June 1 is the Global Day of Parents. It is a day to appreciate parents for their selfless commitment to children and their lifelong sacrifice towards nurturing this relationship.

FAME pays tribute to all parents around the world, especially in Northern Tanzania where we work. Rural populations, the primary populations in FAME’s catchment area, are underserved and vulnerable groups. Parenting in rural areas is especially challenging due to limited access to resources and disproportionately high rates of child needs: shelter, food, clothing, and medical care. 

Despite these challenges, the parents in FAME’s catchment area have shown great resilience, selfless commitment, and countless sacrifices to raise, love, protect and nurture their children. Every day at FAME, we meet concerned parents, some of whom have traveled a long way to ensure that their children get quality healthcare. 

We spoke to different parents who brought their kids to FAME to learn what parenthood means to them, and the role that FAME plays in supporting their children and them as parents.

Parenthood means commitment. It means humility in understanding your child’s needs and to us, bears a strong responsibility. Our daughter has epilepsy, and we’re so thankful that because of FAME, we don't have to travel far to access good healthcare for her. We believe that we are good parents because we bring her here! 

-Mr and Mrs Alwan*, with their 4-year-old daughter    

Parenthood is a desired challenge. I always wanted to have children. Parenthood is happiness! I am the happiest when my children are happy, that's why I’m sad today that my son is sick. I brought him to FAME as I trust them to heal him. I was here before when I brought my disabled father. He doesn't like hospitals much, as he has not received the best care before. FAME’s attitude towards him was positive, and they had the knowledge and skills to handle his condition. That’s why I’m here today. I am sure that my son will get the best care here, because I have seen them do it for my dad! 

-Mr. Abdul* with son aged 12 

Parenthood is a journey, and a peaceful one for me since I’m raising my child alone with no interference! Wait, that’s not entirely correct. I bring my child to the baby clinic and I rely on them for advice and information on how to take care of him. So you can say I’m not alone as I have this FAME team helping me along the way. And not just me but many other mothers too! Look how many mothers are here today! I don’t know what I would do without their support. So let me say parenthood is a journey with FAME!  

-Mama Baraka* with her 1-year-old son.

Parenthood means having a forever friend! This is my son. He’s been here everyday helping me even though he doesn't have to! I tell him the doctors and nurses here are taking very good care of me, and he can go back to his job, but he wants to stay. I have been here a long time [13 nights] and I have not one complaint! These are good people. 

-Mzee Mollel* with his 31-year- old son

Parenthood to us means responsibility that you cannot shift to somebody else. 

Since we became parents to our daughters, we have acted together as a team, as parenting means supporting each other. However, it’s not a team of two, but a team of three because FAME has been with us since the beginning. When my wife was pregnant she came here for prenatal care. Then she delivered here. And now we’re bringing the girls to the baby clinic. We like to joke that FAME is the third parent!  

-Mr and Mrs Maayan* with their daughters, Ages 1 and 3. 

*While the patients’ names have been changed to protect privacy, permission was secured to share their photos and stories with FAME supporters, and to raise awareness of available medical care at FAME.

“I am so happy. My suffering is over now. Already, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Thank you FAME. Your love, care and compassion has seen me through the darkest moment of my life. I came here alone, but once I arrived I was not alone. I had friends, brothers and sisters looking out for me. Thank You!”

— Emma

Emma* is a 23-year-old woman from Zanzibar, an island off the coast of Tanzania. For three years, Emma had been suffering from stomach problems including, intermittent pain which had recently become worse, heavy menstrual bleeding, abdominal and lower back pain and frequent urination.

Emma visited a lot of hospitals in Zanzibar, and with her condition not improving, opted to come to Arusha where her mother lives to seek treatment. In Arusha, the cost of treatment was too expensive and she was starting to lose hope for a pain free life. 

“One of the hospitals I visited in Arusha asked me to pay $13 for laboratory tests. I had just arrived from Zanzibar and I could not afford this, having spent a lot of money on my journey. I explained this to the doctor, who advised me to go to Karatu and look for a hospital called FAME. He said that they were very good, and that it was more affordable than most of the hospitals he knew in Arusha”

— Emma

Emma began researching any information she could find about FAME, and came across FAME’s Facebook page. She saw that one of her friends had “liked” the page! She couldn't believe it. This friend lived in Zanzibar as well! 

“It was 10:00pm but I didn't care! I called her immediately and asked her if she knew anything about this FAME or she was just liking random Facebook pages. She laughed and told me that she knew FAME very well, that she had given birth here and that it was a good hospital. She advised me to come here straight away.”

Confident in her friend’s recommendation, Emma boarded the next bus to Karatu from Arusha, a journey of 90 miles. Once at Karatu town, she boarded a bajaji (auto rickshaw) to FAME. 

“I arrived and was directed to the reception. I introduced myself and told them that I had come from Zanzibar to seek medical attention, and that I was alone. They were so good to me! I think about it now and I smile. God’s hand guided me here.” 

FAME conducted lab tests and admitted Emma to the inpatient ward  with uterine fibroids, which needed to be removed urgently. Emma needed surgery. 

“I quickly thought that this meant they would remove my uterus and I would never be able to have children. However, the doctors explained to me in great detail what they were going to do. After this talk I felt peace and a calmness come over me. I knew I was in good hands.”

The surgery was a success, and after five days Emma is well enough to go home. She will stay with her mother in Arusha until she is ready to travel back to Zanzibar. 

FAME is happy to not only serve the 2.9 million Tanzanians living in our catchment area but also people from far and wide, who travel miles and miles to get to us. Thank you for trusting us and for sharing your stories of FAME so that we can continue to provide much-needed healthcare to people in need.

*While the patient’s name has been changed to protect privacy, permission was secured to share her photos and story with FAME supporters, and to raise awareness of available medical care at FAME Medical

Nalari poses at the FAME ward, just before she’s discharged.

Nalari with her daughter-in-law

When Nalari* woke up on a Sunday morning, she was suffering from shortness of breath and her chest hurt. She stumbled to her son’s hut, with whom she shares a compound. Her son, hearing the commotion outside, ran out to find his mother struggling to walk. He called out for his wife and went to buy some medicine for his mother from a local pharmacy, but after an hour, that did not seem to help. With her condition quickly deteriorating, his wife advised that they bring her to FAME. “They will know what to do,” she said.

His wife, Nalari’s daughter-in-law, had been to FAME many times. She suffers from high blood pressure, and gets her medicine here. She was confident that FAME would be able to help her mother-in-law, and immediately she called for a boda boda (motorbike) to bring them the 15 miles to FAME. “It’s cheaper, and faster!” she explained. 

Once at FAME, Nalari was received by our medical team and sent to FAME’s onsite laboratory tests. She was admitted to FAME’s inpatient ward where she received a diagnosis of a chest infection. Once on medication, she started to feel better. 

However, she had a secret confession to make to the doctors: 

“I am a heavy smoker, I think that might have something to do with my bad chest,” she confessed.

Her daughter-in-law explained that despite Nalari being a heavy smoker, she had never been this sick before, and that her condition had alarmed them. 

The doctors talked to Nalari and explained that the heavy smoking is not helping her condition, and there is a possibility of recurring lung infections, progressive shortness of breath, and a decline in lung functioning should she continue with her current lifestyle. 

“I feel so much better since I came here. FAME’s medicine seems to be working! I’m happy. I got good service. The doctors have talked to me about my smoking, and I’ve promised to stop. I will not continue to smoke, as it seems to be hurting me. I will listen to the doctor”

— Nalari

“I was confident that FAME would help her as they have helped me so many times and continue to help with my high blood pressure. I am happy that the doctors have also talked to her about smoking. She smokes quite a lot, from morning to evening. She doesn’t think it's a serious issue, and takes it quite lightly when people mention it. I do not dare talk to her about it, because she is my husband’s mother, so I let him do it. But she brushes him off every time! However, I think this time the doctors may have gotten through to her.” - Nalari’s daughter in law

Nalari is excited to be going home today after three nights at FAME’s inpatient ward. She is looking forward to being reunited with her grandchildren. 

*While the patient’s name has been changed to protect privacy, permission was secured to share her photos and story with FAME supporters, and to raise awareness of available medical care at FAME Medical

Planning for FAME’s Future

FAME's strategic plan addresses the intersection of community need and the realistic application of resources available. It is FAME's vision for the future based on where we are best positioned to do more for the patients and communities we serve. Developed by FAME's leadership team in Tanzania, the plan builds on the foundation that was established 20 years ago, and identifies the actions and investment needed to achieve our goals over the next five years.

Strategic Priority 1:

Strengthening Surgery and Emergency Services

General surgery services continue to be resource-challenged in the Karatu region with limited access. Easily treatable conditions are fatal due to a lack of access to safe, affordable surgical and anesthesia care. Blood supply shortages, limited operating rooms, and a lack of doctors trained to perform general surgery also contribute to this. Working in hand with this is the urgent need for emergency services in order to allow FAME to treat more complex cases and reduce the number of referrals it makes. With the nearest dedicated emergency department three hours away, FAME’s emergency response work is filling a critical gap in our region.

$25 – Provide essential surgical supplies (sterile kits, sutures, wound care materials)

$2,000 – Support advanced training and mentorship for anesthetists, OR nurses, and surgical staff

$25,000 – Help equip FAME’s Emergency Room to meet rising trauma and referral demand

Strategic Priority 2:

Growing Pediatric Care

FAME’s investment in reproductive, maternal and child health has established its reputation as an institution committed to the well-being of newborns, children and families. FAME is now looking to further expand its competence in pediatric medicine in order to address the challenges that children, mothers and families face as they begin to grow.

$50 – Provide essential newborn care supplies (feeding support, medications, warming materials, family care kits)

$4,000 – Equip the Special Care Nursery with lifesaving respiratory support” Provide CPAP machines and neonatal equipment that help newborns struggling to breathe—one of the most urgent needs for premature babies

$15,000 – Fund dedicated NICU nursing coverage: Support two nurses on every maternity shift focused exclusively on premature and critically ill newborns, ensuring round-the-clock specialized care

Strategic Priority 3:

Expecting the Unexpected

COVID-19 has illuminated the impact of unexpected events, like a pandemic, to cause a costly shifting of priorities and resources. Mitigating the adverse effects of pandemics, climate change and other potential natural and/or political shifts requires a pre-planned response system.

$20 – Stock emergency PPE and infection prevention supplies

$2,500 – Strengthen FAME’s disaster response team through planning, training, and contingency systems

$50,000 – Support construction of a dedicated multi-function Isolation Ward for future outbreaks and emergencies

Strategic Priority 4:

Investing in Quality Data

Accurate data tracking and analysis are crucial to support continuous quality improvement (CQI) around patient care, patient satisfaction, management decisions, budgeting, government and donor reporting and fundraising. Additionally, FAME’s success over the last 20-years has had lifelong impacts on its patients and far-reaching impacts on the livelihood, health, and wellbeing of the communities it serves. FAME is committed to measuring this impact!
 

$100 – Support data tools for frontline staff (tablets, connectivity, reporting materials)

$1,500 – Build the capacity of FAME’s team to report and use data in decision making

It was a Sunday evening when pregnant Amani* came to FAME. She was not due for another three weeks and was experiencing heavy bleeding and excruciating stomach pain. She knew something was terribly wrong. Panicked, she called a family friend who drove her 30 miles to FAME.

At 34-years-old, this was Amani’s first pregnancy. She had started her antenatal clinics at a local dispensary close to her house, but her friend was adamant that she had to come to FAME. “She would not stop talking about FAME. She kept saying it was a beautiful place with good doctors, and affordable healthcare. I finally came to FAME when I was six months pregnant, and visited the Reproductive and Child Health clinic (RCH) for antenatal consultation. I was so happy with the service I received, so I kept coming back and planned to have the baby here.”

Once the pain became unbearable and the bleeding increased, Amani called a family friend and asked him to bring her to FAME. It was an emergency. From her FAME antenatal clinics, she knew the bleeding was a sign that something was terribly wrong.

At FAME, they were received by a security guard who rushed her to the maternity ward. Amani was terrified but the nurses were reassuring. The doctors determined that Amani's cervix was not dilating and that an emergency Cesarean delivery (C-section) had to be performed due to fetal stress.

“By this time I was in so much pain and scared. The woman on the bed next to mine had just come from a C-section, and the fact that she was still alive gave me hope!”

— Amani

As Amani waited to be taken into surgery, she struck up a conversation with the woman next to her, who’d just come from a C-section.

“I talked to her as I was intrigued that she was only gone a short time for the C-section. In the midst of my pain, I was asking her so many questions about her experience! What was the operating theater like? Was she asleep the whole time? Did she hear the baby’s first cry? She was tired but answered all my questions, and she reassured me that it was all okay and that I was in good hands.”

Amani’s surgery went well, and she is now the mother of beautiful baby boy.

“I am very happy. I am a Mama!”

*While the patient’s name has been changed to protect privacy, permission was secured to share her photos and story with FAME supporters, and to raise awareness of available medical care at FAME Medical