This week, Mwika is embarking on another journey to Tanzania with a team of 7 members. For some, this marks their sixth trip, while others have had to skip one or two. We’re also excited to have our newest team member, Willem Meints, joining us for the very first time.

Our itinerary is packed. In addition to our work at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), we plan to visit at least six other hospitals. One of these hospitals is located over half a day’s drive from KCMC, deep in a Maasai region. This small hospital, limited in resources, is staffed by a young tropical medicine specialist from Friesland. It primarily serves Maasai patients from a vast area, offering maternal care, C-sections, and treatment for tuberculosis and HIV. More complex procedures are handled at a hospital in Karatu, a bumpy 1.5- to 2-hour drive away on a sandy road that turns to mud during the rains. The final kilometers of this road are yet to be mapped by Google.

For even more specialized treatments, patients must travel an additional 4 hours to KCMC. However, for many Maasai, this distance is prohibitive—not just in terms of travel, but also cost, as they often lack health insurance coverage.

Our first priority will be assessing how we can support these hospitals with better communication infrastructure and tools. Together with KCMC, we plan to address these needs in 2025.