Planting seeds of care on Mfangano Island

Hey everyone! I’m Dan Xia, and welcome to the very first Seeds of Ngima newsletter. You’re getting this because you’ve supported my work to expand healthcare access in Kenya over the years, and I wanted an easy way to keep everyone in the loop. A few times a year, I’ll send a quick update on what your support is making possible on Mfangano Island.

This past August, together with two great friends and incredibly talented co-founders, Emilia and Jake, we started a new nonprofit: Seeds of Ngima! Ngima means “life” and “health” in Dholuo, and that’s exactly what we’re going for: planting small seeds of care that grow into lasting change. Everything we raise goes straight to the Wakinga Community Health Centre, the clinic our community built and runs here on the island.

6,000+ treatments given since 2022 · $45,000+ raised to date · 1 island clinic with overnight care

We have two big projects going right now. One is already making a difference at the clinic every day, and the other is a longer road that will take a few years to finish.

1. A second nurse. Huge update: we finally have a second nurse! This has taken a ton off our plates, and it means our inpatient ward can stay open for the more serious cases that need overnight monitoring. On an island, that’s a big deal. Without it, patients often have to make a long boat trip to the mainland just to be seen.

2. The maternity ward. Our biggest long-term project is the maternity ward. We want mothers to be able to deliver safely right here on the island, close to home, instead of traveling to the mainland. It’s a huge endeavor and will take a while, but a lot of our fundraising is going toward it now.

We’ve also been lucky to work with Kenya’s Ministry of Health and some local pharmaceutical groups, who have sponsored free screening days and treatments for the community. It’s been amazing to watch.

We’ve also started partnering with another nonprofit called Zuri Life, led by a fellow student. They have all kinds of projects going, including a sewing center and a vertical garden for agriculture, and we’re excited to have some joint projects with them along the way. Stay tuned!

Right now, we’re fundraising to get the maternity ward equipped and operational, keep our second nurse on staff, and fund future health outreaches and research on the island. If you have any spare money or time, we would really appreciate you sharing this update or donating to the cause! Donations are tax-deductible.

Or visit ngima.org

Once again, a huge thank you to all of you for your continued support and donations. We’re so excited to keep being a positive presence in the community and to keep caring for the people of Wakinga. Thank you for being part of this!

With gratitude,
Dan, Emilia & Jake
The Seeds of Ngima team