Upon our arrival in Nyaoga we were greeted with a warm welcome at the Nyaoga Dispensary by the Victoria Young Women's Group and the Nyaoga Women's Group.

Diving right in, we then spent two full days training these women about everything from the basics of reproductive health to breast cancer prevention to other health issues they were concerned with. They were all so thankful to learn, they were open with their very personal questions that directly touched their lives, and each and every one of them was more engaged in the learning and the topics presented than we had ever anticipated. This educational training was truly seen by these women as a gift.

Many of the women have health questions or concerns that are simply based on a lack of access to knowledge. As a result of this training, and other experiences during my stay in Nyaoga, I have recognized that two of the major barriers to good health in this particular community are access of services and transportation. Thankfully the Nyaoga Dispensary will soon be opened to provide that access, and the goal of the Nyaoga Women's Group is to have a practitioner, a lab, available medications, and eventually, health education and Community Health Workers to do outreach to the greater community.

I must say, however, that although the clinic will be open to provide health care services to the community, they are not equipped for emergency care, nor is there adequate transportation available to transfer patients to the nearest emergency care facility. I fully experienced these difficulties with transportation when we accompanied a young girl of three years old to the local hospital as she was suffering from severe diarrhea for a few days, and she appeared dehydrated and anemic. As we attempted to go to the nearest hospital in Kendu Bay, about 25-30 kilometers away, we waited on the side of a dirt road of very poor condition for any vehicle that could carry us to the hospital. We waited for two full hours before a matatu came along, and when it arrived it was already packed with passengers.

This small, van-sized vehicle fit four adults in the front and close to twenty people in the back. Of course there are not seat belts available for the passengers, and riding for a length of time on these poor roads is more than uncomfortable, and of course unsafe. There was no other option. Once we arrived in the town of Kendu Bay we were dropped off on the side of the main road to find another means of transport to the hospital. We were forced to ride in a small hatchback taxi with 11 adults, including the driver, and three small children (14 in all); everyone packed into the front, back, and the hatchback. The total time it took us to arrive from Nyaoga to the hospital was three hours. Thankfully this was not an emergency situation.

If and when emergencies occur, however, there is a good chance that it could end in death simply due to this lack of transportation. Considering the Nyaoga Dispensary will be open to the community soon, it could truly be life saving to have a licensed driver and a vehicle designated for emergency transportation. Through this simple addition, many lives could be saved.

• If you wish to donate funds toward providing a vehicle to this village please designate your donation and make a designated gift.

Thank you. You are making a difference.