Behind the Smiles: An African Odyssey

By Dr. Rilly Ray Rajkumar

While tourists see the beauty of Kenya, volunteers and medical health professionals often only see the poverty. With half of the countrys forty-three million people are living below the poverty line and unable to meet their daily nutritional requirementsnot to mention not having reliable access to health care and sanitation facilitiesmany of Kenyas most vulnerable inhabitants are victims to disease and unhealthy living conditions.

In Behind the Smiles: An African Odyssey, Dr. Rilly Ray Rajkumar provides a compelling and earnest window into her time serving as a volunteer medical doctor outside one of Kenyas most impoverished cities. Offering both a history and analysis of the poverty and plight of Kenya as well as a collection of engaging narratives recounting her personal interactions with her most memorable patients, Dr. Rilly speaks of the heart-wrenching reality of poverty as well as the joy and hope that even just one person can bring to an entire village in need of support.

Dr. Rillys story should inspire and encourage other medical health professionals to consider following her example and learn more about how they too can help. With motivated, inspired volunteers to help improve health services in these communities, the hope is that behind the rich culture and gracious smiles of the Kenyan people, we can also restore health and a sense of well-being.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Singapore
• Release date: Jun 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781482866698

Dr. Rilly Ray Rajkumar

Dr. Rilly Ray Rajkumar is a primary care physician who first visited Nairobi in 2008. She later returned to Kenya to serve the poor as a volunteer medical doctor at the Muthale Mission Hospital and in surrounding communities. She lives in Singapore.

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Copyright © 2016 by Dr. Rilly Ray Rajkumar.

ISBN:      eBook         978-1-4828-6669-8

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CONTENTS

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1 Kenya, the Beautiful and the Ugly

Chapter 2 Poverty in Rural Kenya

Chapter 3 Five Children by Different Men

Chapter 4 Life in the Slums

Chapter 5 Fun for the Slum Children: A Rare Event

Chapter 6 Muthale Mission Hospital

Chapter 7 The Boy in a Coma

Chapter 8 The Eloping Girl

Chapter 9 The Elderly Man and the Infant

Chapter 10 HIV/AIDS in Kenya

Chapter 11 The Catholic Church in Kenya

Chapter 12 Weather in Kenya

Chapter 13 The She-Goat Project

Chapter 14 The Beauty of Kenya

Chapter 15 The People and Culture of Kenya

Chapter 16 The Rock Churches of Lalibela: Three-Thousand-Year-Old Marvels

Chapter 17 Reflections

Appendix HIV AIDS Treatment

References

FOREWORD

K itue is a town in Kenya, 180 kilometres east of Nairobi, around three hours by car. It is one of the poorest districts in the country. The climate is extremely hot. There is little rain, and the land is desert-like. Kitui has a population of around 155,900, making it the twelfth largest urban centre in Kenya. A large majority of residents belong to the Kamba, a Bantu people. The Kamba of Kenya speak Kikamba, their mother tongue, which is the Bantu Kamba language. The people are friendly and welcoming, especially to visitors. When I asked Bishop Anthony Muheria if he would like to have a visiting doctor for a few weeks, he gladly jumped at the chance. When I told him that she was an experienced specialist in primary care, he was even more enthusiastic.

The people here are poor, and healthcare services are few and far between. A female doctor from Singapore would not be just a novelty; she would work and bring much-needed medical care to the people.

Arrangements were made for Dr Rilly to spend some time at the local Muthale Hospital, to which the doctor's parish in Singapore, St Ignatius, had donated much-needed bed sheets. She would also spend time at a clinic in an even more rural parish. The plan was challenging. Dr Rilly experienced a type of medical practice very different from that which she had experienced in her own country. She interacted with the people and saw at first hand what true underdevelopment means.

The impact that one person can make is difficult to quantify, yet all doctors everywhere, at some stage of their lives, should try to do something similar to what Dr Rilly did.

The maternal mortality rate in the developing world is 1 in 17,000, while that of the developed world is 1 in 7. This part of Africa belongs to the developing world. There is just no comparison! There is so much to be done. If you would care to help in any way, with your time, your expertise, or a monetary contribution, we would be happy to hear from you. This book is the result of Dr Rilly's experiences among us; it is a worthwhile read to all who are interested in her African adventure.

If you are interested, you may contact me, Rev. Father Conor Donnelley, at [e-mail]

---Rev. Dr Fr Conor Donnelly,

Chaplain of Kianda Girl's School in Nairobi

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Rev. Dr Father Conor Donnelly

Rev. Father