Help Peninah Pay Her Sister's Hospital Bills
Peninah's sister needs urgent hospital care after being hit by a car in Kenya. Peninah and her family in Samburu need your help to pay for expensive medical fees.
Peninah moved to Graz, Austria with her family in 2015. She grew up in the Samburu tribe in Kenya and was the first woman in her village to get a formal education. Ever since, with the love for nature and people instilled in her by her home culture, Peninah has been entirely dedicated to improving the world around her and continues to work as hard as she can to support the men and women of her tribe - all the way from Austria, working to empower the women back at home to earn money for themselves, as well as tackling issues such as FGM, child marriages, girl's education and further important work in the entire Samburu community.
Here in Graz she is a committed member of many communities: providing workshops at organisations like the Afro-Asiatic Institute and in schools to introduce them to her culture, she presents a radio show for Radio Helsinki in Graz, is part of the EU project 'Snapshot from the Borders' and a core member of the Base Verein, who work to build happier, healthier communities in Graz. She has also started a business making traditional Samburu jewellery to bring her culture and heritage to her new home, and through this supports the women of her tribe back in Kenya to earn money for themselves - to empower the community to accept and appreciate the abilities of women.
Peninah at Radio Helsinki in Graz
Now Peninah needs your help. Nine weeks ago her sister was struck by a car in a hit and run incident, which has left her in a critical condition. Nores Lesorogol is a 28-year-old mother of five beautiful children, who still live with the Samburu tribe. As nomadic farmers, they have very little capital to pay for her hospital fees, and the corruption of the national government leaves them with almost no financial support. After the tribe sold the few cows they own, Peninah is now the only person able to cover these hospital fees - and with a family of her own to support here in Graz, she really needs your help.
Peninah's sister has sustained near-fatal injuries, including a severe brain injury and many badly broken bones. She had been in an induced coma for 7 weeks, and has since woken up, though is only able to move her eyes and carefully eat without a tube. The good news is that since she has woken up, she is more likely to pull through - if she gets the right treatment and surgeries.
Once she is well enough, Nores will need surgery to repair her broken bones and treat her brain injury. The family has struggled to find her suitable care: the first hospital simply bandaged her injuries (potentially causing long-term damage through their failure to act quickly), and local corruption has made it even more costly to move her to better facilities. She is now in much better care, but the hospital is still costing Peninah and her family the equivalent of 140 euros a day, with no clear end to her stay in sight. The surgeries are likely to cost thousands more. The Doctor has told us that she will need to stay for at least another 5 months, amounting to the equivalent of €21,000. Once we know the costs of the surgeries we will update the crowdfunding page.
Nores is a very strong and supportive woman who is an invaluable member of her own community in the Samburu tribe. She is a very active member of society who has never had an opportunity to get a formal education and was married into a family with little financial means, which has meant a daily struggle to get enough money together to feed herself and her family.
Peninah and Nores' aunt, mother and grandmother (from left to right)
Without this care, her sister may never recover. Unfortunately, the medical systems do not serve those who cannot pay (which we are so lucky to have in most European countries), and if they cannot raise the money, Peninah and the community will be in thousands of euros worth of debt, which they may never get out of.
Any donation amount could make a huge difference to this urgent situation, helping to cover the fees of keeping her in hospital care and getting the treatment and surgeries she needs to recover. Nores has never had the same opportunities afforded to most people in countries like Austria, she was never able to go to school or work for a decent living, and the healthcare systems in Kenya do not take any of this into consideration. Any donations will afford Nores a more full recovery so that she can get back to being a mother and serving her community, and save Peninah and her family from enormous debts.
Peninah, her sister and their community wish you 'Ashe oleng' [thank you in Samburu] with all of their hearts for your generosity.
Peninah and Nores' sister, aunts, Peninah's son and her nephew.
To learn more about the Samburu tribe and their culture, you can watch this documentary about Peninah's family and her Samburu Bead Shop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wfRzGO7qF4
You can also support Peninah by buying her beautiful jewellery (made by her and the women back in Samburu) at https://www.samburu.at/ and follow her at Samburu Beads on Instagram. All her profits are currently going towards her sister's care.
