Sponsor Charlie Evans

I volunteered for Lalmba from 1988 to 1990, serving as Medical Director in Matoso. Just three years out of my family medicine residency, I felt well-equipped to provide a broad spectrum of care, including obstetrics. At the clinic, we treated 70 to 100 patients daily, and once a week, we traveled to a remote village to vaccinate and offer consultations, often seeing over 150 patients in a single day. It was an exhausting yet transformative experience, with long days and 24/7 call responsibilities that shaped me in profound ways.

I returned to Matoso in 2019 with Tembea Na Mimi, walking alongside my son, Dan. When we arrived after 10 days of hiking, I was amazed by the transformation. In 1990, Matoso had two jeeps—virtually the only motorized vehicles in town—no electricity, and very few businesses. Fast forward 30 years, and the saplings we planted had grown into trees providing shade and swings for children. Cars, motorcycles, and electricity were everywhere. A cell tower offered better reception than I have at my rural home in California.

Where there was once just one school, there were now many, including high schools. The clinic had doubled in size, and Lalmba had introduced programs to address the devastating impact of AIDS, including an orphanage and the RCAR program for children at risk. Women’s cooperatives, a library with computers, a learning center, and thriving local businesses—from textiles to boat builders to restaurants—were flourishing. Most inspiring of all, the staff I worked with 30 years ago had become the leaders of these efforts.

This incredible progress is a testament to Lalmba’s investment in the people of Matoso. This will be my fourth trip back, and I look forward to seeing even more development and reuniting with old friends.