I Care for Mom’s Project

Jun 9, 2022

Three years ago, Dianne Renaud and Konah Raynee created a project called, “I Care for Moms”, a charitable organization dedicated to building safe, birth clinics in Liberia, Africa, where women can receive proper medical care and support. The birthing clinic is in honor of Konah’s sister who died in childbirth as a result of no proper medical care. They were able to raise most of the money themselves to build the clinic but were far from getting it operational.

The Rotary Club of Osoyoos got involved and raised $5000, and with a matching District grant of $5,000 helped out with the project. The next goal was to build a proper water and sewer sanitation plant. Konah spent the last six months building the water tower and infrastructure to bring clean water into the clinic. Konah expressed this was all done by hand, pick and shovel, with volunteers and a few paid employees. A 40 foot well was dug by hand and 200 lbs of concrete poured by hand, quite dangerous as someone had to remain at the bottom of the well, pulling out buckets of water. The septic field was dug by hand and a 12 foot tower created out of steel. The Rotary Club of Osoyoos sign sits on top of the water tower, a thank you for our contribution. Konah is proud to say that this is the only clinic in Liberia that has 4 complete birthing rooms with separate bathrooms that have toilets, sinks and hot water for showers. He wanted the clinic to be modern, “Canadian style”.

The next phase is to raise money for a pharmacy and lab, these two additions will be revenue generating to help support the clinic and pay nurses wages. Currently any test results and medications required take some time to come back. Although the Ottawa hospital has generously donated incubators and other equipment the clinic still needs IV poles, baby scales, and delivery instruments. The clinic, when fully functioning, will have two doctors on call, ten nurses, and security, which equates to roughly $3,600 in expenses per month. Visit www.icareformoms.ca for further information.