Hemingways Collection has collaborated with the Maa Trust in the construction of the first of its kind maternity facility in Maasai Mara. The facility will feature an operating theatre capable of performing caesarean sections, a neonatal high-dependency unit for newborns in need of special care, and a maternity shelter that is designed to offer a secure environment for high-risk expectant and postpartum mothers, including all child and adolescent mothers.
Construction of the facility was completed, and it became operational this year through collaboration between a diverse group of partners, including Hemingways Collection, M-Pesa Foundation, Gertrude’s Hospital Foundation, John and Jennifer Guistina Family Fund, and Narok County Government, among others.
Last year, The Maa Trust coordinated a fundraising effort for the construction, equipping, and operationalization of a maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) facility at CHP Talek Health Centre.
Hemingways Collection CEO Ross Evans says Hemingways has committed to a bed night donation at both Hemingways Nairobi KES 260 ($2) per bed night and Hemingways Ol Seki KES 650 ($5) per bed night to fund continuing operations of the MNCH.
“We have so far contributed KES 1.9 million ($14,500) to the facility and we encourage our guests at Hemingways Ol Seki to visit the Maa Trust Headquarters to learn more about the organisation and the amazing impact they are having in the community and on conservation in the Mara ecosystem. We are delighted to support and partner with Crystal and her team at the Maa Trust.” said Mr. Evans.
This funding goes into supporting doctor salaries, anaesthetists, and nurses to ensure that mothers and babies receive good quality medical care on an ongoing basis.
The facility has been tailor-made to cater to high-risk pregnancies including adolescent mothers, and The Maa Trust anticipates that it will take two years for it to reach financial sustainability.
“In 2021, I went into labour 10 weeks prematurely here in the Maasai Mara. It was only because of an emergency helicopter evacuation to Nairobi that my son survived. I have also just come through another high-risk pregnancy with my daughter who arrived safely, only four weeks prematurely,” recalled Maa Trust CEO Dr Crystal Mogensen- noting that the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) centre is her personal passion project.
Adding: “It is not very often that a wide array of camps, companies, and non-profits are willing to work together on a project, but this health facility has brought unity. With construction and equipping costing KES 66 million, this is the largest single infrastructure project the Trust has ever undertaken – and it has been a resounding success.”
The centre is integrated with the Daktari Smart telemedicine program that ensures seamless access to specialist consultations from Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital thus eliminating the need for patients to travel to Nairobi.
Additionally, visitors can buy ‘Mama Kits’- which are packed with essential items for new mums and babies and which are given to all mothers who deliver at the new maternity facility, encouraging them to deliver their baby in a safe, clinic-based environment rather than at home. These Mama Kits are on sale at Hemingways Ol Seki’s gift shop and provides further support and impact at MNCH.
