Aggrey Otieno, a human rights
activist has become the voice and help of pregnant woman around Korogocho one
of Kenya’s largest slums. Leaving Korogocho to go to the States through being
granted a scholarship in the Ford Foundation he attended Ohio University to get
a Masters degree in communications and development and a diploma in African
community health. Once coming back home many people in the community looked up
to him because he was the only one with a Masters degree. With this is felt it
was only right that he try to help this community that raised him. In the slums
of his community there was prostitution, drugs and crime and often many people
who would become pregnant had no hope or chance because of poverty,
transportation, and lack of awareness and instead of a hospital with medical equipment
they were stuff with razorblades and cotton wool. Which is where Otieno came up
with the idea of having a text alert where if you were sick or in labor you
could text a number and it would pop up on a computer where Peter Muguma (one
of the doctors) would make arrangements for an ambulance or someone to pick up
the woman and take her to the hospital. Through this many lives changed for the
better in Korogocho. This was an incredible idea for the fact that many people
even in poverty owned cell phones and could text.
This is such a remarkable thing that Otieno did for his
community. If not for him wanting to see a change the same thing would be going
on till this day, With his degree instead of starting a life in the States he
came back to where it all started for him and I think that is so important
because in times down people always look forward and only rarely look back at
what started them and help it grow. Being a woman I have no idea what I would
do in that situation. Living in one of the poorest slums and not having all the
abilities to deliver a healthy baby in a hospital is a scary thought. I
appreciate Otieno for caring enough to make a way.
Lauren
Said-moorhouse, Jessica Ellis, ed. N.p.. Web. 17 Oct 2013.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/16/world/africa/birth-advice-by-text-otieno/index.html?hpt=iaf_t4.
Natalia Alexander
10/17/13
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