What extent can a hospice go to raise funds for smooth facilitation of its services to patients with terminal illnesses?
Meru Hospice has gone a notch higher in its quest for an extra shilling to facilitate its operations.
In June 2011, Meru Hospice rented a room in Gakoromone market and equipped it with posho mill machines worth Ksh. 625 000.
They obtained a license to operate the posho mill under the name Hope Posho Mill and set to generate income from the facility by having it officially launched by the area Member of Parliament, Honorable Silas Muriuki.
Meru Hospice programme coordinator Mrs. Gladys Mucee said they currently do general milling at the facility but intend to expand to floor packaging for sale in the near future.
“We have no option other than coming up with income generating projects to sustain our course.” Mrs. Mucee said
This comes at a time that the major donor for their activities, the Princess Diana’s Memorial Fund, has closed leaving them with a huge financial gap to fill.
Mrs. Mucee said Meru Hospice operates at a budget of about five million Kenya Shillings per annum and it is essential to look for alternative sources of income as they try to find a replacement for Princess Diana’s Memorial Fund.
Besides the posho mill, Meru Hospice has a demonstration garden where they grow kales specifically for the patients.
“We purchase our own food whenever we cook at the office and leave the vegetables for our patients.” Mucee said.
She added that the garden has helped most patients who are not able to fend for themselves by supplementing their food requirements.
By doing this, Mucee said, patients get the comfort of home at the hospice as they visit to receive palliative care services.
“We receive clothes from well-wishers, which we distribute to our patients during our daycare programmes that run at intervals across the month.” She said.
Meru Hospice works closely with its twin hospice, Agrace HospiceCare, in the USA who have tremendously supported the hospice through: raising funds; donating the seed money for the posho mill and donating drugs
It also works hand in hand with Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA) for its training needs for improved palliative care services.
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