7 Peaks 7 Weeks Challenge

Naledi Initiative is non-profit Community Based-Organization (CBO) registered in Kenya, working with vulnerable communities in rural Kenya. Naledi Initiative’s vision is to create a support system for women by empowering women through social economics programs, advocating cancer awareness, prevention, early detection and free cancer screening in rural Kenya. We are a core team of 4 ambassadors who organize and participate in fundraising events and coordinate integrated medical and cancer screening outreaches.

This CBO was started by Robert Murithi, who lost his mother to cervical cancer in very challenging circumstances; he cared for her and his 5 siblings for daily living expenses by selling charcoal by the road-side. Robert was recognized at primary school level (which he repeated 4 times!) by Karibuni Children a UK based organization and they put their hope and faith in his education. Robert is currently doing his PhD in Meru University. All through his teenage years he has seen poverty and struggled to get medical treatment for his mother and sister and it’s only through kind Samaritans who helped him and gave him hope.

Hence, he started Naledi Initiative with a mission to take the edge off the suffering of vulnerable people by holding safe space for them to reclaim their hope and dignity, in the villages around Meru and Tharaka communities in Kenya. “I like to think of myself as a ‘regenculture’ space holder; a peace, healing and promoter of community well-being by empowering grassroots people, especially women, youth and rural communities challenged by disease, violence, and poverty to reclaim their power. I do not HELP people. I WORK WITH people because I know they have what it takes to transform their lives. I merely hold a space for them to ‘discover’ and step into their power.” Says Robert

7, 223 people have benefited in our free cancer screening and integrated medical camps in various parts of the Mt Kenya region including the first camp away from “home area” at Rabai. Our screening is quite comprehensive and offered completely free of charge to everyone who comes. We want to continue to bridge the gap between the people's need for accessible and equitable health care. There is a low level of awareness about cancer in the population and among health-care providers, including its risk factors, prevention and control strategies. A study in rural Kenya showed that, although more than 60% of respondents had heard of breast cancer, fewer than 10% of the women and male heads of households had any knowledge of its risk factors.

A group of TWGV - Technical Working Group of Volunteers composed of medical professionals and administrative personnel work together with Naledi to bring these free services at each of our camps. We have been successful in our medical camps because all the volunteers (medical personnel and administrative team) have a common interest of giving service above self and working for the joy of giving hope.

We fundraise to buy medicines, to pay for the set-up of our camps; transport for our medics, various logistical supplies and food. We hold our free camps mostly in schools, when the schools are away on a break. We set up the classrooms as our clinics.

Naledi Initiative is very determined in its mission and needs to grow its capacity. We have a wish list of essential medical items and a mobile screening laboratory that we are fundraising for. See list below. Robert and Neesha have challenged themselves to scale the heights of 7 peaks in East Africa in 7 weeks. They start their first climb on 29th January 2024. Have a look at their climbing schedule and contact Claudia, Robert or Neesha if anyone wants to join in any of their climbs. The mountains of Africa are majestic and East Africa has three of the highest peaks on the continent. Climbing these heights, the ups and downs, the curves and bends, the vulnerabilities represent the spirit of the cancer journeys. We have chosen four values to motivate us in this challenge: Faith. Hope. Courage. Strength. Each peak has been given a color that represents different cancers.

Naledi's ultimate goal is to acquire a mobile cancer screening truck to travel throughout Kenya and eventually East Africa, offering free cancer screening.

We are sincerely hoping that our 7 peaks in 7 weeks challenge will inspire you to sponsor us for a peak, any little or large amount will help us to achieve our vision of: cancer awareness, early detection of cancer cases timely intervention support in cancer journeys

We thank you for reading our motivation for this fundraising.

7 Peaks 7 Weeks schedule:

PEAKS, WEEK AND DATES

Our Wish list:

1) Medical examination couches

2) Sonomammogram

3) Cryotherapy

4) LEEP machine

5) Thermal ablation machine

6) Biochemistry semi-auto analyzer

7) Sterilizer

8) Sterilizing drums

9) Punch biopsy kits

10) IUCD removal kits

11) Implant removal kits

12) Breast core biopsy kits

13) Truck