ASFA Physio Centre - the final mile!

THE NEW ASFA PHYSIOTHERAPY CENTRE IS NOW OPEN!

We are delighted to announce that the ASFA Physio team and inpatients moved into their new centre on 1st August 2020! 

Please click on the Youtube link below to see the life-changing work at ASFA Physio and enjoy a glimpse of Rwanda too!

https://youtu.be/7JYMWCeyG40

Augustine and Mugisha, both pictured left above, moved in with the other paediatric inpatients and their carers as part of Stage 1 of a phased move. Stage 2 involves finishing the interior works so we can scale the centre to capacity, fit solar panels to the roof so the team can have hot running water for the first time and deliver more specialist physio equipment from the UK.

Pictured below, is the main inpatients corridor looking towards the outpatients department. It needs a few pictures and a clean but the natural light is wonderful! It is perfect for wheelchair games don't you think?!

This next photo is of the front exterior o fthe building. It shows the main entrance and outpatients department to the left and the inpatients department to the right. The inpatients wing has four paediatric dormitories with night duty carer accommodation between dorms, two large therapy rooms, bathrooms, dining room, kitchen, laundry and residential carer accommodation. There are three big water tanks to collect rainwater which will supplement mains water when needed. (Yes, we actually have mains water and electricity too!!)

It's hard to believe that just under 12 months ago the village community came out in force to help excavate the site. 

Construction moved at a break-neck Rwandan pace thanks to project manager, Jean Dusabe and the amazing Medetec construction team. Up to 130 men and women labourers were on site for much of the build, mainly recruited from the local community.

We had a fabulous variety of construction challenges along the way (!) starting with unprecedented rainfall (climate change ensured it rained almost daily for about eight months!) which caused havoc with transport and drainage. Raw material prices also increased (especially cement) due to the Rwanda/Uganda border closure and just when we thought we could almost relax, along came COVID_19 and construction stopped entirely for seven weeks!

The net result? Unfortunately, we went over budget and really need your help please to finish off this life-changing centre. What do we want to do?

• Finish the interior work (we're currently in one dorm, one therapy room and the dining area).
• Fit solar panels to the roof so staff and children have hot water for the first time
• Source and ship a 40ft container of specialist physio equipment from the UK so we have equipment that is fit for pupose and so we can scale the centre to capacity.

As our motto goes...

"If you think you're too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito".

We are all volunteers so every penny goes to the project and really does make a difference. Please join us on the final mile of this life-changing project and if you are able, please making a donation, no matter how big or small.

ASFA Physio Centre is a game-changer for children like Emelyn below, her single father and the community that support them. Milestones can be slow for many disabled children but they can reach their potential with a little bit of help. 

Thank you so much for reading about our project and please do contact us if you have any questions.

Team MAD 4 Africa