So many activities take place during Christmas, ranging from church to social outdoor events. More often than not, history always repeats itself and so we keep doing the same things over and over again every Christmas, year in year out. Am not saying that anyone should go against their culture or ignore the practices put down by ones culture and/or community…but hey, why not try out something different this Christmas? A change is as good as a rest, so they say. I have a suggestion, why not toy with the idea of mountain climbing as this is something most of us hardly do. One can decide to go solo or with a group of friends, if you ask me, I prefer the latter as you get to have more fun especially if you are an extroverted kind of person.

So you may wonder and ask yourself which mountain in East Africa to climb! Without a doubt, Mount Kilimanjaro is the most climbed mountain in East Africa. What people don’t know is that there are also other mountains to explore, say Mount Kenya. Mount Kenya is one mountain one can never regret having climbed especially with its scenery which is very spectacular to say the least. Despite the fatigue and all other things that come with it, one gets to enjoy so many things while climbing this particular mountain.

Before proceeding with your adventure, you may want to get a travel cover for yourself which will ensure that the best first aid is administered to you and that you are airlifted to a hospital in case of any impromptu accidents. The Flying Doctors Society of Africa (FDSA) provides you with this travel cover. So please sign up for our travel cover and let us deal with the unexpected. Happy travels! Happy Holidays!

This Festive season, we are offering a special discount to all our members and clients. If you purchase any new annual or short stay membership between the 1^st and 31^st of December 2012, we are offering you a 10% discount on the subscription!

You cannot afford to be without Flying Doctors cover this festive season. No matter where you travel to, whether to visit your relatives up country, or going on holiday with family and friends, you need this cover. Many who live in East Africa wonder if they will ever need to be airlifted. The truth is, you never know when you will need the service, and for a cost starting at KShs. 1,500, you can avoid the hassle of trying to raise over KShs. 500,000 on short notice for an evacuation expense.

Get your membership today!

Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) refers to an abnormal fistulous tract extending between the bladder and the vagina (a hole develops between the two organs) that allows the continuous involuntary discharge of urine into the vaginal vault. This condition is easily preventable and treatable but awareness is low.Funds got from this movie will go towards funding the VVF campaigns.

Watch the preview below to get an idea of what the movie is about. Come and have a great time and contribute for a good cause

Norah Nyaboke 23 years old from a small village in Gucha had VVF/Bladder stones. She says that she was orphaned at early age when she was 6 years old, I was raised by my aunty and I never went to school and was forced to offer labour to make a living at that tender age by tilling people’s farms in the neighborhood.

When I reached 18 years another man from our village asked to marry me and I accepted, although he was older than me at 40 years then I accepted and we have three children together 2 boys and 1 girl. I enjoyed my marriage until I delivered my third child who brought about this problem. When I arrived home after delivery and my husband realized I was leaking urine, he abandoned us and left us with no help.

He left me saying “you are dirty and smelling …”, and he went ahead and married another woman who was a widow. With no one to turn too since I don’t even have siblings, I totally depended on well wishers to give us support. Its then that the village elders met and told my husband that he had to provide for us. All this made me so stressed and I lost a lot of weight. Am so happy to have gotten free treatment and I plan to start working again when I get better to be able to take care of my children. I was so surprised when my husband visited me at the hospital and he was glad to hear that I will be well again.

During the hospital stay Norah was always in deep thoughts and isolated herself from the other patients, she never finished her food and she said “I thought I was the only one with this problem, and I had no one to turn to I have no parents or siblings” one of the nurses said she had depression and Norah was linked to a counselor and will be followed after the camp.

In most cases, December holidays see families and communities coming together and so a lot of traveling and even touring is involved. Hoping the cold season will make way for the warm season (we all want the heat creeping back into our bones), it’s time to stop this nesting and cocooning businesses, and get out there to discover new holiday destinations and festivals within East Africa during the coming December holidays.

While doing your December travels within East Africa, why not get a travel cover for yourself hence be assured that your life will be saved in case you got involved in any kind of accident. Not that this is something one should anticipate for, but then again, you never know when lightning may strike. Become a member of the Flying Doctors Society of Africa, who ensure you get to a well equipped hospital fast and also provide you with expert care in transit which could mean the difference between life and death. As a member of the Flying Doctors Society of Africa you are entitled to one free evacuation per year in case of a life threatening emergency that would necessitate the use of the flying doctors to transport you to a medical facility in Nairobi.

Esther Kwamboka from Kisii 19 years of age narrates of how she became pregnant while still in school. I had gone to school as usual and I received a call from my boyfriend who requested me to escort him to the nearby centre we talk. When we reached the centre he asked me if I can go to their home then he would escort me back to school.

Everything changed when I arrived there “he locked me in his room for 2 weeks, everyone was looking for me…”. My parents, teachers and fellow students started looking for me and could not find me since my boyfriend had switched of my phone. When I realized I was pregnant I didn’t see the need to go back home I knew my parents were annoyed with me, “I choose to stay with him, since I was already pregnant”.

One day as I went to the market one of the students spotted me and went and told my parents, its then that they located where I was and our parents had a meeting and they decided to leave me “my mum was very disappointed with me” says Esther. When time came for me to deliver I went to hospital and I had a baby girl who is now 3 years old.

When I came back home my husband started mistreating me when I was told to abstain for 3 months, and I also realized I was leaking urine especially when we had sexual intercourse, its then that he started avoiding me and having affairs. He told me he didn’t have money to treat me. I decided to stay thinking he would change his mind, but its then that he started having affairs with other girls and we started arguments. He bet me a couple of times and I ran away to my parents home, he followed me there and apologized to my parents and said it will never happen again so we went back home together. After 2 months the problems started again and I ran again to my parent’s home with my daughter.

He never came again to look for me or my child and I decided that I will never go back to him again. I plan to go back to school and finish my education and have a formal course in hope of getting a better job and I raise my child.

Christmas will soon be here with us! And a lot of events take place on Christmas day (at least that’s what happens where I come from) that see both adults and children participate. Question is, what next after Christmas day? What is it most of us do on Boxing Day? By this time, most people are beginning to get broke due to the huge amounts of money spent the previous day, others would be nursing hangovers, and others would be wondering what to do between this particular day and when that moment arrives when the new year gets to be ushered in. Well, I have a plan for you…why not visit Homa Bay as there are very intriguing events that take place in that neck of the woods.

For starters, there’s usually a sporting event where various football clubs from various counties get to take on each other. At times, teams playing in the national football league are also present at this very event. Anyone would totally love this, and even if you are not a fan of soccer, trust me you will love it…am talking from experience. However, there are other things to be enjoyed such as the cultural activities ranging from tribal dances, music festival, canoe regatta just to mention a few. The event kicks off on the 26^th of December through 31^st. I know most of us have never thought of being part of such an arrangement, and that’s why I still insist “a change is as good as a rest”. Have this on your radar screen, and as you plan your travels, consider getting a travel cover from the Flying Doctors Society of Africa. Happy travels!

Robina Nyangote 55 years from Sirari got fistula in 1993 while delivering the 3rd born, she recalls very well that it was a boy child. She had delivered 3 times and only the first child the daughter survived. She says her problems started after she realized she could not control urine, this was the genesis of my marital problems says Robina, my husband chased me away saying “if I can’t sleep with you what benefit are you to me, just go so I can marry someone else”.

Confused and bitter Robina left to her friend’s place who gave her shelter, we started a small business together and from what I earned I raised my daughter. My life changed when my daughter got married and my son in law bought me a small piece of land and built for me a house, where I live now.

Since my separation with my husband I even stopped going to church in 2005 because of my condition, but my fellow brethrens never abandoned me they visited me at home to bring for me prayers and gave me support despite it all and gave me lots of hope.

I got to learn about this camp through a friend who told me to listen to radio that there would be a free medical camp for women, “I always listened on radio and when I had the announcement I rushed to hospital and was glad to be admitted…”. I am so happy after surgery and I plan to start a better business “I want to take care of myself and live a good life, life has been quite hard on me I want to start over again”

Most people especially we East African locals only get to hear about this event on TV and the internet, and so we keep wishing that we could be part of it. Guess what! There’s a similar event in Kenya dubbed the “Mombasa carnival”, it takes place during the month of November and lasts for six days. How about having a “Rio carnival” away from Brazil.

As far as I know, Mombasa carnival is the best festival in Kenya. It’s an amalgamation of a number of activities which represent every race and cultural group in Kenya. Why not attend this festival hence get to enjoy the nice music (including traditional) and dancing, and also the brightly colored costumes that make everyone look different. It’s at this event you will happen upon artists and musicians of all kinds from all over Kenya, apart from enjoying their music, you also get to interact with them one on one. Every event usually has its highlights…the highlight of the Mombasa carnival is what intrigues me the most, there’s usually a lively street parade having people from all walks participating. What I have provided regarding the carnival is just a top line and so you need to attend the event yourself hence get to know what am really talking about. You will love and enjoy it.

Oh! Before this skips my mind. While enjoying all the things that the Mombasa carnival brings with it, head to the Muslim-run restaurants where you will get very nice/delicious and pocket friendly Swahili cuisine. Good luck while at it!

I had a disagreement with my husband and ran away from home that night and slept at the neighbors place. The following day when I came I found my daughter had been left with the grandmother and she was crying very much.

I tried everything to calm her down even breast feeding didn’t work she was only 2 years old then. Its then that I realized that she was leaking urine but I thought it will just stop by its self since she was still young. I later realized that Sarafina never wanted me to even touch her private parts even while showering her “I never suspected rape, until we went to hospital at age of 6 years in 2009 and was informed that my child had been raped”. She had a perineal tear (Injury of the vagina and rectum).

I was asked to come for this camp but I always missed the radio announcement and for last year and it was too late for me, but fortunate enough this time the doctors told me the date and I came early for my child to be repaired. Sarafina underwent 2 surgeries i.e. Colostomy and perineal repair that was done 2 days later. “Am happy she can have a normal life like other children and I promise to take good care of her that she will never go though such pain again”.