Borders Without Doctors

WHY GIVE?

I, Charla, traveled to Kenya in 2019 with my friend, a doctor, whose intentions were to help out in a medical clinic there. I was going to photograph and document the trip. You cannot meet the people of Kenya and not have your life changed.

As an artist I went there with the thought of bringing back a body of work to paint from. Upon returning to Canada I had a vision of creating an online class to teach my bold color process, using a photo I took in Kenya, with the hope that I would make enough money to return to Kenya and help in the progress of the work already begun by an amazing couple, Larry and Francine.

The class I created was called, Bold Color Bootcamp (www.boldschool.com). It grew and has become a community of 1000's of artists who have since painted our Kenya Girl. After several discussions with our Bold Artists I decided to begin a fundraiser that will result in needs being met in Pokot, Kenya, where our little Kenya girl is from.   

Here you will more information about the people and the work being done in Kenya. We have videos, photos, stories and links so that you can learn as much as possible before deciding what to give. Thank you for being here, for taking the time to read and for every little or big bit that you can give. 

As I say with our progress as artists, you just need to take the next step. Every step counts towards your ultimate journey and every dollar you give adds up to make an impact in Kenya. 

Let's see what us Bold Artists can do!!!

WHO ARE LARRY AND FRANCINE

 

Larry and Francine started in East Africa in 2006, rehabilitating rescued female child soldiers in Uganda, ending two years later when Joseph Kony of the LRA departed Uganda.

In 2008 they started rescuing abandoned children in Kitale, Kenya. They moved permanently to Kitale, Kenya in 2010, where they still reside today. Larry and Francine are still rescuing abandoned children and placing them into loving family homes, where the parents provide the love and protection, while L&F provide the finances needed for education, food, and clothing.

 

 

 

 

MEDICAL CLINIC, in the city


Larry and Francine also run a Kenyan staffed clinic, providing free medical consultation, medicine, eyeglasses, counseling, teaching, and family planning; for those living in extreme poverty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE KIDS


Their oldest Kenyan son, Morgan, was employed as a nurse practitioner at their clinic for the past couple years and is now attending KIU studying to become a surgeon.

 

 

 

Two more of their kids are presently working on their medical degrees as well. Larry and Francine’s plan is to one day see their Kenyan children running the clinic, eventually functioning as a self supportive non-profit facility, while still offering free services to the less fortunate.

 

MEDICAL OUTREACH, remote villages

Larry and Francine also have a heart for those suffering deep in the remote regions of West Pokot. The Pokot are a tribe which sustain……revolve around …..on/ their livestock. Mostly cattle, goats, or camels. There are a very limited number of medical clinics in their area, and the ones that exists are typically without medicine or a health worker. Therefor many of them suffer unnecessarily, and there is no one to teach them about the health effects of early pregnancy, HIV, FGM, or the harm caused to girls being married as young as thirteen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FUTURE NEEDS


Larry and Francine would like to increase the number of medical teams (and dental teams) they take deep into desert and bush where this wonderful yet struggling tribe live. These medical outreaches attend to anywhere from 100 to 250 patients each trip. Any patients who need additional treatment, are transported to Kitale for more elaborate medical attention.

 

Some patients walk for 10-15 hours after being informed either by their chief or pastor about a medical team coming to a village. The costs involved in a medical outreach run around 700.00 USD. Which means means they are treating patients for less than five bucks.

 

Larry and Francine also take their team into the remote villages to teach about FGM. early childhood births, HIV, child marriages, and recently about Covid 19.

 

 

 

 

It is not uncommon for them to also do food distribution, in times of drought. In 2018 Larry was invited as the guest speaker at a peace talk between warring tribes that live near the Pokot border. Larry’s insights were able to stop the killings for over a year. More of these talks need to be held, but they include the cost of feeding hundreds of warriors. Killing, while stealing cattle for dowry is an acceptable cultural practice amongst the Pokot and their neighboring tribes.

 

CLEAN WATER


With the help of their supporters, Larry has repaired numerous broken boreholes in Pokot. Providing water once again to thousands of tribesmen and their livestock. Typically, a borehole can be repaired for under 800.00 USD

 

 

 

 

Supporting Larry and Francine enables them and their team to expand their community work in West Pokot, helping them in their work…… to save lives, and relieve pain, and also

Prevent FGM

Prevent young girls from being married off to old men

Prevent very young girls from getting pregnant

Reduce the spread of HIV

Perhaps, prevent young men from being killed.

Provide clean drinking water

 

Larry and Francine are independently supported, therefore only raise money needed for their projects. There is no administrative cost involved.
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WHO AM I

My name is Charla, and I've created this fundraiser on behalf of Larry and Francine Carruthers!

 

I travelled to Kenya with my friend, Dr. Alana Berg, who personally knew Larry and Francine. Dr. Berg gave her time to work in the Elimlim Medical Clinic. She treated patients alongside their staff and learned how the clinic ran. Her plan was to gain knowledge on their strengths and weaknesses, to meet patients and understand their culture so that she could innovate new ways to help educate their staff on how to use medicine and treatments native to their land instead of relying so much on pharmaceutacals.

 

 

 

 

 

Surprisingly to me many of the people there had lost the old ways of treating and preventing illness just as we have in the west. Dr. Berg taught them many ways to prevent and treat illness wihtout reliance on medicines which are very hard to get in Kenya.

 

I travelled with to Kenya with my camera to document the work being done there. Unbeknownst to me I would fall in love with the kids on the streets and in the prisons (yes I spent time in a Kenyan woman’s prison) and realize the work that Larry and Francine were doing was not just to fill a Childs stomach for a day but to fill the hearts of the people with knowledge and passion to make a better life for their families and people around them in need.

 

 

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HOW WILL YOUR MONEY BE USED?

 

We’ve set a goal of $5000 USD. To give you an idea of what that would do: Larry and Francine could take the team on 7 Medical Outreaches.

 

HOW MUCH CAN YOU GIVE?

$20 USD = purchase a pair of school shoes for one child
$20 USD = extract a bad tooth of pay for an X-ray

$30 USD = One month School Fees for one child
OR

$350 = One year of School Fees for one child

 

$150 USD = Cover the needs (food, clothing, shelter and school) of one child for one month

 

$100 USD = One week of supplies for the Medical Clinic

 

$400 USD = One month of Medicine for the Clinic

$700 USD = One medical outreach to Pokot

 

$800 USD = Clean water for one community, one borehole repair

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More of the Story:
Do you like to have more details before giving to a cause? We have lots more to share in the form or reading and watching for you here!

YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSOZ8qIKP2s&list=PL1Izfnf4s4JXunTkAneVuc-1G5k8o89S3

Repairing wells in Kenya: https://youtu.be/2-h9FP0Fe7Y

Covid Teaching Outreach: https://youtu.be/wx4bzsZdsHE

Street Boys making dinner in the Dustbin (ie. The Dump): https://youtu.be/-5rDGnL-U00 

Charla's Personal Blog about Kenya: https:/https://www.charla.ca/blog/category/Travel

Larry's Blog: https://buildingbeyondborders.wordpress.com/ - Is from the heart, chronicling both the good and ugly of their progress and trials.
 

Elimlim Clinic Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/elimlimhealthclinic