The Rotary Club of Vinings Cumberland has been at the center of three Global Grant projects in Kenya - all looking to improve maternal and child health in Kenya. This work started in 2009 in Kilifi County and continues today in Makueni and Elgeyo Marakwet. RC Vinings Cumberland has partnered with many clubs in Georgia and the USA - as well as the Rotary Foundation - to fund this work, and with the Rotary Clubs of Machakos and Eldoret-Uasin Gishu in Kenya.

These projects have focused on strengthening the connection between rural patients and clinicians using the Community Health Volunteer (CHV) Network, coupled with mobile technology. CHVs receive training, a mobile phone and solar chargers - and work in remote communities to identify pregnant women, assess prenatal risks, encourage prenatal screenings and make sure children are immunized. Data is captured in the mHealth system.

As a result of these efforts

• there has been an 33.5% increase in the usage of outpatient services by pregnant women over a two-year period from baseline results
• there is a 10-20% increase in prenatal care where pregnant mothers have visited clinics prior to childbirth
• the mHealth project has seen an 85% increase in complete immunization for children under five years and a 30% increase in the number of pregnant women delivering at health facilities.

The grants for these projects totalled $291,472. The mHealth system is being handed over to the Kenyan Health Ministry. Plans are underway to provide more business training to the CHVs as this work enters its newest phase.

There is much more information we can share about our ten years serving the people of Kenya. To find out more, contact me at wallyh3@comcast.net or Marc Olsen at marc.olsen@gmail.com