4/28/25: Where We Stand 

Today, with the abrupt gutting of PEPFAR and USAID last February, sub-Saharan Africa faces a return to the dire health statistics not seen since the turn of the Millenium 25 years ago. Since I first came to Africa in 2008, there have been improvements every year in the  incidence and mortality of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB. That is now changed.

   According to The Lancet Medical Journal, the current (but everchanging) 90-day funding freeze in PEPFAR funding alone (not including USAID) is projected to result in 60,000 extra deaths from AIDS. The study looked at data from 7 sub-Saharan countries. The effect on all of sub-Saharan Africa would be multitudes greater. (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370%2825%2900165-8/fulltext)

    The mission of the SCF is to improve health care out- comes in Tanzania. We improve medical infrastructure by bringing solar powered electricity to hospitals, clinics and schools that need it most in western Tanzania. With free and consistent electricity, medical technology can advance to 21st century health care. 

    Our plan for 2025 is to bring solar powered electricity to small, rural health care clinics known as outreach clinics. These outreach clinics care for a poor, rural population that cannot get to district hospitals. They are often reach the clinic by foot or bicycle.  There are no parking lots because these patients don’t own cars. 

  Last February we visited four rural outreach clinics. All four clinics lack consistent, reliable electricity, one  clinic had no electricity at all. The healthcare providers there treat Malaria, they provide obstetrical, gynecology and well-baby care. 10 to 20 % of the patient population is HIV/ AIDS positive. We hope to start construction at one clinic this summer or fall.

   As global health responds to the current self-inflicted instability, the Sandy Christman Foundation may need to change our mission to more direct healthcare. With the help of our donors and supporters we will adapt and work to restore health care stability to places that need it most. 

    No one should have to deliver health care in the dark.

           

THE STORY OF THE RULENGE SECONDARY SCHOOL and the need for on demand, clean, running water in western TZ.

I first visited Rulenge Hospital in 2014. I was doing volunteer medical work at Biharamulo Hospital and took a weekend trip to Rulenge. Just a small village on a dusty road, Rulenge is on the Burundi border and about as far west as you can go in Tz. ( google earth may help here). I'd been volunteering at Biramulo District Hosp. since 2007 and while Biharamulo Hospital was needy, Rulenge Hospital and Secondary School were  needy, challenging and ready for improvement. So here is the response I got this year when I ask Fr. Emanuel, headmaster at Rulenge, to send us a letter outlining the need for a running water at The Rulenge Secondary School. ....a boarding school for 500 students. 

 THE NEED OF SOLAR POWERED WATER PUMPING SYSTEM AT RULENGE SECONDARY SCHOOL IN TANZANIA

 

GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RULENGE SECONDARY SCHOOL

Rulenge Secondary School is a co education school belonging to the Catholic Diocese of Rulenge-Ngara in Tanzania.  

 

1. SCHOOL HISTORY AND POPULATION

Being owned by the Catholic Diocese of Rulenge -Ngara, the school was established in 1980 as a boarding school that receives students from all over Tanzania. Population wise, the school has now number of 581 people of whom 499 are students (215 girls and 284 boys), with 53 staff members together with 29 staff dependants. Our school comprises of Ordinary and Advanced Level students.  

In Ordinary Level students study various subjects including English language, History, Geography, Chemistry, Biology, Civics, Kiswahili, Agriculture, French, Literature in English, Bible Knowledge and Religion. After Ordinary Level students may opt to join the Advanced Level in government or private schools or colleges. In Advanced Level at our school, student take combinations of History, Geography and Kiswahili (HGK), History, Geography and English (HGL) History Kiswahili and English (HKL), together with Chemistry, Biology and Geography (CBG). After Form Six, students are able to join universities or colleges.

 

The School has produced graduates who are serving the country in different public and private sectors such as education, health, agriculture, etc. The contribution of the school in the development of Tanzania is great.

 

2. SCHOOL AND CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

Two main seasons of weather are prevailing in the region namely dry season and rain season. In between, there is a modified season in which there is rain modified by some sunshine. Thus from January up to March it is a modified climate while from March up to May it is a rainy season. From June to September it is a dry season followed by some rainfall and sunshine in October till December.

 

3. SCHOOL VISION

To be premier diocesan school committed to academic excellence, human and moral formation of a student for a holistic development of the Church, nation and world.

 

4. SCHOOL MISSION

Based on ecclesiastical principles, our school is determined to offer excellent quality education and integral formation for all to enhance sustainable development of the society guided by moral values.

 

5. WATER AND ELECTRICITY AT THE SCHOOL

Both water and electricity are available but insufficient to cater for the school needs hence a big challenge in the school’s life. The school has been depending on water pumped from water swamp at 3Km. The water is not clean until it is treated. For three years now, the machine and pump are not functioning due to the lack of proper spare as they are of old age hence no longer available in Tanzania and in the shops of our neighboring countries. 

There is a suggestion of replacing everything and establish a new system but the project would cost millions of money that cannot be obtained by our school. Good enough, at our school and close to dormitories of girls, there is one borehole with much water. Unfortunately, it has no big pump and no enough electricity meant for it. We have tried a pump using Tanesco power but it is very expensive and many times the power is cut off hence a big disturbance and challenge. The provision of solar energy and big pump would be of great help to solve the challenge.

 

6. PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY DUE TO WATER SCARCITY

(i)      Lack of enough water for ordinary uses due to the expenses in buying Tanesco units.

(ii)    Cleanliness is hampered especially for students. Girls are the first victims because they use much water than boys for their cleanliness. This highly frustrates our strategies of retaining girls in the school because they create resentment.

(iii)  Dirty water that requires treatment before use (This happens at in summer when the water level falls).

(iv)   High expenses in purchasing diesel and Tanesco are incurred to make available water which remains insufficiently supplied.

(v)    Teachers and students’ creativities become limited to activities that will not need water supply especially in the dry seasons.

(vi)   Lack of reliable water supply is one of the factors affecting staff retention. Teachers, in particular, are employed but terminate their employment with the school because of unattractive environment to them due lack of reliable and clean water.

(vii)  Running the school basing on use of fuel and Tanesco is making it expensive for the school in matters of finance.

(viii)  Students waste time when water has to be distributed to individuals one by one and sometimes they are late in classes for night preparations.

(ix)  The problem of water is one of the serious issues preoccupying the school administration which if eliminated will bring a lot of attraction to the school.

(x)    Some projects have failed to function properly due to lack of enough water. Beautification of the school environment is difficult because of lack of water.

(xi)   The school is of agriculture bias combination and lack of water renders it difficult to do some practical work. These include gardening in the open space and in the greenhouse, animal keeping and orchard.

(xii)   Some projects have been closed especially soap and batik making in dry seasons due to lack of water.

7. EXPECTED IMPROVEMENT IN SCHOOL LIFE ON THE SCHOOL AND STUDENTS

The installation of solar energy and strong pump would lead to the permanent availability of water in the school and eventually lead to the following outcomes:

i)        Permanent availability of enough water for daily uses hence improvement of standard of life in the school.

ii)      Increase in academic performance since one of the basic needs for teaching and learning activities is water.

iii)    Improvement of students ‘health due to the improved cleanliness and sanitation in the school

iv)     Girl’s retention in the school as they will have no worry about the cleanliness and life at school.

v)      Staff retention at school and improvement of academic performance

vi)     Smooth implementation of the school timetable

vii)   Cutting down of costs in running the school hence opportunity to focus to other areas of improvement in life of the school.

viii) Practicals for the subject of agricultural science will be conducted without headache for the improvement of the academic performance.

ix)     Gardening will be well conducted to get vegetables for students as result of water availability hence the improvement for their diet.

x)      The school environment will be beautified since flowers will be planted and watered even during dry season.

 

8.0 CONCLUSION

Having running water at a low cost at Rulenge Secondary School is a necessity. The availability of running water marks the commencement of an envisaged larger project aimed at making Rulenge Secondary School a good learning centre in Ngara District. This will mark the commencement of other activities that will make Rulenge Secondary School a good learning centre in Ngara District. The school has over 150 acres of land that can be put to use but so far not used one of the reasons being the lack of constant water supply.

New farming projects easily will easily be established notably gardening. Beautification of the school can be made so that students are attracted to the school. It is our expectations that the availability of water will reduce a number of problems as those already outlined above.

    

 

Fr. Emmanuel Nzeyimana

     The Headmaster                                   

Sandy Christman Foundation Fall 2024 Update

 

Dear Friends and Supporters of the Sandy Christman Foundation,

With summer winding down and Labor Day behind us, I wanted to give you an update on the progress and events that have happened with the Sandy Christman Foundation (SCF) in 2024. 

Jennifer Cohen and I spent the month of February in the Kagera Region of western Tanzania. We visited completed SCF project sites and evaluated potential project sites for the future.  Our projects started at the Biharamulo District Hospital in Kagera in 2007. The hospital continues to benefit from its solar power array which we financed and built in 2017. Biharamulo Hospital, which lies 2 degrees south of the equator, has become our model of how to improve medical infrastructure with clean safe reliable solar electricity. Without reliable electricity and running water, no hospital can hope to move forward to 21st century healthcare. 

We have 2 active projects in western Tanzania that should be completed by mid-October 2024.

1.    The Rulenge Hospital Solar Panels: Located near the Burundi border in a remote, resource-challenged area, this hospital lacks most necessities we take for granted. When finished, the hospital will have 24/7 electricity. It will be freed of its dependency on the unreliable, underpowered Tanzanian grid. When the grid shuts down, which it does almost daily, the hospital relies on its inefficient diesel power generators. A new solar powered system will save them money, and most importantly, improve patient care outcomes. We hope to level the playing field by having lighting and electricity to run a lab, a blood bank, an operating room and basic hospital equipment. We Believe: NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO DELIVER HEALTH CARE IN THE DARK.

 

2.    The Rulenge Secondary School Water Pump: This school does not have running water. It is a co-ed boarding school with 500 students that relied on an inefficient, intermittently working pump powered by a diesel fuel generator that broke more than 2 years ago. Since then, the students and staff have hand pumped and carried their water. We plan to replace that pump with a solar- powered one. The pump will provide running water for showers and toilets resulting in improved hygiene for 500 teenage age boarding students.  We know that health education, basic hygiene with plentiful, clean water leads to better health outcomes and improved life expectancy.

Meanwhile, our cancer diagnosis project using NOHA (N-O-H-A) continues to make progress. Patient recruiting is ongoing at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Arusha, Tanzania. The research directors on this project are applying for grants from the FDA and NIH. We remain optimistic about NOHA and will continue to support it as it may play a crucial role in diagnosing early-stage breast cancer in women in Africa.

We are committed to improving medical infrastructure with solar-powered electricity and supporting research for diagnostic technology like NOHA. We believe that improving healthcare communities with reliable 24/7 electricity, without the hidden costs of pollution is an essential step to improving medical outcomes. A healthy population and a healthy planet go hand in hand. 

We are thankful for your support, none of our work would be possible without your help. As a friend and supporter, we depend on you. Please help us bring light and better healthcare to Rulenge Hospital and Rulenge Secondary School, as well as continuing our support of NOHA research. You can read more about our projects and donate at http://www.thesandychristmanfoundation.org/

NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO PRACTICE MEDICINE IN THE DARK.

With gratitude,  Larry Adrian Sept 20204

 

3/31/22.  SCF Chooses Rulenge Hospital for Next Solar Power Site.

     The Sandy Christman Foundation Board of Directors has agreed to fund a solar power electrical generation project at Rulenge Hospital in Rulenge, Tanzania.

   This will be the Foundations fourth solar power project in the Kagera region of western Tanzania which sits two degrees south of the equator. Rulenge Hospital was built  in 1952. It has 50 beds and supplies medical care to a poor, rural, growing population. The hospital lacks many basic medical services and is 420 km ( 252miles) from a tertiary medical center in Mwanza, Tz. 

    We believe medical progress cannot be made without medical infrastructure improvements. To supply 21st  century healthcare requires reliable, affordable electrical energy. Currently Rulenge hospital gets electricity from Tanesco, a gov’t. run utility and also from the  inefficient  diesel powered hospital generator. By most estimates the hospital lacks  electricity  for more than 6 hours a day.  Imagine attempting an emergency c- section operation in the middle of the night with no electric lighting or power. Providing reliable, affordable electricity will give patients at Rulenge  Hospital an even chance that the rest of the world takes for granted.

    There is more to this story that is very timely and appropriate. Solar powered electricity improves health care and save lives. It also reduces cost at this or any poor  underserved hospital. It can also be a zero carbon solution to climate change and to  improving public and planetary health. 

      Each project we  complete proves to local people that solar power is an achievable, reliable and an affordable alternative to the  inefficient, carbon based utility grid that exists throughout Africa.  We can help the developing world transition to a carbon free economy. And we can do it in equatorial Africa where the effects of climate change may prove to be the most severe.

   Please read the attached, powerful letter from Sr. Dionesia MD, the medical director of Rulenge Hospital ( below).

Sr. dionisia Jasson <sr.dionisiajasson@yahoo.com>

Dec. 31, 2021, 9:01 AM  

 Dear Dr. Larry,

Greetings from Rulenge Hospital.

I am Sr . Dionisia OSF, MD and I am currently working as an acting medical officer in charge of Christ the King Rulenge Hospital. I would like to introduce the hospital  as well.

Christ the King Rulenge Hospital is a voluntary agency that was established by Canadian Sisters in 1952 as a dispensary before being upgraded to the hospital level in 1956.  It is located 45 kms from Ngara District, headquarters in which there is another hospital, Murgwanza, 350 kms from the regional headquarters and 420 kms from Mwanza City in which the referral hospital, Bugando Medical Centre is located.

This is a general multidisciplinary hospital run by Rulenge Ngara Catholic Diocese under the ownership of the Diocesan Bishop.  Targeting patients of low and medium income levels the hospital belongs to the secondary care category providing services in integrated units of Diagnosis, out-patient and in-patient departments.  There are other ranges of services provided by the hospital such as Reproductive Health, dental and ophthalmic services, surgery, obstetrics, diagnostic imaging (X-ray, Ultrasound) HIV/AIDS treatment and control, Laboratory Services and Theatre.

Our hospital has two sources of electricity; from the national grid and from our generator. However, the national grid is not stable therefore most of the time the electricity goes out and we have to use the generator. The situation has grown worse over the past 6 months because most of the time the generator is at work. We have gone beyond the budget  twice for purchasing diesel. We have shortage of funds, the hospital's need for electricity is also increasing due to use of more electric devices and fuel prices are growing higher.  As a result of all this, sometimes we have failed to manage the demand and so to provide quality health services as per hospital level. For example, during the recent outbreak of COVID-19, we had many patients who were in need of Oxygen from electric oxygen concentrators. Some of these patients did not get oxygen because the electricity was very unstable and of low voltage. We managed to save many but among those who died inadequate supply of oxygen was the contribution to their failure to survive.

In addition, we have premature babies that need a good constant supply of electricity in order to succeed in managing them. When the electricity is not reliable, we lose most of them. Again, most of surgical procedures are being performed with difficulty especially at night when the electricity goes off suddenly and repeatedly.

We think that the presence of solar power as the alternative source of electricity will bring a great relief to us with regard to various challenges faced due to shortage of electricity at our hospital.

I would like to ask for your assistance in achieving this which will be a great support not only for the hospital but also for the residents of the catchment area who will be receiving medical treatment at our hospital.

I am grateful in advance.

SR. DIONISIA JASSON

SCF PLANS TO SUPPORT BREAST CANCER RESEARCH IN TANZANIA

 

1/3/22:  SCF PLANS TO SUPPORT BREAST CANCER RESEARCH IN TANZANIA

 

THE ISSUE:   Breast Cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women in the world. Globally approximately 700,000 women will die from Breast Cancer in 2022.  While there has been great progress in treatment in high income countries. Low and middle income countries lag behind because of lack of access to diagnosis and affordable  treatments. While the 5 year survival rate for all breast cancer exceeds 80% in rich countries, the 5 year survival is approximately 15% in low income countries. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women in Tanzania.  Even worse, breast cancer rates in Tanzania are projected to increase by 80% in the next decade. There are several reasons for these inequities.

   

THE PROBLEMS: 1) Late presentation. For cultural and geographic reasons breast cancer is still a hidden disease in Tanzania. Many Patients, families and communities consider this an unspeakable problem. This results in women presenting late in their disease which limits successful treatments.

     2) Lack of diagnostic facilities for pathological testing: There are many different kinds of breast cancer. Treatment begins with a surgical biopsy and then the biopsy specimen is sent to a laboratory. Identifying which kind of breast cancer the patient has determines what is the best treatment. Optimal treatment depends on the presence of estrogen receptors  ( ER) in the tumor. Estrogen receptor positive ( ER+) tumors can be treated with effective medicine taken as a pill. Estrogen receptor negative ( ER-) tumors  requires IV chemotherapy and / or radiation therapy. There a very few pathologists and pathology labs that are able to perform accurate diagnostic identification of breast biopsy specimens Tanzania. Additionally, there a very few patients who can afford to pay for pathological testing.

    3) Unaffordable and inaccessible treatments. Currently chemo and radiation therapy are only accessible at a few centers in the country. In contrast to expensive intravenous chemotherapy  or radiation therapy Tamoxifen, an estrogen receptor blocker, is inexpensive and easy to administer pill which is effective in treating ER+ breast tumors.

    ONE SOLUTION:  What if the diagnosis of a type of breast didn’t depend on a surgical biopsy or a hard to access expensive pathology lab? Could diagnosis be made with a simple blood specimen? It turns out there are blood tests that can identify  inflammatory agents ( biomarkers) that reflect the presence of  estrogen receptor positive ( ER+) breast cancer. This testing at local hospitals and clinics to identify the breast tumor sub type is called  Point of Care testing (POC). Point of care testing simplifies access and reduces cost. Estrogen Receptor ( ER) status determines treatment. ER+ breast cancers respond to hormonal therapy drugs such as Tamoxifen. 

   Targeted pragmatic treatment: Tamoxifen, which is classified as a WHO essential drug, is a low cost effective agent to treat ER+ breast tumors. This  could negate the need for radiation or chemo therapy which are prohibitive for poor rural populations.

   RESEARCH PROPOSAL: Instead of relying on hospital based pathological testing. This research project proposes to test the accuracy and efficiency of a  point of care

( POC) blood serum based analysis to identify a specific inflammatory BIO marker that identifies  ER+ breast tumors. ER status determines treatment. ER + breast tumors respond to Tamoxifen. This simplified and cost effective approach could save and extend lives in a resource poor country like Tanzania.

New Direction for the Sandy Christman Foundation

   As we hope to emerge from the worst of the pandemic I am anxious to get the SCF back on track. Our Vision is: To Make Things Better. Our Mission is: health promotion and disease prevention in underserved low income countries. Our tactics have been to help bring better health care to Biharamulo Designated District Hospital ( BDDH) in western Tanzania. Since 2008 we have made 11 clinical trips to BDDH during which we directly delivered and improved health care. Each of those volunteer clinical trips lasted from one to three months and in that process we have created a bonded, long term relationship with the hospital and the surrounding community.

   After 13 years of experience I have seen that we can make a bigger impact on our vision To Make Things Better by creating a better infrastructure at BDDH. Specifically, that means bringing stable, reliable and inexpensive electricity to the hospital. Having 24-7 electricity creates a safer working environment and prevents medical and surgical disasters, something  that I have personally experienced. There are few more frustrating and scary moments than having the lights go out in a night time emergency operation. The electric power grid infrastructure in Tanzania is unreliable and unsustainable. Having reliable electricity allows health care improvement at BDDH to advance to and stay abreast of medical progress in the 21st century.

    Like everything, the situation in Biharamulo is changing. We are now, hopefully, seeing the beginning of control of Covid19. At the same time, we now face the growing reality of climate change.  Without immediate change on a global scale climate change will continue to get unpredictably worse. Sadly, the most destructive climate changes occur in the low income countries, all of  whom have had little or no contribution to its existence. Tanzania is one of those low income countries. 

     The SCF happens to be in a very good position to make things better, to promote health and prevent disease  and to help slow the effects of climate change.

With three successful solar projects completed in and around BDDH we have the experience and local credibility to help poor countries like Tanzania choose safer and cleaner and better economic alternatives to coal and diesel. COP 26 has shown us that on a global scale significant change to alternatives is very unlikely to happen by 2050. Because it is unlikely to happen is the exact reason why we need to do more, act now and follow our mission to make things better, safer, cleaner and less expensive 

    I believe our biggest impact can be if we help Biharamulo skip the 19^th century based carbon energy phase of its development. Diesel and oil and coal are still a strong temptation for developing countries because of their low startup costs. As poor developing countries make choices to fill their expanding energy needs we need to help them make solar energy become a choice to power their growing infrastructure.

     Expanding to solar power we can create clean, carbon free, reliable and affordable energy. Additionally, by doing so, we help a poor country do what rich countries are trying to do. Finally, by doing so, we can make things better over a wide spectrum, from effects on health care improvement all the way down to allowing a young student have electric light to do their homework at night. And every time we put up a new solar array it stands as an active advertisement and teaching moment to the people of western Tanzania. Each solar project we put up shows them that economic development and good health care go hand in hand and that progress doesn’t depend on carbon based energy. In essence solar power in Tanzania saves lives  and saves money. 

    Let’s do this.  We can be a model for change. We are small but we can have a big effect on a small, poor country that faces huge challenges and threats as it tries to grow. Even better, we can also affect the health of the planet itself.

 

SCF COMPLETES 3RD SOLAR PROJECT FOR BIHARAMULO DISTRICT

Site: St. Claire’s Secondary School for Girls, Biharamulo, Tz.
Date of Completion: Apr.6, 2021
Start of Construction:  March 24, 2021
Cost: $14,905.00 USD
Pump Capacity: 17 cubic meters/day (minimum)
Water Stage Capacity: 1,500 Liters
Financed by:  The Sandy Christman Foundation

ST. CLAIRE’S SECONDARY SCHOOL SOLAR PROJECT COMPLETED

On April 6^th 2021 the St Claire’s Secondary School for Girls finally had running water thanks to a project funded by the Sandy Christman Foundation.  It has been almost 3 years since the schools old solar powered water pump and batteries failed.  Now this school for 300 girls and teaching staff  has indoor running water for sinks, showers and toilets.

Working with our partners Power Providers Solar Energy Co. from Arusha, Tanzania this is now our  3rd successful project to bring carbon free, solar   energy powered projects to needy organizations in rural western Tanzania.

The design highlight of this project is the stand–alone solar powered water pump system is battery free. This reduces the upfront cost of the system, saves on maintenance and future battery failure and is a good simple system for a rural area with limited access to technical support.

Scope of Work

The Power Providers solar engineering team designed, supplied and installed a stand-alone solar water pumping system at Biharamulo, for St. Claire’s Girls Secondary School. Data used for design purposes was collected from client, including a drilling report and pump test (sent on 25 January 2021). The project requirements were to meet daily water volumes of up to 10m3/day, lifting water from the borehole up to the main tanks. This was achieved by designing and installing a stand- alone submersible solar pump with a 395Wp array to reach volumes of 17m3/day in least sunny condition on an average month.