Video: 26,000 Steps Closer to Healthcare in Tanzania

Written by Thomson Safaris

maasai women carrying water

Put on your fitness tracker and start walking – let us know when you hit 13 miles, or approximately 26,000 steps. It will likely be four hours from now.

That’s the distance the Maasai in Sukenya, Tanzania used to have to travel for healthcare. Thankfully, the local residents no longer have to make that trek. Focus on Tanzanian Communities (FOTZC), Thomson Safaris’ sister non-profit, worked directly with the community elders and district government to help establish a medical dispensary in the rural village, which opened its doors in 2015 – vastly improving healthcare in Tanzania.

medical dispensary in tanzania The dispensary in Sukenya, Tanzania

maasai celebrate the improved healthcare in Tanzania with thomson and fotzcMaasai celebrate the opening of the medical dispensary

Since then the doctors, nurses, and entire village have welcomed more than 20 newborn babies. In addition, the medical staff has seen more than 2,000 patients in just four months – more than double the patient load of nearby rural clinics. We are all ecstatic to celebrate the hard work and commitment of an entire community to make this project a reality.

first baby born at medical dispensary in tanzaniaHappy mom and healthy baby at the dispensary

maasai have access to clean water, improving healthcare in TanzaniaAccess to clean water at the dispensary’s borehole