Many Kenyans lack access to basic health services, affordable drugs and medical supplies.
December 2006: The SHEF clinic in the tiny village called Gichoinjini, near Embu, is located at the end of a long dirt road, lined by tin-roofed shanties on either side. The clinic’s fresh green and gold paint, the gossamer door covering and the happy lettering of its sign send a message of confidence and safety.
Cyrus, an experienced community outreach worker, runs this SHEF clinic in partnership with Mary, a retired nurse who is 58 years old. After a year or so of struggling with other organizations, Cyrus and two of his friends heard about SHEF and decided to make a go of starting a health clinic with the organization. At one point, it seemed that the area was too poor to sustain the clinic, though they did manage to repay the loan.
The other partners eventually dropped out, but with no health clinic within at least a 4-kilometer radius, Cyrus still wanted to keep this dream alive, so he reached out to Mary, a woman he’d seen at the bank making regular deposits who was also obviously a trained nurse. With a professional nurse, he knew he could provide more needed services, increase the financial sustainability of the clinic and possibly have a viable business as well.
The pair worked hard for a year to find a suitable place for the clinic and to refurbish the building to meet new SHEF requirements and government regulations. Finally, they are now beginning to see results, with the clinic recording 20 patients a day. Sales from the clinic’s shop are also solid and growing.
Mary joined SHEF because, first and foremost, loves being active and serving people. But Mary is also a businesswoman and wants to earn a good living, too. At this clinic, she is the business powerhouse, the manager and the banker who also provides the clinical legitimacy and knowledge. Cyrus contributes marketing and outreach skills to attract customers and patients.
This is an enterprise that not only covers costs – it has potential to succeed over time. The question is how to build more franchises with the Marys of the world, who have both nursing experience and the management skills to build viable enterprises. It is also a question of how to create the right balance between financial viability and the delivery of critical health services to the poor.
This is now the more focused experiment for SHEF and its ambitions to expand, now that most of its existing franchises have reached operational self-sufficiency.