'Neema' Project

Construction of a Health Centre for the Nairobi slums

The project’s overall objective is to improve the quality of life and promote the right to health in the most marginalized areas of Nairobi where it is highly compromised: these areas are in fact characterized by a severe lack of health infrastructures and services, especially diagnostic facilities, and by a scarcity of qualified medical personnel, properly skilled and motivated; moreover most of the existing health facilities lack equipment and drugs, or are too expensive and therefore not affordable for most of the slum population, where 80% are unemployed and live below the poverty level.

The specific objective of the project is to increase access to essential preventive and diagnostic services for the patients of the slums of North East Nairobi and to improve the maternal, child and adolescent health status in the area.  Action will be particularly focalized on the maternal and child health, on prevention and health education, with special attention on adolescents.

The "Neema Centre" will also serve as a training centre for health professionals.

On the 23th of January 2007, with the "Ground Breaking" Ceremony, construction of the health centre has officially begun. Building work is going ahead rapidly: see the pictures of the builiding site.

"Neema" in Kiswahili means "human work with God's blessing"