News From Africa. Vol. 61, No. 1
November 19, 2024
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This Christmas, we’re excited to offer a thank-you gift that truly represents the spirit of Lalmba’s work in Kenya and Ethiopia. With every donation over $100, you will receive a unique, reusable grocery bag, hand-sewn by talented seamstresses in Matoso using vibrant Kenyan fabrics. Each bag folds into a built-in zipper pouch, perfect for on-the-go convenience, and no two bags are alike!
To make this gift even more special, each bag is adorned with a small Ethiopian cross, brought from Ethiopia to Kenya and attached with care by the seamstresses. It’s a symbol of the cross-cultural unity and support that your donation 
brings to people in the rural communities Lalmba supports.
By donating this Christmas, you’re not just giving a gift of hope—you’re empowering the local artisans who crafted it and making a real impact. A contribution of $100-$200 can support a child for an entire year, cover medical expenses for 10 patients, or provide education that empowers a young adult toward a brighter future. Your generosity creates lasting change in the lives of those we serve. Thank you for joining us in bringing hope and opportunity to those who need it most.
It’s been two years since I joined this amazing organization, and each visit to Ethiopia and Kenya deepens my admiration for the people we serve. This past September, I once again had the opportunity to visit Lalmba’s work in Ethiopia. One day in particular stands out. As I walked along the hilly roads around Lalmba’s Agaro Bushi clinic, mud caking my boots and slipping on what seemed like every rock, I couldn’t help but think about a woman in labor I met earlier that week and her newborn son named Surafel. Just a few hours earlier, Surafel’s mother had made the same journey up the steep, rain-soaked trails, stopping often to breathe through contractions, steadying herself as the clay and mud slipped between her bare toes. For two hours she walked that path. Each step, each breath, was a testament to her courage, driven by the hope that her baby would be born safely under the care of Lalmba’s clinic staff.
She arrived, somehow without any mud on her dress, supported by her dear friend and mother, just in time for Surafel’s birth. Watching our team help her settle into the birthing room, I felt a surge of gratitude and admiration—not just for our skilled staff, but for the mothers of Agaro Bushi who make this journey through the mud and rain, driven by hope.
Moments like these are at the heart of our work in rural communities like Agaro Bushi. In 2023 alone, Lalmba’s staff in Ethiopia and Kenya delivered 228 babies — each birth a testament to the strength of these mothers and the compassionate care of our staff. Surafel’s arrival was a quiet triumph, a reminder of the resilience that thrives in these hills.
When I saw Alazar, Lalmba’s Ethiopia Medical Director, gently swaddle little Surafel in warm clothes, I felt overwhelmed by the beauty and challenges of this place. I saw what love looks like: it’s the deep red of a mother’s pounding heart as she walks through the mud, enduring labor pains, to reach Lalmba’s small clinic on a remote hillside in Ethiopia. It’s the kindness Lalmba’s staff showed her as she labored and brought an incredible new life into the world. Lalmba’s clinic may be a small beacon of hope in the vast Ethiopian highlands, but it’s a place where women like Surafel’s mother find refuge, and where, together, we witness these small miracles of new life and unbreakable spirit.
This year, along with the beautiful handmade bag, we’re including a special bracelet as a thank-you. Made from silicone in red and green—the common colors of the Kenyan and Ethiopian flags—one side reads “Lalmba” and the other, “A place and a people of hope.” Originally designed and donated as a gift for our staff, this bracelet has become a symbol of the Lalmba family. We handed them out with the help of Jenipher Atieno, our Kenya Country Director, and Atinafu Yohanis, our Ethiopia Country Director to Lalmba’s staff. Our Medical Director, Alazar, even wore his as he gently cared for newborn Surafel.
We hope this bracelet brings you a sense of unity with Lalmba’s family and the communities we serve.
Hello, Lalmba friends and family! My name is Tamara, or Tam, and I’m serving as a Public Health Educator at Lalmba’s Agaro Bushi Medical Clinic in Ethiopia for a year. My journey and love for Africa began as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya. Since then, I’ve worked in Ethiopia teaching English, and in public health with at-risk populations in Chicago and along Lake Victoria, tackling the HIV/AIDS crisis. I first worked with Lalmba in Kenya, and now I’m thrilled to be back, serving in Ethiopia.
Here in Agaro Bushi, I work with our clinic staff to address rising malaria cases and reduce malnutrition in the community. I love the work here, as there’s always that feeling of wanting to do everything you can for the people and to support the clinic’s amazing staff. Even after a tough day, I feel a deep sense of satisfaction and pride as I witness what people are capable of — not only because of the rural setting and the distances our patients travel to reach us, but because of the time and energy our staff spends making the community healthier.
On weekends, when the road is passable, I visit the Children’s Home in Chiri, where the kids’ energy and laughter are infectious — especially when they run to greet visitors! I feel honored and grateful for having the chance to make my small contribution to this program, for growing and learning together with local staff over the next year and for being part of the Lalmba family.
At Lalmba, we’re driven to make every dollar count, empowering communities and bringing hope to some of the most underserved areas of Kenya and Ethiopia. Thanks to supporters like you, in 2023 alone, we provided care to over 57,000 patients, supported more than 1,300 children, welcomed nearly 19,900 visits to our library, and delivered 228 babies. That is nearly 80,000 times a life was touched, through medical care, supporting at-risk children, or empowering them to a better life, for an average of only $10.
But to keep these vital programs going — and to realize new projects like our education center — we need your help to strengthen our operational budget. Lalmba relies on the generosity of supporters like you to sustain our vital programs. Recently we have seen a drop in funding, forcing us to draw from our savings to continue our work. These reserves won’t last forever! Will you join us in continuing this mission? Please consider helping us impact 10 more lives by increasing your donation by $100 or more.
Lalmba’s leadership teams from Kenya, Ethiopia, as well as the US and Spain, gathered during the Leadership Summit in Nairobi, holding up the bags the seamstresses made. A group truly focused on supporting the poor in Kenya and Ethiopia. From left to right: Rob, Tam, Alazar, Joan, Wilkester, Jeremiah, Marcy, Atinafu, Aselefich, Tsion, Jenipher, Minalush, Linder, and Jennifer. This summit marked the first time all senior leaders came together. Our leadership team is more united and prepared to continue delivering Lalmba’s mission and vision and overcome any challenges on the way.
Lalmba Association
PO Box 2516,
Monument, CO 80132 USA
lalmba@lalmba.org
720-260-6785
Accountability and Disclosure
EIN: 43-6057338
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