A Rwandan hospital and school will soon have consistent power thanks to the donations of thousands of dollars from Cape Ann residents.
A $45,000 donation from the Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Essex Rotary Clubs as well as private donors enabled the purchase of a generator for the Kivu Hill Medical Center while donations by the Gloucester and Rockport Rotaries were used to purchase of a generator for Kivu Hills Academy. Both the hospital and school are in rural Boneza, Rwanda.
“Power in rural Boneza goes out several times each week,” said Tracy Arabian, president of the Rotary Club of Gloucester. “These generators provide consistent power and are critical for the medical center and academy. We look forward to dedicating the newest medical center on our next visit.”
While the medical clinic has not formally opened, some medical procedures are taking place, according to David McKechnie, former president of the Gloucester Rotary Club. The medical center is designed for general medical procedures, including obstetrics, pre-natal care and emergency medical care, he said.
“Everybody walks there,” McKechnie said of the clinic. “They walk to school and they walk to the medical center. This will serve a large population beyond Boneza.”
The clinic serves approximately 30,000 residents of Boneza now, Arabian said. “The Kivu Hills Medical Center will also provide services to millions of people in the surrounding regions when it opens its doors later in 2024.”
The academy educates thousands in the area with its hands-on curriculum.
The fund-raising effort, which took place last year, resulted in the generator finally arriving in February after local officials in Rwanda had to contend with massive rainstorms, potholes and mudslides. The effort included the contributions from the Portland, Oregon-based organization Arise Rwanda.
“It was an extreme challenge for the truck carrying this generator,” Arabian said. “Thankfully, the road will be paved soon.”
McKechnie said he plans to return to Rwanda next winter or spring to attend the dedication of the medical center.
“It is critical to have a generator,” he said Monday. “Power in rural Rwanda goes out a significant amount of the time. I don’t think we would be able to open the medical center without a generator.”
McKechnie said the Rotary Clubs on Cape Ann were responsible for contributing about $10,000 of the $45,000 raised for the purchase of the generators.
“The rest came from private donations,” he said.
The need for the effort was evident, he said.
“It’s critical to have power when someone gets very sick,” he said. “This effort has helped these impoverished people. It’s a game changer.”
The mission of Arise Rwanda is “to positively transform the community of Boneza out of extreme poverty by focusing on education, clean water, healthcare and economic development.”
More information is available by visiting www.ariserwanda.org.
Stephen Hagan can be reached at 978-675-2708 or at shagan@northofboston.com.