecurity challenges, the farmers have been, and still are, working tirelessly in harvesting their crops.
Since the onset of this insecurity challenge in Fuka, our community and Primary Health Care has been on and off. April 2021 was our first experience of a banditry attack in Fuka and the environs. The community was thrown into turmoil and as a result, we closed for three months. Almost a year later, there came another attack which took place on 11th March, 2022. Thank God we had already come out of Fuka to the place where we had arranged accommodation for such occurrences.During this incident, the community was deserted; with families displaced and some people kidnapped. Some flew to neighbouring villages and others found refuge for days in nearby bush. Besides this, properties were destroyed and food crops and animals, especially cows, were taken away. People were killed and other lives were lost to hunger. Health conditions deteriorated and there was poor access to health care. Fear was very palpable, movement was restrained, so people were on the alert. There was no freedom of worship, and fear engulfed the area to the extent that the Easter Vigil was not celebrated.
Amidst all these challenges, God has been so faithful in enriching us with new insight, more courage and the zeal to continue his healing mission. To be a victim of a banditry attack is an experience that one should never wish for. It leaves one with sad and fearful memories but somehow one grows more in showing compassion and being in solidarity with others. It was a genuine moment where our faith and trust in God was challenged and we felt the protecting hand of God. This was our experience! Nevertheless, as a community we draw our strength from prayers and support from one another. We live each day as it comes, sharing our stories, strengths, and fears and engaging in community activities, not forgetting to celebrate. The renewal of vows of Sr. Linda happened at the heat of this time (April 2022) and we did not hesitate to celebrate!
In all these, we kept in touch with our Leaders and updated them of the happenings. They were very supportive and indeed the whole Congregation was in solidarity with us, praying and checking on us. Engaging with the Leaders, we expressed our desire to remain with the people rather than closing down completely. From the experience of the first attack, many patients suffered lack of health care services. In view of this, on 4th April (our MMM Foundation day), we initiated a mobile outreach in consultation with the Area Leadership Team. This was to reach out to our patients on special treatment such as those with sickle cell anaemia (SS), diabetes and tuberculosis (TB). Some of our staff expressed their willingness to participate in this venture. Presently, our outreach, which is in Kaffin Koro, has expanded with the inclusion of general health care with laboratory services, immunisation of children and a school health programme. The programme runs through Monday to Thursday. It has not been easy making such a journey daily on a rough road. Nevertheless, the fulfilment gained in reaching out to them is enough grace to cope with the stress. The nature of the work is demanding, yet the prayer and support of those around us gives us courage.
We are also grateful to our Bishop, His Lordship Dr. Martin Uzoukwu and his Auxiliary Luka Sylvester Gopep who have been very supportive. Some religious communities around us also have been good to us, paying us visits, not forgetting our parishioners who can’t wait for us to go back to Fuka. In fact, our parish, Fuka, already sent delegates urging us to return, assuring us of an improved security situation at the moment. Some of our sisters have been so brave to pay us visits; these were always reviving and encouraging moments for us. The patients have been so appreciative and pouring God’s blessings on us for making the effort to reach out amidst the challenges.
They remain hopeful that we will soon resume in Fuka. We are blessed at this time to have a new diagnostic machine installed in our clinic, to aid in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The training began in September 2022. Some of the staff that were available and some of the villagers participated and witnessed the installation. Indeed, it was a huge success! To them, it was a great sign that MMM PHC Fuka does not just belong to the Medical Missionaries of Mary, but they have a great share in it as beneficiaries. It also increased their hope that activities will resume soon.
When we think of a treasure, we think of something we cherish so dearly, something valuable that is precious to us and we want to acquire it. Merriam Webster uses the following related words for treasure: blessing, Godsend, goody, windfall and valuable.
In 2017, I was asked by the West Africa Area Leader to work with Sr. Leonie as she rounded up, in preparation for her retirement and return to Ireland. This was initially meant to be a short assignment after which I would hand over to her successor and move to Angola where I had originally been assigned. Little did I know that God had another plan for PLAN and that I was that successor.
