At The Village Microclinic, we were honored to receive Dr. Johnson Antoinettte Céline (Gynecologist) and Afoladi Matthew from Oasis Church UK escorted by Micheline Barandereka, Founder & CEO of Shekinah Center. They visited us at our headquarters in Gishingano district on October 03, 2023. Our Founder and CEO Dr. Tharcisse Nshimirimana told them the story behind the first pavilion of The Village Microclinic and its impact in the neighboring community so far.
Dr. Tharcisse Nshimirimana lives down the steep slope where the first pavilion “Barry Segal Pavilion” is built. Before getting the idea of building that first pavilion, Dr Tharcisse used to have some women with pregnancies complications from his neighborhood coming to his home for ultimate assistance. “These pregnant mothers were accompanied by traditional birth attendants who were no longer able to do more for them. They were coming to my home to seek Health services which were not available at my home. The only thing I had to do was to rush them to the nearest hospital. It was too sad to see them in such critical conditions.”, he tells.
From compassion to building a clinic
Dr. Tharcisse Nshimirimana thought how he could do something to help his community. The idea of The Village Microclinic was born. “ I founded The Village Microclinic to bring health services close to the community especially for women and children because I was touched when I had carried someone to the hospital at night and when back home I found another one waiting for assistance. Even though I had to carry them to the hospital, it was not enough.”
Dr. Tharcisse Nshimirimana together with other medical doctors started by tracking the pregnant women early in their homes. “We encouraged them to go to the nearest health facilities. It was just an idea and we performed mobile clinics without these health facilities. I had a small piece of land, and I decide to build a room. I went on a hard fundraising journey and got funds to purchase additional land and built the first pavilion.”
From fatigue to sigh of relief
Building the foundation of the first pavilion, as the land is located on the steep slope, was not easy. “We had to collect the stones from the river down the slope and we had to carry them on head. It was tough. However, the community and friends helped me so much. Every weekend, they were with me correcting stones.”
To conclude, “We have a plan of extending by building a second pavilion there. We’ve been helped by many funders and donors to acquire the land and also to get the architectural design.”