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Claire Kartagener Maternity Ward
We joined with private donors, industry partners, family & friends, and a great deal of support from our local management team at Royal Zambezi Lodge to bring the improved Maternity Ward to the community.
The project was completed more quickly than anticipated and officially opened on December 10, 2016. Henry was present for the ribbon cutting ceremony and to our joy the first baby was delivered at the facility just 2 days later.
Claire, the first child delivered at the Maternity Ward on December 12, 2016.
What We’ve Accomplished
Funding
Sourced the funds to build a fully functional maternity ward. We over operational costs and stay stocked with the necessary supplies to cater to the nearly 20,000 people living in the surrounding communities.
Supplies
This includes hospital beds, monitors, refrigerators, medication. These items were secured through donations from cooperating universities, private citizens and also through purchase from nearby cities
Construction
Two buildings have been created in partnership with the local community and our Resort Partner. This includes solar panels, clean water sources, and power supply.
Community Support
KAI Foundation has been working on other small projects we’ve done around this village – including curation of sports equipment for physical activity and health.
Staffing
Reached an agreement with the Zambian government to have them staff the facility with a full-time doctor to assist our nurse Rosemary if we provide housing.
In the Numbers:
August 2019
Claire, Henry and David visited the Claire Kartagener Maternity Ward located in Mugarameno, Zambia on August 25, 2019. This was Claire’s first visit since the completion of the facility.
Rosemary, the nurse running the maternity ward, made arrangements for the first girl and boy delivered there nearly three years ago to be present during our visit. This was an especially significant moment as these children were named Claire and Henry. Little Claire was a bit shy and did not enjoy all the fuss and photographs. However, we believe they both loved the gifts of clothing we brought them. They received first choice from all the clothing we brought Rosemary to be distributed to the mothers of future newborns.
In addition to seeing the maternity ward, we wanted to check on the progress of the home we are building adjacent to the maternity ward. This home will house a doctor who the government of Zambia will be stationing in the village on a permanent basis once completed. We anticipate the completion of this final stage of our project will take place by December. In addition to the doctor’s quarters there will be a dormitory-style room with en suite bathroom for volunteers visiting the village and helping at the facility.
The facility is in great shape and this was just the first of what will hopefully be many family visits in the years to come…
JUNE 2021
The pandemic was a difficult time for everyone, especially for the people of Mugarameno. It was nearly impossible to keep the health facilities stocked with necessary supplies. As soon as it was deemed safe to travel the Kartagener family and a small group of friends booked a trip to Southern Africa centered around visiting Mugarameno to see Rosemary and check on the progress of the Foundation projects.
On June 19, 2021 it was finally time to get back to he village with several bags of valuable supplies in tow. Although everyone had to stay masked throughout the visits it was obvious that all were wearing ear-to-ear smiles.
While catching up with Rosemary she shared the wonderful news that the Claire Kartagener Maternity Ward had just received recognition from the government as the cleanest pre/post-natal care facility in all of Chiawa county! This is most impressive because there are dozens of facilities closer to major cities that should be easier to maintain than our small maternity ward, quite literally in the middle of nowhere.
In addition to catching up with Rosemary and delivering supplies this visit allowed us to check on the progress of our more recent project – the construction of accommodation for a doctor. The Zambian government has agreed to place one in the village to assist Rosemary and the rest of the clinical staff once we constructed an adequate living space. We were thrilled to see that this structure is complete – and MASSIVE – with a home for the doctor and a connected residence to be used for volunteers.
