From Memphis to Tanzania: How this couple is working to improve health care in a small village
Negative headlines about Memphis are all too frequent for Steve Juma's liking.
Granted, that isn't why he and his wife have helped raised funds to build a medical clinic in Tanzania, but it is a reminder that there's a lot of good that comes out of Memphis that perhaps we far too often forget about.
"There's lot of good things coming out of Memphis, and a lot of good things will keep coming out of Memphis," Steve said.
Steve and his wife, Monica, are leading a fundraising campaign with St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Memphis for a four-wheel drive vehicle to help transport patients in the small Tanzanian village of Kifuru to the nearest hospital. That hospital is about 6 miles away, and the route is an unpaved dirt road. The four-wheel drive vehicle will serve as an ambulance, Monica said.
As it stands now, some villagers use a motor bike to travel to the main hospital, Steve said, however, the majority of residents do not own nor can they afford any motorized transportation, leaving most to walk the 6 miles for emergency care.
The Jumas are looking to help raise $40,000 through a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign for the ambulance. Members of St. Patrick's parish are also hosting a charity dinner on Saturday, Sept. 21, to help. The dinner will feature Tanzanian dishes and other African cuisine.
"It affirms the goodness in humanity and the goodness... People want to help," Steve said, regarding the traction and support the Tanzania campaign has raised.
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In 2022, St. Patrick's parish helped raised $15,000 for the village of Kifuru. Those funds were used to help renovate an existing medical clinic in the village and helped provide supplies for nine months. Today, the clinic has a full-time physician and provides free health screenings for villagers. Future plans are in the works for a possible maternity ward, Monica said. The long-term goal, she said, is to help better equip the clinic.
The campaign, Monica said, came about after members of the nonprofit organization Catholic Sisters reached out to St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Monica, who is a doctor in family medicine by trade, said she and Steve communicate weekly with the sisters and some Kifuru residents primarily through WhatsApp and email. The two, along with other parish members, will also organize Zoom calls, Steve said, although not as regularly as WhatsApp calls and email correspondence.
Last year, the Jumas visited the village and are planning to travel back to Kifuru, along with some other parish members, in summer 2025.
"Learning from the community there puts everything in perspective," Monica said.
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Neil Strebig is a journalist with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at [email protected], 901-426-0679 or via X/Twitter: @neilStrebig
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: How a Memphis church is helping Tanzania village improve health care
