Collegiate Churches Supports SAACID to Build Malnutrition Treatment Facility in Somalia
New York, Jun 25, 2013 (SDN) –The Collegiate Churches of New York has funded SAACID International to build a children’s health facility that will provide inpatient care for severely malnourished children and their resulting medical complications. It will be the first indigenous construction in 22 years in south and central Somalia.
The Inpatient Malnutrition Stabilization Center will be integrated with the existing network of 17 outpatient health and nutrition centers across Mogadishu City. The outpatient centers have treated 27,467 severely malnourished children and another 75,682 moderately malnourished children throughout the last 12 months. In addition to treating severely malnourished children, the inpatient facility will offer immunizations, nutrition and breastfeeding counseling and hygiene promotion. All services and transportation will be free.
After extensive research, the Collegiate Churches decided that SAACID (say-eed), meaning ‘to help’ in Somali, would be the organization where its $100,000 grant would have the greatest impact. The project costs about $300,000, with the contribution covering about one-third of the total costs.
“What really struck me about SAACID, and part of the reason why Collegiate decided to support them, is that as a local Somali organization they can operate safely in underserved areas while providing exceptional care for severely malnourished children,” T. Hunter Dare, a deacon for the Collegiate Churches and a former member of its Outreach Committee. “This is the start of a relationship that both SAACID and The Collegiate Churches hope will have a lasting impact on poverty and starvation in the country.”
The inpatient facility can serve about 2,000 severely malnourished children annually, said Christy Sprinkle, Executive Manager of SAACID. The construction has employed more than 100 people; the operations will eventually employ 43 people, with the larger network employing more than 1,000 people. The four-ward building will have 48 beds. One of the wards recently opened to conduct minor treatments until the formal opening later in the summer.
The Collegiate Churches offers the opportunity to donate to their Somalia relief effort through their website. Photographs of the construction of the Inpatient Malnutrition Stabilization Center can be found here.
The Collegiate Churches of New York
Established in 1628, The Collegiate Churches of New York has old, deep roots in a great city, yet has embraced a thoroughly modern perspective on spirituality and community in a greater world. Founded in the tradition of Reformed Protestantism, they respond to the spiritual needs of people today by embracing diversity, affirmation, openness and justice. They consist of a single historic church with four city-wide ministries. Each is unique in approach and character, but unified in our core values of inclusion, self-exploration and positive thinking. As a spiritual community they encourage people to search, discover and flourish.
SAACID International
SAACID (say-eed – Somali, meaning ‘to help’) is an indigenous Somali, not-for-profit, non-religious, non-political, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) founded and directed by Somali women, that focuses on practical measures to enhance the life-options of women, children and the poor. Originally founded in 1990, SAACID is now fully registered in Australia, Somalia and the US. SAACID envisions all developing countries as contexts in which all people can reach their full human potential.
SOURCE :The Collegiate Churches of New York