Dr Ngom, who is leading the new team, explained that months of research and analysis had gone into the planning and preparation for the outreach clinic, after their office in Dakar officially opened in August 2011.

Between 23 – 26 November last year the first medical outreach clinic, providing fistula operations, was successfully completed and exceeded patient target numbers.

‘We are extremely pleased with this first outreach clinic which has been very encouraging in terms of the long-term longevity of working in the region. The patients in this area do not have the financial resources to access these types of operations, but thanks to AMREF they too can be cared for.' Dr Ngom

The outreach operations took place in the region of Ziguinchor in Casamance and targeted 50 women suffering from fistula, a debilitating and painful condition brought on by complications in childbirth.
Three specialist doctors undertook several consultations and nine operations, two of which were particularly complicated.

‘I’m very happy to have been able to assist AMREF in its first surgical interventions in West Africa,’ said Dr. Diuof, pediatric surgeon from the Ziguinchor Hospital, who participated in fistula operations for the first time on AMREF’s outreach clinic. He hopes to continue training in this complex field to be able to perform fistula operations himself.

Building on more than 50 years of experience providing medical aid and development to rural East African populations, and following countless successful projects in eastern Africa, AMREF is very excited and proud to celebrate the succesul launch of its new West African base, and looks forward to sharing more news of its succeses and progress very soon.

Make a lasting impression and leave the gift of life!

  
By leaving a gift in your Will to AMREF you will make a life-changing difference to future generations of Africans living in some of the world's poorest countries.

Every year millions of Africans die from preventable and treatable diseases. AMREF works 365 days a year implementing life-saving health programmes that put Africa's health back in Africa's hands.

You could be a part of this vital work.

We understand that your family will always come first when you make decisions about your Will. But a donation to AMREF, no matter how big or small, will help us continue our life-changing health work and allow you to be a part of the sustainable health development in Africa that AMREF is spearheading.

It isn't complicated to leave a gift to AMREF in your Will and you will always have the right to withdraw or amend your pledge.

AMREF prides itself in providing excellent supporter care. We have written a Legacy Charter specifically for our legacy pledgers outlining your rights and our responsibilities.

Not sure if a legacy donation is right for you? Meet some of the people whose lives you could change and see what you could be part of and read about why other people have chosen to remember AMREF in their Will. 

Want to talk it through?

No problem. Our supporter care team are happy to talk you through the process of leaving a legacy or just discuss the idea with you.

020 7269 5520
supportercare@amrefuk.org
AMREF UK
Cliffords Inn
Fetter Lane
LONDON
EC4A 1BZ

By leaving a gift in your Will to AMREF you will make a permanent difference to the health of future African generations.

Michael Buerk explains why he's chosen to support AMREF with a legacy pledge.

“AMREF’s work has a lasting impact – a life saving one. I certainly owe them my life. They rescued me after I was caught in a violent explosion, alongside my film crew in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“But that is not why I lend them my support. I have seen AMREF in action. Their practical, inclusive approach to health care makes an amazing difference to millions of people in Africa.

“They see helping disadvantaged communities improve their own health as a real chance for them to excape poverty once and for all. I can think of no better legacy to pass on to Africa’s children than that.

“Africa’s people want a better future for themselves. With one simple action you too can help them to achieve their dream. Please put AMREF in your Will.”

When making or updating your will, you don’t have to choose between giving to charity or to your family because you can remember both. As a charity, AMREF is exempt from paying Inheritance Tax, making this a very tax-effective way of giving.

“For me, the important thing to do after taking care of my own family and friends is to try to make the lives of those still living, more hopeful. That’s why I’m leaving a legacy to AMREF in my Will.” Anne Allport, Legacy Pledger.

It isn’t complicated to arrange to leave a legacy to AMREF, one of our team will be happy to help you through every step.

To find out more about legacy giving visit our What will your legacy be? page or read the FAQ. If you would prefer to speak to someone on our team you can always call us on 020 7269 5520 or email supportercare@amrefuk.org.
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AMREF is a member of ‘Remember A Charity’ which provides advice and a free Will writing service. You may have seen the television and press advertising featuring Michael Buerk about leaving a gift to charity in your will. Click the link above to find out more.

You can find the answers to some frequently asked questions about leaving a legacy below. If you would like any more information please contact our team who are always happy to talk through legacy gifts.

How can I make a legacy gift to AMREF?
How will AMREF use my gift?
I already have a Will - do I need a new one drawn up?
Can a gift to charity help me pay less tax?
I’ve left a gift to AMREF in my will; do I need to let you know?
What happens if I change my mind?
What types of gifts in wills are there?
What information do I need to include in my gift?
What should I do if I am an executor?
Other Questions

How can I make a legacy gift to AMREF?

It's really easy to add a legacy gift to AMREF to your Will. Contact our Supoprter Care manager, Joanna Dalgarno on 020 7269 5520 or via email on j.dalgarno@amrefuk.org who can talk you through the process and help you decide whether a legacy donation is for you and how much you would like to give.

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How will AMREF use my gift?

Unfortunately it is not possible for AMREF to allocate funds totaling less than £5,000 to a specific project. You can always trust AMREF to use your gift where it is most needed, but what this need is may change over the years. Please remember that if there are binding conditions attached to a legacy which we cannot satisfy, AMREF may not be able to benefit from the legacy.

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I already have a Will - do I need a new one drawn up?

No, you can make an amendment to your existing Will by filling in a Codicil Form.  

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Can a gift to charity help me pay less tax?

Any gift you leave to AMREF UK is tax free. Legacies are deducted before inheritance tax is applied, so many people use gifts to charities to stay within the inheritance tax threshold. We recommend you consult a solicitor for full details of tax benefits.

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I’ve left a gift to AMREF in my will; do I need to let you know?

It is helpful for us if we can keep track of the donors who wish to support us with a legacy gift. If you intend to leave a gift to AMREF in your Will, or you have done so already, we would encourage you to let us know by contacting our Supporter Care Manager, Joanna Dalgarno on 020 7269 5520 or by email at j.dalgarno@amrefuk.org.

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What happens if I change my mind?

We understand that circumstances change and naturally you are aboslutely free to withdraw or smend your gift to AMREF at any point. We would ask that you let us know should that be the case by contacting our Supporter Care Manager, Joanna Dalgarno on 020 7269 5520 or by email at j.dalgarno@amrefuk.org.

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What types of gifts in wills are there?

There are a few kinds of gift that you can leave in your Will:
o Pecuniary bequest i.e. a fixed sum
o Residuary bequest i.e. the residue of your estate after all other bequests have been made and any debts cleared
o Specific bequest i.e. an item of value (jewellery, art work etc)

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What sort of information do I need to include ?

The main thing is to include our full name—
AMREF UK African Medical and Research Foundation
And our registered office address and registered charity number, as below:
AMREF UK
Clifford’s Inn, Fetter Lane,
LONDON
EC4A 1BZ
Registered Charity Number: 261488

For information on wording your Will, please read our Legacy Worksheet.

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What should I do if I am an executor?

If you are acting as executor for the Will or estate of someone who has left alegacy gift to AMREF, please contact our Supporter Care Manager, Joanna Dalgarno on 020 7269 5520 or by email at j.dalgarno@amrefuk.org who will help you through the donation process.

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Other Questions

If you have any other questions regarding legacy gifts please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team who will be happy to talk through your legacy with you.

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AMREF UK strives to uphold a high standard of supporter care and recognises that our donors are our greatest asset.

Legacy Charter

Our Legacy Charter outlines our promise of care and responsibility when dealing with you, your family and your money. All our Legacy donors are covered by this Charter and all of our staff do their utmost to abide by it.

Between 1980-86 between 100,000 and 200,000 civilians were killed and thousands of others were detained, tortured and assaulted

Many health workers were killed or fled the region, and health centres were destroyed or ruined by neglect. Family units broke down and thousands of people were displaced. All of these factors had a devastating effect on HIV, TB and malaria rates.

Like many women of her age, Mary lost all of her children to these illnesses, leaving her as the sole provider and carer of sixteen orphaned grandchildren aged between two and seventeen years.

Malaria is a constant threat to their health, especially for the younger children, who have yet to develop protective immunity and are at greater risk of contracting clinical malaria. But until very recently, she had no way of properly protecting them from the disease. 

Mary explains: “I would take off my traditional dress at night to cover the younger children, but this did not adequately protect them while they slept. Mosquitoes would still bite them and they would often get malaria. I would carry them to the nearest clinic which is five km away to get treatment but if one child was cured, another would get malaria.” 

Often Mary would be carrying two children at once for treatment at the health centre and was known by the community as the ‘mother with two children’.  Mary explained how she was getting more and more depressed and desperate as all her grandchildren gradually fell ill with malaria.

“I was feeling so low and helpless that at one point, I took poison to end my life.”

She was rescued by one of the villagers and taken to the nearest health clinic where AMREF identified her as needing support. Samuel Sewaya, a volunteer community health worker trained by AMREF, started to visit Mary at her home. He provided Mary with mosquito nets for the children, gave her psycho-social support and educated her about the prevention and control of HIV, TB and malaria. 

“Samuel has provided me with incredible support,” explains Mary. “He has explained some of the simple ways to prevent malaria and given me useful information on the link it has with other diseases including TB and HIV/AIDS. He has given me good advice on how to diagnose and treat the disease.”

AMREF is training village health teams to improve community knowledge and practices related to malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB, as part of a five-year project supported by AstraZeneca.

Event: Virgin London Marathon

Date: 22nd April 2012

We have now filled our guaranteed places for the London Marathon - please get in touch with Lucy on l.scanlon@amrefuk.org if you would like to go on the waiting list.

If you are lucky enough to have your own place through the ballot, you can still run for Africa with AMREF. We'd love to hear from you - get in touch with Lucy on l.scanlon@amrefuk.org or 0207 269 6865 to find out more. 

Support from AMREF

Everyone who runs the Virgin London Marathon for AMREF will receive great support from our dedicated fundraising team from the moment you register until the race itself. We will send you a fundraising pack to kick start your efforts, and provide you with an AMREF running vest for the big day. We will also be there to support you on the day from an AMREF cheering point.

Mara Yamauchi, Britain's second fastest female marathon runner and AMREF running ambassador will be providing training tips and support for all Team AMREF runners. The top fundraiser in each event will even win signed goodies from Mara! 

Training plans

Check out our 24 week training plans and get yourself in shape for race day.  Click below on the training plan you would like to follow.

Beginners

Intermediate runners

Advanced runners

For more information please e-mail Lucy Scanlon on l.scanlon@amrefuk.org or call 0207 269 6865.

Have you heard about easyfundraising? It’s the easiest way to help raise money for AMREF UK!

 If you already shop online with retailers such as Amazon, Next, Argos, John Lewis, Comet, iTunes, eBay or HMV, then we need you to sign up for free to raise money while you shop!

So how does it work?

You shop directly with the retailer as you would normally, but if you sign up to easyfundraising  for free and use the links on the easyfundraising site to take you to the retailer, then a percentage of whatever you spend comes directly to us at no extra cost to yourself.

So if you spend £100 with M&S online, we get £5 cashback from your purchase; £100 spent with Amazon raises £2.50 for us, £100 with WH Smith puts £2 in our pocket, and so on. easyfundraising have over 2,000 retailers on their site, and some of the donations can be as much as 15% of your purchase.

This service is FREE to use, and what’s more, joining easyfundraising will give you access to hundreds of exclusive discounts and voucher codes, so not only will you be helping us, you’ll be saving money yourself.

So next time you splash out online, you'll be helping AMREF to transform lives in Africa!

Giving Lots aims to recycle 'wasted' lots which go unredeemed after charity auctions. By selling lots a second time through Giving Lots,charities like AMREF can now benefit twice. So, buyers buy once and the charity benefits twice.

That's not all. Kind donors often give an item to a charity which the charity can’t use because it's not staging an event, or the item might not be directly suitable for their supporters. Handled as a lot on this site, it can raise serious funds, because we reach the right people with the right items, at the right time, and at the right price.

Click here to see find browse the items on offer and support AMREF.

Be wonderfully different and fundraise while you shop on ebay!

You can also raise money for AMREF when using eBay— it's simple! 

If you are selling an item, you can choose to donate a percentage of the final sale price to AMREF. You can also raise money for AMREF when using eBay— it's simple!

You benefit too, as you will receive a fee credit on your basic insertion and final value fees equal to the percentage you donate. So if you donate 50% of your selling price to a charity, eBay will waive 50% of your fees. Items benefitting charities are listed with a blue and yellow ribbon, which helps you to attract customers.

AMREF’s logo and mission statement will also be displayed on the listing, thus raising awareness of AMREF’s lifesaving work in Africa. For further information, please see the instructions on the eBay website here: http://pages.ebay.co.uk/ebayforcharity/sell.html

You can also make a one-off donation to AMREF via PayPal on eBay, by visiting our About My Charity page and choosing ‘Donate Now’ when you get to the checkout page of ebay.

Thank you for taking the time to find out more about AMREF. We need people just like you to take an interest in our work, and to support our fight against injustice in Africa.

Health care is easy to take for granted, but a lack of simple health care is deadly for millions of people in Africa.

• 1 in 16 African women die in pregnancy or childbirth
• Malaria kills 1.1 million under-fives in Africa every year
• 5,000 African children die of diarrhoea every day

These statistics are even more shocking when you consider how simple the solutions are. Increasing the number of health workers, the distribution of mosquito nets or access to clean water would make a huge difference.

At AMREF, we believe health is a human right. Our work focuses not only on fighting killer diseases, but also on training health workers in order to strengthen the health system and provide better health for Africa.

It is as outrage that millions of people in Africa don't have access to basic health care and are dying from easily preventable diseases. You can help us address this injustice.

There are many ways to get involved and support our work:

You can run for Africa.

You can organise an event to raise awareness about our work.

You can join a supporter group or even start your own.

As well as your support, we also rely on donations to continue our important work. Just a few pounds a month can make a huge difference. For example, five pounds a month could purchase a medi-kit for a midwife or doctor which contains basic equipment and drugs, enabling them to treat more patients and save more lives.

If you don't wish to make a regular gift, you can also make a one-off donation.

If you would like to receive updates about our work, please email Joanna Dalgarno in our fundraising team at j.dalgarno@amrefuk.org.

Although only a member of the AMREF family for three months, Austin has already set about coordinating and adapting AMREF’s Water and Sanitation programmes, focussing on integrating AMREF’s water and sanitation work with our other initiatives.

Austin explained that currently AMREF’s water and sanitation programmes provide safe water supplies to thousands of African communities. But, in order to improve, AMREF will be concentrating on analysing the results of our work in order to better measure the direct health outcomes the WATSAN programmes.

When asked if there were any projects in particular which could provide a working example of how Austin envisages the future of AMREF’s WATSAN work, he mentioned the Tanzania, Mwananyamala project. A youth-friendly HIV/AIDS project, Mwananyamala has combined HIV education and awareness with sanitation and hygiene education, a key priority for Austin’s approach to WATSAN.

'We must ensure that handwashing practices are promoted properly, and that we integrate this health information into national school curriculums,' explained Austin, 'Education is a crucial starting point for all our water and sanitation work.'

With his wealth of experience in the Water, Hygiene and Sanitation field, AMREF is very excited to have Austin on board. Austin graduated from the University of Zambia in 1992 - a year of severe drought across Southern Africa. This led him to take up a post as a water point mapper in Zambia on a UNICEF sponsored project, and launched his career in the water and sanitation sector. He went on to work on water development programmes with a number of NGOs across Africa, including WaterAid, Oxfam and Plan International. 

The AMREF UK team were very pleased to receive Austin in London and look forward to working with him in the future. Welcome Austin!

 Three of AMREF’s innovative training programmes have been nominated for Awards of Excellence at the upcoming Global Forum on Human Resources for Health in Bangkok, Thailand. In addition, we were chosen to host three side events at the conference. 

The nominated programmes include AMREF’s work educating clinical officers to overcome the severe shortage of doctors in Southern Sudan, training community health workers in Tanzania to reach rural communities with basic but life-saving care, and improving the skills of more than 7,000 nurses in Kenya through eLearning.

The AMREF delegation in Bangkok is writing daily analysis of events at the forum

Pre-meeting: 'Human Resources for Health in Africa'  by Vicky Kimotho

Day one: AMREF's side events by Hattie Begg and reflections on the forum by Carol Jenkins

Day two: Field trip to the Phnomsarakam Community Hospital by Giulia Deponte

Day three: 'From Kampala to Bangkok' by Hattie Begg

Day four: 'Innovation is critical in mitigating the health worker crisis' by Caroline Mbindyo 

Awards of Excellence

These awards highlight exceptional training programmes for health care professionals from around the world. In total, 96 nominations were submitted from 46 countries. An independent award selection committee, of prominent experts in the field of human resources for health selected the most outstanding 36 case studies. All three of AMREF’s submissions were selected.

AMREF's three programmes:

 Transforming Nursing Education through Technology: Kenya’s eLearning Programme

  Shifting Tasks to Save Lives: The example of AMREF trained Clinical Officers in Southern Sudan

  Community Health Workers – a resourceful workforce towards achieving the MDGs – AMREF’s experience in Tanzania

Workshops

AMREF successfully applied for three different side events at the conference:

Delivering eLearning for human resources in health
    
Strengthening the contribution of civil society networks in tackling the global HRH crisis, a UK case study
  
The Italian systemic effort in strengthening human resources for health in developing countries: looking for increased coordination and policy coherence
    

Additional AMREF involvement

Carol Jenkins (Chair of the Board of AMREF USA) will be a panellist on session 14 at the forum entitled "The UN Secretary General Global Strategy for Women's and Children's health: what will be done about the workforce?"

Our Work Preventing Gender-based Violence KwaZulu Natal

The Masisukume! programme, launched in 2007 with support from the UK Department for International Development (DfID), works with communities and local government to reduce the incidence of violence against women, and with it, the number of new HIV infections. In addition to training counsellors like Sifiso, AMREF educates traditional leaders, police, and other leaders who can use their influence to change attitudes within their communities.

Our Work Training Surgeons and Repairing Lives in Tanzania

In 2008-09, under the auspices of our innovative Katine Community Partnership Project (see page 13 for more information) in northeastern Uganda, we quadrupled the number of women accessing family planning services for contraception and advice during pregancy. Our efforts also increased the number of women delivering their babies under the supervision of midwives and nurses.

Our Work Training Surgeons and Repairing Lives in Tanzania

In 2008-09, under the auspices of our innovative Katine Community Partnership Project (see page 13 for more information) in northeastern Uganda, we quadrupled the number of women accessing family planning services for contraception and advice during pregancy. Our efforts also increased the number of women delivering their babies under the supervision of midwives and nurses.

Our Work Protecting Mothers and Children from Malaria in Coastal Tanzania

Since 2007, the Mtwara Malaria Control Programme has distributed over 9,000 insecticide-treated bednets in the malaria-prone coastal region of Tanzania. Over 90% of young children, nearly 80% of mothers, and 50% of fathers now sleep under nets. Malaria deaths have dropped significantly among mothers and children as a result.

Our Work Better Disease Management in Central Uganda

Our pilot integrated disease management programme in the Luwero and Kiboga districts of Uganda, a partnership with AstraZeneca, has made it much easier for people to be tested and treated for HIV, TB, and malaria co-infection — one of the deadliest and most overlooked problems in the region.

Our Work Water and Sanitation for Kenya's Largest Slum

Already a success in Kibera, where it has been adopted by the government, our Personal Hygiene and Sanitation Education (PHASE) programme — a collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline — has been adapted to a slum setting for the first time. Working with students, parents, teachers, and health authorities in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, we’ve significantly reduced the rate of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. As a result, school enrolment has risen and absenteeism dropped in every one of the participating schools.

Our Work Upgrading 7,000 Nurses

In 2008-09, our e-Learning Programme helped 5,448 Kenyan nurses to upgrade their skills while on the job. Unlike traditional training, the eLearning programme is flexible, enabling students to learn anytime and anywhere, and without the need to stop working while they upgrade their skills. 

Our Work Bringing Hope - and Talk Radio - to Katine

Since 2007, the Mtwara Malaria Control Programme has distributed over 9,000 insecticide-treated bednets in the malaria-prone coastal region of Tanzania. Over 90% of young children, nearly 80% of mothers, and 50% of fathers now sleep under nets. Malaria deaths have dropped significantly among mothers and children as a result.

Interview Dr. Peter Ngatia on Africa's Health Worker Crisis

Africa’s health worker crisis continued to be one of the focal points of our research and advocacy work. In this interview, AMREF’s director of capacity-buildin, talks about the health care crisis and some possible solutions. Dr. Ngatia has over the course of his professional life conducted numerous research projects on the issue of human resources in health.

Our Work Mobile Health Care for Kenya's Nomadic Peoples

AMREF continues its innovative work with nomadic peoples in East Africa, training health workers among their communities and establishing new mobile health clinics on their traditional migratory routes. Our work in these inhospitable regions of Ethiopia and Kenya has become increasingly urgent as drought and cattle-raiding make traditional ways of life more difficult.

Our Work Promoting Antiretroviral Treatment in Kenya

Our Zingatia Maisha programme, a partnership with the Kenyan Ministry of Health and GlaxoSmithKline, continued to bring antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS. Adapted to both rural and urban contexts, the programme brings health workers who work with HIV-positive people together with HIV/AIDS support groups, training them and helping them to collaborate better. As a result, more people are receiving ARVs and more people are sticking to their drug regimens. 

Kenya’s population has risen to about 35 million. This has placed a tremendous strain on the health system already constrained from soaring rates of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

AMREF is working with a diverse range of communities from urban slums in Nairobi, remote rural areas in the north-east and south, to lake regions in the west and coastal region in the east.

Major health challenges

A rapidly increasing population, an under funded health sector, and countrywide shortage of skilled health workers means that mortality rates in Kenya remain high and continue to rise – particularly among women and children in disadvantaged communities.

The public health service is often beyond the reach of those living in remote rural areas or urban slums. The community health facilities are often under-resourced and staffed by few, inadequately trained and overworked health workers. Effective health care is hindered by mismanagement, low staff morale, and a disconnect between the communities’ needs and the health services available.

Most doctors in Kenya gravitate towards cities with large hospitals. Many are abandoning public practice to work in private clinics, others leaving Kenya to work overseas. As a result, community health centres in remote locations suffer an acute shortage of trained professionals.

AIDS is the leading cause of lost productivity in Kenya. About 5.9 per cent of the population or 1.2 million people in Kenya are currently infected with HIV.

Click here to view a video of AMREF's work in providing access to water in Kenya

Trachoma, a disease which infects the eyes and eventually leads to painful blindness, is easily spread in communities with poor sanitation and hygiene facilities. AMREF is working alongsides its partners in Kenyan communities with a high prevalence of trachoma to implement a Surgery Anti-biotics Facial cleanliness and Environmental cleanliness  (SAFE) strategy which helps the community control the spreading of the disease.

Watch our Right to Sight video to find out more about our work

Key Health Statistics

• The government only contributes to 54% of health care services – as a result, non governmental, private and faith-based organisations and traditional healers fill the gap in health care provision
  
• Only half of the population of Kenya has access to safe water and proper sanitation
  
• Up to 60% of public hospital beds are filled with HIV/AIDS patients at any one time
  
• 15% of women aged 15-40 die during childbirth 
  

AMREF is:

• Training  7,000 enrolled nurses using an innovative e-learning programme.
• Improving health care for nomadic people in Turkana by training community health workers among nomadic groups and providing mobile health clinics along migratory routes.
• Improving children’s health in 247 primary schools by encouraging children to use proper toilets and wash their hands in clean water, and providing the means for them to do this.
• Providing anti-retroviral drugs to 1,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Kibera slum and improving their lives through community outreach and HIV support groups
• Reducing eye diseases such as trachoma in Kajiado district by developing health education materials that are relevant to the Maasai people.

A single nurse will save more than a thousand lives over the course of his/her career.

More than 85% of Kenya’s nurses are trained at certificate level and do not have registered nurses’ diploma, leaving them inadequately qualified to treat major diseases, such as HIV, TB and malaria.

Classroom-based training for the registered nurses’ diploma was limited, meaning only 100 nurses could qualify each year. This has left Kenya with just one registered nurse per 27,000 people.

To speed the process, AMREF and the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) have shifted the emphasis from traditional classroom based teaching to ‘paper-based’ distance learning and then to ‘eLearning’.

In partnership with the Kenyan Ministry of Health, Accenture (a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company), the Kenya Medical Training Colleges and several private and faith-based nursing schools, AMREF and NCK are:

• Using eLearning to register nearly 7,000 Kenyan nurses by 2011
• Training AMREF and NCK staff to run and monitor the eLearning programme
• Advocating for the eLearning programme to be replicated in other African countries.

NCK, AMREF and Accenture have developed four computer-based training modules, which are being delivered through more than 100 eLearning centres – reaching nurses in the most remote areas of Kenya. Twenty-five nursing schools are also taking part in the programme. To date, more than 7,000 nurses have enrolled in the programme, using both print and eLearning modules.

Unlike traditional training, the programme is flexible, enabling students to learn anytime and anywhere, and without the need to stop working while they upgrade their skills.

AMREF staff and local partners are fully trained to manage and further expand the programme regionally. AMREF will use the programme as a model for other African countries struggling with critical nursing shortages. The success of the programme has enabled it to be replicated in Uganda and Tanzania.

 Every year AMREF trains more than 10,000 community health workers who bring health close closer to the people in some of Africa’s most marginalised communities. Health workers are the 'backbone' of the health system in many African countries, and without them, the health system fails. AMREF believes it is extremely important to increase the numbers of health workers across all countries we work in, to provide the vital link between communities and the health system.

 AMREF also trains doctors, nurses, community midwives, clinical officers, laboratory technicians and pharmacists. Established in 1973, the International Training Centre in Nairobi provides a host of training courses, with an emphasis on continuing education for all rural health workers.

 One of AMREF’s most notable award-winning training programmes is an innovative eLearning programme, which helps to improve the skills of 7,000 nurses in Kenya. This programme is being replicated in other African countries, which suffer from similar health worker shortages.

Click here to view a video of Almaz Nagade, a Community Health Extention Worker trained by AMREF

If you are passionate about working for an African-led organisation which supports sustainable health change, this is an exciting opportunity to work for a great cause.

Based in London, AMREF UK is a small but highly dedicated team working together with AMREF Headquarters in Nairobi, African country offices and national offices across the world to create better health for Africa. This page will be updated with our current vacancies at AMREF UK.               

 Current Vacancies

We are currently recruiting for a Database Marketing Executive

The Individual Giving team at AMREF UK is a key part of the Fundraising and Communications team, and has a high profile and level of responsibility. As we move forward, with a new global governance structure for AMREF and an even stronger focus on ‘unrestricted’ income, this prominence is increasing.

This role offers a great opportunity to work within a small, dynamic and passionate team of fundraisers, in an international development charity, at an exciting time for the Individual Giving team.

The successful candidate will be well organised, with a systematic approach to their work and have excellent attention to detail. They will be confident in using databases, manipulating data, producing pertinent reports and analysing results. The majority of this post’s time will be spent on database management, including data entry, manipulation of data and detailed reporting and analysis.

The successful candidate will have an interest in digital marketing and online fundraising methods and tools. They will be proactive in improving systems and processes, and use their initiative. They will have a passion for African health.  If this sounds like you, please get in touch!

For more information, please download the job description. To apply, download the application form and return it  to jobs@amrefuk.org by 10am on 7th February, interviews will be 10th February. Previous applicants need not apply. AMREF regret we will only be able to respond to those applications in which there is further interest.

Africa’s slums are growing at twice the speed of the continent’s exploding cities.

Rapid urbanisation is taking place in Africa. Africa’s slums are growing at twice the speed of the continent’s exploding cities. For example, 85 % of Kenya’s population growth between 1989 and 1999 was absorbed in the densely packed slums of Nairobi and Mombasa.

The majority of Africa’s slums are characterised by overcrowded small dwellings in poor sanitary conditions, where contagious diseases are widespread.

Communities are often unsettled as they are not recognised by governments and conflict is rife, due to a fusion of different cultures.

AMREF works in large slums in the capital cities of Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. In all of these slums, AMREF works with both communities and governments to improve health and hygiene. The projects focus on encouraging governments to take responsibility for these communities and building the communities’ ability to demand and access health services.

In Kibera, for example, basic health care, water and sanitation emerged as the top priorities in consultation with the local communities. AMREF built a health centre in 2000 and since then, we have managed to convince the government to provide trained health workers and drug supplies. We have also trained community members to educate people in how to prevent HIV and community health workers to care for those living with HIV/AIDS.

Projects and stories

• Dagoretti street children
• Kawempe commercial sex workers
• Kibera HIV and water and sanitation
• Kechene water and sanitation

Event: Brighton Marathon

Date: 15th April 2012

The Brighton Marathon is now in its third year and has become one of the UK's most popular running events. It has recently been awarded official IAAF status and the 2012 route has been tweaked to make it faster and flatter.

Public entry for the 2012 race is now closed. If you missed out and want to take part, AMREF has guaranteed places!

If you would like to run for Africa with AMREF, please download this application form and return it to Lucy on l.scanlon@amrefuk.org.

Support from AMREF

Everyone who runs the Brighton Marathon for AMREF will receive support from our dedicated fundraising team from the moment you register until the race itself. We will send you a fundraising pack to kick start your efforts, and provide you with an AMREF running vest for the big day. We will also be there to support you on the day from an AMREF cheering point.

Mara Yamauchi, Britain's second fastest female marathon runner and AMREF running ambassador will be providing training tips and support for all Team AMREF runners. The top fundraiser in each event will even win signed goodies from Mara! 

Training plans

Check out our 24 week training plans and get yourself in shape for race day.  Click below on the training plan you would like to follow.

Beginners

Intermediate runners

Advanced runners

For more information please e-mail Lucy Scanlon on l.scanlon@amrefuk.org or call 0207 269 6865.

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Accenture Development Partnerships (ADP) was set up as a ring-fenced not-for-profit consulting group within Accenture whose main fous is bringing affordable business technology expertise to the international development sector and promoting private sector engagement in sustainable development.

Background to the partnership

AMREF's partnership with Accenture is proving hugely successful and the collaboration has led to fantastic steps forward in providing new solutions to some of Africa's most challenging health issues. Their work on a groundbreaking eLearning project in Kenya has helped train thousands of nurses and AMREF are now looking at other ways to harness technology to increase and improve the number and skills of health workers in Africa.

AMREF and Accenture's relationship has deepend beyond just their support with the eLearning programme in Kenya and has seen them provide support with our work in IT, knowledge management, corporate account management and risk management. In Africa, Accenture Development Partnerships has seconded staff to AMREF to support the development of the new corporate strategy and to strengthen AMREF's project management systems.

The ongoing relationship has also seen Gib Bulloch, the founder and Executive Director of Accenture Development Partnerships, talk at AMREF's 'Maximising Partnerships' breakfast briefing where he spoke about his positive experiences of partnership and innovation to ensure better health in Africa.

“Accenture’s partnership with AMREF – which started in 2004 - has already delivered tremendous results. The pioneering five-year eLearning programme, which has been jointly developed by Accenture and AMREF, offers new, exciting avenues for developing health resources in Africa. We are very proud of our association with AMREF and are looking forward to a growing and mutually beneficial relationship.”

Jill Huntley, Director of Corporate Citizenship, Accenture

PROJECT IN FOCUS: Innovative approaches to health worker training through eLearning 

To tackle the severe shortage of trained nurses in Kenya, AMREF, with the support of Accenture, established an eLearning programme to upgrade the skills of Kenyan nurses from a basic certificate level to a registered nurses diploma.

Nurses are at the frontline of healthcare provision and make up 55% of the health workforce in Kenya. AMREF wanted to provide a programme that would improve the quality and efficiency of nurses’ training, leading to better qualified nurses able to deliver essential health services to disadvantaged Kenyans.  

With the help of Accenture an innovative electronic learning programme was devised, allowing nurses to stay in their post at their health clinic whilst completing the additional qualifications through computer based training materials and practical clinical instruction. It also allows many more nurses to participate in the program, free from the same limits on classroom places and without the cost of paper materials having to be passed on to students.

"Before I joined the programme, I had never even used a computer before. To my surprise, I did not find it hard to adapt to eLearning. I am more confident now, as I can diagnose and treat a wide range of medical conditions, from mental illness to infectious diseases. Today, I can treat more patients independently." Anne Kamene, Registered Community Health Nurse, Kangundo Hospital, Eastern Province

The eLearning programme has proved so successful that AMREF is now looking to replicate it in Uganda to help train midwives. AMREF has also been asked for assistance in replicating the programme in Zambia, Malawi and Rwanda. Find out more about the e-learning project.

More than 85% of Kenya’s nurses are trained at certificate level and do not have registered nurses’ diploma, leaving them inadequately qualified to treat major diseases, such as HIV, TB and malaria.  Classroom-based training for the registered nurses’ diploma was limited, meaning only 100 nurses could qualify each year.  This has left Kenya with just one registered nurse per 27,000 people.

To speed up the process, AMREF and the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) have shifted the emphasis from traditional classroom based teaching to ‘paper-based’ distance learning and then to ‘eLearning’.  In partnership with the Kenyan Ministry of Health, Accenture (a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company), the Kenya Medical Training Colleges and several private and faith-based nursing schools, AMREF and NCK are:

• using eLearning to register nearly 7,000 Kenyan nurses by 2011
• training AMREF and NCK staff to run and monitor the eLearning programme
• advocating for the eLearning programme to be replicated in other African countries.

Project aims 

NCK, AMREF and Accenture have developed four computer-based training modules being delivered through more than 100 eLearning centres – reaching nurses in the most remote areas of Kenya. Twenty-five nursing schools are also taking part in the programme. To date, more than 7,000 nurses have enrolled in the programme, using both print and eLearning modules.

Unlike traditional training, the eLearning programme is flexible, enabling students to learn anytime and anywhere, and without the need to stop working while they upgrade their skills.

AMREF staff and local partners are fully trained to manage and further expand the programme regionally. AMREF will use the programme as a model for other African countries struggling with critical nursing shortages.

According to Dr. Peter Ngatia, Director of Learning Systems for AMREF, “This programme is not only going to drastically improve the health care of Kenya, it is also going to be emulated by other countries – and the impact on Africa’s health system will be enormous.”

The Registrar of the Nursing Council of Kenya states, “We are proud of the eLearning program as nurse managers are reporting an improvement in the quality of nursing care. With improved nursing care, we are confident of our contribution in steering our country towards meeting the health related MDGs.”

Key achievements

AMREF and local partners are:

• Working closely together to achieve the desired results.
• Fully equipped (by Accenture) with the IT and management skills needed to expand and run the programme long-term.
• Revolutionising the education process by harnessing computer-based learning to boost Kenya’s medical training capacity.
• Using a Virtual Nursing School set up at AMREF to test and document the implementation of an eLearning solution in strengthening the human resource for health in a low-income, resource constrained environment.
  

 Today marks a new day for the Maasai girl child, who since time immemorial has been a victim of exploitation through a controversial rite of passage. The Maasai girl becomes a woman only after circumcision or Female Genital Mutiliation (FGM). FGM is a deeply entrenched but dangerous practice of the Maasai community.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), FGM includes procedures that intentionally alter or injure female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It is mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and the age of 15 years, and is a violation of their fundamental human rights.

The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women and exposes them to a myriad of health problems leaving them emotionally and physically scarred. It can cause severe bleeding, childbirth complications and newborn deaths and is potentially fatal. According to a member of the community health committee in the area, women in Maasai communities insist on FGM for fear of not finding a marriage partner.

In Africa an estimated 92 million girls from 10 years of age and above have undergone FGM.

But through the facilitation of AMREF’s Unite for Body Rights Project the girls have taken part in the “mother-girl” fora or “safe spaces” where they openly address issues around FGM, and sexual reproductive health. The project targets young people aged between 10- 24 years and aims to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights for the nomadic youth in Loitoktok and Kajiado North Districts.

At today's ceremony 156 Maasai girls, most of them in their teens will voluntarily undergo an alternative rite of passage, effectively denouncing FGM.

Dancing to songs that boldly condemn FGM, the girls are led into a separate compound where the elders sprinkle on them a mixture of milk and water using tufts of grass. The milk is a symbol of purity and abundance while the grass symbolizes peace and acceptance. Chanting the elders bless them with good health, husbands and a long life. Then with their heads held up high the girls join the community in celebrating their transition into womanhood. 

 It has taken a rigorous community based education by AMREF and other stakeholders to change the perception and behavior of the community in relation to this retrogressive practice. AMREF also empowers the cultural elders to lead community discussions on the need to adapt an alternative rite of passage in place of FGC”, says Peter Nguura, AMREF’s manager for the Unite for Body Rights Project. “With only 450 out of an estimated 25,000 girls targeted in the programme, the fight is far from over but there is good progress”, concludes Peter.

Dr Alemayehu, 46, was killed by unknown gunmen on the evening of Saturday, January 14 at the gate of his house on the outskirts of the capital city, Juba.

The killers made off with his car and other personal belongings. The government of South Sudan immediately launched investigations into the incident and one man has been arrested.

 “This is a very sad moment for the entire AMREF family and we stand in solidarity with Alemayehu's family and AMREF South Sudan staff during this very difficult time,” said AMREF’s Director General, Dr Teguest Guerma.

Dr Seifu was appointed AMREF Country Director in South Sudan in January 2011, after serving as Deputy Country Director in Ethiopia, a position he held since September 2007. Prior to joining AMREF, Dr Seifu worked with the World Health Organisation (WHO) as regional surveillance coordinator in the Ethiopia Country Office, as well as with CARE International and Amhara Regional Health Bureau, Ethiopia.

Dr Seifu’s body was flown to Ethiopia on Sunday evening for burial on Monday at his home near Addis Ababa.

Please contact Victoria Rugg, Communications Manager on 0207 269 6867 or v.rugg@amrefuk.org  if there are any questions following this news.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a common traditional practice across Africa which intentionally alters or injures the female gential organs for non-medical reasons.

Mary and Elizabeth believe that women should be empowered to talk about sexual and reproductive health and challenge FGM and hope that one day the practice will be abolished completely.

You can be a part of making this hope a reality for women across Africa.

FGM is most often carried out by a traditional circumciser using a knife, razor blade or scissors and is performed on girls from their childhood to teenage years. The practice can cause severe medical problems including extensive bleeding and infection and later on, childbirth complications including stillbirths.

AMREF wants to help communities abolish FGM and, after decades of working closely within African communities, AMREF has earned the trust and respect which makes us uniquely placed to help young women and girls challenge the practise of FGM and develop new rites of passage into adulthood.

Thanks to AMREF, hundreds of women and girls in the Kimana community of South East Kenya have been saved the trauma of FGM. In September 2011 AMREF helped 156 young girls take part in an alternative rite of passage ceremoney to mark the beginning of their adulthood.

However, over 90% of women and girls affected by FGM live in Africa and there are many more communities that need AMREF's help to challenge FGM.

Donate today and help AMREF provide essential support for African women to stand up and fight against the harmful practice of FGM. Your donation could help AMREF change the lives of women and girls across Africa.

Please visit our donate page to make your donation or call the AMREF team on 020 7269 5520.

You can trust AMREF to use your generous donation to bring better health to the people of Africa, wherever the need is greatest.