Many families do not have access to good medical care in Ethiopia, or consider certain services out of reach financially.  Because of this, Fields of Promise considers this one of our four areas of focus.  In April of 2007, Fields of Promise was able to provide funding towards a small medical clinic operated by Operation Rescue, our primary NGO partner in Ethiopia.  A team of 4 travelled in October of 2008 to deliver medical equipment, medicines, and money to further equip the clinic and make it ready for its first patients.  In 2009 a part-time nurse began working out of the clinic providing HIV testing, physical examinations, and monitoring of the 300 children and their caregivers enrolled in the family-based-care project. 

This new clinic serves as a base for medical services for their 339 children seen daily through their tutoring, meal, and recreation program for full and half-orphans living in family-based care.  In addition, the children living in our various Houses of Promise will receive basic medical screenings and care at this clinic.  Fields of Promise provides the funding for this clinic and will upgrade to a full-time nurse beginning January, 2010.  Funding provides for the pharmacy bill as well, so that families and children can receive needed antibiotics, laboratory testing and ointments to improve their well-being.  A dentist and an optometrist were able to provide services out of the clinic in the summer of 2009.  In the future we hope to facilitate visits from US physicians, specialists, dentists, and nurses who can provide traning to local workers and medical outreach services to assist this clinic.

ANNAL OPERATION COSTS:  $5,000 US.   To donate towards equipment for this clinic or needed supplies, click Ways to Give.  

Many children in Tigray are suffering from lack of vision or hearing due to preventable conditions such as recurring ear infections, perforated ear drums, congenital cataracts, etc.  Surgeries are often available for conditions such as these for relatively low cost in Addis Ababa, the country's capitol.  A surgery sponsorship can enable a child to travel with an escort to Addis by bus or plane for a surgery consultation and eventual surgery when applicable.  Some screening exams can be funded in Mekelle to assist in determining who can actually benefit from  corrective surgeries.  So far, Fields of Promise has funded medical exams for all 84 students living at the Mekelle School for the Blind as well as funding three surgery consultation or surgery trips to Addis Ababa for medically needy children.  Often, the need is simply for someone to match the child with the appropriate services and help them in coordinating the trip.  Fields of Promise desires to expand these services in the future by developing a resource database of medical providers in Addis who are willing to travel to Mekelle to provide screenings, and foreign teams who are planning special trips to Ethiopia to provide services. 

Surgery sponsors or needed in the amount of $200 up to $1,000 to help a child in need of a life-changing surgery.  Please inquire at sponsor@fieldsofpromise.org for more information about children waiting for services or click on Ways to Give to donate now.