Meru District Hospital in Arusha, Tanzania

Who this will help

Hi, my name is Shelby Michaels. For my gap year, I am spending 12 weeks volunteering in Africa. I spent 2 weeks in a district hospital in Ghana and now I am spending 6 weeks in a district hospital in Tanzania.

Why I'm fundraising

Tanzania faces an acute shortage of healthcare workers due to lack of training programs, poor working conditions, and the rising burden of HIV/AIDS treatment. Meru district hospital is a 24/7 facility that treats around 50-80 patients a day. They have a dental clinic, diabetes clinic, Emergency Department, HIV Awareness and Testing, TB wing, Prenatal and Antenatal clinic, and many more departments.

The impact of your support

I am raising funds that will go directly to the hospital. It will help purchase a computer for the pediatric ward as their computer was stolen during the night. The computer will help document medical records and will help the pediatric ward communicate with other departments. The remaining funds will be used to buy miscellaneous medical supplies that are essential for caring for patients and keeping hospital staff safe.